Dream Theater

Dream Theater is the twelfth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on September 23, 2013 in Europe through Roadrunner Records and a day later in the US.

Originally released on Mechanic (42259). All tracks have been digitally remastered. Dream Theater's first official release gave an indication that this was a talented band that combined the styles of Yes, Rush, and Queensrÿche. The latter seemed to be too big of an influence at this stage of their career. Vocalist Charlie Dominici's voice is not powerful enough to carry out the band's otherwise convincing intensity, and his attempt to sound like Queensrÿche's Geoff Tate was unsuccessful. The music here is not as heavy as it would become in the '90s but could still be classified as progressive metal.

With demos like these, 'Falling Into Infinity' had the potential to be the greatest Dream Theater album. Sadly, the castrated label-influenced final version simply does not share the glory of it's demos. Dream Theater had been sitting on the fence waiting to record this album for three years, and in this time, they had developed enough songs to fill up two discs! However, the label rejected the idea of releasing a double disc album, and the group had to pick and choose which songs to put on the record. With this official bootleg release, fans could at long last hear the songs as they were meant to be heard. This is without a doubt the best of these releases, because of all the alternate and unreleased songs…

Dream Theater was almost aggressively out of fashion in 1999. Few bands subscribed to their dense blend of progressive rock and post-Halen metal, and those that did usually didn't have major-label contracts, the way Dream Theater did. There was a point where they tried to straighten out their sound somewhat as they flirted with straight-ahead, laid-back metal on 1997's Falling Into Infinity, but with its 1999 studio sequel, Scenes from a Memory, Dream Theater delves straight into old-fashioned prog rock. Scenes from a Memory is an unabashed concept album told in two acts, about the 1928 murder of a young woman and how a modern man is haunted by the crime.

Filmed at Tokyo s famous Budokan Hall in April 2004, this Blu-ray captures Dream Theater on the tour in support of their 2003 album Train Of Thought . Most of the tracks from that album are included along with songs from right across their career. Dream Theater s musical virtuosity is renowned and their live performances are legendary and this show from Japan is undoubtedly one of their finest. Filmed in high definition and now released on Blu-ray for the first time this is undoubtedly Dream Theater at their very best. / Bonus Features: Riding The Train Of Thought Documentary / John Petrucci Guitar World / Jordan Rudess Keyboard World / Mike Portnoy Drum Solo / Dream Theater Chronicles 2004 Tour Opening Video / Instrumedley Multiangle Bonus / Line-up: James LaBrie (vocals, percussion); John Myung (bass, stick); John Petrucci (guitar, vocals); Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals); Jordan Rudess (keyboards) / TRACK LISTING: 1) As I Am 2) This Dying Soul 3) Beyond This Life 4) Hollow Years 5) War Inside My Head 6) The Test That Stumped Them All 7) Endless Sacrifice 8) Instrumedley 9) Trial Of Tears 10) New Millennium 11) Keyboard Solo 12) Only A Matter Of Time 13) Goodnight Kiss 14) Solitary Shell 15) Stream Of Consciousness 16) Disappear 17) Pull Me Under 18) In The Name Of God

Originally released on Dream Theater’s YtseJam Records in 2005, this one-of-a-kind performance sees Dream Theater again paying tribute to some of their historic musical icons. "The Number of the Beast" is Dream Theater’s rendition of the classic album from legendary British heavy metallers, Iron Maiden. This unique 2002 performance in front of a French audience at La Mutualite in Paris, France is the only available recording of this one-off historic event, forever preserved in the YtseJam collection. A much-revered performance from Dream Theater's catalog, "The Number of the Beast", performed in its entirety, is a can’t-miss live release in the growing Lost Not Forgotten Archives series.

When Dream and Day Reunite is an Official Bootleg released by Dream Theater by Mike Portnoy on his YtseJam Records label. The album contains the second set of a show in Los Angeles in 2004 where the band performed the entire album When Dream and Day Unite to celebrate it's 15th anniversary. Also included is the encore, in which the band was joined onstage by former members Charlie Dominici and Derek Sherinian.
With a grand set list including the entire When Dream and Day Unite tracklist, plus two very special encore tracks, the live bootleg is essential for any Dream Theater fan's collection. LaBrie's vocals actually work very nicely over the unpolished compositions that made up the band's overlooked debut, giving new life to the sometimes dilapidated-seeming songs.

“Lost Not Forgotten Archives: When Dream And Day Reunite (Live)” is the 5th release in Dream Theater’s archival series. Recorded in Los Angeles, Dream Theater’s original 2004 release features a full live performance of the band’s debut studio album, and a reunion with former members Derek Sherinian and Charlie Dominici. Released for the first time on vinyl, with re-mastered audio and re-engineered for optimal audio quality, “When Dream and Day Reunite (Live)” is a quintessential release in the Lost Not Forgotten Archives collection. Also available on CD & Digital Album.