METROPOLIS PART 2 - SCENES FROM A MEMORY

I am probably about a level 2 on this, even though the tracks I know are among my favorite DT songs. This is my first time actually listening to the whole thing, surprisingly enough. Metropolis Pt. 1 was on Images & Words (previously reviewed). However, Petrucci reportedly added the Pt. 1 to the title as a joke. As I said in the I&W review, the joke was on the band as fans kept calling for Part 2. The story is about a man having a past-life regression named Nicholas. In his regression, one of his past lives was as a woman named Victoria Page, who was murdered. He initially believes that she was murdered by her boyfriend Julian Baynes after she began distancing herself from him and having an affair with her brother Edward. As the story progresses, Nicholas is far less certain that Julian was the killer. The story is in two acts, each with several scenes. Each scene is represented by a different track on the album, with the exception of Scene 2. 3, and 7 which are each divided over 2 songs. Also of note, this is the first DT album with Jordan Rudess on Keyboards. Let's get started

Act 1:

Track 1 - Scene One: Regression

A clock tick-tocks left & right as the hypnotherapist speaks the words that bring Nicholas into a trance. By the 1 minute point, an acoustic guitar strums and LaBrie begins singing. This theme will return later.

Track 2 - Scene Two: I. Overture 1928

As the title implies, this is an instrumental piece that contains some of the musical themes that will recur on the album. It begins with a machine gun-type of rhythm that leads us into those various themes. Rudess has an amazing synth solo around 1:20. Petrucci follows with a guitar solo at 1:35, initially in a half-time feel that later returns to tempo. After a second solo, they play complex rhythms together. Incredible keyboards at 3:15. We build up to a different staccato riff that begins in track two, and then continues in track 3.

Track 3 - Scene Two: II. Strange Deja Vu

The staccato riff continues as the backdrop for the verse. Killer Portnoy fill at 35 seconds. The chords become more sustained and after the 1 minute mark, Portnoy changes to a double-bass-drum-beat. There is a chorus at around 2 minutes. A quick guitar riff takes over at around 2:40 before LaBrie returns on vocals. At around 3:45 sustained power chords on the guitar support a piano solo. Nice vocal harmonies at around 4:15. Awesome drum fill at 4:40. LaBrie holds out the final note as the track transitions to?

Track 4 - Scene Three: I. Through My Words

This part is only about 1 minute long. It begins with quiet piano notes, joined by LaBrie's vocals. This leads to?

Track 5 - Scene Three: II Fatal Tragedy

The piano and vocals continue seamlessly from the preceding section. Big power chords usher the band in, and they change to a slightly Beatlesque guitar arpeggio pattern, although much heavier. The music then turns sinister sounding. Petrucci is playing some Zakk Wylde type pinch harmonics. There is a fantastic gothic choir sound just after 1:30. I love the musical sequence around 2:15 with alternating organ and Queen-like guitar harmonies. The gothic choir briefly returns, before we switch to a major key for the bridge. Cool guitar riff begins at 3:50. Portnoy joins in with an amazing beat. After 4 minutes it is just pure DT at their finest. Mind blowing guitar from Petrucci; and Rudess shows why they wanted him so badly. Holy crap! At 6 minutes?mere mortal musicians can't handle this! We get a good taste of John Myung's amazing bass skills as well. It ends with spoken words: "Now it is time to see how you died. Remember that death is not the end, only a transition."

Track 6 - Scene Four: Beyond This Life

This one begins with a mosh-pit worthy guitar riff. The intro to this one is some of the heaviest metal Dream Theater plays. But by 46 seconds in, things quickly tone down and LaBrie starts singing with an effect on his voice "Headline. Murder?" Myoung keeps the riff going on the bass. Great odd meter playing at 1:35. They kick back in shortly afterward and lead up to a quiet, melodic section. The riff returns in time for a blistering Petrucci solo. By 3:30 the groove changes, but is still heavy. Things get quiet again at 4:50. A melodic "chorus" begins at 5:22. The heavy riff returns at around 6:10, with a variation. Rudess takes a solo around 6:30.The groove shifts back to the other riff and Petrucci plays a wah-wah heavy solo. Rudess takes another solo around 8:30. The 2 soloists share the spotlight at around 9 minutes. Petrucci and Rudess trade licks starting at around 9:45. The vocals resume at 10:04.The song ends with clean guitar arpeggios. Amazing track.

Track 7 - Scene Five: Through Her Eyes

A synth swell connects this track to the proceeding one. A female singer joins the keyboards with soft vocalizations (think a mellow Great Gig in the Sky) That theme that I said we'd hear again has returned. At 1:05 piano and a subtle rhythm section take over. LaBrie begins singing at 1:40. I believe Myung is playing fretless bass on this, quite nicely, I might add. Beautiful vocal harmonies join at around 3:30. A strumming acoustic joined in at some point along the way as well. Petrucci starts playing melodic lead lines at 4:45, joined by the female singer, then the song fades to a close. Thus ends Act 1.

Act 2:

Track 8 - Scene Six: Home

This begins with a very slow fade in of synth and sound effects, joined by acoustic guitar and sitar. At around 1:00 John Myung joins on bass along with Portnoy on drums. and they begin to lock into a very cool rhythm pattern. At 1:44 the sound gets heavier, with some really funky keyboard tones. Just after 2 minutes, there is a Middle-Eastern riff that is just amazing. Around 2:25 we switch to a heavy groove with chunky guitar chords. Vocals, in harmony, join in around 2:40. They hit a chorus at about 3:45 At 4:00 rips into an amazing scalular guitar run leading into the next section of the song. The Middle-Eastern riff returns just ahead of the 5 minute mark. At around 5:20, they lock into an odd meter riff with spoken words on top. LaBrie returns to singing thereafter. Petrucci plays those scale runs again at around 6:20. At around 7:20 Portnoy plays a marching snare beat, and the sitar returns. The dynamic level has dropped and many sound effects and spoken parts overlap. At 8:40 Rudess brings things back up with an incredible solo, with mega-riffing underneath from the others. Following that, Petrucci seamlessly takes over with an equally amazing solo of his own. They return to a vocal section at around 10:20. Portnoy has an incredible drum fill at around 11 minutes. The funky keyboard tone returns, followed by the Middle-Eastern riff. At 11:45 the sitar starts a quick tune with accents from the band. Lead guitar takes the riff over with several odd meter prog diversions. The song concludes with a Portnoy drum fill leading to a sustained power chord. WOW! A lot going on there! Somehow, I don't think I had heard this track before. It was an amazing ride!

Track 9 - Scene Seven: I. The Dance of Eternity

Now I DO know this one! Speaking of wild rides, it's time to buckle-up my friends. It begins with a low drone on the synth, with a spattering of sound effects. Myung comes in with a syncopated bass line, followed by Petrucci's machine gun rhythms to be joined by Portnoy's snare drum. All of this builds to a bit of an explosion of sound at around 30 seconds in. At around 45 seconds they lock into an odd meter groove. Then there are sequences of different members being featured briefly with dazzling displays of virtuosity. At 1:45 they go into a low, heavy groove. Soon after we are in odd-meter heaven. The time-changes come too fast to describe them all. Then, obviously, in the middle of a prog-metal extravaganza, you have to have a bit of honky-tonk piano, right? Well Dream Theater certainly thought so at 2:30. But 20 seconds later we are back into dual licks with Petrucci and Rudess. After that at around 3:10 Myung makes his presence known on a lightning fast bass feature. Then more odd-meter shenanigans from the boys. The precision playing on this is unearthly. By around 5 minutes the tempo briefly slows, even if the complexity doesn't. They lock in together for some closing riffs that lead up to?

Track 10 - Scene Seven: II. One Last Time

This actually starts with a slow tempo display of beautiful piano playing with the rhythm section accompanying. LaBrie's vocals enter at 35 seconds. On the second part of the verse Petrucci plays some guitar ornaments, The chorus follows with beautiful harmonies and power chords. Portnoy plays some great drum fills and Myung joins with a moving bass line as it transitions to the next part of the song, a Petrucci guitar solo that returns us to some Strange Deja Vu themes. After the 3 minute mark they begin building a crescendo and slow down before Rudess plays some piano flourishes. This brings us to.

Track 11 - Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On

Get out the Kleenex, folks. It's an inspiring tear-jerking ballad. One that I literally want played at my funeral. (I have told my wife this and now she doesn't want to hear it because it makes her sad. Personally, I find it to be reassuring.)

LaBrie jumps right in on the vocals with Rudess accompanying on piano. The first verse ends at around 1 minute, and Petrucci joins with strumming acoustic guitar. Portnoy and Myung enter at 1:20 to usher in the second verse. Petrucci plays some tasty guitar fills during the verse. They hit a big I-7 chord with an organ joining in to lead us to the bridge. LaBrie jumps up a register here. At 2:50 Petrucci begins an epic Gilmour-inspired guitar solo with his own flourishes. There is a bit of shred around the 4 minute mark, but he closes it with a lick that reminds me of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." The verse that follows is spine tingling as a choir joins in, backing LaBrie's dynamic lead vocals. The song's tag-line has always resonated with me? "If I die tomorrow, I'll be alright because I believe that after we're gone, the spirit carries on." After LaBrie sings those lines with great dramatic energy. Petrucci plays a closing melodic solo, before the song winds down during the final 30 seconds. This song ALWAYS touches me. It is simply incredible.

Track 12 - Scene 9: Finally Free

The hypnotherapist brings Nicholas back to the present with some light instrumental accompaniment. Yet things begin to sound sinister after he presumably gets in his car and drives home followed by a rainstorm. Vocals enter at 1:40 accompanied by piano. In this closing scene, we learn that things may not have ended as neatly as we previously thought. Drums kick in at around 2:50 and the song gets more rhythmic. At around 4:10 the music gets very dramatic, with sound effects depicting the murder. If I am understanding correctly Edward, not Julian, is the killer. Petrucci has a melodic solo at around 5:40. Things drop out for acoustic guitar & vocals at 6:27. I believe Nicholas is finally free of his past life demons, saying he's finally found his life, he's finally free. Starting at around 7:20 there is a low-strung guitar riff. Portnoy plays some incredible drum fills as this section progresses. As we reach the 9 minute mark the guitar part gets harmonized. The song fades out at around 9:30 At 9:50 the music stops and there are sounds of someone getting out of the car. There is a news report referring to a long string of dark events, but it is turned off before it is elaborated too much. A brass section plays the Spirit Carries on theme, but then the hypnotherapist says "Open your eyes, Nicholas," before there is the sound of a record scratching followed by static. The static will return to start the next DT Album, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (reviewed previously).

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Well that was an amazing album, as I expected, based on knowing many of the tracks beforehand. The musicianship is absolutely next-level. My only issue is with the final scene. It has left me quite perplexed, although I suspect that's the point. Still, this album is incredible, and despite the state of confusion in which it has left me, I can't give it anything less than a 5 out of 5 stars.