Album Page: Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory Metropolis Part II

One of the most overrated prog albums ive ever come across, and believe me, I was one of you fanboys who believe this is the greatest thing since sliced bread as well. But, that was a few dozen intense listens ago. These days, after owning this album for a few years, its faults really expose themselves to me. I'll make my point quick. Negatives: (you know the positives) 1. Labrie's whining vocals taint the entire album, he is not the godly vocalist he thinks he is, and overreaches his own abilities in in this album. (unlike Images and Words where he sings very well and knows his limitations.) 2. It is just too long! Cut out about 10 whole minutes of overly long intrumental jammage and you've got probably a much more condensed, and therefore better, album. 3. The lyrics are terrible, and the concept (after its novelty 'cool! a murder mystery!' storyline has faded) is almost laughable. "I felt so empty as I cried, like part of me had died."... eww. Please, did you have one of your kids write those lyrics on a napkin during school or something? But even with these quite major problems, it is still excellent to masterful in almost all other aspects. It's really a shame, without Labrie and with some self-control this could have been the masterpiece album that people actually think it is. Still VERY much worth a listen or two though, but don't expect to love it so much after the first few virgin encounters.

A great progressive rock/metal concept album, easily Dream Theater's best work. The story is kind of stupid, but lyrically the album isn't bad. At times, it does drag a bit (it's over 75 minutes long), and sometimes the solos are a little tasteless, but overall it's a great album.

great story to a great cd lyrics and music fuse together to make something very different and amazing

Dream theater definitely has the most powerful spot between the bands that took the progressive music to the 21st century. The band, that almost broke up after their 3rd album tour ("Awake"), and the constant pressure from the record company to produce hits, has made the musician pretty unstable. As a last minute move, they have turned to the company's management and demanded artistic freedom to their next project - and if this demand will not be fulfilled, they have threatend to end their career. The management have surrendered, and the band started the long & hard process of creating the album... Since then, "Scenes" became the most valuable album ever created by Dream, and most importantly - a perfect figure of Progressive Metal.

"Scenes From A Memory" is a complicated, ambitious rock-opera, 77 mins long. It was called as "Metropolis Part II". The first part, was in "Images & Words" - on track no. 5. But the ... -> show full review

I may not have heard the last 4 tracks often enough. It's a very good album.

This really is a masterpiece, a quintessential modern prog rock concept album. There are many people out there who don't consider Dream Theater to be prog at all. IMHO there are many more who do, and I'm one of those open minded people who have understood that there are many different kinds of prog music.

Dream Theater - generally and on this album in particular - focus on structure and virtuosity. The music is always very controlled, refined and thoughtfully laid out. But with all this technical perfection, this album features beautiful melodies as well.

Production also is nearly perfect, I cannot understand people who say otherwise. However, there might still be a chance that you will not like the album (or Dream Theater) at all: The vocals are not everybody's cup of tea, as are the classical and avantgardistic (ZAPPA) influences and lengthy solos.