Dream Theater
Images And Words

THE REVIEW

‘'Images And Words'‘, images and words of every person, thoughts of every human being, words that touch you deeply.

This album represents the pinnacle of aspiration for Dream Theater; it is the first album of James LaBrie, who replaced Charlie Dominici. The album was released on July 7, 1992, and at that time the band consisted of James LaBrie as the singer, John Petrucci as guitarist, John Myung on bass, Mike Portnoy on drums, and Kevin Moore as keyboardist. Over the years the lineup underwent several changes.

With this album, Dream Theater wrote many pages of progressive-metal, of which they are the main exponents. The songs on the album are all of very high quality, both melodically and technically.

Opening the album is ‘'Pull Me Under‘', the most aggressive song on the album, characterized by powerful rhythmic accelerations and a chorus crafted in every detail. The lyrics, composed by Kevin Moore, talk about death, inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet. In fact, to simulate the sudden arrival of death, the song cuts off abruptly. ‘'Another Day‘' is a very poignant ballad, characterized by beautiful melodies and unusual sax parts, all topped with a wonderful solo by John Petrucci. The lyrics talk about Petrucci's father and his battle with cancer, which he unfortunately will not survive. ‘'Take The Time‘' is a lengthy track, featuring various elements typical of progressive-metal, and it is the only song written by all the members of the group. At some point in the lyrics, a phrase in Italian from the movie Nuovo Cinema Paradiso appears: ‘'ora che ho perso la vista ci vedo di più’'. This phrase is addressed to a family member of the band who lost their sight. ‘'Surrounded‘' is characterized by an intro with piano and LaBrie's splendid voice, then expands with bright yet melancholic tones, largely the work of Kevin Moore. ‘'Metropolis part I: The Miracle And Sleeper‘' fully expresses the characteristics of the band's sound and is considered the true manifesto of Dream Theater. A 9-minute track where one can notice a technique never overdone and an excellent melody, combined with a great compositional class. The long instrumental section is an impressive sequence of musical virtuosity.

‘'Under A Glass Moon‘' is a piece with fast rhythms and very technical; note Petrucci's very inspired solo. ‘'Wait For Sleep‘' is a poignant track with melancholic tones, highlighting how Kevin Moore was a fundamental component of the group. The album concludes with ‘'Learning To Live‘', another classic from the band. An 11-minute track where acoustic guitar, jazz, and progressive parts are mixed with the usual class that distinguishes the five musicians. The lyrics, composed by Myung, talk about a girl suffering from AIDS, and the theme of the song emerges especially in the central part of the track.

With this album, Dream Theater establish their place in the history of progressive-metal. An album full of emotions, varied feelings suitable for every man. Songs that express the pain and fragile existence of man. The masterpiece of progressive-metal, but after all, they invented this genre!