METROPOLIS PART 2 - SCENES FROM A MEMORY

Dream Theater has proven that they could write a highly artistic concept album (about a murder), while not sacrificing their heavy metal sound. This album is a journey that starts with 'close your eyes' and ends with 'open your eyes' which when you hear it, you will realize it is one of the most unique endings of the album.

The Album begins with a relaxing acoustic introduction with warm and gentle singing of LaBrie. Once the listener is drawn in and the story begins ... it is a flowing piece of heavy music of many moods. The quality of the music is Dream Theater at their best, lyrically, and instrumentally. The first half is not extraordinary though, with great but not excellent rockers, a few ballads, and a long song called 'Beyond this Life' which doesn't appeal to me. It depends on a mediocre heavy riff that reminds me of 'america' from Emerson Lake And Palmer. It has an instrumental section of pointless soloing, but the song is saved by beautiful choruses.

The Second Half is stronger than the first half in my opinion. Home is the heaviest track of the album and it floors me every time I listen to it. The main riff of the song is excellent, and the soloing is better than in 'beyond this life'. While The Dance for Eternity is for me the weakest Dream Theater song I know (it has no structure and I do not like the solos), the last two tracks are some of the best songs the band did. The Spirit Carries on is an anthemic sing-along piece of great melodies, and Finally Free has a mesmerizing slow distorted riff and some of the best drumming ever put in record. Once the 'open your eyes Nicholas' is finally heard, you will end up with satisfaction.

1. Scene One: Regression (9/10) 2. Scene TWO: I.Overture 1928 (8/10) 3. II.Strange Deja Vu (8/10) 4. Scene Three: I.Through My Words (7.5/10) 5. II.Fatal Tragedy (8/10) 6. Scene Four: Beyond This Life (5/10) 7. Scene Five: Through Her Eyes (8/10) 8. Scene Six: Home (9/10) 9. Scene Seven: I.The Dance of Eternity (3/10) 10. II.One Last Time (7/10) 11. Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On (10/10) 12. Scene Nine: Finally Free (9.5/10)

My grade : B