DREAM THEATER – Lost Not Forgotten Archives; Master of Puppets – Live in Barcelona (2021)
DREAM THEATER are pleased to announce the upcoming re-release of one of the most sought-after entries in the band’s previously recorded Ytsejam Records catalog: “Master of Puppets”. The next entry in the Lost Not Forgotten Archives series will see this remastered edition of the band’s historic presentation from Barcelona, Spain, of Metallica’s 6x-certified platinum record, performed live in its entirety in 2002.
Here, Dream Theater cover Master of Puppets without drawing attention to themselves. Mike Portnoy does not grandstand and overplay. Nobody does. If the effort was to do an authentic version of Puppets, as close to note for note as possible, then I say mission accomplished. Beat for beat, this is stunningly true to the original album… with a Dream Theater flavor.
And it’s awesome.
Dream Theater is a very different band from Metallica, but both are terrifc acts. The most obvious difference is that Metallica have two guitar players, while Dream Theater has one and a keyboard player.
On this, Jordan Rudess does aggressive keyboard solos where Kirk Hammett may have laid down one with his axe. He also plays the acoustic parts on keys. From time to time, you forget it’s a keyboard. In short, Rudess turns the prospect of Metallica with keyboards into a lesson on forgetting your assumptions about keyboards!
James LaBrie fits the silhouette of a young James Hetfield. He sings a convincing Metallica cover indeed! He cuts loose and goes for it. Metallica requires a gritty singer, going for it 110%. LaBrie handles it.
For Dream Theater, doing these cover albums (from a wide variety of bands in fact) must be a lot of fun. They would have the chance to sing and play in a way that isn’t the usual for them. Guitarist John Petrucci does not often get to riff on something for five minutes straight like Metallica do.
Lars haters are naturally going to ask “What do Metallica songs sound like with a real drummer?” Hey, I’m no Lars hater. (He can play better than I can…) But in answer to that question I can only respond “f@cking awesome”.
Here, Dream Theater draw attention to the fact that these are great metal songs. Are they Metallica’s best-ever set of songs? Some prefer Kill ‘Em All, some Ride the Lightning, some The Black Album. Any way you slice it, Puppets is metal immortal, a very important record in anyone’s collection.
Dream Theater painstakingly learned the album front to back so they could play it live for a few thousand people. They did that because it’s a great album on any day.
Highly Recommended
01. Battery (Live in Barcelona, 2002)
02. Master of Puppets (Live in Barcelona, 2002)
03. The Thing That Should Not Be (Live in Barcelona, 2002)
04. Welcome Home (Sanitarium) (Live in Barcelona, 2002)
05. Disposable Heroes (Live in Barcelona, 2002)
06. Leper Messiah (Live in Barcelona, 2002)
07. Orion (Live in Barcelona, 2002)
08. Damage, Inc. (Live in Barcelona, 2002)
Pre Order
www.amazon.com/Lost-Not-Forgotten-Archives-Barcelona/dp/B099ZX9HZ3
