Dream Theater

Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence (Elektra)

In this uncertain world, a band like Dream Theater can be a comfort. Each time out, you can pretty much bet the farm that you’re going to get the solid quality, technically proficient album that you were expecting from the band. There’s no denying that Dream Theater is musician’s metal: the kind of rock that guitar store clerks, chord-studyin’ geeks and tablature freaks salivate over. Dream Theater is highly skilled and extremely talented, and Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence is an acquired taste for a very specific audience. ‘Misunderstood,’ ‘Blind Faith’ and ‘The Test That Stumped Them All’ clock in around five minutes and counting, since James LaBrie and his crew require patience and time to make their points in their thinking man’s metal. Break out the notepad and start transcribing the tunings.