FALLING INTO INFINITY

Falling Into Infinty arrived after a hiatus in which Dream Theater's label refused to release any of the band's output. They wanted songs with commercial appeal. Members slowly began to buckle under the pressure, so Falling Into Infinity represents DT's stab at commerciality. The result in DT's softest album to date and one of it's most controversial. However, there is prog on this album, and it redeems this misstep.

New Millenium is a mediocre opener, though it contains some of Myung's best bass. It's too long and lacks the drive of Dream Theater songs

You Not Me sounds like AOR and is banal at best

Peruvian Skies is the best rack so far with Petrucci's tasteful solo leads to the first heaviness of the album.

Hollow Years is the first standout song ont he album. Later perfected on Live at Budokan, this is nevertheless a beautiful acoustic ballad.

Burning My Soul is nothing special, but it is the first metal throughout song on the album.

Hell's Kitchen is an amazing, soft instrumental with one of Petrucci's finest solos.

Lines in the Sand is THE standout song on the album. It features guest vox from King's X's incredible Doug Pinnick. If only he sang more than the chorus this song would be even better. John Myung shines on this track with his pounding bass. Great solo from Petrucci, another one of his best. I bought this album based solely on hearing this song onec, so that should give you an idea as to my devotion to it.

Take Away My Pain loses all of the momentum gained by Lines in the Sand with its cheesy balladry.

Just Let Me Breathe continues the downward spiral with its straight-foward though uninspired metal.

Anna Lee is decent but it too fails to ebb the decline.

Trial of Tears redeems the failures of the last three songs with the first truly prog song on the album. Sherinian gets his moment in the sun here, and Portnoy's restrained drumming is some of his best. A three part track that brings this album into progland.

Falling Into Infinty is not DT's wrost album (that would be Octavarium), in fact, it's quite good. The problem is that most songs stop at the edge of greatness, much like the songs on Marillion's Fugazi. Petrucci's soft solos show just how good he is when he doesn't play at the speed of light; Lines in the Sand and Hell's Kitchen are two of his five greatest solos. The album is too straight-foward for such a progressive band, but anyone who has already gotten into DT with Scenes From a Memory and I&W should own this album at some point.