First of all, let's get one thing straight: Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence isn't a song. It's the title of an album that has 8 separate (!) conceptual songs and the title of the album thematically combines those 8 songs. For any other band previous sentence wouldn't make sense but for Dream Theater it makes perfect sense. The moment they've decided to split and publish them as 8 different songs, there's no debate. There's not even a degree (pun intended) of discussion like Pink Floyd's "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" where you can discuss if the whole thing is two different songs or one song combined of nine parts. And no, I don't take Score into account where they've released it as a single song because there are also other official live recordings where "parts of that song" are published separate. Best I can do is call it "an concept EP inside of an LP".
Onto the album itself. First of all, this is the second album that I've listened. I knew nothing about the album but even within the first song, I've tried to guess a release date and I was off by a couple of months. Since then, I've heard several different bands on several DT's albums and 6DOIT reeks of 2001/2002: Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine, Tool or any other band that MTV labeled "alternative" in that period - I can hear on this album. Funny enough, later I've found out that Radiohead was a big inspiration for this one (including the album cover) and I still haven't found time to listen to Radiohead, so who am I to judge? Also, I've thought of dissecting some of these songs in EPICS TOURNAMENT, but I'm listening to album right now so I'm doing the whole thing.
The Glass Prison
I'll try to write my thoughts and feelings like it's the first time like I'm listening to this song. After all, it was only 2 years ago and I can still remember it vividly:
So, the album starts with static from the previous one (Scenes from a Memory) going into an eerie piano melody before the rest of the bands join. OK so far, I guess it's an annunciation for the rest of the song. Nope, a wild riff appears! That's a good riff. Damn, that's a really good riff. Portnoy starts drumming and... Excuse me, I meant to say Portnoy starts to bang the shit out of that drum set. That's not drumming, that's bombarding! And then Petrucci starts soloing... Now, a trained music ear will probably hear some guitar scales in minor or major or general or corporal. What I hear is a picture of bleeding fingers flying over the guitar so fast that the guitar neck is smoking like it's going to be set on fire any second. Holy shit, what an awesome start and only 2 minutes have passed!
On the first listen I noticed that first vocal wasn't as I remember it (note: Mike Portnoy opens the song with clean vocals [!] portraying the light side while James distorted voice is in the background portraying dark side). Then James's vocal comes clean and it's like an M-16 flying inches over your head. At this moment, it's like a song goes to 11, fuck, it like this song invented going to 11! That riff again and those thunderous drums and at this moment I feel like I'm in battlefield of awesomness.
James doesn't need to sing "Fatal descend, spinning around", you can actually hear that Jordan Rudess' piano. "What the hell is wrong with me?!" I exclaim. "Where has this been all my life? This is the best 4 minute build up in a song!" my arms are in the air with disbelief "Why haven't I listened this before?! Why didn't people point me in this direction???" And then I get all the answers in a form of chorus.
I haven't been this thrown out of a song since I've first heard Maiden's "Longest Day" back in '06. Imagine starting an immersive video game and your conscious can't even grasp how much of fun you are having and suddenly someone turns off the PC. You don't even get that "duh-dah-dah-dun" Windows sound - it's just black screen. In shock and disbelief, you turn the PC again, looking at the BIOS loading up as you try to gather your thoughts and try to discern what has just happened. That's how I felt when that chorus hit - it's that bad.
Anyway, after the chorus comes again that intro melody and you hope the song picks up again. I mean, it's not going to be like it could've been, the bed is already shat. But, the song changed drasticaly after that first melody. Maybe it will happen again, maybe we get something different. And unfortunately, we do. Something very different. Something that sounds like somebody distilled something disgusting and splattered it all over the song. I'm not even going to name it. Those who've heard the song know what I'm talking about and those who don't - I do not wish this evil upon you.
Portnoy is going "tough" with his vocals and... Ahh.... I this point I gave up. If the purpose of this song is to show the dangers of alcohol, they've done a wonderful job. Those first 4 minutes feel like that blissfull state of mild drunkness while the rest of the song is the worst hangover ever, one of those where you know the hangover isn't worth being drunk and you swore you'll never drink again.
There are some interesting parts later in the song, especially with Jordan and I guess Myung and Portnoy get in a really good grove but I still can't get over the fact what an U turn this song has been. Even worse, the song doesn't end on a high note. Portnoy and LaBrie bump around like two farts in an underpants not knowing how to open the door. There's a door, door won't open, I walk away, door still aren't open.... O' for fuck just grab the handle, open that fucking door and finish this song.
So, that were my first initial thoughts to this song and 2 years later, they haven't changed a bit. I learn to digest it a bit better with time, but I still stand with my first initial reaction. Those first 4 minutes are one of the best buildups in prog/metal genre followed by one of the worst fu**ups. TBH, that song kind of started shaping my opinion on Dream Theater. When they're great - they're really great. But when they're not, you ask yourself "What the hell were they thinking?!"
Anyway, this turned out longer than I planned, so I'm doing the rest of the album in another post.
Sorry people, it seems like you're stuck with me rambling in this thread today.
