Review Summary: Not a sellout disaster but still a noticeable step down from the heights of their other nineties albums
Falling Into Infinity is always remembered as the Dream Theater album that went commercial or, more realistically, when commercialism was thrust upon them. No force on earth could ever take away those lengthy epics or technical exercises, but Awake’s edges have largely been sanded off with some extra concessions made for then-contemporary alt rock influence. The band is never unrecognizable but the bright summery tone is enough to suggest a complete move away from their established trajectory.
This style change on top of the personnel shifts between albums lead to some changes in the band’s dynamic. Keyboardist Derek Sherinian does well enough in his sole full-length appearance; his playing is much bolder than Moore’s but doesn’t quite the prowess that Jordan Rudess would soon bring to the table. With this also being the first album after James LaBrie’s infamous food poisoning incident, the vocals are an unfortunate step down from the last couple outings. He’s still no doubt trying his best, but his nasal timbre lacks that old smoothness with noticeable struggles to move between octaves.
In a fun twist, John Myung ends up being the album’s biggest winner. A combination of the less aggressive guitar and the drums staying involved allows the bass to come out much more prominently than usual and many of the songs are driven by their basslines. The bookending “New Millennium” and “Trail of Tears” are the most obvious demonstrations of this at work but it’s also kinda neat to see the bass even anchoring a ballad like “Take Away My Pain.”
And with that, there are still plenty of enjoyable songs on display. While the ballads may be the biggest candidates for sellout accusations, they manage to do it for me; “Peruvian Skies” has some neat haziness even if it’ll break out into Stone Temple Pilots’ “Creep” at any second, “Hollow Years” is a pleasant slice of adult contemporary, and “Anna Lee” has some sweet piano work. “Lines In The Sand” is easily the biggest winner as thirteen minutes feel downright breezy thanks to that funky bass line, driving pace, and the chorus’s righteous cameo from King’s X icon Dug Pinnick.
But considering how an album like Awake was at its best when going heavy, I must note the irony of saying the opposite for this album’s equivalents. “You Not Me” is clunky alt-metal radio bait that feels as forced as a Desmond Child co-write on a Dream Theater song would suggest while “Just Let Me Breathe” is a misfire of awkward sequencing and industry critiques. There’s promise in the creeping bass and pounding chorus on “Burning My Soul,” but also an ‘almost there’ feeling that keeps me from being fully sold on it.
While Falling Into Infinity isn’t the sellout disaster perceived at the time, there is a very noticeable drop from the heights of their other nineties efforts. The atmosphere and immaculate energy are no doubt missed, but the lighter flavor has quite a bit going for it, especially if you’re a bass fan. There’s enough good to understand the remedial treatment it’s received in recent years, but also enough to understand why the band members still have very mixed feelings about it.
