Solitude_within
Bluelighter
Now, don't get me wrong....I really don't mind Dream Theater's music at all, but at times it can be a bit unsatisfying. I'll wait 5 or 6 minutes through an otherwise run of the mill song, only to be surprised by a section of extremely talented and entertaining guitar work. Of course, this lasts only a minute or two, and it's back to the main part of the song. Personally, it's frustrating when I consider how SO MUCH MORE of their material could include fully fleshed-out guitar instrumentations that span greater lengths of the song. I feel this might bring to life John Petrucci's fantastic abilities as a guitarist, and it would realize the full extent of his raw talent and flawless execution. I wouldn't dare call Dream Theater's music poor by any means, but I feel there is a lot of unused potential when Petrucci's ferocious attack maybe isn't as prominent as it should be.
Enter: Suspended Animation
A couple years ago, John Petrucci released his first (and to date, his only) solo album called Suspended Animation. Somehow, I found the record in my hands and started to listen to it. Well, not only had the guitar been brought to center-stage as I had always hoped Petrucci would do, but what I heard was a ridiculously intense, album-long journey of immensely talented guitar work. Drawing from hard rock, metal, ambient art-rock, and blues, among others, it's almost as if the album is just one big solo that pauses for moments here and there, giving the listener a rest from it's shredding glory. Seriously, Petrucci fucking destroys all pretenses of the guitar with this album.
So, after blowing my mind countless times and sending me straight to musical bliss, I was finally physically able to put down Suspended Animation and resume the somewhat of a normal musical diet that I had before. Needless to say, I was primed and ready for more....LOTS more. There was never a thought in my mind that there wouldn't be a successor to this album that I held so dearly to my heart...and so, filled with giddy ideas of the greatness to come, I was eager as all hell for Petrucci's next effort to be released. Slowly a year or two went by, and no word of a new solo album...."that's okay," I thought, "even if it does take a little bit longer, it will certainly be worth the wait." Three, then four years passed, and my hopes for a sequel dimmed.
I currently sit, almost five years and counting, faithfully waiting for my beloved (and probably non-existent) masterpiece to arrive. And still I ask: "Given how excellently written and played Suspended Animation is.....why no sequel?" Perhaps John Petrucci just wasn't interested in doing another one. Whatever the reason, I still hold a dim flicker of hope for another solo album to be released....
------------
When I started writing this, it was my intention to connect with fellow fans of John Petrucci, rather than going on and on about my love for Suspended Animation. So thank you if you've read this far, I hope you didn't completely hate the story and can at least identify with some of what I'm saying. If not, then at least check out the aforementioned album: most guitar-enthusiasts will not be disappointed
If nothing more, then please let this thread be a simple gift of deep respect and infinite appreciation from an adoring fan to a true master of the guitar:
John Petrucci
Enter: Suspended Animation
A couple years ago, John Petrucci released his first (and to date, his only) solo album called Suspended Animation. Somehow, I found the record in my hands and started to listen to it. Well, not only had the guitar been brought to center-stage as I had always hoped Petrucci would do, but what I heard was a ridiculously intense, album-long journey of immensely talented guitar work. Drawing from hard rock, metal, ambient art-rock, and blues, among others, it's almost as if the album is just one big solo that pauses for moments here and there, giving the listener a rest from it's shredding glory. Seriously, Petrucci fucking destroys all pretenses of the guitar with this album.
So, after blowing my mind countless times and sending me straight to musical bliss, I was finally physically able to put down Suspended Animation and resume the somewhat of a normal musical diet that I had before. Needless to say, I was primed and ready for more....LOTS more. There was never a thought in my mind that there wouldn't be a successor to this album that I held so dearly to my heart...and so, filled with giddy ideas of the greatness to come, I was eager as all hell for Petrucci's next effort to be released. Slowly a year or two went by, and no word of a new solo album...."that's okay," I thought, "even if it does take a little bit longer, it will certainly be worth the wait." Three, then four years passed, and my hopes for a sequel dimmed.
I currently sit, almost five years and counting, faithfully waiting for my beloved (and probably non-existent) masterpiece to arrive. And still I ask: "Given how excellently written and played Suspended Animation is.....why no sequel?" Perhaps John Petrucci just wasn't interested in doing another one. Whatever the reason, I still hold a dim flicker of hope for another solo album to be released....
------------
When I started writing this, it was my intention to connect with fellow fans of John Petrucci, rather than going on and on about my love for Suspended Animation. So thank you if you've read this far, I hope you didn't completely hate the story and can at least identify with some of what I'm saying. If not, then at least check out the aforementioned album: most guitar-enthusiasts will not be disappointed
If nothing more, then please let this thread be a simple gift of deep respect and infinite appreciation from an adoring fan to a true master of the guitar:John Petrucci
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