Images and Words

I first heard this when I was 17 and at 43 I can still come back to this one and love it by far one of there best yes they have gone so far of the deep end with skill and crazy playing on later albums but this one just I mean speechless great production I think the fact they recorded this with a jazz master who may only have a sax solo on one song I’m sure he had allot to do with the super clean sound of this record and they used real tape back then was so cool to hear petrucci talk about Recording techniques that had to be used for an album like this recorded so long ago and technology was not as good as it is today

A track by track analysis: 1. Pull Me Under 6/5 stars As Dream Theater’s only hit, of course it’s a fan favorite. Fantastically heavy and catchy, with a great riff from John Petrucci. A DT classic. 2. Another Day 6/5 A gorgeous ballad with great saxophone, Another Day is definitely among their best soft songs. It’s excellent. 3. Take the Time 5/5 Somehow the funk-prog first verse sounds like Michael Jackson, but the rest is a great progressive metal classic. The overlayed vocals harmonize satisfyingly, and John Myung’s bass is the driving force. 4. Surrounded 3/5 Most of the album has aged very well over 30 years. This track hasn’t. It’s a too sparkly and 80’s sounding soft rock song, and barely prog. Also James LaBrie’s vocal line of “dark to light, light to dark” has not aged well either, but this song stands out for that reason and it isn’t that bad. They could’ve done worse. 5. Metropolis Pt 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper 6/5 It’s hard to imagine a Dream Theater without this song, as they made a one hour sequel to it and it’s considered the definitive Dream Theater song. I agree. I may like other songs by them better, but this song is how I got into them in the first place and so I say it’s a great introduction to this band. 6. Under a Glass Moon 6/5 A great melodic metal tune with complicated arrangements. I absolutely love the chorus and the beginning guitar/synth line. 7. Wait for Sleep 4/5 It’s a bit too short, but Wait for Sleep is a good ballad and a great companion to the next song. 8. Learning to Live 6/5 The heavy parts foreshadow Awake, and Petrucci plays an acoustic flamenco guitar solo for the only time. These elements and more make this a great song and an ideal closing number. Consensus: Even at this period, Dream Theater’s identity was firmly established and refined to the point where they would become even better without abandoning any of this album’s traits. It shows the supremely melodic and experimental side of the band where Train of Thought shows the very heavy side. You can’t go without either of them nor Awake if you start getting into Dream Theater.

There’s prog before and after images and words imo.

This is a perfect album from one of the most inventive and musically superb bands out there. The mix of gentle and blazing is always on-point, proving that Dream Theater is a complete band. They are so technically impressive and lyrically creative. I can't think of a negative.

My first ever prog album, and is still to this day in my top 5 favorite albums of all time. Truly life-changing album

Every song is well written, played and produced. The best part is that, for the most part, the songs aren’t repetitive. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: there are an insane amount of riffs, melodies, beats and grooves on some of these tracks. Despite all of this, the songs feel like they are going towards something (with the exception of Pull Me Under. Worst. Ending. Ever!) This is a great album, with a lot of cool stuff going on. I recommend this to anyone getting in to Prog Rock/Metal. You won’t regret it!!!

I absolutely love the song Learning to Live.

I have been listening to this album for 25 years, and it is still the gold standard in Dream Theater music. Either rerecord it with modern recording gear, or remaster it with modern EQ techniques (I’m not talking about dynamic compression on the band, I’m talking about upping the gain, bringing that kick drum forward, making the bass stand out better, and clearer separation for everyone’s parts). The next generation of rockers, and lovers of prog, post prog, and fusion need to hear the bands that made these genres what they are today. I adore this album. It’s the only FULL / COMPLETE D.T. album I own (having both Liquid Tension Experiment albums don’t really count lol). If y’all want my 4th star to become a full 5 stars, then give us proof you still love us — those who love Power Metal, Progressive, Fusion, Post-Prog, and everything else. I want to aff these songs to playlists and crank them. Ain’t nobody got time for Pull Me Under being HALF the volume of everything else in a playlist. It doesn’t have the punch it did in 1992. I want it to punch me in the ear like it did 25 years ago.

My favorite album from any band. Just buy it.

While it is good, it's one of my least favorite albums by DT. It doesn't really get super awesome until Metropolis, and by then, the album's already half over. Pull Me Under is a good song but I really don't get why people love it so much. Tracks two, three, and four are good but nothing special. Metropolis is one of my favorite DT songs. Amazing song. Under a Glass Moon is great. Learning to Live is awesome too.