helterskelter.ca

DREAM THEATER
1994 - Awake.
2003 - Train Of Thought.
2005 - Octavarium.
way more Helter Skelter.

October 4, 1994 - 2024: 30 years of: Awake.

A fully mature mix.

More acrobatics from the newly crowned progressive-metal DREAM THEATER. Following 1992's well-acclaimed Images And Words CD, more upper-class music shall ascend from this playhouse. Out of the dream-sequence comes, Act III: it's time for this scene to awake.

Under a glass moon, the deafening silence is broken at "6:00" o'clock on Christmas morning and fat metal-vibe are presented on the higher-paced "Caught In A Web". The now iconic jack-hammering crush of "The Mirror" is one of the decade's proudest metal-pounding, quickly followed by the hot slick grooves of "Lie". These thick guitar-tones are courtesy of the Ibanez Universe 7-string ...properly handled by John Petrucci obviously.

Temptation is displayed on the cosmic piano-led "Space-Dye Vest" and the 10min+ marathon of "Scarred". Pure posh pristine precision is powered on the instrumental "Erotomania" ...proving that they are rock / metal's finest craftsmen.

Albeit keyboardist Kevin Moore exited during the recording-sessions, Derek Sherinian would take DREAM THEATER deeper into more rich textures. No alternative-scene nor flavor of the month shall influences these Berklee graduates, ever.

More metal-majesty would bloom on 1997's gigantic Falling Into Infinity CD.

*
Lie = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD7OdyY1js4
The Silent Man = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1gFXVANCt8
Awake = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElgXCB4exGU&list=OLAK5uy_mSQAf-fo5V_C1QP1VgzjjCKG7lHnSVvpU
Interview in 1994
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LhD5NEvQNU
Live in San Francisco in 1994
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2exgqrLZgI
Portnoy on 6:00 in 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvXebl_F1o4
some guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3w6oCc-_vc
some guy dissect Awake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1oK7qls-BM&list=PLPq9xpeutqiPZHoPnLV7LkaUjoT0QUBGU
Awake isolated-tracks
https://www.youtube.com/@atomestudio8864/videos

November 11, 2003 - 2023: 20 years of: Train Of Thought.

High-octane prog-metal.

Following 2002's Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence 135min+ 2CD fiesta, the progressive cortege would now take a lead towards a heavier path. In this tormented post-Napster era, DREAM THEATER brings us a rich metal showcase. Listen and learn.

Deep bass and harmonies sets the mood to destroy, as "As I Am" slowly breaks in. Crystal-pure power ravages as the main riff drives us inside this loose heavymetal loaded freight-train. Caught in the eye of the tornado, the band had a firm grip on the genre.

Both pillars of "This Dying Soul" and "Honor Thy Father" are pristine exhibition of riff-o-ramas and top-shelf drumming. Both might be 10min+ adventures, yet never a dull moment. The soft church-like "Vacant" resets the pace to tear, while the build-up of "Stream Of Consciousness" is a solid barrage of rock-progression with harden steel alloy.

The Live At Budokan 3CD / 2DVD features a focused band, at the pinnacle of their craft, deep in the land of the Rising Sun.

Definitely not shaken by the shape-shifting new-millenium hard-music landscape, DREAM THEATER's direction would dwell within this new muscular-metal evolution. The culprits would provide more strong epic-metal, with 2005's Octavarium CD.

*
Train Of Thought = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q9Ss5zZU4k&list=OLAK5uy_mzHbHh63t-rMNesv4qdp459qrE1AD290E
Live At Budokan = full DVD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7j0rB4hC0A&list=PL6QO5UqFxBPFLTbL03GgnOkMXA9oqXZoq
Interview in 2004
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbttVrrvLOU
The making of Train Of Thought
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ovdzUj8h6o

June 7, 2005 - 2025: 20 years of: Octavarium.

Distinguished craftsmanship.

After hard-rocking to 2003's Train Of Thought CD, the metal was freely flowing. DREAM THEATER shall now push the boundaries of proggressivemetal to new heights.

The menacing melodies of "The Root Of All Evil" and the manic of "Panic Attack" are pure metal magic. In perfect balance, the raw inertia is transferred from "These Walls" to "Never Enough". The arenarock-vibes of "I Walk Beside You" paints a simpler dream, while the 24min full scale of "Octavarium" is an eighth heaven excursion.

Their live and 20th anniversary extravaganza 2006 Score CD / DVD package, features a complete orchestra. Always on edge and always knee deep in theory, DREAM THEATER never disappoint.

Entering a new chapter in their career, the band would ink with Roadrunner Records and issue another organized disruption: 2007's high-gain Systematic Chaos CD.

*
Octavarium = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXpV8GUal-E&list=OLAK5uy_k0nFAMlp3yiixMFCg7GWq5Mp6kZZG1HP4
Live in Spain in 2005
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_DtRRbYBzk
Score = full DVD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px-VOxSaOAo&list=PL_PlG24kOMTt0YbMhkzliJb1t-qL9wlQ0
The score so far (documentary) = full DVD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LduXtT3edlI