DISTANT MEMORIES - LIVE IN LONDON

'Distant Memories - Live in London' is Dream Theater's ninth live album, following up 'Breaking the Fourth Wall' from 2014. Recorded at Hammersmith Apollo, the album was released on November 27, 2020. The legendary progressive metal band has a double celebration going on - the release of their fourteenth studio record 'Distance Over Time' and the 20th anniversary of their beloved and absolutely iconic album 'Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory'.

This is another very solid addition to their broad and stellar catalogue, as the album portrays the band at a point in time where we could say that there is nothing left for them to prove. A regular studio output and a mind-blowing live act, Dream Theater rarely disappoint when it comes to live albums, and 'Distant Memories' is no exception.

This is the second time when 'Metropolis Pt. 2' appears played in its entirety on a Dream Theater live album, the other occasion being on their 2001 concert album. As one would expect, it is graceful, emotional, and masterful after all these years. The only difference, some would say, is in James' voice that has obviously changed throughout the years, yet he still sounds glorious and unpredictably passionate about his singing.

Apart from that, the band play half of the 'Distance Over Time' album, alongside 'A Nightmare to Remember', a true DT classic, and 'In the Presence of Enemies Pt. 1', another fairly recognizable metal track. Overall, this is a really good live album, enjoyable and excellently mixed, heavy and proggy - everything that one would expect from a legendary band.