So the Internet finds a new use: Recorded in response to requests from computer techno-crazy fans, this mini-album’s title track twists and turns through 23 minutes of complex musical imagery. A melting pot of time-changes and varying moods, ‘Seasons’ is by turns gentle, dramatic and even fearsome; an epic adventure that will delight devotees of the band.

And those live tracks? As someone who missed the show, hearing a remarkably faithful rendition of Deep Purple’s ‘Perfect Strangers’ in its entirety, followed by brief morsels of various classic songs, is quite odd. And although each cover holds a trace of the original artists (particularly Pink Floyd’s ‘In The Flesh’), the Dreamer’s precise musical personalities are so strong that every new composition is impregnated with a level of performance perfection that all but eradicates any hint of a live atmosphere.

No sweat, no fire – a definite case of ‘Ya shoulda been there’. ‘Seasons is a must for Dream Theater fans, but that is really the extent of its commercial appeal.

Lyn Guy

Rating: ***1/2