Revisiting Dream Theater’s Images and Words

Revisiting Dream Theater’s Images and Words

by rick olivares

It sure is great that Dream Theater is coming over to Manila to perform and celebrate the 25^th anniversary of their second album, Images and Words this coming September 25.  

That says a lot considering that Dream Theater had to change its sound after losing their label and original lead singer. And at the time of Images and Words’ release in July of 1992, Nirvana was supreme and Guns and Roses were at the height of their popularity. Pantera had also released its Vulgar Display of Power and later in the year, Rage Against the Machine dropped its angry debut album.

Yet Images and Words stood out and was hailed as one of the best albums of the 1992; an instant classic that has seen the record deservedly cited as one of the best metal albums of all time.

Side A

I only knew of Dream Theater when I heard “Pull Me Under” that year. And I recall thinking, “what a cool name for a band.” The song had this metal feel to it with its crunching guitars, manic drumming that had me thinking thrash, and with vocals that reminded me of the Scorpions. Except it was all in a progressive arrangement. I was hooked.

I picked up Images and Words and listening to the rest of the album, I was thrown for a loop.

With the second track, “Another Day”, they turned it down by several notches into this power ballad with a unique twist --- they threw in Spyro Gyra’s Jay Beckenstein for a saxophone solo towards the end of the song that makes it even more poignant and even haunting. I absolutely love the intro and the manner in which they end the song. It sticks in your head.

If Yes, Emerson Lake and Palmer and other similar prog bands of the 70s fused rock and classical music, Dream Theater, at least with the third track on Images and Words which is “Take the Time” has some jazz undertones that had me thinking rather weirdly of Deep Purple.

The fourth track of Side A, “Surrounded” is another slow one but picks up midway. Listening to the four tracks so far, I was impressed not only with lead singer James LaBrie but also guitarist John Petrucci. This track showcases the latter’s dexterity.

Side B

This side has more of that traditional prog rock feel and “Metropolis Part 1” kicks it off – long, changes in time signatures, the loud and soft dynamics. This is the track that had me thinking, “Ah, Rush” right down to the power drumming of Mike Portnoy that has me thinking of Neal Peart. But make no mistake, Dream Theater are no copycats. They found their own canvass in rock’s grand pastiche of sound and fury. As for “Metropolis Part 1”, this track has become a staple of their live sets including their encore.

The song into “Under A Glass Moon” that features a neat solo by Petrucci. While prog bands tend to go with keyboard or even drum solos, Dream Theater’s metal background finds the guitar also taking center stage.

“Wait for Sleep” is the shortest track on the album as it has a playing time of 2:31 and has me thinking of Yanni’s Keys to the Imagination. Did the Greek instrumentalist whose groundbreaking work especially on Keys to the Imagination’s “Looking Glass” have any influence on this track and album?

The last song, “Learning to Live” is the only one written by bassist John Myung and is the longest track on the album (11:30) and they run the range of their music to scorching rockers to jazz improvisation. The perfect way to end Images and Words.  

While I later learned that Dream Theater was greatly influenced by Rush and Iron Maiden, I looked back at this album and saw the influences here and there. Yet, Dream Theater charted its own path and sound that you really cannot say they sound like their heroes. There’s a certain majesty to their sound.

And well, 25 years after this record was released, I still listen to it. I still have the original CD that I bought back in 1992 and the re-issued record that adds so much to my listening pleasure.