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List Price: $18.98 | | Label: Atlantic / Wea
Salesrank: 5720
Released: October 26, 1999 |
| Our Price: $6.09 |
| Used Price: $4.98 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory Track Listing:
1. Regression
2. Overture 1928
3. Strange Deja Vu
4. Through My Words
5. Fatal Tragedy
6. Beyond This Life
7. Through Her Eyes
8. Home
9. The Dance Of Eternity
10. One Last Time
11. The Spirit Carries On
12. Finally Free
Editorial Review:
Progressive rock has long been the most devalued currency in popular music, perhaps due to the culture's dumbing down, too many conceptually knotted triple-albums, or merely a Greek chorus of critics parroting the emperor from Amadeus: "Too many notes!" Maybe that's what makes Dream Theater's Scenes such an audacious rush (no pun intended). Here we have a two-act murder mystery examined from a hypnotic dream state and parlayed by "The Orchestra," as the band refers to itself here. Andrew Lloyd Webber hasn't written anything as focused--or musically audacious--in decades. And if the band attacks feverish shift meters and plows through enough structural modes and, yes, notes, to make the aforementioned emperor's head spin, they manage to keep things concise, focused, and largely effective. The addition of keyboardist Jordan Rudess has freshened the band's tack, infused now with the odd, playful ragtime piano quote and sitar sample. Vocalist James Labrie, meanwhile, amply proves that Queensryche's Geoff Tate isn't the only drama queen in prog metal. --Jerry McCulley
Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory Reviews:
Really cool, but my 2nd to least favorite DT album behind Octavarium 
2008-09-15 - I really enjoy this album. Overture 1928, Fatal Tragedy, Through my words, through her eyes, The Spirit Carries on, The dance of eternity and Finally Free are my favorites. Also, the wild progressive edge of changing time signatures and wicked left turns find DT at their best, but somehow, as much as I enjoy the songs here, they don't stick with me the way Scarred, Anna Lee, The ones who help to set the sun, The great debate, or songs from their other albums do. Totally worth having, but I feel DT has put out much better over the years.
Very Good!
2008-08-10 - So I'm listening to Metropolis Part II, and it's OK, but then I hit the conclusion and I am blown away. I still don't fully understand the story yet and it's been a few months since I first got the album.
Let me justify the 4 stars, as opposed to 5.
Pros:
The musicianship is top-notch: The long instrumental sections are quite impressive, my favorite being Track 5: Fatal Tragedy, and as I noted before, the conclusion.
Cons:
James LaBrie's vocals are iffy. There are spots where he's good and there are spots where he's bad. The writing is sometimes very poor.
The worst thing to ever happen on this album is that James LaBrie sings a female role (Scene Six: Home). It is not convincing in the least, and they did have a female for some background vocals on a later track, so where is she!?
However, this is very much worth a listen. The story is strong (just you wait for Scene Nine!), and the musicianship is absolutely top-notch. What I find strange, however, is that James performed better as the lead character in Ayreon's Human Equation than on his band's own album.
The perfect album 
2008-07-19 - Nothin much needs to be said, as it's been said by everyone else already. This album is just pure gold from beginning to end. You will get sick from listening to it so much. This album has everything; their most soft songs to their most heavy, great vocals and harmonies, and the most creative and intense technical playing out of DT's entire catolouge. You can't hear it all at once. You will find something new within the album every time you listen to it.
The Best Concept Album I've Ever Listened To
2008-07-14 - I picked this album up on a recommendation from a friend, and what a recommendation it was! The musicianship shown by the members of Dream Theater is jaw-dropping. It is an album that I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt will constantly be in any playlist that I make! The song "Through Her Eyes" nearly brings me to tears every time I listen to it. I can safely say that if you are a fan of Progressive, Metal, or any mix thereof, you will love this album. It has some hard driving rock, some searing solos (on guitar, keyboards, and drums, occasionally all at once). If you are even a little bit interested in Dream Theater or have heard them through the grapevine, pick this one up, you won't regret it!
Yeah, It's Speed Metal
2008-07-07 - I can't help it: I like Dream Theater. I wrote a review for Octavarium titled "Everything Is Never Enough," and I still believe Octavarium is their best. That's a highly controversial statement, especially given that I'm writing a five-star review for Scenes From A Memory. But here's the deal: Octavarium had some darn good songwriting in it. This? Not so much. But, as my review title states: yeah, it's speed metal. It's pretty darn impressive enjoyable speed metal at that. For a good example, check out Fatal Tragedy. It's instrumental break is just undeniably awesome. And who cares that the lyrics and story are stretched out and weak when the best freaking riff ever comes chugging in during the break of Beyond This Life? Or when Jordan Rudess plays that awesome piano solo in Dance Of Eternity? This is good stuff, people. But yeah. It's speed metal.
