Dream Theater: Images and Words Review

It is strange that this album was written and recorded by the same band who, three years earlier, released their debut album When Dream and Day Unite. These two albums sound so incredibly different, with the band's style jumping from "old-school Majesty" in When Dream and Day Unite to "modern Dream Theater" in Images and Words. This could be due to James LaBrie's presence in the Lead Vocalist department, taking the place of Charlie Dominici. Or it could be due to the fact that it was mixed with more time and care than When Dream and Day Unite was.

Whatever the main difference between the two albums may have been, it is clear that fans and critics alike were in high adoration of the change. While their debut album received minimal attention from the public, whether due to poor promotion or mixed reviews, it is strange that their next release would rocket to the top, quite possibly resulting as the greatest release in the history of progressive metal. Even stranger is the fact that once critics realized how incredible Images and Words was, they looked upon When Dream and Day Unite with a new set of eyes, finally being able to understand and appreciate its good qualities.

One of the great things about this album is that evert single track is one of their greatest hits. Pull Me Under saw the release of a music video and landed as a Top Ten hit. Another Day and Take the Time also were accompanied by music videos, but were not nearly as successful. Surrounded remains one of Dream Theater's greatest works to this day, with its catchy yet complex rhythms and "happy" melodies. Metropolis, Part 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper is not only one of their greatest hits on the album, but is probably their most frequently-played song at live concerts due to the fans' love for it. The reaction of the fans even persuaded the band to release Metropolis, Part 2: Scenes from a Memory, a full-length concept album in 1999, which even today is recognized as their masterpiece alongside Images and Words. Continuing after Metropolis on the album, Under a Glass Moon contains the second-highest note sung by James LaBrie on any studio album to date, the first-highest being from the epic Learning to Live, the last track on the album. Between these two songs is a quiet song for piano and vocals, Wait for Sleep, which shares some musical themes with Learning to Live.

This album is definately a masterpiece to behold, and is highly recommended for any fan of epic metal. It's a staple in the progressive genre, and helped Dream Theater to grow to become the incredible band they are today.