When Dream and Day Unite debut album by Dream Theater

This album is the only one Dream Theater recorded with the full original lineup: John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, John Myung, Kevin Moore and the first singer, Charlie Dominici.

Petrucci, Portnoy and Myung met at Boston’s Berklee College of Music and started the band under the name Majesty. Then, with the arrival of keyboardist Kevin Moore and singer Chris Collins (later replaced by Charlie Dominici), they decided to change the name to Dream Theater to avoid legal copyright issues.

In 1988, they signed a deal with Mechanic/MCA Records and went to Sigma Sound Studios in New York to record the album.  The record is packed with incredible instrumental technique and complex polyrhythms, strongly recalling ’80s progressive metal (with influences from bands like Rush and Marillion) and the energy of Heavy Metal.

It’s a collection of songs written by the band members over a long period, mainly during their high-school years when they were called Majesty. 

The album title, “When Dream and Day Unite” (When dream and day unite), appears as a line in the final track, “Only a Matter of Time”.  This title perfectly embodies the band’s philosophy at the time.  Dreams (the Dream) meeting and blending with everyday life (the Day). For these very young guys, releasing their first record meant the dream of becoming professional musicians was finally taking shape.

The title also plays on the contrast in their name, Dream Theater (Theater of the Dream), suggesting a passage between the world of dreams and that of reality. 

And then there’s the album cover, which has a truly deep meaning.  It depicts a man about to be branded on the chest with the Majesty Symbol, the famous stylized “M” that is still Dream Theater’s logo today.  Originally, the photo (shot and then painted by artist Mitch Jyoti) was supposed to include a letter “A”.  But the band asked to replace it with the “M” of Majesty.  Even though the name changed to Dream Theater, they chose to keep the visual concept of the original logo, which represented the very strong bond and total identification with their music.  Kind of like a tattoo, in short, that tells a story and shows who you are.

This album is a real bomb, an explosive mix of energy and power that recalls classic American metal, like Queensrÿche, Fates Warning and Iron Maiden, but with the structural complexity, time changes and refined melody of ’70s progressive rock, especially Rush and Yes.  The influence of the Canadian trio is obvious throughout the album, from the synthesizers to the guitar riffs, all the way to the structure of the instrumental “Ytse Jam”, which recalls Rush’s legendary “YYZ”.

The keyboards are airy and the melodies evocative, a bit like Marillion in the Fish era.  And then there’s the rhythm section: Mike Portnoy on drums and John Myung on bass are already in perfect sync, with those time changes and polyrhythms, odd meters and sudden stop-and-go parts.  The album also introduces what would become their trademark: fast, complex solos played in unison (or off-beat) by John Petrucci on guitar and Kevin Moore on keyboards.  A show.

Charlie Dominici’s voice is perfect for ’80s metal and melodic rock.  Technical and clean, it recalls singers of the era like Geoff Tate of Queensrÿche or Geddy Lee of Rush, but without the big, theatrical sound James LaBrie would bring on later albums.  The album’s overall sound is shaped by Mechanic Records’ limited budgets and 1989 mixing standards. Kevin Moore’s keyboards have a dreamy, typically “eighties” tone, while the drums have that pronounced reverb that was fashionable at the end of the decade.  This gives the record a nostalgic, unique atmosphere, different from later works with much bigger, heavier productions.

This album contains some of the band’s most important tracks, many of them written during their college years. Among these, “A Fortune in Lies”, “The Killing Hand” and “Ytse Jam” stand out, an anagram of Majesty.  

Despite enthusiastic reviews praising the musicians’ incredible technical skill, the record didn’t break through as expected, also due to the label’s poor promotion. During the short promotional tour, Dream Theater decided to let Charlie Dominici go, because they felt his voice wasn’t up to their musical ambitions.  

It took two years before they found the perfect singer: Canadian James LaBrie, who would then lead them to create their masterpiece, Images and Words. As I said at the beginning, it was the start of a long story full of success.

My Version

Label: MCA Records – MOVLP2099, Universal Music – MOVLP2099, Music On Vinyl – MOVLP2099
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue, Stereo, Red Clear, 180 g
Country: Europe
Released: 7 Sep 2018

Tracklist

A1        A Fortune In Lies 5:10
A2        Status Seeker 4:15
A3        The Ytse Jam 5:43
A4        The Killing Hand 8:40
B1        Light Fuse And Get Away 7:23
B2        Afterlife 5:27
B3        The Ones Who Help To Set The Sun 8:04
B4        Only A Matter Of Time 6:35

Lineup

Bass Guitar [Bass Guitars] – John Myung

Drums, Percussion – Mike Portnoy

Guitar [Guitars] – John Petrucci

Keyboards – Kevin Moore

Vocals – Charlie Dominici

Note: All links to the musicians’ works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page