Track Listing

1. Pull Me Under
2. Another Day
3. Take The Time
4. Surrounded
5. Metropolis
6. Miracle And The Sleeper
7. Under A Glass Moon
8. Wait For Sleep
9. Learning To Live

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6571 in Music
• Released on: 1992-07-06
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Not since 1980 and Yes's Drama had progressive rock dared to show off quite so unashamedly: Dream Theater's 1992 Images And Words is not so much an album of songs as a series of showcases for instrumental virtuosity. For many listeners that sounds like an instant recipe for disaster, but for die-hard progressive-rockers weaned on the glory days of Rush and Yes, Dream Theater were a shining throwback amid the low-fi wasteland of the 1990s. Images And Words is the kind of album that amateur musicians listen to with a mixture of awe and despair at the effortless display of fretwork pyrotechnics (it's also the kind of album that non-musicians listen to with blank incomprehension at why anyone would bother producing such endless widdly-widdly stuff). If the guitar work of John Petrucci (whose notes-per-second ratio puts Steve Vai to shame) isn't enough, just listen to drummer Mike Portnoy (who clearly models himself physically and emotionally on Animal from The Muppet Show) playing like a demented Neil Peart, thrashing his kit with every ounce of his strength while maintaining utterly baffling 15/8-metre rhythms. But what really makes this album work is that the whole band play together so well: they actually function as a single unit and consequently the music is much more than the sum of a series of individual solos. Production, too, emphasises the democratic balance within the band, giving due prominence to all. And unlike British wimps such as Genesis, you can also file Dream Theater under Heavy Metal, since not only can they out-play any progressive rockers you might care to mention, they can out-thrash Metallica whenever they feel like it, too. A slice of musical Hell, or a marriage made in Heaven, Images and Words doesn't exactly break any new ground, but it's a landmark in the history of progressive rock nevertheless. --Mark Walker

CD Description
While continuing to improve its musical chops and explore more progressive territory, Dream Theater reached its mainstream apex with 1992's IMAGES AND WORDS. Here the group capably combined prog-rock high-mindedness with metal crunch and commercial accessibility on the opening track "Pull Me Under", helping to snare an audience big enough to push this albumpast gold sales status.
What makes IMAGES AND WORDS stand out is the fluid marriage of shred tactics, soaring vocals, and catchy hooks, all wrapped up in a polished studio sound. Fans can argue whether this is the band's best, but thereis no denying the power of epic, engaging songs like "Take the Time", "Under a Glass Moon", and "Metropolis - Part I", a track that foreshadowed the 1999 outing SCENES FROM A MEMORY. Following IMAGES AND WORDS, Dream Theater became increasingly complex in its approach, to varying degrees of success, but this album represents a time when the ensemble broughtprogressive metal to the masses with little compromise.

Customer Reviews

Still the best.
This is still my favourite DT album. I heard that John Petrucci was a red hot guitarist, and after hearing the first 30 seconds of Pull Me Under in a shop, I got it.

For the uneducated, DT are a progressive metal/rock band, all superb musicians. They can get as heavy as Metallica, but the vocalist is far more melodic, the keyboards are ever-present, and the guitarist is world class (never been a big fan of Kirk Hammett). They like long instrumental breaks, complex drum patterns (just a bit too fond of the double bass drum IMHO, but that's about the only criticism I can come up with) and capable of writing a good solid chorus as well (Take the Time springs to mind).

And it's not just thrashing. There's an excellent rock ballad (Another Day) with a fantastic soprano sax solo, a nice keys/vocals interlude (Wait For Sleep), and the final song changes so many times you forget what it was like at the start, but it's all great stuff. Yes, Rush, early Genesis and even Pink Floyd influences are there if you listen hard enough.

But these guys are in a class of there own, and this is a benchmark for all the other prog bands out there.

Excellence Embodied.
Dream Theater, by now, have been around for 20 years. They've trotted out the lines, done the tours, got the rabid fanbase, brought out tons of magnificent CDs, and clawed their way to the very peak of their genre along the way. From becoming the minor band of Majesty, they've come a long way to top the world- and this album is perhaps what really lifted them into the stratosphere in terms of popularity.

Images and Words remains the benchmark that all prog artists (or even metal!) need to try and maintain- in my opinion, even Dream Theater haven't quite managed to recapture the glory on this album, though they've come close. That said, it's mainly to do with the sheer quality of the album, rather than any ineptitude on behalf of the band. Dream Theater are prime musicians, arguably the best collection of individual musicians ever to grace the international stages. John Petrucci's guitar is electrifying at times, with heart-wrenching solos, or simply pace that will fry your brain. Mike Portnoy hammers away on his drums so much, and with such timing, that it seems as though his arms might fall off at any moment. James LaBrie compliments the music well with some excellent vocals. Moore on the keyboards, ace. And John Myung, who is the man that all bassists aspire to be, is brilliant as always. But enough of me rhapsodising, onto the track anaylsis.

1)Pull Me Under- A pretty decent opener, and a live favourite. Whilst not the best track, it sets the tone and atmosphere for the rest of the album, from the haunting opening riff. Also, bass fans- this is one of the easiest lines on the album (which is distinctly worrying >_>).

2)Another Day- You'll either love it, or hate it. A very emotional song that coaxed a soul-stirring performance from LaBrie, accompanied by a fairly nifty sax-solo on the end.

3)Take The Time- Hehe. The song overall is good, from Myung funky little bass grooves to Portnoy's timing on the drums. But what really distinguishes this song is Petrucci's axe-work, namely the solo that has to rank as one of the greatest of all time. Over 2 minutes long, insanely well timed and quick as you like, it's just ridiculous- if you can play this solo, you're a better guitarist than I. :P

4) Surrounded- A fairly similar deal to Another Day, though I think I prefer this one. The overall mix of the song is good, with a good climax.

5)Metropolis- I could go on forever about this song, but I'll do my best to restrict myself. Personally, I think that this is insane, and it's a firm fan favourite in most areas. It opens with the haunting melody that every fan has come to know so well, then the drums come in...and then, bang! Everything else comes in. :P But this is basically just a masterpiece, combining vocals and well written sections of music together exceptionally adeptly. It's quite fractured later in the song, but this only adds to the overall quality. Petrucci turns in an excellent performance on the guitar, too. Oh, and there's always the matter of the bass solo- probably amongst the hardest and greatest bass solos ever, I still can't see how Myung pulls it off with so much pace. I've never seen such quick double-tapping.

6) Under a Glass Moon- Meh. This is probably the only let down of the album for me, but that might only be because it's just after Metropolis. It's a nice contrast to the previous songs, combining the frenetic aspects of Take the Time with the softer melodies of 2/4. Pretty decent.

7) Wait for Sleep- I always considered this more of an interlude to Learning to Live than anything else, but it's actually a good song in it's own right. A lovely piano melody and a great vocal show from LaBrie help this one along into the endgame of the album.

8) Learning to Live- A lot of fans consider this to be the best track on the album, and it's easy to see why. Written by the redoubtable John Myung, his songs are rare, but well worth the wait, and this is no exception. It's tough for be to describe it, so you're going to have to listen to it yourselves- if you've got this far, you'll assuredly like it. :)

So, yup! A cracking album from one of the better bands of the modern(ish) generation, and well worth the price tag nowadays. Definitely pick it up if you see if going.

My new favourite band but not everyone's
I bought this album after hearing only tiny bits of Dream Theater at school and on this site. I was a bit apprehensive given some of the negative reviews they've been given but i needn't have worried.
Thankfully, I found much to like in this album. From the eerie riff-laden opener "Pull Me Under" and the emotive ballad "Another Day" to the multi-dimensional extremity of "Metropolis..." and "Learning to Live", every song on this album reached out to me in a way no music has ever done previously.
And of course, we must not forget the superior musicianship that this band possesses. I cannot think of another band where all the members are this talented in their respective fields. That includes singer James LaBrie, whom a lot of people dismiss as being too camp and whiny, but I think he's very underrated.
I must warn you though, Dream Theater are most definitely not for everyone. I thought they were too over-the-top after the first listen but my opinions quickly changed. But it must be remembered that there is no middle ground with Dream Theater whatsoever; this album will either be the best or worst thing you have ever heard. If you like heavy music with a strong sense of melody, as in Iron Maiden, Rush and, at times, Metallica then you will probably lap this up. If, however, you buy this album expecting a straight down-the-middle heavy metal album then I suggest you reconsider.