Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

Today: another beloved Dream Theater album, their double album Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence represents an important point in Dream Theater's career: the point where they had acquired enough of a reputation as prog metal masters to make a double album at a time when such ambition was frowned upon. They didn't plan on making a double album, but the title track turned out too long to fit onto the same CD as the other songs--more on that later. I also see the album as the turning point between the sound of "new" Dream Theater (represented on the first disc) and "old" Dream Theater (on the second). The second album released by the band since acquiring their current lineup, it features them playing at their best and one of their most epic musical odysseys to date.

The first disc represents Dream Theater's more modern side. It's composed of five songs with an average length of about 11 minutes on a variety of topics. Written by drummer Mike Portnoy about his recovery from alcoholism, "The Glass Prison" is Dream Theater at its most metal. It's my favorite DT song and I've already written a six-page paper on it, which is posted earlier in this blog. "Blind Faith" confronts cults; their leaders, followers, and the concept of blind, misplaced faith, similar to "In the Name of God" on their next album.

 "Misunderstood" is a slower-paced song about the isolation that can accompany fame and living in the eyes of the public. Apparently John Petrucci learned to play the solo for it backwards, then did so and reversed it to get a hauntingly unique-sounding version of the original solo. "The Great Debate" addresses the then-hot-button topic of stem cell research, starting and ending with sound clips taken from the news with plenty of metallic intensity in the middle. Finally, "Disappear" is a quieter song on death and the loss of a loved one.

But the centerpiece of the album is the epic 42-minute title track, which takes up the entirety of the second disc. It's a look into the lives and struggles of six people dealing with six different mental disorders: bipolar disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, post-natal depression, autism, and dissociative identity disorder (multiple pesonalities). The result is one of the finest pieces of progressive music, ever. In typical DT bombast, it starts with a seven-minute overture driven by Jordan Rudess' orchestral keyboard sounds, a beautiful piece that introduces the musical themes of the suite. For some reason I feel like it would be perfect as the intro music of a Paper Mario game, but that's a discussion of another time.

Next "About to Crash" covers the rollercoaster of living with bipolar disorder, a fine piece of progressive rock that turns heavy with the short-but-brutal "War Inside My Head". This gives way to the insanity of "The Test That Stumped Them All", a song about the insanity of a schizophrenia sufferer living in a time before it was fully understood. It features some awesomely heavy riffing by John Petrucci, as well as James LaBrie's humorous attempt to play the part of the bumbling doctor and nurse trying to understand their patient's delusions. (The nurse vocals are slightly disturbing)

"Goodnight Kiss" is a much softer song featuring one of T's signature sound effect montages in the middle, transitioning into "Solitary Shell", a nod to Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill" and an excellent piece of prog rock in its own right, with an amazing keyboard solo in the middle. "About to Crash" is reprised before "Losing Time" and the finale, which ties together all the stories with a moral to understand and love those suffering from inner "turbulence". The bombastic outro then ends with a nearly two-minute fadeout--only in Dream Theater, indeed.

At least for me, The Glass Prison and the title track tend to dominate my love for Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence and overshadow the other tracks, but except for maybe Disappear, this album has no weaknesses. This is a very appealing, solid release and recommended for anyone looking to understand the distinction between the old and new phases of the band.