Dream Theater
Falling Into Infinity

THE REVIEW

Dream Theater, after spoiling and delighting us with magnificent albums like "Images And Words" (1992), "Awake" (1994), and "A Change Of Seasons" (1995), in 1997 they produce, after this wonderful triad of historic records, "Falling Into Infinity" (produced by Kevin Shirley, also the producer of Iron Maiden's "Brave New World," and responsible for the mixing of D.T.'s "Train of Thought"). Regarding the group, it's worth noting that the keyboard still features (and unfortunately) Derek Sherinian. In summary, it should be said that if there's a flaw in the album (which for me there isn't) it would be the rather slow rhythm of the songs... should we mention another one? The main mistake, in my opinion, lies in the stupid as well as useless futuristic-technological effects, the work of Sherinian, who as a keyboardist in D.T. doesn't quite fit!

Let's now look at the songs on this album:
The first track is "New Millennium," after an intro signed (pooped) by Sherinian the real song starts, it's nice I must say, I like it, it's engaging... then we move to nr. 2, "You Not Me," a song I don't like so much, the lyrics don't really say anything to me and the song itself doesn't excite me. The third song is cute, slow, maybe too much... but it draws you in... lets the mind wander and... damn dad, I told you a thousand times not to put stuff in the Nutella too!... What was I saying? Ah, that I like this song, it's one of the best on the album... then this magnificent slow one changes, three minutes from the end everyone brings out their balls... uh, the grit for a beautiful, faster, and energetic finale, I really like Petrucci's solo (ah, this album is the last one where John will use the Ibanez, maybe you don't really care, sorry for the interruption!), it’s slow, clean, then speeds up incredibly and finally stops, applause...(clap, clap, clap!!!).

"Hollow Years" is pretty, but this one stays slow until the end, a beautiful acoustic song that relaxes us and makes us fall asleep with that CD player in the armchair... then nr. 5 wakes us up, the fabulous "Burning My Soul," I like the intro by John Myung, the song is balanced, aggressive without ever truly being so, in the chorus a lovely double pedal by Portnoy delights the stereo sub-woofers (but not the neighbors though!). "Hell's Kitchen" is a truly beautiful and indisputable instrumental masterpiece, it's definitely the best track on the album, melodic, technical, slow... it's perfect and it's the only one where Sherinian does a good job, hitting everything spot on (and when it’s needed, it’s needed!). "Lines In The Sand" is another of the "Listless" tracks of this album, it has a rather vibrant rhythm but I don't like the chorus, then there are (just to change, huh?) Sherinian's experimentalisms that bore me so much!

But what happens... five minutes pass, and I say <> when I hear it suddenly change, becoming calm and melodic, leaving only Petrucci and his Ibanez to continue the song, in a slow, sentimental "solo," almost Blues-like, that enters the soul... takes it out and gives it back a moment later... when La Brie's beautiful voice comes in, for a very beautiful and slow finale. "Take Away My Pain" is also slow, dedicated to a late relative of Petrucci. I like the lyrics, very touching. "Just Let Me Breathe" is a sort of indictment against drug use in the music world, (and who, among the detractors, can now say that D.T. communicates nothing, huh?). "Anna Lee" is another acoustic song (and that's enough now!), with quite nice lyrics, and also a nice song to listen to. And now, we come to the other masterpiece of the album, "Trial Of Tears", written by Myung, truly perfect in terms of arrangements, slow and smooth, it doesn't bore the listener for its entire 13.07 minutes.

Conclusion: many say this album is a failure, a kind of hole in water, according to me