IMAGES AND WORDS

DREAM THEATER harbor unparalleled potential with spectacular musicians such as Kevin Moore, John Petrucci, and John Myung, whose skills were visible since their debut WHEN DREAMS AND DAY UNITE but uncanny chains were holding them back from releasing their full potential. Finally freed, they translate their potentiality into IMAGES AND WORDS. This record, in particular, is their most accessible, friendly, cheerful and exciting. It's a great introductory tool for metal fans who wishes to embark upon prog. Not to mention its importance to kickstart even harder the prog metal scene, which now reigns supreme.

This album particularly holds a special place in my heart because I was introduced to prog through them and I have fond memories of listening to it. The wonderful amazement it was to first discover prog and a delightful trip I took with one of my most dearest people are two things that come to mind. The excitement and ecstasy of listening to Under a Glass Moon's solo while she slept aside me, after the amazing tour we had... oh, memories.

Their music is highly complex, but in the same time, simplified. It's easy to listen, easy to understand, but upon thorough inspection, a level of intricacy can be found. This, as preliminary material, is efficient. We can't forget, either, the enjoyment it propitiates - their joyful lightheartedness is hard not to get emotionally attached to.

Many of DT's great pieces are here: Under a Glass Moon, with a superb solo by John Petrucci (actually, 'superb' and 'John Petrucci' together makes an oxymoron); Surrounded, with an EVEN MORE superb and also reverberated, soulful solo; Metropolis Pt. 1 which preluded one of prog's most acclaimed albums and features a highly eclectic solo section - including Myung's tapping; Take the Time, the apex of James LaBrie's performance on the album; and the spectacular Pull me Under. Critics like to call it popular but not really that good and I disagree vehemently. It's no different from most other tracks: enjoyable. Deeply.

Two more important highlights that anyone who wants to listen to IMAGE AND WORDS must know: the first is that the songs are generally divided into introduction, verse and chorus, an absurdly long but ultimately pinnacling solo (I'm telling you: these guys KNEW their best stuff was the soloing and they really put their soul into it), verse and chorus again and short outro; the second, is that James LaBrie's vocals - highly criticized, most of the times deserved - fits stupendously. If it was any other, any more or less qualified vocalist, it just wouldn't be the same.

This "review" was mostly a heartfelt praise of one of my favorite and dearest albums of all time, there isn't much new stuff to say about the album which has almost three hundred reviews. If you didn't listen to it yet, damn dude, just do it.

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