Dream Theater

Scenes From A Memory (EastWest/Elektra-EEG)

One thing Loud Rockers can never accuse Dream Theater of being is boring. The quintet pushes the metal envelope again with Scenes From A Memory, a pretty, orchestral prog-rock album that has so many intricate layers that you’re guaranteed to uncover something new with every listen. The music’s mesmerizing keyboards and James LaBrie’s willowy, feminine vocals will lull you into a trance. Scenes... is also a truly theatrical album, featuring highbrow songs that often exceed the ten-minute mark and are sequenced like acts in a play. Topping it all off are the kind of whopping solos guaranteed to make guitar-store clerks drool.

For Fans Of: Fates Warning, Yngwie Malmsteen, Rush, Genesis

Recommended Tracks: “Home,” “Beyond This Life,” “Finally Free,” “The Spirit Carries On”

Release Date: October 26; at radio now