A ray of hope - Another day

"Another Day" is the song that started the Dream Theater train of thought for me. This song is from the album 'Images and Words'. It gives you hope in the most bleak moments in life. Encourages you to live and enjoy life for what it is. Here below is an excerpt of the lyrics of the song. And, yeah do listen to it when the opportunity arises. :)

Live another day
Climb a little higher
Find another reason to stay
Ashes in your hands
Mercy in your eyes
If you're searching for a silent sky...

You won't find it here
Look another way
You won't find it here
So die another day
- Another Day

Eight Magic

This is another DT album which has got songs to die for. The gem for me is the song 'These Walls'.. which has got mindblowing lyrics and music. The epic in the album is 'Octavarium' which is 23:59 minutes long.Love John Myung's work in the song. There again,the lyrics take the cake.The best song in the album is 'I walk beside you' which moves me to tears. Labrie's vocals do perfect justice and play around with the listener's emotions like no other. Awesome song that.

On the whole for an ordinary listener and a die hard DT fan like me, the album was a great listen. :)

The Noisy One

Mike Portnoy.... where do I start about him?? I simply call him the noisy one because he plays the drums. My mom's favourite DT band member. He has this perfect personality that is so endearing and enormous talent. One of the founding members of DT, he is just awesome on the drums.

Writes lyrics as well for DT's compositions and my all time DT favourite "A change of Seasons" has lyrics written by him. Love the lyrics. Backs up for the vocals as well. Watch him in the change of seasons video and you'll love his work. :)

The energy provider for the whole band according to me. Expressions are extremely funny sometimes when you watch the performances. :D.. In short a super duper drummer and the bestest drummer in the whole wide world. (Go on... disagree and tell me there are so many better drummers out there... :P )

Systematic Chaos

This is the album of theirs which is the latest. And has got some of my most favourite songs in it.The first among the gems is "Constant Motion" for which even the video has been released. Awesome lyrics by Mr.Portnoy makes it enjoyable for an evening of pure headbanging. :)
THE CONSTANT MOTION VIDEO




The two songs that bookmark the album are called "In the presence of enemies Part 1 and 2". The one that takes the cake is the first part. Dunno what is the best part of the song but, just the entire thing is wonderful to hear. Love it to pieces.

The next is "Ministry of lost souls"... ooof the next best but only next to the above song mentioned. Lyrics like ...'Remember me ... I gave you life.. you would not take it.. your suffering was all in vain...it's almost over now..don't turn your back on paradise.....'.. aaaah.. awesome is not the word dude!!

On the whole a kick ass album and equally powerful songs. Loved it. Addictive like all the other albums have been so far. Looking forward to many more. Can't wait. :)

Pssst.. Rumour has it that they may tour India in Mar'08 or Apr'08.... (Yipeeeeeeeeeee, already planning my outfit. lol. Sometimes I wonder if it really is me going all crazy. Never been like this before. :D )

The Third Degree

The album is called Six degrees of inner turbulence. One of the best songs of DT from this album and the one song I will never cease to be tired of amongst many others is called " Misunderstood". The music, the lyrics and the whole song is perfect. What attracts most in the song is the chorus which has some superb lyrics written by John Petrucci :

How can I feel abandoned even when the world surrounds me
How can I bite the hand that feeds the strangers all around me
How can I know so many
Never really knowing anyone

If I seem superhuman
I have been
Misunderstood

These have got to be the best lines I've ever come across in a song. So true ain't it?? There are times when we all are in a situation where we feel like we are abandoned even when so many people are around us.Sometimes don't we feel like we've never really known anyone though we know so many??

This is what I meant when I said in my earlier post that songs read into your soul like no one can. And this one read mine , yes it did.

Five Fingers Maketh a Fist

Just like five fingers on our hands make up a fist, similarly, the five members of Dream Theater make magic. Yes,they have prodigies like Petrucci(one of the fastest guitarists in the world) and Portnoy( a par excellence drummer). But, Petrucci and Portnoy alone would not be able to create the songs that DT are known for.

Just as our body is made up of many parts, so also, the lyrics are written by one, the music is composed together, some play the instruments and another lends his voice. The combined effort alone brings and blends plain words and music into classics that DT are known for.

Why am I writing this? Because I am tired of reading discussions on how Petrucci is the face of DT or another says Portnoy is the face of DT. Or.. how Labrie does not write songs too much etc etc....One must realise that the five fingers of our hand are not similar in size or shape. Each member of DT is unique all by himself and is great at whatever he does. No point in saying that only one among them is the best. Coz if not for all the five coming together, the world would not have had Dream Theater.

So sit back relax and enjoy the five pronged attack on your senses and appreciate the talent that each of these five have on offer..the combined effort which will make you beg for more. :)

Word Power

I've heard the likes of BSB,Boyzone ,Westlife etc.. crooning away to glory on the power of love et al. The power of lyrics cannot be under estimated.Sometimes they just tend to put into perfect sync some emotion that you were searching to express. It just sears your soul into pieces.

Many bands write on varied stuff. Like Iron Maiden talk on war and history. Dream Theater focus on varied topics right from love, death,real life incidents like the 9/11 to name a few.

Their lyrics are their strength. Yes, the music is powerful, but the lyrics are even more powerful on a comparative basis. A song for every mood you will find in their repertoire. By that, I don't mean only the music but also the lyrics as well.

Take for instance the song " I walk beside you" from their album Octavarium. It focuses on commitment. A commitment that promises to last a lifetime. Another song would be "These Walls" from the same album. With lines like ...... 'This is so hard for me.. to find the words to say.. My thoughts are standing still... captive inside of me.. all emotions start to hide.. and nothings getting through..' ..perfectly captures a frustrated mindset. :)

If I have to, I can go on about how Dream Theater's songs are a listener's delight. But, hey this topic must end here. Else the blogger server might crash with all the praise that I tend to so lavishly shower on DT. :D

The conclusion : Lyrics read into your soul sometimes like no one else can. No one ever can.

Dreamy Nirvana

Steps to be followed

1.Store Dream Theater songs on the mp3 player or comp.
2.Plug the mp3 into your ears or switch on the speakers on comp.
3.Choose any of the following songs from the list below:

1. A Change of Seasons
2.In the presence of enemies Pt.1
3.These Walls
4.Under a Glass Moon
5.Lifting Shadows off a Dream
6.Forsaken
7.Take the time

4.Wait for the song to begin and feel yourself being transported into a totally different world, where there is only you , the music and that heady drugged feeling of euphoria.

A'int that enough Nirvana??