 There should almost be two reviews for this album since it consists of two widely different CDs. However, Dream Theater released the CDs as one album and therefore I will treat it as such.
"Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" is a creative title that expresses the turbulent feeling of this album. The first CD is a mix of five songs that average over ten minutes in length apiece. They are technically impressive songs, as is the Dream Theater tradition, but don't have driving melodies that capture the listener's attention. "Random" would be a good way to explain the progression of the songs, as they are relatively unstructured. It is often hard to differentiate between verse and chorus, if you can even locate them.
While the songs on the first CD lack structure, they certainly don't lack artistic merit. The drum and guitar parts are as expressive as ever, and usually take a few listens to fully appreciate. If you like technically impressive instrumentals, you'll love this CD. However, if you like simple and catchy melodies, you won't find them here.
My favorite song on the first CD is "Blind Faith," which has an unconventional rhythm that is hard to keep time to, but makes for a great listen. Another song, called "The Great Debate," is about stem cell research, if you can believe it. Only Dream Theater can write a song about stem cell research and make it sound cool.
The second CD is more thematic, much like the previous "Scenes from a Memory" release. It is more of a symphony arranged into different movements than a CD of individual songs. The second CD has a number of catchy melodies and uses many creative combinations of instruments and sounds. Some parts sound like an actual symphony, while others sound like a heavy metal band. Then there are some sections that remind me of Christmas music, and others that sound like folk songs. Needless to say, this is a sonically varied CD.
The second disc is more melodic than the first one, but shares the same turbulence. The music continually jumps from soft to heavy and slow to fast, which keep the CD interesting, but may be a bit unsettling for some listeners. Lyrically, the songs reflect the dissonant aspects of life from both personal and third-person accounts. The lyrics are meaningful and insightful, but take a few listens to really understand. The second CD finishes with a grand progression, returning to the anthem of the first track, much like a symphony composition.
"Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" is a creative, if not chaotic compilation of songs from Dream Theater. While the CD is certainly turbulent, it showcases some of the band members' greatest talent. If you like technical rock music and don't mind seemingly sporadic melodies, this is an impressive album. |
|
|
|
