SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE

Coming off of Metropolis: Part Two, I was a bit surprised by the change of tone in the first disc, with many avant garde touches and innovative techniques that seemed quite foreign to the Dream Theater I had previously known of. But I guess the instrumental variation that comes with this release was the only cause of my praise.

Perhaps I just don't get it. I'm not an avid music fan, and don't immerse myself in the everyday happenings of progressive music - but Dream Theater has always seemed like it was divided into two sections of listeners, those who love it, and those who don't. I just, don't happen to enjoy their music all that much.

Sure, there's some really good moments in the first disc that are worth some listening, but there never really struck me to hold much lasting power. I mean, there's albums that can stay with you for a long time, if not forever; but this release didn't seem to want to hit those heights. So it just didn't with me.

Sure, we've got the 42 minute suite (that I don't really consider a single song), the title track, which has all matter of moods and alternations, and really harks back to the earlier works of Dream Theater, it's just... I guess it could have been shorter, less drawn out and meandering. I guess I'm a man of contradictions when it comes to meandering. Sometimes it's nice to see a band latch onto a really spectacular piece of instrumentation, but other times it can really get pushed too far and lose some credability in the process. The same with Metropolis Part Two, I really felt there were parts that gel into a really entertaining and wonderful piece of progressive music, and other parts that simply don't do it for me.

And I guess, it's really just got to be a relative experience for everyone. It just wasn't the best album I've ever heard, and I have the feeling in a few years I probably won't remember much of it at all.

3/5