Thursday 28 January 2016

A Change of Seasons (Dream Theater, 1995)

This suite is also the title track of the first EP released by Dream Theater. Sure, it sounds strange that an EP should last more that 50 minutes, but after all the track I'm introducing here is the only new composition of the CD, also including four beautiful cover versions ranging from Elton John to Genesis. And Genesis surely are among the main influences of this suite, lining up seven movements and a great deal of changes in mood, tempo and even genre. 

"A Change of Seasons" can be considered as one of DT's best records.

As "A Change of Seasons" was the first DT's song featuring Derek Sherinian on keyboards, his contribution is remarkable and somehow singles out this song, even if most of the music was composed long before his joining the band. The classically prog passages are cleverly mixed with metal-prog parts (not too hard, that's to say), atmospheric moments and also some charming acoustic parts. As usual, the melodies are first rate and the lyrics deal with the seasons of life, a reflection inspired to Portnoy by his mother's death. An excellent epic, a higly recommended piece of progressive rock.

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