In the Presence of Enemies

Song infobox
Name = In the Presence of Enemies, Part 1


Format = CD
Artist = Dream Theater
Album = Systematic Chaos
Released = 2007
track_no = 1
Recorded = 2007
Genre = Progressive metal
Length = 9:00
Label = Roadrunner Records
Writer = John Petrucci
Composer = Dream Theater
Producer = John Petrucci
Mike Portnoy
prev =
prev_no =
next = "Forsaken"
next_no = 2Song infobox
Name = In the Presence of Enemies, Part 2


Format = CD
Artist = Dream Theater
Album = Systematic Chaos
Released = 2007
track_no = 8
Recorded = 2007
Genre = Progressive metal
Length = 16:38
Label = Roadrunner Records
Writer = John Petrucci
Composer = Dream Theater
Producer = John Petrucci
Mike Portnoy
prev = "The Ministry of Lost Souls
prev_no = 7
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In the Presence of Enemies is a song from Dream Theater's 2007 studio album, "Systematic Chaos". It is split into two parts at the nine-minute mark, with the first part becoming the opening track of the album, and the second part, the closing track. In the booklet, it is subtitled The Heretic and the Dark Master.

In a recent interview, Mike Portnoy stated that there were a few reasons for breaking the song up into two separate tracks, the main one being that as a whole, it was such a great way to open the album, and it was also a great way to close the album. It also makes the first track exactly nine minutes long, fitting for Dream Theater's ninth studio album. He stated, though, that it is still a single composition; he elaborated that the two tracks would be played live consecutively. This would make "In the Presence of Enemies" the second longest single Dream Theater song at 25:38 minutes, behind "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" at 42:04 minutes.

The first five minutes and fifteen seconds of this song are an overture, with James LaBrie not coming in until the first track is around halfway done.

The song was originally written under the working title "Pumpkin King" and parts of it were shown on the 6:00 video Mike Portnoy had distributed December 25th, 2006.

The song is predominantly written in D Dorian but does switch to the key of D minor, notably in the unisons throughout the song.

=Movements=

Part I
* I. Prelude (instrumental)
* II. Resurrection

Part II

* III. Heretic
* IV. The Slaughter of the Damned
* V. The Reckoning (instrumental)
* VI. Salvation

Literal interpretation

The lyrics tell a story about a man who, at the moment of death, sells half of his soul to a "dark master" in order to gain power to stand in the way of the servants of an evil fallen angel, who are paving the way for their master's coming. The man is seeking revenge on the one who killed his beloved, and also seeks redemption for humanity. At the end he retains his own soul and no longer fights for his master.

It is notable that the story told in the song is strikingly similar to the story of Ivan Isaacs told in the Korean comic "Priest" (which, in turn, was inspired by the computer game Blood). Tokyopop, the publisher of "Priest", provides a short résumé of the story that even shares certain expressions and phrases with the lyrics of "In the Presence of Enemies" [ [http://www.tokyopop.com/S-1045/ TOKYOPOP :: Leading the Manga Revolution for 10 Years and Beyond! :: ] ] . John Petrucci has also stated in an interview that one of the songs from Systematic Chaos was based on a manga. The similarities have since been listed on a fan website. [http://faq.dtnorway.com/question/1098]

Metaphorical Interpretation

According to Petrucci the characters and happenings are merely metaphors, and the song is in reality about the turbulence inside the main character, struggling with his darker side. [From bonus DVD]

Additional reference

* A part of the song called "The Slaughter of The Damned" cites a part of Psalm 23 in such a way as to twist the meaning to following the "Dark Master" rather than "the Lord" in the original.

Credits

*James LaBrie - vocals
*John Myung - bass guitar
*John Petrucci - guitar, vocals
*Mike Portnoy - drums, vocals
*Jordan Rudess - keyboards

References