Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity
	Released: 1997 Label: Eastwest Records/Elektra Cat. No.: 62060-2 Total Time: 76:13
	Reviewed by: Stephanie Sollow, May 1998 My initial impression of Dream Theater's Falling Into Infinity was not favorable - I found it slow and tough going. After a few listenings...well, let's just say you could jettison the first four tracks and end up with a good album. The problem is the first four tracks. "New Millenium," which opens the album, seems sludgy when it should kick. Both "You Not Me" and "Peruvian Skies" are songs in slow motion. And "Hollow Years", despite a pleasant opening guitar appregio, is hard to listen to. I like James LeBrie's voice, but here he sounds off key. Of course, there are the signature vocal and guitar flights of fancy, complicated arrangements - all the Dream Theaterism are here, only this time they seem lackluster. Granted, there are moments during the first half hour or so - a solo in the middle "Peruvian Skies" (track 3) is okay, and shows a bit more signs of life Picking the best track from the remainder of the album, is kinda tough, many of them are good. Nods have to go to the instrumental "Hell's Kitchen" (#6), "Lines In The Sand" (#7, which features guest vocals by Doug Pinnick of King's X), and the thoughtful "Take My Pain Away." Only "Just Let Me Breathe" returns to the dark, muddied pace of before - maybe here it is appropriate, dealing as it does with dark underbelly of the record business - see the rise and crash of Nirvana for the idea here. So this isn't their best to date - my vote still goes to Images and Words - but, sixty percent of it is worth listening to more than once. More about Falling Into Infinity: Track Listing: New Millenium (8:20) / You Not Me (4:58) / Peruvian Skies (6:43) / Hollow Years (5:53) / Burning My Soul (5:29) / Hell's Kitchen (4:16) / Lines In The Sand (12:05) / Take Away My Pain (6:03) / Just Let Me Breathe (5:28) / Anna Lee (5:51) / Trial Of Tears: I - It's Raining, II - Deep In Heaven, III - The Wasteland (13:07) Musicians: James LaBrie - Lead and Backing Vocals John Myung - Bass and Chapman Stick John Petrucci - Guitars and Backing Vocals Mike Portnoy - Drums, Percussion and Backing Vocals Derek Sherinian - Keyboards and Backing Vocals with Doug Pinnick (King's X) on #7 Contact: Fan Club c/o Neil Elliott P O Box 1067 Catterham, Surrey CR35ZU England Website: www.dreamtheater.net Note: will open new browser window Discography When Dreams and Day Unite (1989) Images and Words (1992) Live at the Marquee (1993) Dream Out Loud (1994)* Awake (1994) A Change in Season (1995) Falling Into Infinity (1997) Once in a Livetime (1998) Scenes From A Memory (1999) Cleaning Out The Closet (Xmas CD 1999) (1999) Scenes From A World Tour - Christmas CD 2000 (2001) Live Scenes From New York (2001) Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence (2002) Train Of Thought (2003) Live At Budokan (2004) Octavarium (2005) Live At Budokan (2004) (DVD) Interview: James LaBrie October 2001 Interview: James LaBrie November 2001 Interview: James Labrie March 2002 Dream Theater In Concert, Orpheum Theater-Boston, Massachusetts, March 22, 2002 Dream Theater, Vorst-Nationaal, Brussels, Belgium, January 25, 2004
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