Foreigner, a Hard Rock band that opened the doors to the world of Heavy Music for me. “Double Vision”, an album that I consider to be one of the greatest Rock or Hard Rock albums ever created. On June 20, 1978, “Double Vision” was released. On January 26, 1979, I received this revered album as a birthday gift from my late mother. I was able to choose an album, just one album, on a trip to the Caldor department store… Foreigner “Double Vision” was my choice, on that birthday. Each year that passes by, these fond memories only grow stronger. Man, if I was to say I have listened to this album more times than any other album, it would not be a stretch. Back in 1979, I was only listening to a handful of Hard Rock bands that would eventually guide me into evolving into the Metal Music loyalist that I am today. I was thirteen years old and completely blown away by this album and band… I listened to every lyric, every chord, every note, that erupted from these songs. Foreigner was actually teaching me, at this very young age, that Hard Rock music this enormous could and would make my life enjoyable. I continue to reflect, to revisit often, the bands and albums that molded my heavy music tastes.
From the very first listen to “Double Vision” until this very day, I honestly would choose “Blue Morning, Blue Day” as my favorite song from this album. I completely reject any notion that this song is a ballad. In my Metal opinion, Lou Gramm was at his most impeccable, vocally, on this song. My second favorite song from this classic album is a clear choice… the instrumental “Tramontane”. Whoa, when I first listened to “Tramontane”, it was my introduction to what a Rock instrumental really was and really sounded like. I realized then, at thirteen years old, that Rock and Hard Rock music did not always need lyrics to sound amazing. “Hot Blooded” and “Double Vision” are the two super hit singles from this album that literally sent psyched up – shock waves throughout my entire body. Here I was, only a few years removed from listening to a dozen or so 45 rpm’s that were my mom’s from her teen years… I went from Buddy Holly and The Everly Brothers, straight to the Hard Rock strength of Foreigner. Back in 1979, at age thirteen, this was one thrilling Rock Music leap for me. In 1979, Foreigner joined Kiss and Cheap Trick to round out my big three heavy bands that I was so ecstatic over. Queen and Bad Company were right behind them… trust me when I say that once 1980 rolled around, I was in a Hard Rock and Heavy Metal whirlwind of wonder.
Once “Double Vision” was locked into my system, I needed more Foreigner… so I delved into their debut album by buying it in the Summer of 1979. “Head Games” was released in 1979, with “4” coming out in 1981, both of these Foreigner classics I took to as well. When it was all said and done, my winner was and always will be “Double Vision”. The albums Foreigner released after “4” seemed to take off into a different Rock direction, I never could grasp onto any Foreigner ballads. I was already too spoiled by the first two Foreigner albums to really embrace any Pop Music ballads that they made so hugely popular in the mid to late 1980’s. As I look back now, it is the “Double Vision” album that is really Foreigner, this is one of the albums that took hold of a thirteen year old back in 1979 and set him straight on a life long path of Heavy Music listening bliss. I have absolutely no regrets, just a ton of Metal gratitude to Foreigner.
Foreigner, as they appeared on “Double Vision”: Mick Jones on guitar, Lou Gramm on lead vocals, Ian McDonald on guitar & keyboard, Al Greenwood on synthesizer & keyboard, Ed Gagliardi on bass and Dennis Elliott on drums.
When it comes to Rock and Hard Rock Music, I always have put Journey on my listening rotation. I am guilty of not keeping up with the purchases of new CD’s over the years from Journey, “Arrival” is a perfect example of this. After the 1986 album “Raised On Radio”, I never picked up “Trial By Fire”, “Arrival” (until now) or “Generations”. You betcha I did grab a copy of “Revelation”… the Walmart 2 CD/1 DVD version too. It is not as if I totally forgot about Journey, these albums are just victims of the hordes of releases out there I have always wanted to buy… financially it is impossible to buy everything. Man, I am impressed by this Journey album… more than that, I cannot believe it took me this long to land “Arrival” into my music collection. I guess after each listen to “Arrival”, all I can really say to myself is what was I waiting for and thinking? (I should have just bought this album years ago and stop worrying about how much money I spend on music!). I can’t comprehend how this album has not sold over a million copies? What gives? If “Arrival” was fronted by the legendary Steve Perry and released back in the 1980’s, it surely would have been multi platinum… wouldn’t it? Who knows, we shall never know, it is all make believe speculation on my part. All I do know is that “Arrival” is chock full of Rock and Hard Rock songs that are premium quality, in my Metal opinion. The song writing on “Arrival” is so outrageously good, I shake my head and thank the fact Journey is still around Rocking today.
On November 18, 1977, Bob Welch “French Kiss” was released. I was eleven years old then and my beloved New York Yankees were the World Champions of Major League Baseball, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers. At age eleven, the only Heavy Metal band I was listening to was Kiss. Back in 1977, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Black Metal and Extreme Metal were non-existent. I did not know what I was missing, at this young age I listened to whatever was on the AM radio dial. Quite honestly, I was not exposed to any FM radio stations back in 1977… it all sounds so unreal now, whew. Catching American Bandstand and the legendary Dick Clark on Saturday afternoons was another outlet for this eleven year old, to be exposed to the current Rock Music of 1977. At age eleven, heck, I did not have the exposure to Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin just yet… or any vintage Heavy Metal bands of the early to mid 1970’s. Step in… Bob Welch.
Is it just me thinking this way? Deep Purple “Deepest Purple”, (subtitled “The Very Best of Deep Purple”), is the epitome of what a Rock/Hard Rock Greatest Hits album is supposed to be. These Deep Purple classics are hands down, sensational and historical Rock Music. Gimme a break, how can any generation not want to embrace these songs? These Deep Purple songs are perfect examples of just how amazing the song writing was in Rock and Hard Rock, back in the 1970’s. Could Deep Purple have been ahead of their time? I certainly think so, by at least a decade. The hardness, forget about the heaviness for a second, is what drives these Deep Purple songs to the top tier of Rock and Hard Rock history, in my Metal opinion. Just stop to think about this, for a Metal second… how many new Rock or Hard Rock bands out there today, could actually put out a Greatest Hits album, down the road, with such impeccable and recognizable songs? “Smoke On The Water” and “Highway Star” are two Hard Rock songs alone, that represent a generation of Rock and Hard Rock music and the decade of the 1970’s. “Fireball” and “Child In Time” are just the icing on the Hard Rock cake here.
Madina Lake “Attics to Eden” caught my attention upon it’s release, (May 5, 2009), by the front cover artwork. Anytime a band puts thought and/or creativity to use, with their album cover art, just 
Madina Lake is obviously a younger band, yet the current and/or new textured sound to their songs is what differentiates them from being gobbled up by the status quo. It is 2009, I not only want to stay current with the younger bands… I need to. There is that part of me that does not want to be left behind in this vast world of Heavy Music. Honestly, there are stacks of Heavy bands out there today, that are fresh and new that just don’t do it for me. My not acknowledging on Metal Odyssey the bands that I feel are bland and yawn inducing, saves me from wasting precious time. Madina Lake is no waste of time for my ears. Taking a melodic and harmonious Alternative Rock detour, from the very heavy and Extreme Music that I listen to regularly, is essential for me, doing so keeps me musically grounded and open minded. Madina Lake “Attics to Eden” is one of those Alternative Rock detours I am referring to. To make an analogy, it is like enjoying watching horror movies, I need to watch a comedy and/or suspense thriller every so often as well. (Throw in a History Channel documentary too).
Lullacry is a Gothic Metal/Hard Rock band straight out of Helsinki, Finland. I stumbled upon this band, by perusing the incredibly insane selection of Metal Music – over at Century Media Records online, (CM Distro.com). What caught my attention with this Lullacry “Fire Within” EP were two things: the price was $2 for the CD (!) and this band does a cover of the legendary W.A.S.P. song – “L.O.V.E. Machine”. Hey, for two bucks it seemed like a pretty risk free proposition… especially since I never listened to this band before. (I purchased several items on this order, therefore my shipping cost per CD was low). One of the recurring living on the edge moments of my life is when I purchase a Metal CD without really knowing what I’m getting. Well, what I did get with Lullacry, is a darned solid and sound Gothic Metal/Hard Rock band that has raised my curiosity in their other albums out there. This is the only Lullacry CD that I own… delving deeper into their catalog of music might be a Metal option for me in the near future. Before I go any further, this band is not for every Metalhead out there, the overriding Metal sound is Gothic, due in large part to the lead vocals of Tanja. This female vocalist is very reminiscent of Amy Lee, (from Evanescence fame), on the song “Crucify My Heart pt. II (piano version)”, as Gothic sounding of a song if there is one. This song is definitely a Gothic ballad, Tanja emits quite a captivating voice here, in my Metal opinion.
Ace Frehley will always be my choice pick for the guitarist of Kiss. Ace Frehley was the original guitarist and in my Metal opinion, the best at lead guitar for Kiss. I few posts ago, I stated that my favorite Kiss solo album of all time is Paul Stanley. I cannot backtrack that sentiment, the Paul Stanley album is for me, #1. With that said, out of the four Kiss solo albums, Ace Frehley is clearly my #2 choice. My fellow peer in Metal blogs over at The Metal Files, (a cool Metal Music blog that is worth the visits), commented his favorite Kiss solo album is Ace Frehley… this spurred me into delving into the Ace Frehley solo album once again. I do own the Ace Frehley solo album, (released on September 18, 1978), a record that has been with me for decades. I actually bought this Ace Frehley vinyl from a cut-out bin, from a small department store named Woolworths, back in the very early 1980’s. My Ace Frehley album has the top right corner actually cut off, therefore, that is probably why it was in a cut-out bin! Despite the cosmetic damage that this album cover suffered, the album itself and the large fold-out poster of Ace Frehley that was included with the album, never sustained damage from the cut-out process. (Each Kiss solo album had a large fold-out poster of the respective Kiss musician inside the album sleeve, with each of the four posters interlocking together, through die cuts, to form one giant Kiss collage, if you will).
Stryper – “To Hell With The Devil” was released on October 24, 1986. I already was an avid listener to Stryper and their brand of Christian Heavy Metal Music when this album came out. I had purchased their album “Soldiers Under Command”, (released on May 15, 1985), within months after it’s release, therefore I already took a liking to Stryper. I always have been and forever will be, diversified with my adoration for Metal music. I hate sounding like a broken record by saying… if I have said it once, I shall say it again… I listen to all Hard Rock and Metal Music genres. The songs on this album are exquisitely inspirational, they are enormously melodic and yes… commercial 1980’s Heavy Metal. It is the power that comes across to me, from these songs, that makes this Stryper album my all time favorite. Anytime any religion plays a role within the framework of a Heavy Metal band and their lyrics, it is better left up to the individual listener, to make the choice if this is what they want to embrace. In my Metal opinion, it is all about personal preference and interpretation, when it comes to any specific form of music. I will still play this album and benefit from the Heavy Metal and lyrical contents that are found within.
Before I, my wife and daughters began our journey to Bird-In-Hand, I just figured my only connection to Heavy Music was going to be from the ipod I packed. Uh, nope. Right on Old Philadelphia Pike, Route 340, is a row of vintage built shops and barns… everything from a Hardware Store to a Teddy Bear Store is in view. Yes, I mentioned a Teddy Bear Store on Metal Odyssey. One of these shops contains a cluster of antique dealers, where all the dealers are not present… yet their goods are. Walking in, I perused the unusual and typical, the mundane and interesting of all things antique. My wife and daughters set off on their own path, navigating this rather large antique mecca of a barn. After twenty minutes of scouring the old artifacts that surrounded me, I heard my wife in an excited voice tell me to walk over in her direction. There, it was there, that she motioned with her hands… three large rooms filled with Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal albums, CD’s and memorabilia. The Amish Country Rocks. 
To say I was Metal ecstatic would be an understatement. How can this be? How could there be such a bounty of Heavy Music and Rock memorabilia smack dab in the middle of Bird-In- Hand, Pennsylvania? There are some questions in life, that are better left unanswered… this is one of them. Who cares why there are cool dealers within this antique shop, nestled in the middle of Amish Country, selling their Heavy Music memories… all that matters is it exists! Hooray for this Metalhead. The dealers who had used albums and CD’s for sale have great Heavy Music taste. I immediately grabbed hold of the Kiss – Gene Simmons solo CD, it was my wife’s choice pick to boot. I will admit, it was a no brainer picking up this used CD, the entire package is in mint condition. I also picked up, without hesitation, the ZZ Top used CD, “Antenna”. (My wife and I saw ZZ Top on this tour, back in the ’90’s). There were also a few CD’s still originally sealed for sale as well, running at six bucks each. The lone unused CD I bought was Cheap Trick – “Heaven Tonight”, (released in 1978). I never owned this Cheap Trick album, therefore it was about time. Some Kiss trading cards, a couple of Beatles magnets and a used, mint copy of GTR – self titled album, rounded out my finds. 
I could not have been more satisfied, of having found such an assortment of Heavy Music memorabilia to look over. Especially gratifying is the fact, I never expected to uncover the music that means so much to my life on this trip, in the quaint and friendly village of Bird-In-Hand, no less. As I exited this antique shop, with my bag of Hard Rockin’ goodies in hand, I vividly recall having to walk very closely past… an Amish man tending to his horse and buggy. My way of life, is not this Amish gentleman’s way of life. This whole experience walking out of the antique shop felt rather awkward, maybe semi embarrassing. Here I am, all psyched out about my finds, walking towards the family car, with a Kiss – Gene Simmons CD clearly visible through the plastic bag that I am clutching onto, as this polite Amish man tends to his horse. Talk about a tale of two separate worlds crossing paths. 
Skid Row released their debut album, “Skid Row” on Atlantic Records, on January 24, 1989. The timing for this Heavy Metal band proved to be a successful one, for this “Skid Row” album sold in excess of five million copies, (going five times platinum in the U.S.A.). The time line of Skid Row becoming so popular, with their first two albums proves to be quite an accomplishment, (their sophomore album “Slave To The Grind”, (released in 1991), sold two million copies and hit #1 on the album charts in the U.S.A.). 1989 was the beginning of the Grunge Music era, with Nirvana and Soundgarden already in the marketplace. Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots later garnered massive commercial media attention and a strong following of fans in 1991. Regardless of the changing landscape in the Heavy Music culture, Skid Row made a major mark in Heavy Metal history between 1989 – 1991, with their first two albums. It is a tremendous Heavy Metal achievement for Skid Row to sell seven million albums after their first two releases in the United States. Fast forward to 2009, I still will listen to the debut Skid Row album and continue to revel in it’s variety of Heavy Metal songs.
Hey, I have always been eager to get into new Heavy Metal bands, it’s been this way for decades now. 1992 was no different than any other year, as far as searching out the latest and/or newest Heavy Metal Bands and albums. When I first heard Jackyl back in 1992, well, it was the song “The Lumberjack”… with a chainsaw being used for a solo. A chainsaw used as a dominant musical instrument… in a Heavy Metal song, now that is cool, that is Metal. Aw heck, I am going to be blunt and admit… this chainsaw ripping through “The Lumberjack” song gave me goose bumps back in 1992. Now, does this chainsaw and “The Lumberjack” song have the same goose bump affect on me today? Honestly, not as many goose bumps generate when I listen to this song in 2009, still I like the song just as much as ever. Maybe it is due to the fact, that I know the chainsaw is coming, after listening to this song so many times over the years. Make no mistake, “The Lumberjack” song still pumps me up and makes me wish I had an old, decrepit, decaying barn to tear down while I listen to this song. 
Accept is a legendary Heavy Metal Band from Germany, blazing through the late 1970’s and releasing crushing Old School Heavy Metal right up until 1996. U.D.O. is the Heavy Metal brainchild from the iconic lead singer from Accept… Udo Dirkschneider. U.D.O. released their first studio album in 1987, with “Animal House”… in 1988 their second studio album released, titled “Mean Machine”. U.D.O. has released many albums over the years, with their latest studio effort being “Mastercutor”, released in 2007. I have and always will be a huge fan of Udo Dirkschneider, Accept was an incredible Heavy Metal band, they never wavered or catered to any musical flavor of the day, just 100% Heavy Metal albums they released back in the day. With Udo carrying on his grand Heavy Metal career with U.D.O., it only makes me psyched – knowing this legend is still around. Udo may not receive the glamourous adulation from the mainstream Rock press like Rob Halford, Ronnie James Dio, Brian Johnson or Ozzy, however, he is just as important to the history of Heavy Metal as any of these lead singers are.
Judas Priest and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal or (NWOBHM) took me by storm back in the Summer of 1982. Honestly, I was aware of the “British Steel” album from Judas Priest then, yet nowhere near Metal schooled about this band as I should have been. It was in 1982 when I was beginning to delve deeper into the world of Heavy Metal… Judas Priest basically opened the gates of Metal for me to enter… and enter I did. I have never looked back. Of course, after my very first listen to my buddies “Screaming for Vengeance” album, I rushed over to my nearest Caldor department store and bought my own copy. This album then had me salivating for more of “The Priest”. In short time I owned every available album from this mighty band, choosing “Stained Class” to be my favorite all time Judas Priest album – this opinion stands Metal tall to this very day. This “Screaming for Vengeance” album initiated me to own the entire catalog of Judas Priest, it initiated me to seek out and enjoy more Metal bands and their powerful music. Judas Priest was the Metal band, this was the Metal album that had me realize that Metal was to be my life long favorite music genre. Metal case closed.
Without question, as I look back now, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” was the break out, commercial success song, that was instrumental in carving Judas Priest into the Metal giant and Rob Halford into the Metal God of today. That is cool with me, this song was necessary for Judas Priest to break into the hum drum FM radio environment, that was existing back in 1982. When I first heard “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'”, it was as if my entire body went on an adrenaline trip that was truly foreign to me. All I can remember is – I never felt such intensity envelope my body and mind like this song did. And to think, if this song riveted me in such a manner, what did listening to the rest of this album do to my senses? It was Heavy Metal euphoria, back in 1982. To be perfectly clear, this album was Heavy Metal 101 for me. Before “Screaming for Vengeance” was discovered by me, Kiss, Cheap Trick, AC/DC and Foreigner were the heaviest bands I ever listened to.
I am a lifelong Kiss fan, guilty of admiring a Heavy Metal band that has influenced the genre of Metal both musically, theatrically and of course… commercially. Out of the entire Kiss catalog of Heavy Metal, there has to be my favorite album of all time… my choice of favorite Kiss album seems to change yearly. (Oh well, that is my Metal dilemma I have to live with). As of today, Sunday, July 26, 2009, my favorite Kiss album of all time is “Creatures Of The Night”, (released in 1982). This Kiss album came out after “The Elder” album, making for quite the triumphant, Heavy Metal return. When I first heard the song “I Love It Loud”, man, was I ever psyched out of my Metal mind! I was serving time in High School when this album released, having this Kiss song to play loud back then was true innocent rebellion. Playing this song and the entire “Creatures Of The Night” album loud today, well, is just because I want to and can. (No more rebellion is left in my system… I think). 
Cheap Trick, “The Latest” may just very well be the album that proves this band has elevated themselves beyond the Rock Legends status. It is in my Metal opinion, Cheap Trick has become deserving of being called – Music Legends. Once again, Cheap Trick has not tried to reinvent themselves, instead they have created thirteen new songs that justifies their Rock and Roll existence and legendary status. What Cheap Trick has proven to me, with “The Latest”, is that I can marvel at this band and also learn a valuable lesson about life… the lesson of never giving into complacency. The last three Cheap Trick studio albums including “The Latest” is as strong a Rock Music achievement as I could ever hear. This band is just knocking out some of the greatest albums of their career, this decade alone.
Rainbow was and still is one of the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal bands that I look upon with Metal reverence. The song writing, lyrics, musicianship, melodies, well, I could go on forever about why I have liked this band so much. Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, in my Metal opinion, is a guitar legend, both with Deep Purple and Rainbow. Ritchie Blackmore collaborated with lead vocalist Joe Lynn Turner on a few releases, back in the 1980’s. “Bent Out Of Shape” is one of those albums they created, writing nine out of the ten songs together. “Bent Out Of Shape” can be taken as a commercial Hard Rock statement, only It is difficult for me to define this album as such. My standards for commercial Rock or Hard Rock/Heavy Metal definitely differ from other peoples standards. I need to hear consistent sappy ballads and/or radio – bubble gum – friendly songs before my stamp of commercialism is placed on an album. In other words, I feel “Bent Out Of Shape” is one mighty, melodic, Hard Rock album. Honestly, I have no problem with labeling “Bent Out Of Shape” as a Heavy Metal album. This album was released in 1983, the heaviness of Rainbow for back then, easily gave this band the label of Heavy Metal.
Journey, the Rock icon of a band. Journey “Evolution”, an album that is now referred to as a Classic Rock masterpiece… by me anyways. What else can one say about this incredible Rock album? Quite a bit can actually be said, this album established Journey, solidified them atop the Rock Music world for many, many, years. There could never be another Steve Perry, his vocals alone gave Journey their signature sound. In my opinion, there are lead singers that have vocals so breathtaking, they are the most important musical instrument in their respective band. I had felt this way about Steve Perry, with his years with Journey. Steve Perry’s vocals can never be duplicated, nor will he ever be forgotten by me as the lead singer for Journey. I will always appreciate Journey as the band they are today too. With that said, this is an article where I am celebrating the brilliance of a moment in time, one that can be listened to time and again, that moment was Journey’s “Evolution”, (released in 1979).
Back in 1980, I was enthralled by 38 Special. That year, I went to the Caldor Department Store and bought the 45 rpm of the hit single – “Rockin’ Into The Night”. I was in eighth grade with not too much cash in my pocket, still I always held onto enough dough to buy my 45’s. My parents were on an extremely fixed budget, therefore, I could not coax too many higher priced albums from them back then. That was fine, I was always grateful for what my parents could afford to give me. Besides, I more often than not, earned my records from doing yard work and cleaning up the house. That 38 Special 45 rpm was played by me continuously. “Rockin’ Into The Night” was my song back in 1980, no one else’s, (or so I thought). The truth of the day is, I did not buy the actual album “Rockin’ Into The Night” until decades later. Man, what was I thinking? The 45 rpm I had from 1980 had been worn down from repeated play, eventually tossed away. Yet, as I write this post, this Classic Southern Hard Rock album, (really it is a CD now), is a permanent fixture in my music collection. 
Faster Pussycat debuted their self titled album back in 1987. Sure, I gave Faster Pussycat a listen back then, they were never a #1 favorite of mine, still this band Rocked – and they still Rock to this day. Nonetheless, I still find time to give this band a listen. I recall Faster Pussycat being a cool party band to rock out to, back in the late ’80’s. Faster Pussycat was tied into the Hair Metal genre, right out of L.A., yet I always had the sense that this band was a bit more edgier and heavier to be pigeon holed into that genre. I just stamp the old Heavy Metal label on this band and I am done with it. This group does deliver a whole bunch of Heavy Rock & Roll with their sound, Taime Downe on lead vocals is a sliver reminiscent of Marc Storace of Krokus fame, (in my Metal opinion). Why I say Heavy Rock & Roll when I describe the music of Faster Pussycat is for really one valid reason… the piano that is at times featured in their songs. “Cathouse” is a great example of when you hear the Rock piano getting it’s fair usage. Without ever knowing this band, I can hear influences from the legendary Aerosmith, Taime Downe really does remind me of Steven Tyler on “Slip Of The Tongue”.
I have come to the conclusion, that Progressive Metal and Progressive Hard Rock are the genres that keep me grounded. Dream Theater offers me the best of two worlds, like a one-two Metal punch… this band makes me want to Rock out, then again, I have many moments with their music when I want to chill, in a Metal sort of way. I am not at all stating that Dream Theater can be easy listening Progressive Music… no way. They offer the segues, interludes, intro’s and instrumentals that serve as that musical cushion to fall back on, while awaiting the heavy parts. This is what draws me into their music, to always expect the unexpected with the Progressive nature of Dream Theater. Dream Theater has for me, come so far, paid their Metal dues, to be now recognized as a Progressive Metal super power. It is difficult to dispute the vast landscape of progressive musical ingenuity that Dream Theater bestows. listening to their new music is a reminder to me, that you can erase any other thoughts in your mind and escape into an album of songs.
“A Rite Of Passage” is an amazing song, it reminds me of what maybe Rainbow would sound like, in 2009. The keyboards in this song is what has me thinking of vintage Rainbow, the melody also has a deep, rich, Classic Rock flavor. “A Nightmare To Remember”, the opening song, has all the dynamics I come to expect from Dream Theater, musically and lyrically. I am very glad the story line to this song has a happy ending, despite the child mentally reliving such a personal experience that is the referred nightmare. “Black Clouds & Silver Linings”, (released on June 23, 2009), has most certainly eclipsed my expectations of what to expect, both musically and lyrically. This new Dream Theater release deservedly reached #6 on the Billboard album charts on the initial week of it’s release. It is clear that new fans have embraced Dream Theater and all of their epic Progressive Metal.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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