Atco. 1997.

2008-07-17 -- 5/5:: what can you say...
...that hasn't been said before about this album. it just delivers all around. this is by far my favorite band and a very VERY close 2nd favorite album next to scenes from a memory. undoubtedly this album, as all DT albums do, delivers musically. sure, there are new bands out there that make crazier music with faster, more random stops and heavier, more chaotic music (i know this because i have friends who shove bands like between the buried and me, dillinger escape plan, and the number 12 looks like you down my throat.) HOWEVER, in my opinion, as much as i appreciate bands like that, my friends that shove these bands down my throat don't take time to appreciate music like dream theater mostly due to their short attention spans and lack of patience. dream theater is a very technical band, and though they even can tend to over-do it at times, for the most part they have a large amount of restraint that those bands i mentioned earlier lack. with that being said, on to the album.

this album creates a feeling inside me that i cannot totally describe, except that it is a really positive emotional feeling. dream theater is plenty technical too, but they accomplish this feat in a less "in your face" method than the bands i mentioned earlier, and they also don't just decide to be technical for the sake of doing it for bragging rights. they do this because it sounds amazing! the fact that human beings can write such powerful music that is equally based on feeling as it is technicality absolutely blows my mind! bands like dillinger and buried simply cannot capture the EPIC feelings that these guys do. they write their songs with insight on what they're trying to do and the feeling they try to convey with a great deal of passion and professionalism. they go off on tangents sometimes, usually i would hate this, but DT's are done to perfection, fitting in every nook and cranny to the slightest detail, most of which the average listeners out there wouldn't even notice. with superb musicianship combined with the emotional and extremely talented vocals of james labrie (yes, i actually like him, why most people don't i neglect to understand,) this album is just about as good as it gets. instead of going on a long list of details that describes how good these musicians actually are, let me sum it up in this one statement: at times, the music is so good (whether it be due to technicality or the majestic feelings) that you can easily achieve a level of disbelief that these guys are even human.

this music is just awesome, epic, well thought out, technical, well intentioned, and it's not going to give u a headache like the rumbling chaotic "progressive" death metal music that is out there today will. this band does it with class! buy "alaska" by between the buried and me, then buy "images and words" and see the difference. the sound on this album is crisp and clean and there is nothing that they want you to hear that is not heard. my only complaint is that i do not quite enjoy the way the snare sounds on this album, too mechanical. other than that, it delivers in every single aspect of music possible.

p.s. portnoy did eventually, thank god, establish a better snare sound.

2008-07-14 -- 5/5:: Really Great Album by a Really Great Band
I picked this album up on an impulse and I must say, it was a good buy. This was Dream Theater's second studio album and contains their only big radio hit, "Pull Me Under". The whole album is an awesome display of musicianship and is a real treat to listen to. If you are a fan of the band, or liked "Pull Me Under", it is certainly worth the buy.

2008-07-01 -- 5/5:: Truly amazing talent and truly amazingly enjoyable
They are the real deal. The guitar work in the second half of Under a Glass Moon is terrific. There is a lot of great material here, and I'm looking forward to listening to it many times before I truly form an opinion. So far, it is certainly a 5 star album.

2008-06-11 -- 1/5:: Of COURSE they're amazingly talented...
...and can play the pants off almost any other band out there. That much is pretty obvious, no matter what you think of the songs.

But, this sounds WAAAAAAAY too much like 1980's hair metal for my taste. And not the "kinda okay in a silly mood because it's at least kinda heavy and at least faux-evil" Motley Crue's "Shout at the Devil" or even the "bluesy, gritty, sleazy and dirty" G 'n' R's "Appetite" kind of hair metal way.... the really craptacular and loathsome Bon Jovi or Def Leppard kind of way...

Musicianship is GREAT (ten star worthy on the strength of that alone), but the horrific songs, the style and tone is reminiscent of some of the worst music ever, to me (which is worth about negative 20 stars).

To each their own, I guess.

2008-06-08 -- 5/5:: Still powerful and still very inspired
In my collection of 400+ CD's comprising various forms of metal, goth, shoegazer, swing, choral, opera, broadway, and others, this still stands as one of my five favorites. It's inspired, creative, and novel.

While the time since its release have led to newer sounding keyboard technology, the keyboards sounds here are still very passable, nothing like changes since the old 70's era Yes or Emerson, Lake, and Palmer keyboard sounds.

Of several progressive metal and progressive rock selections I played this for an opera fan last week and he found this the most inspired, creative, and pleasing. With respect to what is current in the metal scene, it feels that way to me too.