Dream Theater

The decline of the CD as the world’s favourite music medium has resulted in record companies trying new ways to sell (or re-sell) their back catalogues via expensive, expanded versions, re-masters, added DVD’s, 5.1 mixes and a host of other clever marketing ideas. Whilst it can lead to possibly spending stupid amounts of money on music you mostly already own, there are also bargains to be had in the massive influx of reasonably priced box-sets that are currently flooding the market. So, for anywhere between twenty and thirty quid you can pick up ten slices of Dream Theater’s rich history in one box, ranging from 1992’s ground breaking classic Images And Words to the band’s first Mike Portnoy-less outing; A Dramatic Turn Of Events from 2011.

Housed in cardboard slipcases within a substantial, space-saving box, all their full-length albums are included in their original form, and listening to each one in order, it’s amazing how much quality music the band has produced. Each disc has plenty to recommend it, from the perfect blend of power and melody through Images... and Awake, their record company and Kevin Shirley’s attempt to make them more accessible on the much maligned (by the band) but still underrated Falling Into Infinity, and their subsequent middle finger to the industry with the brilliant, self-produced concept album Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From A Memory. Despite it being one of my favourites, they probably went a little too far with the double-disc Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence, the first disc featuring five of their most experimental pieces whilst the wonderful forty-two minute title track was a real throwback to an earlier style.

From that point, an angrier Portnoy had an adverse effect on relationships with other founding members John Petrucci and John Myung, along with less emphasis on Jordan Rudess’ keys and the lighter side of singer James LaBrie’s voice. LaBrie himself had blown his voice out back on the Awake tour and took ten years to get back to full strength, but Train Of Thought was a little heavier but one-dimensional, and Octavarium and Systematic Chaos both had their stellar moments but were probably their patchiest albums. Ironically Portnoy’s last album before his acrimonious exit was their best for quite a while, the drummer’s continued attempts at cookie monster vocals notwithstanding. After their 2010 drum auditions Mike Mangini joined the band for the return to their roots album ...Events, which not only contained many great examples of DT’s complex song-writing, but also a few mellower and concise tracks.

This box is great value for money and provides about thirteen hours of a band who took different influences to create its own genre. If you were considering checking out the band or just wanted new discs to replace your well-worn originals then this box is ideal. It’s mildly annoying that the albums aren’t re-mastered, it doesn’t include their 1989 debut When Dream And Day Unite or the awesome A Change Of Seasons, or that there isn’t a booklet so you get no other information besides a track listing and who produced each album. The band are so prolific that there will doubtless be a fuller box-set with all the bonus tracks, covers and fan club exclusives somewhere further down the line, but that probably won’t work out at around £3 per disc.

—Phil Ashcroft