"Illumination Theory" is a song by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. The song was released on 23 September 2013, as the closing track of the band's 12th album Dream Theater. It features a string ensemble conducted and arranged by Eren Başbuğ.[1] The song's lyrics, according to the guitarist John Petrucci, are about things for which people will live, die or kill.[2] The song's length is 22:17, making it Dream Theater's fifth longest to date.
| "Illumination Theory" | |
|---|---|
 Artwork for "Illumination Theory" 12" picture disc, released exclusively for Record Store Day 2014. | |
| Song by Dream Theater | |
| from the album Dream Theater | |
| Recorded | 2013 |
| Genre | Progressive metal, symphonic metal |
| Length | 22:17 |
| Label | Roadrunner Records |
| Composer(s) | |
| Lyricist(s) | John Petrucci |
| Producer(s) | John Petrucci |
The entire song was released as a 12" picture disc exclusively for Record Store Day 2014 and limited to 2,700 copies.
Segments
edit- I. "Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire" (instrumental)
- II. "Live, Die, Kill"
- III. "The Embracing Circle" (instrumental)
- IV. "The Pursuit of Truth"
- V. "Surrender, Trust & Passion"
The song properly ends at 19:17, leading to a 30-second silence followed by a hidden track consisting of an electric guitar and piano instrumental, clocking the song out at 22:17.
Personnel
edit- Dream Theater
- James LaBrie – lead vocals
- John Petrucci – guitar, backing vocals, producer
- Jordan Rudess – keyboards, Continuum, GeoSynth App
- John Myung – bass guitar
- Mike Mangini – drums, percussion
- String ensemble
- Violin I – Misha Gutenberg (concert master), Larisa Vollis
- Violin II – Yelena Khaimova, Yevgeniy Mansurov
- Viola – Aleksandr Anisimov, Noah Wallace
- Cello – Anastasia Golenisheva, Valeriya Sholokhova
- Contrabass – Len Sluetsky
- Production
- Eren Başbuğ – orchestral arrangements, conducting[3]
References
edit- ^ Bosso, Joe (18 September 2013). "Jordan Rudess talks Dream Theater's self-titled new album track-by-track". MusicRadar. Future. Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ "DREAM THEATER 2013 – Track by Track Interview with James LaBrie & John Petrucci". Google. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2014 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Eren Basbug orquesta el nuevo álbum de Dream Theater: La Imagen de la Semana (LXXVI)". The Shaman's Blog. 14 May 2013. Archived from the original on 12 November 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014.