Breaking the Fourth Wall is a live album and video recorded at Boston Opera House and features popular Dream Theater songs like ‘On the Back of Angels’, ‘Strange Déjà Vu’ and ‘Illumination Theory’. The song Illumination Theory features an orchestra from Berklee College of Music and a keytar solo by Jordan Rudess.
Never before had Dream Theater performed Space-Dye Vest live. The recording quality of the album is superior as the gear used by the band is best in its class. Many Dream Theater fans will like the album as the live performance is very energetic and entertaining as James LaBrie hops from one place to another on stage and makes the audience sing the chorus.
But too much excitement ruins songs sometimes. In some places his voice is irritating. But others overlap his faults. The drum solo of Mike Mangini in Enigma Machine is awesome. The song Space-Dye Vest was performed well and with great feeling.
The most energetic song was On The Back Of Angels. The bass shredding by John Myung is insane. Mike Mangini plays with all his energy and strength and when you see him blasting the cymbals you literally get goose bumps. It is a magical experience. They have performed every song perfectly without missing a beat but at the same time adding a new flavour to each one.
This album will take in every aspect of metal. Some places the riffs are heavy, in some places groovy, with many different styles and it covers songs from many albums such as Awake and Dream Theater, making it ideal for Dream Theater fans.
The lyrics of On The Back Of Angels are heart-touching and Illumination Theory are very meaningful. The album comprises Petrucci’s playing in styles of Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen and Kirk Hammett. Looking Glass sounds better live than on album.
Would I recommend the album? Absolutely. Perhaps not for the first time DT listener, but if you’re a fan of the band you’ll enjoy it immensely. It proves once again that Dream Theater are still at the top of their game when playing live. And most definitely in this case, they have proven they are still relevant, they are still perfectionists and most of all – they are still most definitely Dream Theater.
It is available in CD, DVD, and Blu-ray formats.
