SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE

Track 1 - The Glass Prison

We begin with a static sound and church bells ringing, before a clean guitar riff begins with the bass supporting. Then power chords & drums join in, before distorted guitar joins the riff. A brief keyboard solo leads us to a heavier riff with Petrucci accenting parts with a wah-wah. More changes establish a background for Petrucci's guitar wizardry. Vocals enter at around 3 minutes, lead vocal alternating with a distorted voice in a call and response style. Portnoy is all over the double bass drums. The distorted voice takes the next verse with a bit of keyboard embellishment. The pace becomes less frantic next with LaBrie singing harmonized lead vocals. Following that, a slower riff takes over with siren sound effects. Sounds like record scratching in the next interlude. Heavy backing vocals support the lead vocals after that. This track emphasizes the METAL in prog metal. A fantastic bass feature at 9:40 from Myoung. Then a very fast solo section with Petrucci and Rudess trading off, then it gets even faster! Yet it never loses control. The two soloists harmonize around the 11-minute mark before a nifty little unaccompanied keyboard riff at 11:06. Then the band returns to a groove alternating with the keyboard riff. This track is quite a workout for Portnoy! A flashy guitar runs usher the vocals back in with about a minute to go. Impressive track

Track 2 - Blind Faith

We fade in with sustained echo-ey guitar notes then Myoung lays down the rhythm on the bass before Portnoy joins him. This verse has a moderate rhythm and clean guitar which becomes distorted and builds into a heavier chorus. The second verse is heavier as well. But then the second part of the verse is more keyboard oriented. Then a heavier chorus and bridge, but this song has not been as heavy as the opener. The guitar solo has a quicker tempo and a more bluesy tone for Petrucci than usual but with his wizardry intact. An odd-metered section leads to unaccompanied piano from Rudess, before the band kicks back in. Then we get a Hammond solo! Not too common in DT, NICE! The heavy riffing and Hammond give me Deep Purple vibes. Following that a Synth solo?Rudess is busy on this one, before Petrucci takes back over. All the while Portnoy and Myoung are an impressive rhythm section, particularly Portnoy's drum fills! The following sections get heavier with LaBrie's amazing vocals taking back the spotlight. Things seem to calm down a bit for the closing section.

Track 3 - Misunderstood

A slow, clean chording guitar starts the next track. Then there is a hint of keyboards before the guitar is joined with LaBrie's vocals. Keyboards take over the accompaniment on the second verse. There is a mellow interlude with keyboard sounds fluttering in the background. Drums gradually join in with some accents on the next verse. At just after 3:35 the band kicks in hard & heavy. The music is climbing to the end of the chorus. I really like this one so far. The guitar solo sounds like it was recorded in reverse and harmonized. This one is heavy in a classic-rock ballad kind of way. Just heavy enough, without getting too intense. An odd-timing instrumental section is next with odd fluttering keyboards over the top. It gets crazier as the track reaches conclusion. The rhythm track fades out and the odd sounds take over, I think it became guitar feedback with a lot of effects on it. The rhythm bed fades back in towards the very end. The underlying rhythm surprisingly bears resemblance to the ending section to Green Day's Boulevard of Broken Dreams, released 2 years later. Excellent track with a strange ending section.

Track 4 - The Great Debate

This begins with synth sounds, then a bass rhythm. News reports about stem-cell research joins in. Portnoy provides some tom-toms while Petrucci plays sustained guitar, eventually giving way to power chords and a more steady beat from Portnoy. An odd meter riff begins around 2:45, then LaBrie joins in with heavily effected vocals. The effects stop for the next verse. The music regularly shifts timing and intensity. The song's lyrics discuss both sides of the issue and leave the listener to decide, the instrumental section after 9:00 features Rudess first then Petrucci, before returning to Rudess. There is an amazing run after 11:00. The news reports return at the end. The political nature of this song may be off-putting for some, but I think the song is brilliant.

Track 5 - Disappear

We begin with mysterious guitar and piano chords, before settling into a gentle rhythm. LaBrie joins in softly on vocals. String-like synth is backing. Then we get a slightly disturbing keyboard accompaniment. The mysterious sounds from the beginning lead us into the next verse. About halfway through we get a more 6-8 power ballad feel, with heavier guitars and drums. The mysterious sound returns for the close of the song. Very mellow track.

Track 6 - Overture (This is where Disc 2 would begin? Apparently all of the remaining tracks constitute the "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence Suite")

A very dramatic intro, almost cinematic, starts us off. This whole track sounds like movie score music to me. I am sure it contains themes from the upcoming movements. It is very orchestrated.

Track 7 - About To Crash

A 7-8 piano melody sets the pace, solo at first, then joined by the rest of the band. LaBrie Joins in over the rhythm bed. It is my understanding that this movement is about a girl with bipolar disorder. Each section of the suite discusses a different mental disorder. This part segued directly to?

Track 8 - War Inside My Head

This part is about a veteran struggling with PTSD. I can feel a heavy military style beat. The lyrics seem to be inside a "flashback." A second voice joins in on the vocal near the end of the short movement (Portnoy perhaps?)

Track 9 - The Test That Stumped Them All

With an abrupt, fast intro that reminds me of Ace of Wands by Steve Hackett (early in the countdown), this track certainly demands attention. This track portrays schizophrenia. The doctors say they have to "save him from himself". Different treatments are suggested, including shock treatment. Around 3 minutes in we get a fantastic Petrucci solo, then after a quick turnaround a Rudess one. The pace of this one is frantic, to reflect the schizophrenia the character has.

Track 10 - Goodnight Kiss

This one is about the pain felt after losing a child. I would say that would be depression and grief. The sound is quiet and sad. The quiet might be a welcome relief after the previous track, but the pain felt is palpable. The beat gets more steady at the end during the guitar solo.

Track 11 - Solitary Shell

This is the one I've heard most often from this album. This one is referring to Autism. A mid-tempo song, almost folky in some ways. I've always felt a connection to the song. I have recently made a self-discovery that I may be on the "spectrum," in a mild way. The acoustic solo is wonderful, as is the piano playing.

Track 12 - About to Crash (Reprise)

This starts with distorted guitar with a riff that reminds me of Steve Vai. The band joins in, followed by the vocals. The song has a steady rockin' 4-4 groove. The rhythm changes to an almost military style beat under the guitar solo at one point. The music becomes more theatrical in the second half of the song.

Track 13 - Losing Time/Grand Finale

The tempo slows a bit, and the meter turns to 6-8 as the final movement begins. LaBrie's vocals are subdued as he starts with "She dressed in black every day?", but he builds as the song progresses. The tempo slows further at around 3:15. LaBrie and the band hit a big final note at around 4:00 (with 2 minutes left in the song). A sustained note fades out in an excruciatingly slow manner. It is like the final piano chord of the Beatles A Day In the Life, but even slower.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

A fantastic album, to be sure. Flawless playing, singing and production all around. Can we expect any less from Dream Theater? However, the subject matter, by the nature of the theme is a bit hard on the psyche. It is not an album I'd want to tackle in its entirety on a regular basis. So, I'll give it a 4 out of 5 stars, only because it is so emotionally exhausting. What do you think?

Share this DREAM THEATER review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to yarstruly
• Report this review (#3090112)
• Buy DREAM THEATER music online with PA partners
• Show all DREAM THEATER MP3/Stream
• Go to DREAM THEATER page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for DREAM THEATER related discussions