In the fall of ‘97, in Upstate New York, Dream Theater members Mike Portnoy (drums) and John Petrucci (guitars), King Crimson’s Tony Levin (bass), and keyboard phenom Jordan Rudess came together as Liquid Tension Experiment, creating some of the most exciting and innovative progressive rock of the last 25 years. This totally unscientific experience took place during what Portnoy has called, “one of the craziest, most stressful, and yet, simultaneously beautiful, magical, and most creative weeks of my life.”

Dream Theater’s appeal is undeniable – just ask any of their wildly enthusiastic fans throughout the world. The group’s latest release, Falling Into Infinity, is being embraced worldwide, but the time had come for Portnoy and Petrucci to take the musicality of DT a step further without being restricted by major label commercial concerns.

Additionally, Levin has always been willing to explore the outer limits of musical creativity; witness his stellar career playing with everyone from John Lennon to Peter Gabriel to Bozzio Levin Stevens. Tony is another who wants to leave his musical mark on the planet, and he certainly took another step toward that goal with Liquid Tension Experiment. Jordan Rudess has long been known among his fellow musicians as one of the finest keyboard players on the planet. He has performed with Jan Hammer and the Dregs and has his own recording project, Rudess Morgenstein, with drum ace Rod Morgenstein.

The music on Liquid Tension Experiment is primarily improvised and covers a lot of stylistic ground – but it never stops rocking. There is a consistent heaviness that never allows the music to leave the realm of hard rock, no matter where the creative landscape leads. Portnoy’s playing is stimulating but relentless; Petrucci wrings melodic emotion out of his guitar at every turn; Levin coaxes sounds from his instruments that do not seem possible. And all the while, Jordan Rudess’ amazing technique never overshadows his ability to write cohesive and moving songs.

Dream Theater producer Kevin Shirley (Journey, Silverchair), who handled the album’s mix, was able to bring a clarity and separation to the instruments and yet still allow them to blend into a powerful “group” sound.

The album’s highlight is the inaccurately titled ‘Three Minute Warning,’ 28½ minutes of a musical white-knuckle ride that takes the listener through so many mood changes, it’s hard to believe that this jam was cut live in the studio. Fact is, however, the 24-track master tape ran out during the recording of this song... luckily, Portnoy’s always-running DAT recorder captured the track’s finale.