If the gentlemen Petrucci and Portnoy have something in his head, then put it to consistently. Dream Theater can be heard Maiden and so it did not surprise me really, that the "Six Degrees ..." should propose successors exactly the same line known to be ardent fans of the old metal rabbit Metallica and Iron - especially since the band through the Performance had recommended from "Masters of Puppets" and "Number of the Beast" in the last two years for excellent. Before I come to the individual pieces, a few words about the sound of the CD: Very direct guitars, especially the bass is deep and without mercy directly from the speakers. The drums are very hard and direct, without, however, according to Pepsi Can (Metallica -St. Anger) to sound. Just as a Metal-CD should be mixed and both of the above examples have in retrospect may be cut from corresponding disc of this sound for their current outputs. The album starts with "As I Am," the lives of intense riffs and tempo changes. Almost provocatively simple accompanied the band's intense vocals of James LaBrie but without being boring. At the end of the song then let first Petrucci and then flashed Portnoy, to what they are actually capable of and why they are among the best in their field. The beginning of "This Dying Soul" reminds me personally of Sepultura from "Chaos AD" times, then opens the same but in a vertraktes Guitars & Keyboardolo, indicating lagging comparing seeehr quickly. It follows a very quiet part with clean and surprisingly distorted vocals. Again, like the skilful alternation between fast and slow parts, some of which older Dream Theater tracks or even Metallica's "Blackend" quote lovingly. "Endless Sacrifice" recalls spontaneously "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" by Metallica and begins correspondingly quiet, but then steadily grow. In compulsory solo midsection the band excels comparable to "Dance of Eternity" by perfect interplay between guitar and keyboard. The following song "Honor Thy Father" captures incredibly aggressive to then abruptly but downright tender herauszuhauchen the stanza. But it builds quickly on to the hardness presented. The middle of the piece contains again a brilliant instrumental, with the hard riff from the beginning alternating with solo part - worth listening to VA is the sounding by distorted guitar Keyboard solo, what has been so not kekommen to hear from Jordan Rudess (!). After such hard sounds the listener can relax on the viiiiiel unfortunately too short geratenen "Vacant" with piano, cello and bass. But there really is not much more than a short prelude to Intrumentalstück "Stream of Conciousness" which to come in only once quietly in "Orion" manner (Metallica) comes along, but then converts into a very entertaining presentation of instrumental skills. The piece would have tolerated easily another 11 minutes you can without being even remotely boring. The conclusion is "In the Name of God", which with appropriate sound probably on the masterpiece "Scenes From A Memory" could stand. I personally consider it versönlichen statements for all those to whom the album may seem too hard and unmelodic. But since I anyway "repeat" have pushed in my CD player, making this song for me rather a second Ruhepol to "Vacant", and then again the brilliantly simple "As I Am" to enjoy. All in all, probably a more than successful, and again in many details surprising album whose purchase I can fully recommend!
