Liquid Tension Experiment
2

After the first project ("Liquid Tension Experiment", 1998), Liquid Tension reunited in the studio to follow up on their first album, releasing "Liquid Tension Experiment 2", another masterpiece by Levin-Portnoy-Petrucci-Ruddess, of course instrumental, released in 1999.

The album presents some changes from the first one: by now, Ruddess is an official member of Dream Theater, who, with the album "Scenes From A Memory", had the opportunity to strengthen a musical connection that had already been born. Another novelty is the band's sound, much less metal, and more prog: indeed, on this album (except "Acid Rain"), we won't find many fast tracks like "Paradigm Shift" or "Universal Mind", but we can enjoy further sound exploration ("Biaxident, Liquid Dreams, When The Water Breaks, Chewbacca, etc."). Nevertheless, the two side-projects are truly serious and beautiful, and I couldn't express a preference between the two.

The album opens with "Acid Rain", a track characterized by long solo rides by Petrucci and Ruddess, which is very hard and fast (perhaps due to the change of guitars for Petrucci, who switched from Ibanez to Music Man), comparable to "Paradigm Shift" (it gives me this idea). Then it continues with "Biaxident", a beautiful piece with a progressive flow, where Ruddess and Petrucci's melodies alternate without holding back, with Jazz, Rock, and Blues parts. Next is "914", where Levin's bass complements Ruddess's solos, really fast and very curious (the structure of the piece reminds me of "The Stretch", from the first work). "Another Dimension", the fourth track, is a mix of various genres, glued together and played with their usual technical expertise, never aimless and never monotonous.

The fifth track, "When The Water Breaks", is perhaps the most beautiful on the album: it starts with a sweet melody, transforming into a really long progressive piece that keeps the listener's curiosity alive (at minute 10.48, the piece reminds me of a track by an Italian progressive group "Cento Mani, Cento Occhi", by Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso; if you are real Progressives with a capital P, listen to this fantastic group). Now it's the turn of "Chewbacca", a track characterized by Psychedelic experiments with a Pink Floyd-like atmosphere: an intro in Dream Theater style, leading to pure experimentation, and then ending as it started.

Now it's the turn of "Liquid Dreams", the most progressive piece (in my opinion) on the album: it reminds me of the atmosphere of old Italian bands, halfway between Prog and Psychedelia, which had characterized groups like Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi, etc... It starts very melodically, giving life to a very lively piece, where Levin and Portnoy lay the groundwork for the usual solos by Ruddess and Petrucci. The CD ends with "Hourglass", a truly beautiful and melancholic track, that along with "State Of Grace", gives us many emotions and sensations (I note many classical influences and harmonies).

As a true lover of Progressive music, I say it's a beautiful album, which shouldn't be missing from the collection of genre enthusiasts.