• Voto:
È inutile dirlo, ma tutte le band, arrivate ad un certo punto della loro carriera arrivano a commercializzarsi. Ed è altrettanto inutile dire che ciò succede anche ai mitici Dream Theater. Succede con "Falling Into Infinity", il loro quarto album in studio, edito nel 1997.
Un album che ha lasciato l'amaro in bocca a molti fan. In tanti, nel momento in cui si trovavano al negozio a comprare il disco, si aspettavano un altro capolavoro alla pari di "Images And Words" e "Awake" ma sono poi rimasti delusi quando poi lo hanno inserito nel lettore cd.
In precedenza i DT ci avevano deliziato con complessi riff, complicate strutture e fulminei cambi di stile e velocità. Quest'album è abbastanza diverso: l'album presenta infatti un sound meno aggressivo e soprattutto strutture più semplici e orecchiabili. I brani sembrano rispettare maggiormente rispettare la forma canzone strofa-ritornello-bridge e viene un po' meno l'estro dei musicisti, ma vi sono comunque brani più complessi in cui emergono le loro capacità di sempre... Forse un tentativo di conquistare il grande pubblico? No! Se credete che questo tentativo di commercializzazione sia di loro ispirazione vi sbagliate di grosso; la loro intenzione era quella di realizzare un altro album alla loro maniera... ma ecco che la casa discografica costringe i cinque a modificare alcune canzoni e a cacciarne via altre.
Ma devo dire che questo è comunque un bell'album e anche se non è ai livelli dei due predecessori ha comunque tutto il diritto e il merito di far parte della discografia dei Dream.
Molto sperimentale e innovativa la n° 1 "New Millennium": sonorità quasi orientali, ottimi giri con le tastiere, che prevalgono sulla chitarra, ottimo ritmo, scandito dal chapman stick di John Myung, suo nuovo acquisto, e anche una buona dose di virtuosismo. Brano in cui prevale la melodia
"You Not Me" (You Or Me all'origine) è un brano decisamente pop-rock caratterizzato da un'ottima chitarra ritmica di Petrucci e una buona linea melodica delle tastiere di Derek Sherinian (unico album con i Dream questo), nonché del basso di Myung nelle strofe.
"Peruvian Skies" è invece una canzone dai due volti: calma, psichedelica e pinkfloydiana nei primi minuti, aggressiva in stile Metallica nella seconda metà. E pensare che a sentirla all'inizio molti credevano di trovarsi di fronte ad una ballad.
E proprio quella ballad la ritrovano alla traccia n° 4 con "Hollow Years": canzone dolce e accarezzante, per i più romantici insomma; una chitarra acustica che sentita oggi fa subito pensare a Gigi D'Alessio; se amate Gigi questa canzone dovete sentirla.
Più scatenata la n° 5 "Burning My Soul" canzone anch'essa dalla struttura abbastanza elementare e orecchiabile. Da apprezzare in questo brano sono l'intro ben fatturata con basso e tastiera e proprio un solo di tastiera dopo il secondo ritornello.
Capolavoro assoluto è la strumentale "Hell's Kitchen": chitarre sognanti e una buona dose di virtuosismo segnata da ottimi assoli di chitarra e da un bell'unisono chitarra-tastiera prima del finale.
E dallo svanire di "Hell's Kitchen" nasce "Lines In The Sand" una delle perle dell'album, brano che i detrattori non potranno sicuramente disprezzare. 12 minuti, splendida intro eseguita con le tastiere, primi cinque minuti scatenati, poi altri quattro minuti lenti e psichedelici con lungo e splendido solo di chitarra di Petrucci poi di nuovo scatenata dopo i 9 minuti in cui basso e tastiera duettano alla perfezione prima della schitarrata finale. Perla davvero.
Ed ecco un'altra ballad, la triste "Take Away My Pain", dedicata al padre scomparso di Petrucci, al quale con "Another Day" avevano pregato di restare in vita (condoglianze ovviamente). Chitarre malinconiche e tastiere che creano un'atmosfera cupa. Petrucci tuttavia un assolo non se lo risparmia.
E scateniamoci subito con "Just Let Me Breathe", caratterizzata da chitarre frenetiche, ritmo funky, e ottimi riff di tastiere nella parte strumentali.
Ed è subito il momento di allietarsi con un'altra ballata, "Anna Lee" sorretta da un piano che sembra ispirato da Elton John.
Ma ecco che siamo pronti a chiudere con quello che è il vero fiore all'occhiello di questo contestatissimo album, "Trial Of Tears": 13 minuti per un brano sperimentale, sognante e poco aggressivo; inizio atmosferico quasi in stile fantasy con tastiere super-ispirate, percussioni molto efficienti e belle melodie di Petrucci; si entra poi in una parte più ritmica caratterizzata dall'ottima linea di basso creata da Myung ma sempre da un'impeccabile sensibilità melodica; e si passa poi ad una delle parti strumentali più belle mai realizzate dai Dream Theater: assolo di Petrucci bello per tecnica e melodia e subito dopo splendido solo di Sherinian alle tastiere; per finire, riff con la chitarra acustica che prepara al finale, un po' più forte e ritmato rispetto al resto del brano; il brano si conclude poi più o meno com'era iniziato.
Dai, poi così tanto male questo disco non è; se non vi piace vuol dire che siete troppo tradizionalisti e poco aperti alle innovazioni. Spero che questa recensione costituisca un invito a rivalutare quest'album.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 New Millennium (08:20)
A single star behind me
A red sky burns ahead
A lonely light below me
Awake among the dead
An overwhelming feeling
Leaves me numb and strange
A sense of new beginning
I sense a wind of change
Out with the old useless
People so cold ruthless
Welcome in a new millennium
How many times must I
Live out this nightmare I
Can't wait until a new millennium
I've got this feeling
The tide is turning now baby
Funny feeling
Everything's gonna be alright now
Living out a constant deja vu
Keep your head up
Please be patient we will get to you
Keep your head up
Just have some faith and you can see it through
Keep your head up
But faith don't pay the rent that's overdue
Keep your head up
All that's glittering is turning blue
Keep your head up
What they want from me ain't gotta clue
Keep your head up
Swallow pride before it swallows you
Keep your head up
Don't dare bite the hand that's starving you
Keep your head up
How can you keep your head
And not go insane
When the only light at the end
Of the tunnel is another train
Lies ten feet tall
Have broken my fall
Welcome you all new millennium
It's well overdue
And I can't wait to
Welcome in a new millennium
I've got this feeling
The tide is turning now baby
Funny feeling
Everything's gonna be alright now
03 Peruvian Skies (06:43)
There, there it is
I swear he's gonna murder that poor kid
Wait, I hear it again
Don't turn on the lights until we
Hear the way it ends
Under peruvian skies
Vanessa regretfully waits
The story unfolds in her eyes
Where midnight hysteria's
No big surprise
Battered and bruised
Always confusing
The love that she's losing for hate
Poor Vanessa
Poor, poor Vanessa
Hey, I hope you know
I'm taking all of this time with me when I go
Shame, you're not to blame
I'm the monster you created
In your daddy's name
Under peruvian skies
Vanessa regretfully waits
The story unfolds in her eyes
Where midnight hysteria's
No big surprise
Battered and bruised
Always confusing
The love that she's losing for hate
Poor Vanessa
Poor Vanessa
Terror by night
Liar by day
Telling her secrets
Won't take them away
Under peruvian skies
Vanessa regretfully waits
The story unfolds in her eyes
Where midnight hysteria's
No big surprise
Battered and bruised
Always confusing
The love that she's losing for hate
Poor Vanessa
04 Hollow Years (05:53)
He's just the kind of man
You hear about
Who leaves his family
For an easy out
They never saw the signs
He never said a word
He couldn't take another day
Carry me to the shoreline
Bury me in the sand
Walk me across the water
And maybe you'll understand
Once the stone
You're crawling under
Is lifted off your shoulders
Once the cloud that's raining
Over your head disappears
The noise that you'll hear
Is the crashing down of hollow years
She's not the kind of girl
You hear about
She'll never want another
She'll never be without
She'll give you all the signs
She'll tell you everything
Then turn around and walk away
Carry me to the shoreline
Bury me in the sand
Walk me across the water
And maybe you'll understand
Once the stone
You're crawling under
Is lifted off your shoulders
Once the cloud that's raining
Over your head disappears
The noise that you'll hear
Is the crashing down of hollow years
Carry me to the shoreline
Bury me in the sand
Walk me across the water
And maybe you'll understand
Once the stone
You're crawling under
Is lifted off your shoulders
Once the cloud that's raining
Over your head disappears
The noise that you'll hear
Is the crashing down of hollow years
Once the stone
You're crawling under...
The noise that you'll hear
Is the crashing down of hollow years
05 Burning My Soul (05:29)
A thorn in my side, a chip on my shoulder
A lump in my throat, the size of a boulder
The chill up my spine, can't get any colder
And you wonder why I can't smile
A knot in my gut, an ape on my back
In the heat of the moment
I'm knocked off the track
You drop the ball, I pick up the slack
And you ask me why my hair's gray
Twisting, turning
Losing all sense of yearning
Living and learning
The pressure keeps on burning my soul
Burning my soul
Burning my soul
I say it's green and then you tell me it's red
Keep your thoughts and ideas
Locked inside of your head
We've got someone
Who can think for you instead
And he sounds just like the last one
Twisting, turning
Losing all sense of yearning
Living and learning
The pressure keeps on burning my soul
Burning my soul
Burning my soul
Burning my soul
Burning my soul
Responsible thinkers
Throw caution to the wind
But I find myself
Speaking from within
I can't live my life
Walking on eggshells
To stay on your good side
Using your words
Controlling my life
Can't you see it's my words
That gives you your life
So I hurt your feelings
Well I'm really sorry
But I don't give a shit, no...
Twisting, turning
Losing all sense of yearning
Living and learning
The pressure keeps on burning my soul
Burning my soul
Burning my soul
Burning my soul
Burning my soul
Burning my soul
Burning my soul, yeah
07 Lines in the Sand (12:05)
Sometimes, for a moment of bliss
And the passion, we're craving
There's a message we miss
Sometimes when the spirits left alone
We must believe in something
To find if we've grown
Tragic reflex, shattered calm
Static progress, senses gone
Numb awareness, final psalm
Swept away with the tide
Through the holes in my hands
Crown of thorns
At my side drawing lines in the sand
Sometimes, if you're perfectly still
You can hear the virgin weeping
For the savior of your will
Sometimes, your castles in the air
And the fantasies you're seeking
Are the crosses you bear
Sacred conflict, blessed prize
Weeping crosses, stainless eyes
Desperate addict, faith disguised
Swept away with the tide
Through the holes in my hands
Crown of thorns
At my side drawing lines in the sand
We fabricate our demons
Invite them into our homes
Have supper with the aliens
And fight the war alone
We conjure up our skeletons
Enlist the den of theives
Frightened from our closets
Then sewn upon our sleeves
In the stream of consciousness
There is a river crying
Living comes much easier
Once we admit
We're dying
Sometimes, in the wreckage of our wake
There's a bitterness we harbor
And hate for hatred's sake
Sometime we dig an early grave
And crucify our instincts
For the hope we couldn't save
Sometimes a view from sinless eyes
Centers our perspective
And pacifies our cries
Sometimes the anguish we survive
And the mysteries we nurture
Are the fabrics of our lives
Swept away with the tide
Through the holes in my hands
Crown of thorns
At my side drawing lines in the sand
08 Take Away My Pain (06:03)
I was sitting on the edge of his bed
Staring at the headlines on the paper
He said, "look at poor gene kelly
I guess he won't be singing in the rain."
You can take away my heroes
Can you take away my pain
Take away my pain
Leave the cold outside
Please don't let it rain
Don't stumble on my pride
Take away my pain
I'm not frightened any more
Just stay with me tonight
I'm tired of this fight
Soon I'll be knocking at your door
She was standing by the edge of his bed
Staring at the message on their faces
He said, "what else can you do babe?
I guess I won't be coming home again."
They just took away all my promises
Make them take away my pain
Take away my pain
Leave the cold outside
Please don't let it rain
Don't stumble on my pride
Take away my pain
I'm not frightened any more
Just stay with me tonight
I'm tired of this fight
Soon I'll be knocking at your door
His final scene
The actor bows
And all those years
Are gone somehow
The crowd applauds
The curtain fails
I was standing by the edge of the water
I noticed my reflection in the waves
Then I saw you looking back at me
And I knew that for a moment
You were calling out my name
You took away my hero
Will you take away my pain
Take away my pain
Let the cold inside
It's time to let it rain
There's nothing left to hide
Take away my pain
I'm not frightened any more
I'm learning to survive
Without you in my life
Til you come knocking at my door...
09 Just Let Me Breathe (05:28)
Open your eyes
And turn off your mind
Step right up folks and you will find
Agrowing trend
An epidemic
Spread with zen
And hypodermics
Just close your mind
You can find all you need with your eyes
The big machines take care of
You until you kill yourself
And then the sales go through the roof
Calculated, formulated
Feed my head with simple thoughts
And let me breathe instead of being taught
All bottled up and tearing at the seams
I'm bored
Just let me breathe
A daily dose of eMpTyV
Will flush your mind right down the drain
Shannon Hoon and Kurt Cobain,
Make yourself a household name
Just close your mind
You can find all you need with your eyes
The big machines take care of you
Until you kill yourself
And then the sales go through the roof
Calculated, formulated
Feed my head with simple thoughts
And let me breathe instead of being taught
All bottled up and tearing at the seams
I'm bored
Just let me breathe
Strike up your best angst ridden posture
Manufactured anger
Let's not forget my legacy
All my heroes have failed me
Now they're dead and buried
Just close your mind
You can find all you need with your eyes
The big machines will take care of you
Until the fashion fades
And the checks go through
my bank roll's red and my face is blue
And still they'll turn their backs on you for
Someone new
Feed my head
With some real thoughts
And let me think instead
Of being taught
I'll say things
You won't believe
Just stand back
Just let me breathe...
10 Anna Lee (05:52)
Helpless child
They invite your hands to fill their needs
Will you be the same
Shameless smile
To steal from you the innocence that bleeds
Will they feel your pain
Trying to believe
The scars unseen
The tears wash clean
You don't wanna breathe the air you breathe
You don't know how you'll live a life alone
She keeps holding on
Holding on to you
Let her breathe the air
Don't wanna be alone
Where do you belong
Anna Lee
Behind those eyes
The vivid scene, a lucid dream within
Questioned secrets are revealed
And every time
You can't deny the lines that trace your skin
Wounds that never heal
Trying to believe
The scars unseen
The tears wash clean
You don't wanna breathe the air you breathe
You don't know how you'll live a life alone
She keeps holding on
Holding on to you
Let her breathe the air
Don't wanna be alone
Where do you belong
Anna Lee
And now she's calling out a name
Can't keep on hiding all her pain
You feel the rain move in
As you begin
To turn and answer the call
Trying to believe
The scars unseen
The tears wash clean
You don't wanna breathe the air you breathe
You don't know how you'll live a life alone
She keeps holding on
Holding on to you
Let her breathe the air
Don't wanna be alone
Where do you belong
Anna Lee
11 Trial of Tears (13:05)
Under the sun, there is nothing to hide
Under the moon, the stranger waits inside
People disappear
The music fades away
Splashing through the rain
I'll dream with them one day
It's raining, raining,
On the streets of New York city
It's raining, raining, raining deep in heaven
I may have wasted all those years
They're not worth their time in tears
I may have spent too long in darkness
In the warmth of my fears
Take a look at yourself
Not at anyone else
And tell me what you see
I know the air is cold
I know the streets are cruel
But I'll enjoy the ride today
It's raining, raining,
On the streets of New York city
It's raining, raining, raining deep in heaven
Raining deep in heaven
I may have wasted all those years
They're not worth their time in tears
I may have spent too long in darkness
In the warmth of my fears
As i walk through all my myths
Rising and sinking like the waves
With my thoughts wrapped around me
Through a trial of tears
Hidden by disguise, stumbling in a world
Feeling uninspired, he gets into his car
Not within his eyes to see, open up, open up
Not much better than the man you hate
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di MetallAro
Il principale errore, a mio parere, sta negli stupidissimi quanto inutili effetti tecnologico-futuristici, opera di Sherinian.
Hell's Kitchen è un capolavoro strumentale veramente bello ed indiscutibile, la più bella traccia del disco.
Di petrucci
Nonostante molta gente sottovaluti questo disco bisogna dire che rivela sempre nuove ed interessanti sorprese.
Hell's Kitchen è una delle migliori canzoni strumentali dei Dream Theater, non stanca neanche dopo molti ascolti.
Di STIPE
"Un disco molto bello, struggente e malinconico."
"Hell's Kitchen è un pezzo strumentale fantastico, che da solo vale tutto ciò che di buono si dice del disco."
Di Dreamtheater
"Hell's Kitchen è certamente la miglior cosa dell'album e una delle più belle strumentali del quintetto americano."
"Non si può definire un fallimento perché le buone idee sono presenti, ma neanche un capolavoro per ovvi motivi."
Di Federico95
Dopo aver sentito Trial Of Tears si ha come una sensazione di vuoto...
"You Not Me" è uno dei peggiori pezzi mai scritti dai Dream Theater.
