Falling into Infinity

Infobox Album
Name = Falling into Infinity
Type = studio
Artist = Dream Theater


Caption = Cover art by Storm Thorgerson
Released = September 23 1997
Recorded = June 2 - July 30 1997 - Avatar Studios, New York
Genre = Progressive metal
Length = 78:12
Label = EastWest
Producer = Kevin Shirley
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fl5g8qnmbt04 link]
* Sea of Tranquility Rating|4|5 [http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=2359 link]
Last album = "A Change of Seasons" (1995)
This album = "Falling into Infinity" (1997)
Next album = "Once in a LIVEtime" (1998)

"Falling into Infinity" is the fourth studio album by influential American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released in 1997. It was recorded in 1997 at Avatar Studios in New York, a return from their previous album, which was recorded in England. It continued the more progressive metal sound "Awake" started, but to much less critical and commercial acclaim. It is also the second-to-last album to feature keyboardist Derek Sherinian. LaBrie's limited vocal range after rupturing his vocal cords is shown on the album, with most of the vocals being in the lower range, in contrast to earlier releases, which were often high-pitched.

History

Despite "Awake"'s relative success, the band was not quite happy with its darker sound, which resulted in the band going back to New York to record their new album. The record label pressured the band to write a more commercial album, much to the band's dismay. It was originally intended to be a 140-minute double album, but the record label refused to release such an album and even recruited Desmond Child to help the band re-write "You Not Me", which was originally titled "You Or Me", to make it more commercial.

Unhappy with the record label's meddling, this would be the last album to feature a traditional producer. Later albums would be produced from within due to the band's unhappy result of "Falling Into Infinity". The album is also only one of the few Dream Theater albums to not feature the band's iconic font, as a result of graphic artist Storm Thorgeson's refusal to work with fonts other artists had made.Fact|date=July 2008

Reception

"Falling into Infinity" has garnered mixed critical and fan acclaim. Jeremy Ulrey of Allmusic called the album a "disappointment", citing its "trimmed-down production" and the band's laid-back approach as detrimental elements to the quality of the output as a whole [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fl5g8qnmbt04] . Murat Batmaz of the popular progressive rock/metal review database Sea of Tranquility claimed that, while he disagreed with the overwhelmingly negative response certain fans gave the record upon its initial release, "Falling into Infinity" is "not DT's finest moment" [http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=2359] .

Track listing

tracklist
lyrics_credits = yes
music_credits = yes

title1 = New Millennium
lyrics1 = Mike Portnoy
music1 = Dream Theater
length1 = 8:20

title2 = You Not Me
lyrics2 = John Petrucci, Desmond Child
music2 = Dream Theater
length2 = 4:58

title3 = Peruvian Skies
lyrics3 = Petrucci
music3 = Dream Theater
length3 = 6:43

title4 = Hollow Years
lyrics4 = Petrucci
music4 = Dream Theater
length4 = 5:53

title5 = Burning My Soul
lyrics5 = Mike Portnoy
music5 = Dream Theater
length5 = 5:29

title6 = Hell's Kitchen
lyrics6 = (instrumental)
music6 = Dream Theater
length6 = 4:16

title7 = Lines in the Sand
lyrics7 = Petrucci
music7 = Dream Theater
length7 = 12:05

title8 = Take Away My Pain
lyrics8 = Petrucci
music8 = Dream Theater
length8 = 6:03

title9 = Just Let Me Breathe
lyrics9 = Portnoy
music9 = Dream Theater
length9 = 5:28

title10 = Anna Lee
lyrics10 = James LaBrie
music10 = Dream Theater
length10 = 5:51

title11 = Trial of Tears"
*I. "It's Raining"
*II. "Deep in Heaven"
*III. "The Wasteland
lyrics11 = John Myung
music11 = Dream Theater
length11 = 13:07

Personnel

* James LaBrie – vocals
* John Myung – bass, Chapman Stick
* John Petrucci – guitars, backing vocals
* Mike Portnoy – drums, backing vocals
* Derek Sherinian – keyboards, backing vocals

Additional Personnel

* Doug Pinnick - backing vocals on "Lines in the Sand"

Chart performance

Billboard 200:
* "Falling into Infinity" - #52

UK Album Chart:
* "Falling into Infinity" - #163

Billboard Mainstream Rock Singles:
* "Burning My Soul" - #33
* "You Not Me" - #40

References