Lost Not Forgotten Archives: When Dream and Day Reunite (Live)

Lost Not Forgotten Archives: When Dream and Day Reunite (Live) is the fifth release of Dream Theater's Lost Not Forgotten Archives. It was previously released by YtseJam Records in 2005. The album contains the second set of a show in Los Angeles in 2004 where the band performed its entire debut album When Dream and Day Unite to celebrate its fifteenth anniversary. The most interesting element about this release is the encore, featuring former singer Charlie Dominici on two songs and former keyboarder Derek Sherinian on one of the two songs.

The band was in excellent shape when playing this show as this release is even more exciting than the already very good debut album. James LaBrie's variable, skilled and recognizable vocals push the material onto a higher level. Jordan Rudess' skills on the keyboard make the material sound more dynamic, playful and progressive. The other members are simply true to themselves. John Myung is the solid backbone of the band with his precise and collaborative style on the bass guitar. John Petrucci delivers heavy riffs and beautiful solos with incredible diversity, flexibility and fluidity. Mike Portnoy's drum play is adventurous, dominant and powerful at all times. The invited musicians also do excellent jobs. Charles Dominici might not be as talented as James LaBrie but he manages to hit some high notes surprisingly well and compensates his minor technical flaws with addictive passion as he is clearly enjoying the spotlight. Derek Sherinian's performance isn't as versatile as Jordan Rudess' keyboard chops but his more atmospheric style adds a lot of depth to the song he is playing on that never gets boring despite a challenging running time of more than fourteen minutes.

The two encores are true gems for any fan of the band. ''To Live Forever'' is an obscure track from the early years that has only very rarely been played but its melodious quality would make other progressive metal bands go green with envy as this hidden masterpiece deserves more attention. The adventurous, improvised and playful version of ''Metropolis Part 1: (The Miracle and the Sleeper)'' is one of many intriguing versions of what might be the band's very best song and this rendition here convinces with its extended atmospheric instrumental section that justifies multiple spins to discover its numerous details over and over again.

At the end of the day, it's great that Dream Theater's Lost Not Forgotten Archives: When Dream and Day Reunite (Live) sees the light of day in a revamped version sixteen years after its original release and seventeen years after its recording. This live album doesn't only feature the under-appreciated debut album in its entirety but also convinces with improved musicianship and vocals and two stunning bonus tracks, including one eternal classic and one overlooked hidden gem, featuring two guest musicians connected to Dream Theater's illustrious past. Any fan of the band should pick this release up and even newcomers might start their discovery here with the debut album in its best possible form.

This "official bootleg" release of When Dream and Day REUnite was recorded from the 2004 Los Angeles show, which coincided with the15th anniversary of Dream Theater's first album release. The band performed that entire album during the 2nd half of their set that evening and invited former band members to join them for the encores (tracks 9 and 10).

Technology has come a long way. Dream Theater have managed to release a live recording of their first album that is far better than the album itself, which had a very compressed sound typical of the late 80s. The songs are pretty much identical to the original except for having a greater presence and force. The negative side to this release is the vocals. Personally, I think James Labrie is an excellent studio vocalist, but he lacks the power and breath to hit many of the upper range notes in the songs during a live performance although this has improved much in recent years. However, compared to the original album (and vocals of Charlie Dominici), Labrie is often flat. Of course, no one can be perfect in a 3 hour live performance.

The encores include Metropolis Part I (from Images and Words album) and To Live Forever, which was never released on an album. These two tracks feature former vocalist Charlie Dominici, who also sings rather flat in the performance and former keyboardist Derek Sherinian. Derek turns in a solid performance on Metropolis.

Overall, if you own Dream Theater's first album and have always wanted to hear a better mix of the songs, you will enjoy this. The vocals really aren't too far off the mark (except for Dominici in encores), and the energy in the songs are incredible.

Best tracks: A Fortune in Lies, Light Fuse and Get Away, Only a Matter of Time