Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory | 
 enlarge | Artist: Dream Theater
Label: Elektra
Category: Music
List Price: £7.99
Buy New: £3.81
You Save: £4.18 (52%)
New (46) Used (11) from £2.49
Rating:  47 reviews
Sales Rank: 7349
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 62448
UPC: 075596244824
EAN: 0075596244824
ASIN: B000021XS0
Release Date: October 25, 1999
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new - Factory sealed - Import edition We ship via first class mail from Miami, Florida.USA
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| Tracks:
| • | Regression | | • | Overture 1928 | | • | Strange Deja Vu | | • | Through My Words | | • | Fatal Tragedy | | • | Beyond This Life | | • | Through Her Eyes | | • | Home | | • | Dance Of Eternity | | • | One Last Time | | • | Spirit Carries On | | • | Finally Free |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
There's always been an element of slightly camp theatricality about progressive rock--witness Peter Gabriel dressing up as a giant hogweed--so the idea of a progressive musical isn't too much of a stretch. Dream Theater's Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes from a Memory takes the progressive rock staple of a concept album in a stagy new direction. You know they're up to something when the booklet divides the album into "Act One" and "Act Two", the lyrics are told from the point of view of a cast of characters, and the band credit themselves as "The Orchestra". In the hands of almost anyone else this would seem risibly pretentious, but Dream Theater somehow manage to carry it off (just) by virtue of their uniquely heavy metal slant on the old progressive format. Their blistering, even-louder-than-Metallica riffing takes the dainty edge off the proceedings (most of the time) as the story of dying and "learning to live" unfolds. Both their fans and the band seem to agree that 1992's Images and Words is their finest work to date, so it's only fitting that the plot here is an extension of the track "Metropolis, Part 1" from that album. The extraordinary virtuoso musicianship of the band is, of course, abundantly on display again (amateurs can only shake their heads in despair when players this good let rip), and James LaBrie sings all the "roles" with real gusto. With a new keyboard player to fill the talent gap left by the departure of Kevin Moore, and studio production that rightly gives all the individual instruments their due, Dream Theater seem finally to have found their musical feet again. --Mark Walker
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| Customer Reviews: Read 42 more reviews...
 Just....Wow. October 14, 2008
Mr Spike (Aberdeenshire, Scotland)
Up to this point, Dream Theater have somewhat been known as "One hit wonders". Their only siginficant song, "Pull Me Under" has brought them to the attention of many people, but as yet they have not been able to produce an album worthy of such attention.
This, however, changes everything.
"Scenes from a Memory" is by far their best album, and i will go so far as to day it is one of the definitive albums of modern Prog Metal/Rock.
No song is out of place. Each song spills into the next with such grace you're left breathless and wondering how, if possible, it could get any better.
The album deals with a man called Nicholas who keeps having the same recurring dream - he sees a strange girl in a mirror on an old house. Throughout the album this dream is explored and you discover the true story behind his dream.
Now, you would expect that an album with a story to it would be underdeveloped, with the band focussing more on music than having something for the fans to remember story wise. However, Dream Theater do not do this. The story, although not worthy of a Booker Prize, does compliment the music on the album very well.
Two songs deserve special mention for their inclusion on the album. The first one is the seventh song, called "Home". It comes directly after a soft, meliodic song that fades out with LaBrie's vocals. The song then starts off with John Petrucci playing what could be described as "Indian like". The song then becomes classic heavy Dream Theater - excellant musicians working in harmony. The lyrics are also well developed - talking about drug addiction of a man and his attempts to win a girl into his life.
The second song is "The Spirit Carries On". I won't spoil it for you - simply put, it's the song i want to be played at my funeral and Petrucci's solo in the middle part of the song it to jaw dropping proportions.
Overall - Dream Theater have produced a masterpiece of an album that will be talked about for years to come. Make no mistake, this is truely awesome.
Their very best August 13, 2007
Progfan (Kenilworth, Warwickshire United Kingdom)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
It's taken me 8 years to get round to writing this review, better late than never as they say.
This is definately the best album I bought in the nineties and has to rate as one of the best albums I've ever heard.
I can't say anything more than any of the other people who have written 5 star reviews on these pages. This is a truly brilliant album in concept and delivery. From the hypnotists clock ticking at the start to the ultimate twist in the story at the end this will have you hooked. Put this on for the first time and you will have to hear it all the way through.
If you're thinking of getting into progressive rock/metal start here, it's one of the very best.
Unreal July 24, 2007
Jim-the-sheep
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This album, Rock Opera concept album, takes the work of Dream Theater to a new level. It contains a wide range of styles within it from the heavy riffs of "Overture 1928" to the more melodic "the spirit carries on". The pace varies as the listener is brought on a musical mystery. Recommended Listening
 challenging and rewarding July 16, 2007
sean paul mccann (ireland)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
dream theaters fifth album released in 1999 is a concept album if ever you hear one,in fact this album can be viewed as an opera,there are characters inmvolved and the album tells a complex enough story about a guy named nicholas who under hypnotherapy finds out about a woman called victoria and the tortured life she led and indeed is there a connection,each character gets a chance to tell their side of events through the singing voice of john labrie,it all ties into together.
The album is an extension of metropolis part one which was on the classic album images and words and each song includes a segment from that one song,yes this is a classy album thought through with devout detail.
Dream Theater are a prog band so the songs can be very twisty and very detailed and this of course wont suit all,they play heavy music but also rely on strong ballads with lush instruments and female serenading.
The album is broken into two parts much like a play and is packed with truly epic wonderful songs,if im going to throw a stone at this album it would be directed at the fact that the odd song rattles on for a minute or two longer than it should but thats prog for you ladies and gentlemen,there are some stunning catchy moments here that will haunt your memory,all in all this is a challenging album,77 minutes of album in fact but its an album that can be served in one sitting or broken down although for full effect its best to listen to it in one go due to the subject matter,yes this is a great album.
Perhaps the best progressive metal album ever! June 12, 2007
Sonny Sidhu (Leicester, England)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This album is sort of a 'sequel' to a brilliant song off Dream Theater's "Images & Worlds". I was surprised at what the lyrics were actually about as I had thought from the original song, that there was an odyssey to be expected but the lyrics are still magnificent nonetheless.
Musically this is like an opera, there is a plot with different scenes and appropriate music to acompany. There is a lot of variation and complexity as is expected from Dream Theater.
If one has heard the song "Metropolis Pt 1", this album on many of the tracks, sounds like a musical dissection of that song, with best parts taken out and further exapanded upon to produce even more excellent songs. When I say this, I don't mean they just rehashed their old riffs, they have written completely new songs with some of the old phrases tastefully and blatantly inserted for great effect.
The variation on this album is huge, as well as traditional heavy metal elements, odd time signatures, there are also many exotic influences and eastern scales found on this album which is a refreshing quality not often found in modern metal. Also to note James LaBrie, the vocalist has very much improved his singing and sounds a lot better than on previous Dream Theater albums.
The only criticism that I can think of is the final track, in which the story has to conclude so the music is somewhat diminished into the background as the story finishes, which is really only minor as I can't think of any other way as to how this album could've finished.
When I got this album, my expections were moderately high, but Dream Theater totally blew them away. I literally listened to this album from start to finish when I got it, without skipping a track, it's that good.
You can't call yourself a Dream Theater fan if you don't own this album it's as simple as that.
This is essential progressive metal and the best I've yet to hear.
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