Today, I’ve decided to answer another writing prompt: “What’s your all-time favorite album?” It’s clearly off-topic for this blog, but I say why not?
I mostly listen to rock music of all types. Everything that could remotely be called rock, from Metallica and Rush to Imagine Dragons and twenty øne piløts to The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. But my clear #1 album is, in my opinion, the best album from Dream Theater, the only band I really listen to in their sub-genre of rock, progressive metal. Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory is great from start to finish and the only album I regularly listen to in order all the way through and lose myself in. The complex musicianship and interesting lyrics distract me from whatever I might need an escape from.
An interesting fact about the album is that they released an earlier song called Metropolis Part 1 and never intended to write a part 2. After a lot of fan questions and pressure, the band took some of the lyrical themes and musical ideas from the first song and turned it into this complete album.
Scenes From a Memory is a concept album telling the story of a man is tormented by memories that are not his own, so he goes under hypnosis in an attempt to figure out what’s going on. He discovers that his memories are actually from a woman who died decades earlier while involved in a tragic love triangle. The album ends with a great twist ending (I won’t spoil) that would be great in any movie or TV show.
Musically the album is wave after wave of heavy, catchy riffs and amazing solos, including the instrumental “The Dance of Eternity” and its 108 time signature changes in 6 minutes. Everything works and goes along with the changing moods of the story.
If you’re into this kind of music, check out this album if you haven’t already. If its not your cup of tea, that’s probably more likely…
Driving Toward the Morning Sun 