Album Review: “Images and Words” Dream Theater

After the release of the first studio album “When Dream and Day Unite,”  along comes “Images and Words.”  Being a successful hit that would eventually earn a gold certification from RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), “Images and Words” became the break mark where Dream Theater would pretty much settle down following most of their other future released albums.  Metallica power chords including the very fun chunky E is heard in “Pull Me Under.”  This became one of the most notable songs of the “Kings of Progressive Metal.”  Even then, this song became the precursor of the later tune “On the Backs of Angels,”  especially with addressing Metallica power chord riffs with the constant shredding heard by guitarist John Petrucci.  Intriguing complex time signatures are also input into songs such as “Under a Glass Moon,” “Another Day,” and “Take the Time.”  Even in these songs, you can hear the energy coming out of Petrucci along with keyboardist Kevin Moore and drummer Mike Portnoy.  James LaBrie would have is very first shot with Dream Theater as well in this album, and had a huge success, as he would be the vocalist for the band over the next twenty years.  He combines vocal mixtures Freddie Mercury and Rob Halford in “Pull Me Under,” pulling the song again to a huge success.  And this album is one of the finest works of Dream Theater. [A]