Scenes From A Memory Artists

The Orchestra:

Jordan Rudess keyboards Mike Portnoy drums, percussion & vocals John Petrucci guitars & vocals John Myung bass guitar James La Brie vocals

Guest Musicians:

Theresa Thomason - additional vocals on "Through Her Eyes" and "The Spirit Carries On"
Theresa Thomason, Mary Canty, Shelia Slappy, Mary Smith, Jaenette Smith, Clarence Burke Jr., Carol Cyrus, Dale Scott - gospel choir on "The Spirit Carries On" conducted by Jordan Rudess

Cast Of Characters:

Nicholas
Victoria Page
Senator Edward Baynes (The Miracle)
Julian Baynes (The Sleeper)
The Hypnotherapist

Scenes From A Memory Music & Lyrics

Please, feel free to download the mp3 files linked through the titles. The quality of the files is 40kbps. It makes the downloading fast! The quality sucks because of 1:36 bitrate compression, but nothing will create better 40kbps mp3s than my Audioactive Production Studio. So if you really wanna hear Scenes From A Memory, you must buy it at your favourite CD store!

IMPORTANT: mp3 links are broken, I was forced to delete all the mp3 files because of IFPI's Cease & Desist Order (although I have published only low quality mp3s). It was all about an automatic generated terrorizing message that was sent to my Internet provider who panicked like shit...

Act I.

Scene 1

Regression  2:05
(music & lyrics by Petrucci)
614kB mp3 file

Hypnotherapist:
"Close your eyes and begin to relax. Take a deep breath, and let
it out slowly. Concentrate on your breathing. With each breath
you become more relaxed. Imagine a brilliant white light above
you, focusing on this light as it flows through your body. Allow
yourself to drift off as you fall deeper and deeper into a more
relaxed state of mind. Now as I count backward from ten to one,
you will feel more peaceful, and calm. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven.
Six. You will enter a safe place where nothing can harm you.
Five. Four. Three. Two. If at any time you need to come back, all
you must do is open your eyes. One."

Nicholas:
Safe in the light that surrounds me
Free of the fear and the pain
My subconscious mind
Starts spinning through time
To rejoin the past once again

Nothing seems real
I'm starting to feel
Lost in the haze of a dream

And as I draw near
The scene becomes clear
Like watching my life on a screen

Hello Victoria so glad to see you
My friend.

Scene 2

I. Overture 1928  3:36
(music by Dream Theater)
1060kB mp3 file

II. Strange Deja-Vu  5:10
(music by Dream Theater / lyrics by Portnoy)
1518kB mp3 file

Nicholas:
Subconscious Strange Sensation
Unconscious relaxation
What a pleasant nightmare
And I can't wait to get there again

Every time I close my eyes
There's another vivid surprise
Another whole life's waiting
Chapters unfinished, fading

Closer now- Slowly coming into view
I've arrived- Vlinding sunshine beaming through

There's a house I'm drawn to
Familiar settings nothing new
There's a pathway leading there
With a haunting chill in the air

There's a room at the top of the stairs
Every night I'm drawn up there
There's a girl in the mirror
Her face is getting clearer
Young child won't you tell me why I'm here?

In her eyes- I sense a story never told
Behind the disguise- There's something tearing
At her soul

Victoria:
Tonight I've been searching for it
A feeling that's deep inside me
Tonight I've been searching for
The one that nobody knows
Trying to break free

I just can't help myself
I'm feeling like I'm going out of my head
Tears my heart into two
I'm not the one the sleeper thought he knew

Nicholas:
Back on my feet again
Eyes open to the real world
Metropolis surrounds me
The mirror's shattered the girl

Why is this other life
Haunting me every day
I'd break through to the other side
If only I'd find the way

Something's awfully familiar
The feeling's so hard to shake
Could I have lived in that other world
It's a link that I'm destined to make

I'm still searching but I don't know what for
The missing key to unlock my mind's door

Today I am searching for it
A feeling that won't go away
Today I am searching for it
The only one I know
Trying to break free

I just can't help myself
I'm feeling like I'm going out of my head
Tears my soul into two
I'm not the one I thought I always knew

I just can't help myself
I'm feeling like I'm going out of my head
Uncanny, Strange Deja Vu
But I don't mind- I hope to find the truth

Scene 3

I. Through My Words  1:01
(music & lyrics by Petrucci)
303kB mp3 file

Nicholas:
All your eyes have ever seen
All you've ever heard
Is etched upon my memory
Is spoken through my words

All that I take with me
Is all you've left behind
We're sharing one eternity
Living in two minds
Linked by an endless thread
Impossible to break

II. Fatal Tragedy  6:47
(music by Dream Theater / lyrics by Myung)
1990kB mp3 file

Nicholas:
Alone at night
I feel so strange
I need to find
All the answers to my dreams

When I sleep at night
I hear the cries
What does this mean?

I shut the door and traveled to another home
I met an older man, he seemed to be alone
I felt that I could trust him
He talked to me that night;

"Lad did you know a girl was murdered here?"
"This fatal tragedy was talked about for years"
Victoria's gone forever
Only memories remain
She passed away
She was so young

Without love
Without truth
There can be no turning back

Without faith
Without hope
There can be no peace of mind

As the night went on
I started to find my way
I learned about a tragedy
A mystery still today

I tried to get more answers
But he said, "You're on your own."
Then he turned away and left me
As I stand there all alone
He said, "You'll know the truth
As you future days unfold"

Without love
Without truth
There can be no turning back

Without faith
Without hope
There can be no peace of mind

Hypnotherapist:
"Now it is time to see how you died. Remember that death is not
the end but only a transition."

Scene 4

Beyond This Life  11:19
(music by Dream Theater / lyrics by Petrucci)
3319kB mp3 file

Headline: "Murder, young girl killed
Desperate shooting at Echo's Hill
Dreadful ending, killer died
Evidently suicide."

A witness heard a horrifying sound
He ran to find a woman dead and
Lying on the ground

Standing by her was a man
Nervous, shaking, gun in hand
Witness says he tried to help
But he'd turned the weapon on himself

His body fell across that poor young girl
After shouting out in vain
The witness ran to call for assistance
A sad close to a broken love affair

Our deeds have traveled far
What we have been is what we are

Our deeds have traveled far
What we have been is what we are

She wanted love forever
But he had another plan
He fell into an evil way
She had to let him down
She said, "I can't love a wayward man."

She may have found a reason to forgive
If he had only tried to change
Was their fatal meeting prearranged?

Had a violent struggle taken place?
There was every sign that lead there
Witness found a switchblade on the ground
Was the victim unaware?
They continued to investigate
They found a note in the killer's pocket
It could have been a suicide letter
Maybe he had lost her love

I feel there's only one thing left to do
I'd sooner take my life away
Than live with losing you

Our deeds have traveled far
What we have been is what we are

Our deeds have traveled far
What we have been is what we are

All that we learn this time
(What we have been is what we are)
Is carried beyond this life

All that we learn this time
(What we have been is what we are)
Is carried beyond this life

Our deeds have traveled far
What we have been is what we are

Our deeds have traveled far
What we have been is what we are

All that we learn this time
(What we have been is what we are)
Is carried beyond this life

All that we learn this time
(What we have been is what we are)
Is carried beyond this life

Scene 5

Through Her Eyes  5:26
(music by Dream Theater / lyrics by Petrucci)
1599kB mp3 file

Nicholas:
She never really had a chance
On that fateful moonlit night
Sacrificed without a fight
A victim of her circumstance

Now that I've become aware
And I've exposed this tragedy
A sadness grows inside of me
It all seems so unfair

I'm learning all about my life
By looking through her eyes

Just beyond the churchyard gates
Where the grass is overgrown
I saw the writing on her stone
I felt like I would suffocate

In loving memory of our child
So innocent, eyes open wide
I felt so empty as I cried
Like part of me had died

I'm learning all about my life
By looking through her eyes

And as her image
Wandered through my head
I wept just like a baby
As I lay awake in bed

And I know what it's like
To lose someone you love
And this felt just the same

She wasn't given any choice
Desperation stole her voice
I've been given so much more in life
I've got a son, I've got a wife

I had to suffer one last time
To grieve for her and say goodbye
Relive the anguish of my past
To find out who I was at last

The door has opened wide
I'm turning with the tide
Looking through her eyes

Act II.

Scene 6

Home   12:49
(music by Dream Theater / lyrics by Portnoy)
3759kB mp3 file

The Sleeper:
Shine- lake of fire
Lines take me higher
My mind drips desire
Confined and overtired

Living this charade
Is getting me nowhere
I can't shake this charade
The city's cold blood calls me home
HomeIt's what I long for
Back home where I belong

The city- it calls to me
Decadent scenes from my memory
Sorrow- eternity
My demons are coming to drown me

Help- I'm falling, I'm crawling
I can't keep away from its clutch
Can't have it, this habit
It's calling me back to my home

The Miracle:
I remember the first time she came to me
She poured out her soul all night and cried

I remember I was told there's a new love that's born
For each one that has died

I never thought that I
Could carry on with this life
But I can't resist myself
No matter how hard I try

Living their other life
Is getting them nowhere
I'll make her my wife
Her sweet temptation calls me home
HomeIt's what I long for
My home where she belongs

Her ecstasy- means so much to me
Even decieving my own blood
Victoria watches and thoughtfully smiles
She's taking me to my home

Help- he's my brother, but I love her
I can't keep away from her touch
Deception, dishonor
It's calling me back to my home

Nicholas:
Her story- it holds the key
Unlocking dreams from my memory
Solving this mystery
Is everything that is a part of me

Help- regression, obsession
I can't keep away from her touch
Leave no doubt, to find out
It's calling me back to my home

Scene 7

I. The Dance of Eternity   6:11
(music by Dream Theater)
1817kB mp3 file

II. One Last Time  3:45
(music by Dream Theater / lyrics by LaBrie)
1103kB mp3 file

Nicholas:
It doesn't make any sense
This tragic ending
In spite of the evidence
There's something still missing

Heard some of the rumors told
A taste of one's wealth
Did Victoria wound his soul?
Did she bid him farewell?

Victoria:
One last time
We'll lay down today
One last time
Until we fade away
One last time
We'll lay down today
One last time
We slowly fade away

Nicholas:
Here I am inside his home
It holds the many clues
To my suspicions
And as I'm standing here right now
I'm finally shown what I have always known

Coincidence I can't believe
As my childhood dreams slowly come true

Are these her memories
Awakened through my eyes
This house has brought back to life

An open door
I walk on through
Into his bedroom

Feeling as cold as outside
The walls disappear
To some woman who's screaming
A man pleads forgiveness
His words I cannot hear

Scene 8

The Spirit Carries On  6:36
(music by Dream Theater / lyrics by Petrucci)
1936kB mp3 file

Nicholas:
Where did we come from?
Why are we here?
Where do we go when we die?
What lies beyond
And what lay before?
Is anything certain in life?

They say, "Life is too short,"
"The here and the now"
And "You're only given one shot"
But could there be more,
Have I lived before,
Or could this be all that we've got?

If I die tomorrow
I'd be allright
Because I believe
That after we're gone
The spirit carries on

I used to be frightened of dying
I used to think death was the end
But that was before
I'm not scared anymore
I know that my soul will transcend

I may never find all the answers
I may never understand why
I may never prove
What I know to be true
But I know that I still have to try

If I die tomorrow
I'd be allright
Because I believe
That after we're gone
The spirit carries on

Victoria:
"Move on, be brave
Don't weep at my grave
Because I am no longer here
But please never let
Your memory of me disappear"

Nicholas:
Safe in the light that surrounds me
Free of the fear and the pain
My questioning mind
Has helped me to find
The meaning in my life again
Victoria's real
I finally feel
At peace with the girl in my dreams
And now that I'm here
It's perfectly clear
I found out what all of this means

If I die tomorrow
I'd be allright
Because I believe
That after we're gone
The spirit carries on

Scene 9

Finally Free  11:55
(music by Dream Theater / lyrics by Portnoy)
3498kB mp3 file

Hypnotherapist:
"You are once again surrounded by a brilliant white light. Allow
the light to lead you away from your past and into this lifetime.
As the light dissipates you will slowly fade back into
consciousness remembering all you have learned. When I tell
you to open your eyes you will return to the present, feeling
peaceful and refreshed. Open your eyes, Nicholas."

The Miracle:
Friday evening
The blood still on my hands
To think that she would leave me now
For that ungrateful man

Sole survivor
No witness to the crime
I must act fast to cover up
I think that there's still time

He'd seem hopeless and lost with this note
They'll buy into the words that I wrote

"This feeling inside me
Finally found my love, I've finally broke free
No longer torn in two
I'd take my own life before losing you"

Victoria:
Feeling good this Friday afternoon
I ran into Julian
Said we'd get together soon

He's always had my heart
He needs to know
I'll break free of the Miracle
It's time for him to go

This feeling inside me
Finally found my love, I've finally broke free
No longer torn in two
He'd kill his brother if he only knew

Their love renewed
They'd rendezvous
In a pathway out of view
They thought no one knew
Then came a shot out of the night

The Sleeper:
One last time
We'll lay down today
One last time
Until we fade away
One last time
We'll lay down today
One last time
We fade away

As their bodies lie still
And the ending draws near
Spirits rise through the air
All their fears disappear, it all becomes clear
A blinding light comes into view
An old soul exchanged for a new
A familiar voice comes shining through

Nicholas:
This feeling inside me
Finally found my life, I'm finally free
No longer torn in two
I learned about my life by living through you

This feeling inside me
Finally found my life, I'm finally free
No longer torn in two
Living my own life by learning from you

We'll meet again my friend someday soon

CNN report:
"news in London, France, Russia and Italy have deleted their
lead story, all anticipating the outcome of the man considered to
be a member of American nobility. And as you can imagine, as
the skies have grown darker here over Washington, the mood
has grown darker as well and people here are beginning to
resign themselves to the possibility that they are witnessing yet
another tragedy in a long string of misfortunes. Reaction from
everywhere, from Washington and certainly from around the
world has gues..."

Hypnotherapist:
"Open your eyes, Nicholas."

Nicholas:
"AAAH!"

Scenes From A Memory Tablatures

Keyboard

None published (find the midi files for notation)

Bass

Overture 1928 (3)
Author: Jose E. Ralat Ballester

Overture 1928 (2)
Author: Mauro Cantoia

Overture 1928
Author: Elder Luis Bernardinelli

Strange Deja Vu (2)
Author: Daniel Rodrigues de Abreu

Strange Deja Vu (1)
Author: Elder Luis Bernardinelli

Fatal Tragedy (2)
Author: Vincent Remon

Fatal Tragedy
Author: Elder Luis Bernardinelli

Home
Author: Elder Luis Bernardinelli

The Dance Of Eternity
Author: Joe Britton

The Dance Of Eternity (bass solo)
Author: El Kasri Dris

Drums

Overture 1928
Author: Daniel Rodrigues de Abreu

Strange Deja Vu
Author: Daniel Rodrigues de Abreu

Guitar

Regression (3)
Author: Christian Fiorin Gama

Regression (2)
Author: Frédéric Roginska

Regression
Author: Olly Cotton

Regression chords (2)
Author: Piotr Traczyk

Regression chords
Author: Marcello Mascia

Overture 1928 (2)
Author: David Holz

Overture 1928
Author: Piotr Traczyk

Strange Deja Vu (3)
Author: Daniel Rodrigues de Abreu

Strange Deja Vu (2)
Author: Andrea Narciso

Strange Deja Vu
Author: Johann Lau

Through My Words (keyboard arranged for guitar)
Author: Juan Luis Vidal

Fatal Tragedy (guitar solo)
Acrobat Reader format
Author: Jani Yliniva

Fatal Tragedy (2)
Author: Karl Schnaitter

Fatal Tragedy (1)
Author: Juan Johann Lau

Beyond This Life
Author: Karl Schnaitter

Through Her Eyes (solo)
Author: Diego Sangiorgi

Through Her Eyes (chords)
Author: Pilpo

Home
Author: Karl Schnaitter

Home (acoustic intro)
Author: Mike Williams

Home (solo)
Author: Juan Luis Vidal

The Dance Of Eternity (6)
Author: Karl Schnaitter

The Dance Of Eternity (5)
Author: Avishay Mizrav

The Dance Of Eternity (4)
Author: Massimo Morabito

The Dance Of Eternity (3)
Acrobat Reader format
Author: Alessandro Manilii

The Dance Of Eternity (2)
Author: Juan Luis Vidal

The Dance Of Eternity (1)
Author: Esa Mikkola

One Last Time
Author: Avishay Mizrav

The Spirit Carries On
Author: Avishay Mizrav

Finally Free
Author: Andrea Narciso

Finally Free (intro)
Author: Simon Christie

The Križanke concert photos - Ljubljana, July 18th 2000

Author of these photos: Janez Pelko. The author was so impressed he forgot to take the photos of all Dream Theater members. You have already figured it out that Jordan Rudess is missing.

Scenes From A Memory Reviews

No. 1.

From the opening chords of its oblique "Regression," Dream Theater's fifth studio album, Scenes From A Memory, transports you to a numinous world that only progressive rock's premier standardbearers could create. A sequel to the group's classic "Metropolis Part 1 (The Miracle And The Sleeper)" from their breakthrough 1992 album Images And Words, the disc was produced by Dream Theater's own Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci.

"We've always wanted to write a concept album," says Mike. "All my favorite albums have been concept-driven: Pink Floyd's The Wall, The Who's Tommy, Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime; all have been big influences."

John Petrucci picks up the story. "The biggest challenge was to write about something interesting enough to encompass a whole album. We picked a storyline about reincarnation, which enabled us to deal with our curiosity about the afterlife, a phenomenon that almost everyone wonders about." The story surrounds a character named Nicholas, who, according to Mike, "is haunted every night by his dreams about another lifetime". A psychotherapist uses regression therapy with Nicholas, and discovers that he is indeed the reincarnated soul of a young girl named Victoria who lived - and died - earlier in the century.

As he further investigates his past life, Nicholas realizes that Victoria was murdered, and that before her tragic death, she was involved in a mysterious love triangle with two brothers, living a life of deception and deceit. The two brothers are characters culled from "Metropolis Part 1".

John adds that doing some extensive research about reincarnation helped the band craft a direction for the story. "We found that in one way or another, all religions believe that there's some kind of spirit world after we're gone. One of my favorite songs on the album is 'The Spirit Carries On'. In it (towards the end of the album), the main character asks questions about where we came from and where we are going. It has a real gospel quality to it. We even used a choir. There's a great moment of resolution for the character in this song when he comes to realize that we do all carry on." Another album highlight is the edifying "Beyond This Life". It tells the story of the Victoria's tragic death "as if you were reading a 1920's newspaper account of her murder," says John.

Scenes from a Memory was recorded at Bear Tracks studios in Suffern, New York; this is the same studio at which the group recorded the legendary albums Images & Words and A Change Of Seasons. "One of the unique things about this project was that it was the first time we ever wrote an album in the studio with no demos. We wanted a certain freshness to this recording," John explains.

The group's desire to capture more spontaneity was also the result of Mike and John's work with Jordan Rudess on two Liquid Tension Experiment CD's. The band was so taken with Rudess and his sound that they recruited him as a full time member of Dream Theater. "He is, without a doubt, one of the most talented keyboardists we have ever worked with," says John. "He plays a huge role on this record." The group also enlisted Kevin Shirley (who has worked with Aerosmith and The Black Crowes) to mix this album. "I felt that we needed a strong, powerful rock edge for Scenes From A Memory" says John. "Kevin knew exactly how to get that power from the band."

Rudess has added another crucial layer to the dynamic colorings that have graced Dream Theater's unique sound for more than a decade. The group originally formed in Long Island, New York in the late 1980's, and soon garnered a fan base touching every corner of the globe. Dream Theater's fans have been among the most loyal in rock, commanding a global network of sophisticated websites that keep fans c urrent with the band's every move.

It was a rare bond that formed between the band and its fans, starting with Dream Theater's epic Images And Words, released in 1992. The band sought to defy both the grunge rock herd and pop's banality by playing lush, dynamic conceptual pieces that showcased the group's ability to create complex arrangements and perform them with passionate musicianship. Dream Theater followed up heroically in 1994 with the enormously successful Awake (both albums achieved platinum sales in Japan, which has been a Dream Theater haven for years). Awake furthered the group's trademark sound and delivered long, provocative story-songs that magically translated to the live stage.

Dream Theater's shows soon became the cornerstone of their growing mythology, and in 1995 they unleashed what Mike calls "a gift to all our loyal fans," the mesmerizing "A Change Of Seasons". This LP included an historic slice of live material recorded at their now legendary "Uncovered" tribute show at London's Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in January of 1995. The centerpiece of their live performances, this 23-minute-long opus had previously been unavailable on any disc.

In fact, the show at Ronnie Scott's spotlighted the band's diverse influences, as the group performed works by many of their musical idols; those who had helped shape Dream Theater's career. The show included songs from Elton John, Pink Floyd, and Genesis. "We've always been the kind of band that likes to do what's in our hearts, and not what's just good for our wallets," says Mike.

Infused with renewed spirit to continue the Dream Theater legacy, 1997 saw them release the critically-acclaimed Falling Into Infinity, establishing new ground for the quintet, and reinforcing their magnetic blend of literate lyrics and expansive, theatrical arrangements. Soon after, the band embarked on their Falling Into Infinity tour, which stunned audiences throughout the world. Inspired by the tremendous response to a show that drew deftly from almost a decade of work, the group followed up with a double live album in 1998, Once In A Livetime. "That album was a labor of love," says Mike. "We knew exactly what songs our fans wanted to hear." The group also released a home video Five Years In A Livetime, which included rare footage from fan club shows, exclusive backstage footage from years of touring, and rare glimpses of the group working in the studio. It also served as a springboard for the band's current release, Scenes From a Memory.

"One of the biggest challenges of this record was to include songs that if you heard them out of context, would still stand on their own," says John. "I think we accomplished that." Mike seconds John: "We've grown so much, yet we still have those intrinsic elements that we've honed from the beginning. We're excited about going out live with Scenes from a Memory because the story lends itself to so much theatricality. The addition of Jordan also creates infinite new possibilities. We want to keep evolving. If Dream Theater has been about anything, it's been about not being afraid to stick your neck out."

No. 2.

Scenes From A Memory was anticipated as the most important Dream Theater album since Images And Words, which would open a new chapter in the band's history. After a few successful side-projects, the fans wondered if the new album by their home band could match the level of the Liquid Tension Experiment stuff. Luckily, it did! Scenes From A Memory is a classic concept album, telling a story based on plots, which appeared earlier on the famous Metropolis song from the album Images And Words. The history of a girl, seen through the eyes of Nicholas, which was the future incarnation of Victoria, is very involving, so I first recommend you getting deeply into the lyrics.

In general, the album is a mixture of instrumental show-off packed with odd meters and furious soloing, and quieter songs, dominated by James LaBrie's vocals. I have to admit that at first such a combination was hardly acceptable for me. The music seemed uncoherent and lacking interesting, haunting melodies. I was actually disgusted by tracks like Through Her Eyes, or The Spirit Carries On. To those, who had the same feeling, I suggest spinning the CD a couple more times. Scenes From A Memory may require a lot of time to get into and put it all together, but it's worth the time.

The album is opened by a ticking of an old clock and a calm voice of the Hyphotherapist, who acts as a sort of a liaison between the heroes and listeners. A short vocal passage takes us then to the great Scene Two. Dynamic and evolving guitar themes dominate on the instrumental Overture 1928. One can find some cleverly incorporated excerpts from the original Metropolis. The energy level doesn't go down at all on the next Strange Deja Vu, which begins with a fantastic riff, followed by some smoking guitar and keyboard solos. James LaBrie enters the stage soon, having to impersonate in a few different characters. He well manages to do it with the use of backing vocals and multi-tracks. A moment of a rest is brought by the reflective Through My Words, which soon segues into Fatal Tragedy. When Nicholas through LaBrie's mouth sings "I feel so strange", I immediately get goosebumps. The menacing atmosphere reaches climax with the words "Lad did you know a girl was murdered here", to which Petrucci pulls off a great riff once more. The music here changes in every minute in an unpredictable way. A relatively catchy chorus, with rather lame background vocals, is followed by a nod to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Emotions grow all the time to finally burst out in the closing instrumental inferno, comparable only to the craziest moments of Liquid Tension Experiment. The next track, Beyond This Life, is a story of the murder and is in the most part dominated by vocals. It doesn't mean that the instrumentalists don't do their best in the background to make it more interesting - the chord change at "She may have found a reason to forgive" is especially electrifying. At the 6th minute begins an instrumental part, where Rudess and Petrucci shoot with one great solo after another. Sometimes they balance on the edge of chaos, but it only makes the return to "polite" harmonies more enjoyable. The following Through Her Eyes is the first track, deserving to be called "a ballad". Lazy tempo and whining vocals have long annoyed me, but I must admit that this song has a nice mood and is a necessary break in the long stream of intense tracks.
The second act opens with the epic Home. The vocal part is the best display of LaBrie's great skills, and the section when he shouts Home..., immediately gets in your head and stays there. No wonder that Home, in a shorter version, was put on the single of the album. The whole track is driven by an oriental theme on bass guitar. Later on the players finally get loose and launch an all round instrumental assault. Oriental themes returning at the end of the piece are only a transition to another musical storm, The Dance Of Eternity. It proves again Dream Theater's infinite ability in inventing most bizarre time signatures. Indeed, the whole eternity dance in front of our eyes... After six minutes of a galloping themes the music goes a two gears down with an excellent piano passage. It might be my favourite Rudess bit on the album. The whole One Last Time, with great vocals melodies, is equally good. On the contrary, the next The Spirit Carries On doesn't do much for me. The main melody is rather average, so you'd better make yourself some tea during this time. For the more persistent there is a good guitar solo, which adds some value to the song.
The mystery finds a solution in the last track Finally Free. In the middle of it the whole incident is again presented to our ears. The very end of it is more mysterious: the album is closed by two minutes of sounds coming from Nicholas' house. If you have a good interpretation of the situation, please write to us! :-)

Scenes From A Memory is an exceptional album. A monumental history, epic tracks, amazing technique of all musicians - it is all very impressive. It takes some time to get into and embrace the whole thing, but this "getting into" and discovering more and more exciting moments is a great pleasure. The lyric side of the album is very captivating too - in this case reading all lyrics from the booklet is obligatory! And this is not everything to discover - find all, short cites from the Images And Words album, or all references to other artists, like Pink Floyd, or Queen! The great number of details on this album will make it pleasant to listen to for a couple of hundreds times. It looks like the cooperation with Tony Levin on the Liquid Tension Experient discs helped Dream Theater regain creative juices and find motivation to create uncompromising top quality progressive rock. We can only wait for more masterpieces from Dream Theater!

No. 3.

The concept album. It seems like it's almost a rite of passage with any band that works in the genre of "progressive" music. Well, now it's Dream Theater's turn. The follow-up to the somewhat successful Falling Into Infinity finds the band firmly rooting their sound in the style of their earlier works, but at the same time moving their sound forward and concentrating on creating a lengthy piece of music that manages to challenge and entertain throughout. It is also the best CD they've released in years, standing among their very best work.

Since it's a concept album, it has to have a story, right? Well, it does. The story here (I'm not going to spoil it for you) revolves around past life regression and reincarnation. It probably owes more to the movie Dead Again than anything else, but as stories go, it's not a bad one. It's laid out plainly in the lyrics, with the occasional spoken word moment or sound effects sequence to flesh it out. Since the words Metropolis Pt 2 appear in the CD title, there are some references to that track off the band's classic CD Images & Words. Little musical snippets from that track appear occasionally through the piece, and much of the music here does sort of feel evocative of that track and others from the bands past.

While there are twelve tracks listed on the CD, this is really one extended piece of music. It clocks in at about 75 minutes or so, but there's enough variety and interesting musical ideas here to keep it interesting through the whole length. The "Overture 1928" does indeed set up themes that will appear throughout the CD, and when the band launches into "Strange Déjŕ Vu", the music really reminds you of the classic Dream Theater sound. At this point in time, there are many (perhaps too many) bands that sound like this, but Dream Theater were the originators of this sound. Called "progressive metal" by some, there's plenty of interplay between guitarist John Petrucci and new keyboard player Jordan Rudess. Petrucci shows that he is still one of the best players around with blistering solos on tracks like "Fatal Tragedy" and "Home". Rudess comes across as a bit more restrained as he did on the two Liquid Tension Experiment CDs (where he played with DT members Petrucci and drummer Mike Portnoy). He blends in more with the music here than I thought he would when I first heard he had joined the band. Portnoy and bassist John Myung also display their talents, and vocalist James LaBrie turns in a very good performance here, sounding perhaps the best he's sounded in years.

The music does seem evocative of the Images & Words era, but also seems a bit modernized at times. The CD never seems to approach the all-out music insanity of the original "Metropolis" track, though "The Dance Of Eternity" here probably comes the closest. There is a lot of musical variety, ranging from quiet acoustic passages ("Through Her Eyes") to relentless attacks of intricate playing ("Home", "The Dance Of Eternity"). It is the classic Dream Theater sound, perhaps a bit more concerned with the overall feel of songs than showing off musical chops. Some other musical influences show through occasionally (Zappa, and especially Pink Floyd), but the band continues to refine a sound they more or less invented about a decade ago.

This is a great CD. Not the greatest CD ever, as some fans would say, but it's very, very good. It stands with Images & Words and Awake as the band's best output, and is a shining example of well-crafted music that's heavy and progressive at the same time. An excellent disc that stays entertaining after many, many listens, this Dream Theater CD will be enjoyed by both fans of the band and those that like heavy, progressive music.

No. 4.

The long awaited -99 release from Dream Theater. The one which rumoured to contain "Metropolis 2", and also was but not just one song. The whole album carries the golden subtitle.

The album is divided into two acts, and nine scenes, but I guess you don't notice much of this if you don't concentrate on the lyrics all thru the album. It starts out with a clock and voice that speaks to you softly and calm. "Regression" also carries sort of an acoustic song intro, but after that the "Overture 1928" starts out. This song hold what you can excpect from a tune with that name. It's a collection of riffs, melodies and parts from the whole album. Some noises which reminds you of "Images & Words" too.

The best stuff from this album are songs like "Overture 1928", "Fatal Tragedy", "Beyond This Life", "Home", "The Dance of Eternity", "One Last Time", "The Spirit Carries On" and "Finally Free". All these songs carry a lot of quality with a mix of the sounds of Images & Words, Liquid Tension Experiment and some of Falling From Infinity. "Home" being the single and is defenitly one of the coolest tracks from the album, with even lyrics fom Metropolis Part 1. Conclusion is anyway, that song material on this album is superb.

A great thing for this album too is that James LaBrie is.....back! Yes, I didn't think I would say this again but this album can easily be bought for the sake of LaBrie. I don't know what's happened to him, but he's almost back to Images & Words song style and quality. Guess he was just checking out the possibilities with Falling Into Infinity.

And yes, of course another new thing is Jordan Rudess on keyboards. Not much to say about him rather that he's doing one of the best keyboard work I've heard in the 90's.

I'm just telling you all, to get this album right now! Dream Theater are back in business and will probably once again conquer the title as Progressive Rock/Metal masters of the 90's. Get it!!

No. 5.

Back in 1992, Dream Theater released Images and Words. This album was significant because it was Dream Theater's breakout album. For Dream Theater fans, which I proudly am, the album is important for another reason: "Metropolis Part 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper." In numerous interviews the band has indicated that the "Part 1" designation after "Metropolis" was partially a joke; however, due to an incredible amount fan speculation and outcry, the band finally decided to write a part two. Even though the story for "Metropolis Part 1" is original, it was inspired by the story of two telepathically linked twins, named Romulus and Remus, from Virgil's Aeneid. For "Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory" the band decided to expand on that story and create a 78 minute masterpiece of love, death, and life.

The songs on this album are some of Dream Theater's most focused and intense efforts to date. "Strange Déjŕ vu" is a wonderful piece that really helps set the energy level for the album and, while not too intense, hints at things to come. After a short musical interlude, we come to "Fatal Tragedy" and the next piece on the album, "Beyond This Life." These songs are the most intense pieces Dream Theater has ever done, filled with riffs that just defy logic while still maintaining a very melodic, musical approach.

For years, Dream Theater has been known for their technical prowess. If it is technical skills you want to hear, then "Home" and "Dance of Eternity" are your cup of tea. These songs are relentless assaults on the auditory senses. Amazing technical feats abound everywhere on these two songs: The John Myung Bass solo is wild, and after the nearly 20 minutes of jamming you feel as though you need a rest.

After another small interlude, you come to the highlight of the album "The Spirit Carries On." This song is a masterpiece. From the gospel choir, to the incredible John Petrucci guitar solo, this song will give you the chills. It's is clearly the emotional high point of the album. The drum outro on "Finally Free" is a perfect example of why Mike Portnoy wins a lot of drumming awards every time Dream Theater puts out an album.

All of the performances on this album are first rate; however, James LaBrie gives the standout performance. LaBrie sings four parts, each slightly different than the other, and you can hear the differences with each part. This is done either through intonation or voice inflection.

Scenes From A Memory is quite an enjoyable experience. Every time you listen to it, something new will be learned. This album has been compared to Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime, and Pink Floyd's The Wall, and why shouldn't it be? It's extremely coherent, highly enjoyable, and a work of pure genius. This album deserves to be placed among the greats and should be in every music lover's collection.

Scenes From A Memory & This Homepage Copyrights

1999 - 2000 by Dream Theater and all above mentioned artists. If anyone thinks their work must be removed from this site, please let me know.

Homepage designed by Gregor Rozman as a tribute to a great concert the guys had at Križanke in Ljubljana, Slovenia on 18th July 2000.

Thank you Dream Theater for this excellent concept album!