Dream Theater

The two work titles for 'Falling Into Infinity' were :

- Stream Of Conciousness
- Shattered Calm

Produced by Kevin Shirley
Release date US - Tuesday, September 23rd 1997
Everywhere else - Friday, September 19th 1997

CD tracklisting:

1. New Millennium (8:20)
2. You Not Me (4:58)
3. Peruvian Skies (6:43)
4. Hollow Years (5:53)
5. Burning My Soul (5:29)
6. Hell's Kitchen (4:16)
7. Lines In The Sand (12:05)
8. Take Away My Pain (6:03)
9. Just Let Me Breathe (5:28)
10. Anna Lee (5:51)
11. Trial Of Tears (13:07)

final CD running time 78:18

Tape Tracklisting

Side A:

1. New Millennium (8:20)
2. You Not Me (4:58)
3. Peruvian Skies (6:43)
4. Hollow Years (5:53)
5. Just Let Me Breathe (5:28)
6. Anna Lee (5:51)

Side B:

1. Burning My Soul (5:29)
2. Hell's Kitchen (4:16)
3. Lines In The Sand (12:05)
4. Take Away My Pain (6:03)
5. Trial Of Tears (13:07)


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Cover artwork was done by the legendary Storm Thorgerson (also known as Hipgnoses) who has done all of the classic Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin covers. Also, the CD and tape have slightly different covers. Storm did the same thing with Pink Floyd's The Division Bell album.

The following songs did not make it on the album :

- Raise the Knife (11:15)
- Where Are You Now (7:15)
- The Way it Used To Be (8:00)
- Cover My Eyes (3:20)
- Speak To Me (6:15)

Metropolis Part II isn't on the list because it wasn't finished yet. Rumour has it that Metropolis part II (which is currently about 25 minutes long) will be released as an EP with additional live tracks, in the middle of 1998.

Dream Theater placed in the top 10 bands in the Metal Edge Reader Polls, and Derek placed #3 for keyboards.

Mike Portnoy recently won two categories in Modern Drummer's annual Readers Poll. This year, Mike won the "Progressive Rock" category (4th year in a row), along with the "Recorded Performance" category for "Falling Into Infinity".

In previous polls, Mike won the "Recorded Performance" category for "Awake" and "A Change Of Seasons" and "Up & Coming Drummer" in 1993 for "Images And Words".

The setlist for the Europian "Fix for '97" tour was exactly the same as the one for the US "Fix for '96" tour. Here is the setlist as it was posted on the Ytsejam mailinglist :

A.C.O.S. -- 1 (The Crimson Sunrise)
A.C.O.S. -- 2 (Innocence)
The Mirror/Lie
Burning My Soul
Another Hand/Killing Hand
Just Let Me Breathe
Caught In Alice's 9-Inch Tool Garden
Peruvian Skies
Pull Me Under
Lines In The Sand
Take Away My Pain
A.C.O.S. -- 4 (The Darkest of Winters)
The Ytse Jam
Learning To Live
A.C.O.S. -- 7 (The Crimson Sunset)

Encore: Metropolis Part 1
approx. 2hr 15min

1) ACOS 2 went directly into The Mirror/Lie
2) The Killing Hand had a new jazzier keyboard section just before "When I go back again, would it be the same..."
3) Peruvian Skies went right into Pull Me Under (dat-dat-dat, dat-dat-dat)
4) ACOS 4 actually started with the end of Carpe Diem, without vocals. (The part where Myung is doing the crazy bass line, and of course "PLEASE DON'T GO" had to be sung by us)
5) ACOS 4 goes right into Ytse Jam goes right into Learning to Live goes right into ACOS 7. Take into account that comment #4 was an instrumental, we didn't see James for about 20 minutes...he had a nice break.
6) Learning to Live had a new addition to the middle section...much more rocking, but I'm not sure if I preferred it to the original. It was fun to hear something different.
7) Metropolis had a new instrumental added that sounded to me like it was borrowed from "Cupid's Dead" by Extreme and "Night Ranger" by Night Ranger.

In Tilburg (Holland) they skipped "Lines in the Sand" and played "Trial of Tears" instead.

DT went on the road in the US in 1996, this time for 5 shows in December, to test out the new material for the album and to thank the fans for being so patient with the delay of the new album. See the setlist at the top of this page. A band named "Einstein", featuring Jonathan Mover (ex-GTR, ex-Marillion) opened for them.

Wed. December 4th - The ChancePoughkeepsie, NY
Thu. December 5th - Mulcahy's Long Island, NY
Fri. December 6th - Toad's Place New Haven, CT
Fri. December 12th - The StrandProvidence, RI
Sat. December 14th - Birch HillOld Bridge, NJ

Hey all,
Mike here......

Yes, I have received all of the kind emails from all of you since my "coming out" a few weeks back...I should have time to answer some of them sometime in the next century or so..... : )

A few things:
A) A few people have mentioned that the German LTE CD's have spaces throughout 3MW which therefore makes it DEFECTIVE!!
This is a total bummer for me as well, and I have spoken to the guys at Magna Carta who are freaking.....They are recalling the whole run and re-pressing the CD.
I believe if you have the original, they will exchange your copy for the proper version through the mail.....check with them through their web-site....

B) I will have confirmations on our summer plans in the next week or so, but I can say that what we have PENCILED in is:
1. headlining Europe through April
2. some select headlining shows in the US in May
3. European festivals in June
4. opening slot for Deep Purple in the US through August & September afterwards, I think it will be time to start thinking of the next recording........
As things get confirmed, I'll pass them along.

C) here's a crazy one for ya......I'm finishing up turning my basement into a rehearsal / recording studio.
Marlene & I are using all of the banners that fans have made & I have collected through the years....my problem is, I am covering the walls, ceiling, etc and have run out of banners...
Your mission if you choose to accept it....if you are coming to any of our European shows in April (or any shows in the future for that matter...) make a banner and toss it up on stage for me at the end of the show....
I'll use it in my studio & maybe even post a picture of it to you all when it's done...

That's all the news that's fit to print for the time being....

c-y'all on the road,
Carpe Diem
Mike Portnoy

Well, this is gonna be short but I wanted to post a couple things that I found out last night in talking to Mike. First off, the B-sides for Hollow Years are gonna be You or Me (the pre-Desmond Child version of You Not Me) and I believe Where Are You Now.

(Turned out to be 'The Way It Used To Be')

Also, within the next 24 hours or so (as I type this) they need to wrap things up for a little special something all of us (who are in the fanclubs) will be getting come December - most of you can guess what I'm talking about.

Source: Ytsejam

Like last year, there will be another Xmas present from Dream Theater to the fanclubs members. Unlike last year, this present won't be given to just members of the UK fanclub but to members of all five official fanclubs.

Hello All!!
Well after 2 months of seriously intense work, our new album is FINALLY finished!!!!
It is amazing!!! (If I may say so myself!)
Here are the final details which you can pass onto the world & beyond:

Dream Theater - "Falling Into Infinity"
Produced by Kevin Shirley
Release date - Tuesday, September 23rd 1997

CD track listing:

* New Millennium (8:20)
* You Not Me (4:58)
* Peruvian Skies (6:43)
* Hollow Years (5:53)
* Burning My Soul (5:29)
* Hell's Kitchen (4:16)
(Instrumental - made up of old middle of "Burning....")
* Lines In The Sand (12:05)
(featuring guest vocals by Doug Pinnick of King's X)
* Take Away My Pain (6:03)
* Just Let Me Breathe (5:28)
* Anna Lee (5:51)
* Trial Of Tears (13:07)

final CD running time: (78:18)

Unfortunately - due to manufacturing restrictions, it is possible (but not confirmed) that the cassette version may be shorter (as was the case with "Awake").

The Japanese release will most likely have a bonus CD containing 1 or 2 extra songs. (the demos will be used for extra tracks...nothing else was recorded during the album's sessions....)

The 1st single to go to American Rock radio will likely be "Burning My Soul". It will probably be serviced approximately 2 weeks prior to the album's release (figure the 2nd week in September)...so start calling your local station!

Cover artwork was done by the legendary Storm Thorgerson who has done all of the classic Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin covers.

We are scheduled to play 3 or 4 Headlining shows in South America in the middle of September, and then if all goes as planned...we'll begin the world tour starting in America sometime in October...

Well....There you have it!!!!
All the news that's fit to print.....
As more details unfold, I'll pass them on as always....
Until then,
Carpe Diem........

Mike Portnoy