Artist: DREAM THEATER
Album: SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE (2CD)

Year: 2002
EAN/UPS: 0075596274227
Media type: CD

In September of 2001 a triple CD emerged titled 'Live Scenes From New York' comprising of the band's entire show recorded at the Roseland Ballroom in New York on August 30th 2000. However, in a surreal example of bad timing bearing in mind the September 11th terrorist attacks on America the record, due to a ghastly coincidence of the highest order, was pulled from the retail shelves the day of its release- September 11th. The sleeve artwork unbelievably depicted New York, including the Statue of Liberty and- most presciently of all- the World Trade Centre, in flames. Needless to say the artwork was hastily revised.

In more encouraging news the DREAM THEATER Brazilian Fan Club announced the assembly of a tribute album featuring artists such as SIGMA 5, EVORA, LAST RITES, OPERACT, LONGJAM and ABSTTRAKT.

The DREAM THEATER 2002 album 'Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence' would number only six songs, albeit one of those would be the marathon 40 minute title track. The band added a rather novel twist to their touring activities in 2002. When booked for a two night consecutive venue run the band would perform the entirety of METALLICA's 'Masters Of Puppets' album live. Needless to say, fans who had not been made aware of DREAM THEATER's intentions, would be somewhat mystified. It would seem DREAM THEATER would spend much of the year on the road, also being announced as part of an Autumn package billing for U.S. dates in alliance with KING'S X and JOE SATRIANI.

Portnoy would be revealed as the mentor behind a new ProgRock 'supergroup' in May, having assembled an impressive line up numbering erstwhile DREAM THEATER and presently CHROMA KEY keyboard player Kevin Moore. Also included would be FATES WARNING guitarist Jim Matheos, ex-CYNIC and current GORDIAN KNOT bassist Sean Malone with the whole affair fronted by PAIN OF SALVATION vocalist Daniel Gildenlow. Before long Gildenlow was out of the frame and the band project was being billed as set OSI (Orchestra Of Strategic Influence).

DREAM THEATER announced European tour dates, performing two sets with an intermission and no support act, for October.

On October 21st DREAM THEATER gave privileged fans at their second night at the London Astoria by performing the entirety of IRON MAIDEN's 'Number Of The Beast' live. The band, who faithfully represented the album with the exception of a Jazz flavoured 'Gangland', even rigged up a DREAM THEATER logo backdrop executed in the classic Maiden logo script.

Mike Portnoy kept his hand in on the live circuit in March with YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD, a tribute to THE BEATLES also featuring Matt Bissonette and Neal Morse.

DREAM THEATER co-headlined a US ProgMetal extravaganza in June packaged with QUEENSRYCHE and FATES WARNING. With DREAM THEATER's unceasing success demand for live material and earlier MAJESTY recordings prompted drummer Mike Portnoy to establish his own Ytsejam Records to release archive recordings in an effort to beat the bootleggers. The first of these releases would be 2003's 'The Majesty Demos 1985-1986' and DREAM THEATER's 'Live In Los Angeles, California 5/18/98'. These latter tapes saw Ray Adler of FATES WARNING and IRON MAIDEN frontman BRUCE DICKINSON guesting.

TRACKLIST:

CD 1: (54:15)

1. The Glass Prison (13:52)
2. Blind Faith (10:21)
3. Misunderstood (9:32)
4. The Great Debate (13:45)
5. Disappear (6:45)

CD 2: (42:02)
6. Degrees of Inner Turbulence (42:02)

I) Overture
II) About to Crash
III) War Inside My Head
IV) The Test That Stumped Them All
V) Goodnight Kiss
VI) Solitary Shell
VII) About to Crash (Reprise)
VIII) Losing Time / Grand Finale

Total Time: 96:17

LINE-UP:

James LaBrie (vocals)
John Petrucci (guitar)
John Myung (bass)
Jordan Rudess (keyboards)
Mike Portnoy (drums)