Images and Words

Occupation

Studios

  • Bear Tracks Studios, New York ( USA)
  • The Hit Factory, New York ( USA)

Images and Words (English for: "Images and Words " ) is the second studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. On this album, occurs for the first time, the current Dream Theater singer James LaBrie - in appearance. Today, the album is considered a milestone of progressive metal and helped this genre that the whole 1980s was rather unpopular to popular again. While Images and Words contains no title song, however, is the album title in the first stanza of the penultimate song "Wait for Sleep" again.

Formation

Following the departure of singer Charlie Dominici in 1989, the remaining band members were about 200 potential successor singing in a half years now sing until they came upon a band application of James LaBrie. At that time, most of the information published on the album songs (Examples: "Take the Time", "Metropolis Part I", " Learning to Live" as well as the one used later " A Change of Seasons " ) had already been written, so LaBrie at no song is given as a direct writer. This flew in from Canada and after a short joint jam session he was eventually hired as the new lead singer of the group. In the new line, a contract was signed with Atco Records seven albums and started a little later with the recording of Images and Words. Previously, the group had to pay " a lot of money " to get out of the contract and its conditions closed in the 1980s with Mechanic Records again, according to drummer Mike Portnoy.

Publications and tour

The album was recorded late 1991 and finally released in the summer of the following year. On Images and Words was followed by a nearly two -year tour, in which the live video Images and Words: Live in Tokyo as well as the live album Live at the Marquee (both 1993) were recorded. On some European concerts of the Chaos in Motion tour, the album in the years 2007 and 2008 was played on the occasion of his 15th anniversary in full length. On the Greatest hit album released in 2008, the three songs " Pull Me Under ", "Take the Time" and "Another Day " was released as a remix - 2007 versions.

Singles

" Pull Me Under "

The first song of the album, " Pull Me Under ", was produced under the working title " Oliver 's Twist " and this ends abruptly at 8 minutes and 11 seconds. The value written by Kevin Moore text contains references to William Shakespeare's Hamlet. This is written from the perspective of Prince Hamlet and includes just before the end ( at 7 minutes 49 seconds ) even a direct quote Hamlet with the line: ". Oh did this too, too solid flesh would melt" The music video for " Pull Me Under " was directed by David Roth. " Pull Me Under " was played on the radio and on MTV and is still the most famous song of the band. The song reached # 10 in the U.S. mainstream rock charts.

"Another Day "

In "Another Day " is Jay Beckenstein, who became known for his band Spyro Gyra fame to hear the saxophone. To the song a music video directed by Chris Painter was shot. The song reached number 29 of the U.S. mainstream rock charts, the other two singles of the album reached better positions.

"Take the Time"

The song was released as the last of Images and Words and also promoted with a shot by Chris Painter video. In contrast to " Another Day" and " Pull Me Under ", the single was released only in 1993. It reached number 22 in the U.S. mainstream rock charts.

Title list

Reception

The album is the most successful Dream Theater album to date and achieved platinum status in the U.S. and Japan. It reached number 94 in Germany, number 61 in the U.S. and position 30 in Japan. In the Netherlands, it gained Gold status. Apart from Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, it is the most popular album of the group to this day. The latter is a concept album that. Than continuation of the song " Metropolis Pt contained on Images and Words Is one to understand. " Despite the selected title but it was not planned by the band in the early nineties, to give the song a sequel.

Even with fans and critics, the album was mostly well received. So forgave about Matthias Breusch in the magazine Rock Hard full points 10 and designated Images and Words as "a masterpiece ," he praised the diversity of the music and the " fantastically sophisticated and inspired instruments played ." He gave the audience for this performance the leg imitate "gods."

The editors of the selfsame Magazines presented in 2007 their leaderboard composed of 500 rock and metal albums. In this list Images and Words appeared on court 76 The previous album, When Dream and Day Unite could be placed even on rank 28.

Live Video

A concert recording from Japan of 26 August 1993 Live in Tokyo released on VHS and in 2004 on DVD in combination with 5 Years in a Live Time and includes the following titles: In 1993, under the title Images and Words:

Demo version

About the band's own label Ytsejam Records a double CD under the " Demo Series " entitled Images and Words was founded in 2005: Demos published from 1989 to 1991, illustrating the making of the album on the basis of various demo recordings from the years 1989 to 1991. So also were songs that will not get on Images and Words made ​​it ( " Do not Look Past Me," " To Live Forever" ) was added, partly also with other singers such as John Hendricks, Steve Stone or Chris Chrinton.

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