After Falling into Infinity was released, there was a feeling of dread that Dream Theater were no more prog - or metal for that matter - but they had sold out to commercialism. It appears this EP was the band's reaction to that. "Oh no, we're still really prog and metal, ya know..." Dream Theater have always been a very self-conscious group, for better or worse. I mentioned on my review of Falling into Infinity that I had exited the bandwagon after Awake, but I had forgotten about this album (and Falling into Infinity isn't so bad really). Because I did buy A Change of Seasons real time and thought it was great. But I was really going deep into prog at this point, so it was to be the end of me and Dream Theater for another seven years.
In hearing this album again for the first time in nine years, I found it better than my last listen. A 23 minute prog metal epic by one of the bulwarks of the business is still going to satisfy my ears all these years later. So I'm back to my original rating. The remainder of the album are cover tunes, all more or less under the guise of "bonus". I'm not usually fond of this idea, but fine, it was only to fill out the disc. And they do a good job at performing their unique interpretation of each.
Ownership: CD: 1995 EastWest. One of the few commodity CDs I plan on keeping.
1995; 6/8/14; 12/29/23 (new entry)
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