[1] A Fortune in Lies (Dream Theater/J.Petrucci) - 5:12
[2] Status Seeker (Ch.Dominics/Dream Theater/J.Petrucci) - 4:17
[3] The Ytsé Jam [instrumental] (K.Moore/J.Myung/J.Petrucci/M.Portnoy) - 5:46
[4] The Killing Hand (Dream Theater/J.Petrucci) - 8:41
[5] Light Fuse and Get Away (Dream Theater/K.Moore) - 7:23
[6] Afterlife (Ch.Dominics/Dream Theater) - 5:26
[7] The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun (Dream Theater/J.Petrucci) - 8:05
[8] Only a Matter of Time (Dream Theater/K.Moore) - 6:35
John Petrucci - Guitar, Producer
Kevin Moore - Keyboards, Producer
Charlie Dominici - Vocals, Liner Notes, Author, Producer
John Myung - Bass, Bass Guitar, Producer
Mike Portnoy - Percussion, Drums, Producer
Terry Date - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
Steve Sinclair - Executive Producer
Eddie Wilner - Reissue Producer
Joe Alexander - Engineer, Mixing
Brian Stover - Assistant Engineer
Howie Weinberg - Mastering
Jimmy Starr - Remastering
Chris Carroll - Insert Photography
Dennis Friel - Package Design, Redesign
Amy Guip - Photography, Concept, Cover Art Concept, Cover Design, Cover Photo
Joannis - Cover Art Direction
1989 LP MCA 3445
1989 LP MCA 42259
1989 LP Mechanic MCA-42259
1990 CD MCA 42259
1990 CS Mechanic MCAC-42259
1996 CD One Way 35188
1996 CD Mechanic MCAD-42259
2004 CD AAO 40461
2005 CD Mechanic 11262
2005 CD Universal International 42259
Originally released on Mechanic (42259).
Recorded at Kajem/Victory Studios, Gladwyne, PA July 18 - August 12, 1988.
Mastered at Master Disc by Howie Weinberg.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
WHEN DREAM & DAY UNITE, the major label debut from prog-metal act
Dream Theater, includes the tracks "YTSE Jam" and "Only A Matter Of
Time."The official label debut album of the progressive metal band
incorporated musical ideas from their predecessors like Yes, Genesis,
Queensryche, Rush and the like and forged their own distinctive
imprint. Players John Petrucci on guitar and drummer Mike Portnoy and
bassist John Myung were joined by Charles Domenici on vocals. This
would be Domenici's only foray with the group, replaced by James Labrie
after this LP. Includes the studio version of the live favorite "YTSE
Jam" as well as "Only A Matter Of Time".
Dream Theater's first official release gave an indication that this was
a talented band that combined the styles of Yes, Rush, and
Queensrÿche. The latter seemed to be too big of an influence at
this stage of their career. Vocalist Charlie Dominici's voice is not
powerful enough to carry out the band's otherwise convincing intensity,
and his attempt to sound like Queensrÿche's Geoff Tate was
unsuccessful. The music here is not as heavy as it would become in the
'90s but could still be classified as progressive metal. Guitarist John
Petrucci and drummer Mike Portnoy established themselves as competent
musicians, but their individual styles were not yet refined. The band's
originality does shine through on "Light Fuse and Get Away," "The Ones
Who Help to Set the Sun," and "Only a Matter of Time." The odd-meter
measures and numerous time changes gave the group a complexity that
hadn't been experienced for an entire decade in the rock genre. "YTSE
Jam" was essentially their answer to Rush's "YYZ" and became a staple
in the band's live set. The session was marred mostly by subpar
singing, too many metal clichés, and poor production. There is,
however, enough interesting playing to make it a worthwhile listen for
fans of this genre, and is certainly essential for Dream Theater fans.
Robert Taylor - All Music Guide
Mit dieser Scheibe revolutionierten die im Demo-Underground zuvor
bereits unter dem Namen "Majesty" frenetisch abgefeierten Megatalente
Dream Theater 1989 die Metal-Szene. Vier technisch unglaublich
versierte Musikstudenten und ein absoluter Ausnahmesänger karrten
plötzlich beinharte und mordsmäßig verzwickte, aber
dennoch stets eingängige und atmosphärische Songs an, die
zuvor niemand hatte spielen können. Alleine John Myungs Basslines,
das komplexe Drumming von Mike Portnoy und Kevin Moores
gefühlvolle Synthie-Abenteuerreisen dürften schon ausreichen,
um jeden Liebhaber innovativer Sounds der Dream Theater-Sucht verfallen
zu lassen.
Selbst ausgebuffte Jazz-Freaks und Musiklehrer bekommen bei
Überfliegern wie "The Killing Hand" oder dem wunderschönen
"Afterlife" den Mund nicht mehr zu, und das völlig unglaubliche
Instrumental "The Ytse Jam" gehört auch heute noch zum
Live-Pflichtprogramm der New Yorker. Leider wechselten Dream Theater
nach When Dream And Day Unite den Sänger und konnten trotz vieler
weiterer erstklassiger Platten nie wieder ganz an die Genialität
ihres Debütalbums heranreichen.
Michael Rensen - Amazon.de
Instrumental-Technik als Selbstzweck oder musikalische High-Tech in
Perfek- tion? Das New Yorker Hardrock-Quintett Dream Theater
eröffnet dem Genre mit seinem komplexen Zusammenspiel und
solistischen Kabinettstückchen zumindest neue Dimensionen. Die
Musikstudenten rasen durch die vertracktesten Rhythmen und wechseln die
Themen wie einst Yes in ihren besten Tagen. Daneben werden
Jazz-Elemente, Thrash- und Speed-Metal, Psychedelic- und Bombast-Rock
zu ei- ner außergewöhnlichen Mixtur vermengt, die allerdings
keine leichte Kost darstellt. Ein bißchen üben könnten
die Jungs noch bei den Kompositionen und der Melodieführung.
You want chops? You want the kind of musicianship that'll have your
feisty friends who read Guitar Player throwing away their U.K. albums?
Hail the rebirth of progressive rock: Dream Theater (formerly Majesty,
as if I haven't told you enough times). This stuff ain't exactly metal
(although the instrumental breaks often cross into that territory), but
it takes a lot of the elements that make metal great (soaring vocals,
brilliant instrumental work, solos up the wazoo and a great sense of,
er, theater) and combines them into a soaring sound that's familiar and
nostalgic but imaginative and fresh enough to sound new. Four of the
five members are classically trained, and there's a real heavy
prog-rock influence here-Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Yes, and
especially Rush-but they play fast and hard enough to fit any
non-thrash hard rock format. Trust me: Dream Theater will have your
listeners (many of whom have probably never heard anything like this)
screaming "WHAT WAS THAT?" Picks: "Fortune In Lies," "After Life,"
"Only A Matter Of Time" (which appeared on Moshin' CMJ way back when)
and especially the single, "Status Seeker."
"For the first time in a long time
...everything was right in my
world... and then I woke up."
I can remember when,
In the unity of our five-day sessions
Not even once did we hear the siren
song
What kind of imagination
Asleep in some lyrical coma
Who's vain futile memory
Could have been so wrong?
You can make a fortune in lies
You can keep a giant alive
You can ride the red
Until everybody smiles
A trifling euphoria
was such an untimely religion
maybe your life can explain
the reason for my indecision
Here is a poor man
the heart of this monster creation
He said we both will be heroes
and I was led into temptation
You can make a fortune in lies
You can keep a giant alive
You can ride the red
Until everybody smiles
Can you show me your gold
and your silver?
A hero in frozen water
Now you've made a fortune in lies
and you kept a giant alive
You rode the red
You rode the red
Status Seeker
Heart sick at the sight of the
Status Seeker
In a sense I'm not beyond reproach
the aspiration to drop a name
When any rose might smell the same
Maybe you'll figure it out someday
"I want to know you now...
You know I've always believed in you."
Nothing is sacred...
You draw the bottom line
with a dollar sign
Change of opinion...
At the drop of a dime
Graceless intrusion...
Are you sanctified in your
judgment of me?
All that I deserve is what you were
unable to see
In a garden where the seeds were
spilled
I favored the few that stood strong
in the sun
As I reached for the profit of my prize
I found I had trampled the forgotten
ones
Nothing is sacred...
You draw the bottom line
with a dollar sign
Change of opinion...
At the drop of a dime
Graceless intrusion...
Are you sanctified in your
judgment of me?
All that I deserve is what you were
unable to see
You're running in circles
And I'm turning away
You refused to believe
Now I'm turning away
Nothing is sacred...
You draw the bottom line
with a dollar sign
Change of opinion...
At the drop of a dime
Graceless intrusion...
Are you sanctified in your
judgment of me?
All that I deserve is what you were
unable to see
You're running in circles
And I'm turning away
You refused to believe
Now I'm turning away
The Ytse Jam
Instrumental
The Killing Hand
[I. The Observance]
An Angel's kiss now fallen
Descending scarlet cuts the sky
Faded names left on the wall
Honor the fighting leave life to
die
Remembered is the sacrifice but
No praisal of blood still flowing
Who were the leaders?
what controlled the Killing Hand
that caused this mouthing?
Crossing over...
[II. Ancient Renewal]
Lowered deep into the sea
Being a waits to cleanse his soul
senses weakening time is still
Motionless by stiffening cold
The wheels race back and
Scorch his mind
Travelling all to find the land
Revelation warms a touch
And now he will begin to
Understand
[III. The Stray Seed]
Extended a view to yesterday
Manifestation for none the same
Walking amidst a frightening still
No sound, no smoke, no scorching
Flames
He is risen...
Sipping his poison the raven sings
Yet another to add more bodies
fallen
King from below
this one controls
the Killing Hand that caused this
mourning
Is it all over?
[IV. Thorns]
Evil genius this secret plan
Mercy dealt with the losing hand
Will he ever fall?
Can he end it all?
Our savior must make his stand
Only a Propher of years to come
Wanting mortality I'm all alone
He heard my voice
It was my choice
I've stopped the Killing Hand
[V. Exodus]
When I go back again
Will it be the same?
I've stopped the cries
But now they know my name
The sea is calling me
my spirit must return
As I get closer,
was it really worth
what I have learned?
I'm in the valley
And the saddened chimes I hear
Race towards the wall to find
one more name appears
No one is left now
my one and only land
I laugh at what I've done
I am the Killing Hand
Light Fuse And Get Away
Would you like to sit and talk to me
about the way things change so
suddenly
when your senses come and the feeling
goes?
can you remember feeling much
too close?
Stop your hands from shaking.
Look at me.
Are your senses racing endlessly
tracing
past impressions? So were mine.
Have you ever been used
or will this be the first time?
It's come so clear to me
Light fuse and get away
No gain, no pain
It's a fatal game
and the true lose everything
I can see
what trust and loyalty have done
for me
falling miles from the mark
with a thirst for revenge
and a dangerous heart
I've tried to wash from memory
feelings of betrayal and the incidents
that plague me since I lost my sense
of innocence
A history of changes now I'm loving
now I'm losing keeps me constantly
in fear of hearing "I can't see where
this is going"
You lie alone with the memory
feeling the ceiling and walls closing
in on
Your Conscience - my ally
the guilt - your affliction
from preying on praise as you fed
an attention addiction
Someone told me
Light fuse and get away
No gain, no pain
and when it's lust to dust you can
crawl from the wreckage
I can see
what trust and loyalty have done
for me
lying bleeding in the dark
with a thirst for revenge
and a dangerous heart
It's come so clear to me
Light fuse and get away
No gain, no pain
It's a fatal game
and the true lose everything
I can see
what trust and loyalty have done
for me
falling miles from the mark
with a thirst for revenge
and a dangerous heart
Afterlife
I touched with one
who made me run
away from my own soul...
In this world with its
many illusions
We are moving like mice through a
maze
And now I find
what's left behind
has served to make me whole
full of doubt, deception, and delusion
seeking purpose to all earthly days
I search within
beneath a skin
that bears both pleasure and pain
In a world full of constant confusion
I will not be a par to the craze
In the Afterlife
will dark be bright?
will cold be warm?
will the day have no night?
In the Afterlife?
will the blind have sight?
In the Afterlife
Behind closed eyes
some comfort lies
In knowing the truth never spoken
Through this world with us
hidden conclusion
we'll keep moving like mice through
a maze
In the Afterlife
will dark be bright?
will cold be warm?
will the day have no night?
In the Afterlife?
will the blind have sight?
In the Afterlife
In the Afterlife
will dark be bright?
will cold be warm?
will the day have no night?
In the Afterlife?
will the blind have sight?
In the Afterlife
The Ones Who Help To Set The Sun
Watching my window I was led like a
child
As the roadway lamplights
misguided my mind through the night
a shadow of limits
We were racing the rain
my hands held the wheel
My eyes tried to hold their place
there must have been a time
when I thought that you were
watching
It had to be when my senses lost
control
I thought I'd slipped away
I thought I could still feel us
moving
It must have been a cloud
no bigger than a man's hand
Every reason I risk my life
To come back to you
Is locked behind your door
You're my immunity
Outside I watched you burn
Heavy hearts were bleeding
A cry for help, a familiar voice
My melting hands streaked the glass
As I walked away
I wondered what had really
happened
had I run out of time
did I push myself too far
As my last step fell
I felt my hands upon the wheel
had I come back to life
or did I ever leave at all
In higher lives
We seem to be
always a moment too late
We're past the time
when we looked on
Now we're
THE ONES WHO HELP TO
SET THE SUN
this time for real
I locked the door behind me
My mind was still a wreck
from what I saw
For when my hands are still
I'll recognize the message
never again will my senses lose
control
In higher lives
We seem to be
Always a moment too late
We're past the time
when we looked on
Now we're
THE ONES WHO HELP TO
SET THE SUN
Only A Matter Of Time
A suited man smiled said:
"It's just a matter of time
You can have the world at your feet
by tomorrow
just sign on this line."
Hold tight... limelight!
Approaching the paramount
with the sun in our eyes
fearing family ties, legalies,
compromise
In a dimly lit room with a stool as his
stage
a dream-stricken prince of a pauper's
descent
haunts the eavesdropping silence
that presses his window
as he sweats a performance
to an audience that ticks on the wall
To the practical observer
It's just a matter of time
"You can deviate from the com-
monplace
only to fall back in line."
I understand mine's a risky plan
and your system can't miss
But is security after all a cause
or symptom of happiness?
Brave, yet afraid, his eyes on horizon
in a steady-set gaze
a mariner soon from an open cocoon
takes a moment to summon his courage
to stifle his grave apprehension and
trembling, approaches the surf
A father's benediction as his hopeful
son departs
to brave the sea of rage and conquer
at all costs
lingers in his memory
and visions still surviving in a logic-
proof shell
that should have been held sacred, safe
and hidden well
are compromised in usury
with every rising sun that yields no
sight of land
the hesitation cultivates within the
tired man
and rumors spread of mutiny
and though the time will come when
dream and day unite
tonight the only consolation causing
him to fight
in fearless faith in destiny
Even when plans fall to pieces
I can still find the courage
with promise I've found in my faith
Likely or not, it's a dream that we keep
and at odds with our senses we'll climb
But if faith is the answer, we're already
reached it
And if spirit's a sign
then it's only a matter of time