Dream Theater: Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence REACTION/ANALYSIS | The Daily Doug (Episode 363)

#DreamTheater #SixDegreesOfInnerTurbulence
In this episode of #TheDailyDoug, I'm listening to the epic track by Dream Theater called Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. This was originally recorded in December, 2021 for my Patreon community as part of our Extended Play Lounge series. Now, three months later (and by popular demand), I'm releasing this hour-long video in its entirety to our KZbin audience. I hope you enjoy this #MasterpieceFriday episode!
Reference Video: • Dream Theater - Six De...
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[@rtrooperw8115]

One of the greatest ever Prog Metal albums, EVER…. period.🙏🏻👍🏻🤟🏻

[@mikegallagher2732]

🤘😄🤘 INDEED !!!!!!! ESPECIALLY if you caught this LIVE.. FUCKING INCREDIBLE...

[@ramondebakker5046]

You are totally right

[@kakalakiakka4545]

After scenes from..

[@moisesfernandez5681]

Remember hearing Solitary Shell for the first time when I was 20. I always loved that song. Later in life, I became a father, and when my daughter was 3 and half she was diagnosed with autism. That song now has a whole new meaning for me; now I truly understand. Still one of my favourite DT songs, for more reasons than before. Solitary Shell of course speaks about a very severe case of autism. Even then, the song hits right home for me, as it is a surprisingly accurate depiction of someone living in the autism spectrum. Also I always got the impression that the characters of the song live in a time where treatments and understanding of mental illnesses are far more limited than today.

[@tazyou11]

Actually, Solitary Shell I think is about Asperger's Syndrome a higher functioning form of Autism, as the words of the song describe me as a child and also a middle age male adult so well. I felt like they knew me as a child, how well it describes me exactly. That is why the song has a special place in my heart and always will. I can't remember a band writing music and to say a whole half album based on the mental health topic.

[@moisesfernandez5681]

@@tazyou11 Yes, of course, Asperger being a type if you like of autism, there are common points...either way is a wonderful way of referring to the spectrum. I think the joyful tone of the song is also very appropriate, as it very well reflects that a person living in the spectrum is happy, and can be happy, even if others think otherwise.

[@andyfox8377]

I've had Dyslexia and Dyspraxia and been on the spectrum slightly my whole life and this just spoke to me on so many levels over the years. As I grew up it I found even more meaning with song

[@tazyou11]

@@andyfox8377 I totally agree 👍 with what you are saying. Dream Theater's song really hits home with me.

[@mehulsheth7688]

Similar feeling here. Loved the song when I first heard it in college, but now that I have a son on the spectrum it has a completely new depth of meaning. I was confused initially about the “Monday morning lunatic”, “casual delusions, etc lines and initially thought the song was talking about maybe someone with schizoid personality disorder or maybe more of a “burnt out” schizophrenia since typically autism alone isn’t associated with psychosis. However, having experienced some of my son’s meltdowns which seem to come out of nowhere, eventually disappear like it never happened, and where it’s apparent that he’s not in control of his emotions at the time, I sort of loosely figure that’s where the lines come from-even though it’s not truly psychosis, to the outside observer that is not versed in autism, it may seem like they’re going crazy.

[@djdoubleyouab3568]

2005....severe depression....hearing sdoit for the first time....kept me alive and helped me heal.....music is a life saver....

[@fantoom88]

26:22 "It's almost a Satie progression" No way!!! That blow my fucking head, i've hearing this album for 15 years and playing Satie lot of years and it never came to me!!!! That comment made reference to "Gymnopédie No.1" by Erik Satie and it can't be more fucking right! love you

[@t3hgir]

that's Doug for ya! :)

[@GaudyGabriev]

Paraphrasing "nothing against Mangini, but Portnoy's musicianship is so enjoyable" is exactly right as far as I'm concerned. Portnoy's always been a drummer that I find knows how to serve the music marvelously.

[@JohnsOnStrings]

It's how I've always felt too... MM is amazing and can do anything (with one hand, and anything else with the other hand simultaneously), but MP still somehow delivers a musicality in his approach that makes him more accessible even if less unbelievable technique-wise.

[@Justin.Danford]

Love MM and he is amazing, but Portnoy has always had more “color,” more personality, more voice in his playing. You can hear Portnoy and know it’s him.

[@JK-js2td]

Portnoy is a "feel" drummer where Mangini is more "technical" drummer. Love both of them equally...both as musicians...and as human beings. 🤘

[@quix99]

And he was the leading creative force…THATS whats missed

[@GaudyGabriev]

@@quix99 Yeah, that too. But in any case, yeah, as absurdly technically proficient Mangini is, Portnoy's musicallity is way more enjoyable for me.

[@AMGU2B]

Labrie just kills it in this album, but specially in Losing Time. Underrated performance.

[@qcdoomqc]

People talk a lot about his voice in ‘93 with I&W but to me Six Degrees is my favorite from him. Beautiful singing all around.

[@calibadgerdude6082]

Yup. That closing chord and tone lead directly into As I Am from Train of Thought.

[@Ryguypie17]

I love what they did from Scenes From a Memory all the way to Octavarium. For that span, the ending of each album's closing track was the same as the beginning of the next album's opening track.

[@francisladouceur3819]

The end of Black clouds lead to A dramatic turn of events too.

[@nedrini1387]

@@francisladouceur3819 You are mistaken. Black clouds and silver lining ends with stargazer fading out. There’s no noise that continues on to the dramatic turn of events

[@passion4drums]

@@francisladouceur3819 that is definitely false 🤔

[@francisladouceur3819]

Sorry it was in head hahaha

[@N13900]

Next Dream Theater react: In the Presence Of Enemies part 1 and part 2. Amazing song and amazing lirycs, i'm sure you Love It.

[@JohnsOnStrings]

Yes! This!

[@u.v.s.5583]

The music is amazing. The lyrics are funny and I say this as a Revenge of Sith fan.

[@Ytsebri]

It’s one of their more straightforward songs but so amazing

[@beanman2206]

@@Ytsebri bro you must be getting confused with a different song lol id argue its one of the least straightforward

[@moatazlashine]

one of the greatest songs they ever made

[@AndyGrouch]

This is a killer album/song. Goodnight Kiss is one of their most emotional pieces. I hope you react to Best of Times, it's the saddest/most emotional song of the band, it's about Portnoy's tribute to his father after he passed away.

[@blackbird351]

Actually, Mike wrote it once his father got diagnosed, and his father got to hear it before he died

[@Arrow2theACL]

Doug reacted to The Best of Times on his Patreon Fan Favorites section for February.

[@Cody_Wan_Kenobi]

Disappear is another gut wrenching track.

[@JK-js2td]

@@Cody_Wan_Kenobi Disappear brings me to tears every. Single. Time. I hear it....the saddest lyrics with the most beautifully haunting music. Masterpiece!

[@colinburroughs9871]

The heavy parts worked well live, this whole tune though was the beginning of the end of DT. Just too much schmaltz and JLB cooing. Big ole' bag of nope. And the Best of Times, I tried that once, knew what the subject was about and because it set off every red flag I've got for this genera, I decided to stop it before I got too judgmental. DT really lost its song craft at some point and replaced it with forced emotion.

[@jllamb88]

Fun fact: Solitary Shell is a reworking (and renaming) of Peter Gabriel’s “Solsbury Hill.” Similar name, vocal phrasing, 7/4 time signature. Only the chorus is a brand new DT addition. Listen to the Peter Gabriel song and it’s amazing how DT can pay homage to their favorite artists (Portnoy loves Genesis) while making it an original piece.

[@miguelgoldberg]

4:04 Overture 11:26 About to Crash 17:33 War Inside My Head 20:59 The Test That Stumped Them All 26:07 Goodnight Kiss 33:20 Solitary Shell 41:21 About to Crash (Reprise) 46:42 Losing Time/Grand Finale

[@Leyrann]

About Solitary Shell and the dissonance between the topic and the music: It's one aspect I actually really like, as someone who has autism myself. Compared to most mental disorders, most of the time someone with autism (unless the case is really severe) can function in society just fine, and it may even go undiagnosed for decades if someone manages to find good enough coping mechanisms. However, there are those moments, which you can hear and feel in the lyrics, where suddenly everything just breaks down, and the result can be scary, in particular with someone who hasn't learned ways of handling them. In my own case, as a teenager I have on more than one case physically assaulted someone because I just got stuck inside my own brain and didn't know how to handle the situation. But 95% of the time, you're not even going to notice that I have autism, and everything just seems fine, I'm an introverted person and that's it. I even had trouble getting a counselor because person handling the request (who wasn't experienced with autism) thought I had things under control from how well I could explain what issues I was dealing with (note: things worked out in the end).

[@shanebilowitz7261]

You could listen to this 100 times and still find something new each time

[@neilgoodwin1046]

Oh yes indeed.

[@Ascnsyn]

Yes, most of top 10 dt song like that including octavarium

[@swngwyrdd3552]

The Dream Theater "Meta-Album" goes from Scenes From A Memory -> Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence -> Train Of Thought -> Octavarium It's spectacular to listen through all 4 in one continuous session.

[@faustomadebr]

I miss Portnoy creativity and musicality on DT... he is a genius.

[@Spivonious]

Me too. The band suffers without him, although I think Petrucci's ego has gotten way too big over the last 15 years. Six Degrees is their last unique album.

[@faustomadebr]

@@Spivonious I dunno if it is ego and if it is true, Id say both have their issues. I really dont know... :)

[@revonfyll]

@@Spivonious Ego? Interesting, why do you say that?

[@Homie3794]

@@Spivonious ehh, I wouldn't call it ego, and if it is, then it's definitely the fans fueling it. So many of the fans want them to make complex music for the sake of complexity and nothing else.

[@mr.games5883]

I thought the astonishing was very good. I just got into Dream theater but almost everything I’ve listened to I’ve enjoyed. I think that once I gave the songs a second or third chance they became so catchy and good.

[@joshuagarth6065]

In my abnormal psych class, my professor wanted us to create a vignette from a diagnosis from the dsm. I plagiarized heavily from solitary shell. I got docked a couple of points points because I "made it too easy" for my professor to figure out it was about an autistic kid. Looks like DT knew what they were writing about.

[@felipeaguena5289]

What's a vignette? Actually what's an abnormal psych class?? 😅

[@boots_33]

Mike Portnoy has said that the long E chord at the end of the piece was inspired by the final chord from The Beatles' "A Day in the Life," and yes, it leads right into the first song from Train of Thought called "As I Am." Also, I GREATLY recommend another song from the first Disc of this album called Disappear. One of my all-time favorite DT songs, very emotional and somber and beautiful.

[@JK-js2td]

Didnt realize the Beatles inspiration...but...not surprised! 👍 Totally with you on Disappear...the saddest...most hauntingly beautiful song on the planet. Makes me cry every single time.

[@59thfsaviation79]

You got that right about Portnoy. His feel and his ability to add to the music is unmatched. It's about heart and not chops. Mike just happens to have both.

[@malawigw]

Which Mike?

[@kennybenally7187]

Petrucci adds a lot to the songs as well. They worked in Tandem with all the albums. Portnoy wasn't the end all be all with DT songs. Proof? DT received a Grammy with "The Alien" minus Portnoy.

[@filipbartkiewicz469]

Yeah, they win the grammy award, because their music became more dull for mainstream, what I'm missing in their music is this complexity in which their songs were music puzzles and had little few second parts where all instruments were dancing with each other around like in Octavarium, Endless Sacrifice, About to Crash (reprise) and few other songs. Since Mangini I have not found such intresting parts

[@mrfahrenheit677]

@@kennybenally7187The grammys really don't mean anything. Do you think those people know anything about prog metal? lmao

[@joshuabrown3361]

This back half of the album made me bawl like a baby when i first heard it. I consider Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence to be one of my favorite albums of all time. No other release has made me feel the way this did.

[@joshuabrown3361]

For a bit of clarification, I am autistic (high functioning) so, I did indeed relate to Solitary Shelll.

[@fatalrailgun9972]

I was at the score show, I was 8 then and I still remember the excitement in radio city music hall it was amazing. We flew in from california to see this show it was amazing.

[@JollyBrandon]

I was there too, from NC! I was a bit older at 22 😎, but it was an awesome experience for sure! 5th row... stage left 🤘

[@jordansbeard]

I saw there too great show. It’s a calmer crowd than the rose land show.

[@woodenhoe]

Lucky!

[@danigar]

I'm surprised people preferred him to react to the studio over the Score one. The orchestra greatly elevates it imo and just seeing them play all of it live adds so much to the experience.

[@marvcar]

Totally agreed. If only he had reacted to the Score version with the orchestra

[@AndrewClark5]

The score version is absolutely the superior version as far as listening itself is concerned, but for a first time reaction the studio version lends itself much better to studying the music itself. Especially with how deep into the theory Doug likes to go, some of that detail would get lost in the live version since he’d also be focusing on the visual aspect.

[@Arrow2theACL]

1000% agreed. I was trying to push for the Score version in the poll on Patreon and Studio won by only a few votes. Still baffles me how it won.

[@Justin.Danford]

I was there at the 20th, the Score as the encore blew me right the F away. Still circling, looking to land.

[@bradlutz5812]

Naw...I think it would be easier to get distracted by the visuals etc and not take in the lyrics and emotion behind it all as much. You have to just sit with this before watching the Orchestral version. This was a good choice by Doug.

[@awarerocks]

Dear Doug, one day you'll react to the song Scarred, from the Awake album, and that will be a very good day for me and for you, discovering how good and mature was the early Dream Theater.

[@alpardal]

Awake is just awesome, he should just do the whole album as well 👌

[@deaj8450]

Awake is the best DT album imo. Labrie's best studio pefromance as well, he fucking kills it on that album.

[@T1hitsTheHighestNote]

+1

[@psychofunksoldier02]

I’ve listened to 6D dozens of times and now have a whole new level of appreciation for how great the song is musically and lyrically. Thanks for the deep dive, Doug!

[@datriaxsondor590]

These guys always know how to close out an album. The last track, tends to be my favourite of the album on practically all DT albums. Losing Time, was no different. What an amazing way to close out this gem of an album.

[@michaelhylanddpt]

Doug I love how you used the double kick drum as a drinking game. Brilliant. Lol. 🥃

[@MBBGun14]

I burst in tears while hearing Goodnight Kiss. When I have became father of sweet little baby girl, it started to hit me really hard. Hard to think what parent must feel.

[@deoccultist]

This album is definitely one of their most emotional ones, but it's also the one to which I have my own emotional ties. I got someone into DT who was pretty special to me at the time, and I was going through my own inner turbulence. I got her into a lot of great bands. Music was our bond... but because of my issues (and hers, too) things fell apart. So this one has become hard to listen to without painful memories mixed in with the good ones. "Solitary Shell" is her favorite song from this, and probably mine, too.

[@tazyou11]

I can tell you why Solitary Shell is my favorite song, because I am Autistic and the song portrays about as well as it can what I was like as a child and as a middle age adult so far. The whole album is great for sure, but I have a special place for Solitary Shell for the reason I said.

[@tally4478]

Yours is kind of a familiar story. I was first introduced to Dream Theater by someone who meant a lot to me. Solitary Shell was one of my favourites, too; I was brought to tears the first time I heard it because it resonated so strongly with me. I was going through a lot at the time, struggling to understand myself and everyone around me, and I put that person through a lot and lost them as a result - and those memories and regrets have been tied up with Dream Theater's music for me ever since. More than ten years later, I was finally diagnosed as having high functioning autism. Now I understand why I was struggling so much back then - and why that particular song spoke to me the way it did. Listening to it all these years later is rather bittersweet, but I still come back to it time and again. I think few songs will ever mean as much to me.

[@tazyou11]

@@tally4478 So sorry you had to go through that, but I totally know what you are talking about after being diagnosed about 15 years ago and I am 55 now.

[@prongATO]

A really cool song is Octivarium, from my English classes I realized the lyrics are written in iambic octameter. I love the little cool things you find inside DT songs!

[@Heaview]

Are you kidding me that even the lyrics follow these weird 8 rule as all the album did? Wow

[@bassgod985]

Yup, As I Am starts the next album and it opens with that closing chord. These guys are amazing

[@omerkeidar95]

Just a quick note about "about to crash reprise", the beginning doesn't show her coming out of her destructive pattern, it just shows the manic part of the loop. It's no less destructive, it could arguably be the worse part because people at this stage can do things they regret their whole lives (gambling, reckless spending, destroying relationships and sometimes even engaging in criminal/traumatic activities). And many of them realize during this stage that it's happening and that they can't maintain it, and that they're "about to crash". Disclaimer: I'm not an expert, this is my layman understanding of the topic.

[@NickHollis21]

31:45 right around there is where it's hard not to cry. such a sad story with beautiful music.

[@ramondebakker5046]

Still makes me cry, Petrucci hits the crying notes like no one other, he is the Master , just so amazing

[@tigerhawkteenager]

@51:20 Yes, there's 4 albums that go in order, it's Scenes From A Memory > Six Degrees > Train Of Thought > Octavarium. These are my, and I'm sure many people's favorite Dream Theater albums, and I think the fanbase kind of had you work backwards/Tarantino it. Octavarium was both the first album and song of theirs that I heard. Scenes From A Memory ends on static from a record player, and Six Degrees (the first CD) opens with static on The Glass Prison, which is also the first song of the 12 Step Suite. Six Degrees ends with that big chord/gong hit and Train of Thought opens with that chord/gong played backwards in As I Am. Which leads into This Dying Soul, the 2nd in the 12 Step Suite. Train Of Thought ends with a really low, faint piano note (I think it's an F?), and Octavarium starts with that note on The Root Of All Evil, the 3rd song in the 12 Step Suite). And then Octavarium (on the album) ends with that intro to the first song on the album, thus trapping you in that one album for all eternity.

[@workingmanbh]

People. Try to listen to this song while on an airplane trip, while it's taking off. It's so cool!

[@TwoHanderVGC]

Great song, great review. This is the song I said to myself, "If he reviews it, I'll become a patreon member". Well guess what, I'm a member now lol. Keep up the good work, Doug!

[@josephgallagher945]

"Put it all in a blender & Dream Theater comes out". PERFECTLY SAID. 👍

[@jamieperdue8663]

Disk 1 is one of my all time favorite DT albums. Misunderstood is in my top 5 DT songs. Awake is still my favorite DT album. It took me along time to really like this song (disk 2).

[@theblu2324]

This album gets me after i've watched Score, so takes me about 4 years to love it ☺

[@theodoreemmer8754]

Jordan's first appearance. I'd love Doug's analysis of The Great Debate

[@t3hgir]

BIG +1 to Mike Portnoy's musicianship. I love Mike Mangini's playing and personality but Portnoy with Dream Theater is classic. Brings back memories of when I was obsessed with them in high school. I had just became friends with a bassist who was a big 70s prog fan, we were discovering DT's music together at the same time, just blown away.

[@rafaelrodriguez3270]

The MP-MM debate reminds me the Peter Gabriel - Phil Collins with Genesis. I am a fan o MM and Collins but Portnoy and Gabriel eras are pieces of art.

[@martine7456]

@@rafaelrodriguez3270 The difference is that both Gabriel and Collins have personality and both add something different to the band. Whatever Mangini is adding, if anything, flies over my ears.

[@rafaelrodriguez3270]

@@martine7456 i was trying to be soft. But i agree with you

[@LMC-xz6qh]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RELEASING THIS TO THE PUBLIC!!!

[@manfredmar]

I absolutely love this song (album as a whole too) It just hits different. Glad you released this to the public.

[@thugguy14]

I'm so glad you did this masterpiece! You should listen to the live version in the Score album with the Octavarium Orchestra, you'll love it

[@marvcar]

Oh, that's true

[@sazidhasankhan9144]

I find that orchestra pretty lacking

[@premekss98]

Unfortunately, there are many mistakes by the orchestra, I don't think he would love it

[@user-tr3st4ms9g]

​@@premekss98like what 😐

[@Zebula77]

One of my fondest memories of seeing Dream Theater live was a version of Solitary Shell where they did this extended jam in the middle. I think it must have been in '07 or '08. Magical moment!

[@ceedee9186]

Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence was originally written by Jordan Rudess. It was an original piece of orchestra music. When he had an idea of showing to the band. Eventually this 43 long song was rearranged with the full band and we have SDOIT.

[@DanielVerberne]

This piece is just beautiful. Goodnight Kiss in particular with Petrucci's solo is a fantastic example of how a composition can build energy and drama. I give huge kudos to Petrucci for that solo, but it's a team effort and wouldn't be as effective without the entire band working to 'build the drama'.

[@delacruzneili]

Your channel makes me visit all the DT albums I took in cave many years ago. This is really refreshing.. thank you so much for existing. I have been a follower for a while now. thank you so much.

[@gamesandguitars354]

I can't believe I only see this reaction video now ! This song is amazing and you sir are very knowledgeable. I love joining you on Dream Theater journeys

[@matthewhearn9910]

For when you listen to some of the arrangements from the 20th Anniversary concert, Score, I feel it's worth pointing out that when it released there was an almost-serious drive by the fans to add a French Horn player as a permanent member of their lineup.

[@marvcar]

Yes

[@krisamagus1]

I got goosbumps listening to this after about15 years... Oh man This album is an evergreen, top, top, top music!!!!!!!!

[@ordiga]

Really love your DT videos. I consider myself to be a pretty serious DT fan and know most of these songs inside and out. Your perspective is awesome to hear and sheds a totally new light on these songs for me. Thank You!

[@TedAnthony]

So glad you uploaded this! This is one of my favorite DT songs and I always enjoy hearing your insight and commentary on DTs work 😁

[@eppufart2232]

Something about this song makes me feel incredibly sad, but also really hopeful. 3 years ago, my sister was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder and severe depression, and since then her life has been increasingly depressing... Everytime I listen to Losing Time and get to the end I just burst into tears, because I love her so much.

[@AtomizedSound]

Glad you uploaded this for the community. It’s a great song, not my favorite but it’s very good and makes me miss Portnoy’s writing in the band which made DT’s songs memorable more and better imo than they are now. Not saying they aren’t good now but that luster or shine they had in their works was better with Portnoy’s songwriting skills in the band. Take care and I hope you do more DT down there road.

[@adamkascak5632]

Hey Doug, just a quick appreciation post. Thank you for doing these analysis videos of DT music, I enjoy it very much! It is great to rediscover their albums again accompanied by your high quality inputs which often make me realize things I had never noticed while listening to this band before! You are doing a great job here, sir! I am looking forward to your next DT analysis video. Peace

[@Eelgram]

Far and away my favorite Dream Theater album. And that's saying something! Thanks for your insights and analysis, Doug, done with your usual enthusiasm, musical expertise and human touch, the latter of which puts your podcast head and shoulders above all others.

[@SeanMitchell4574]

This album makes my short list of favorites! Some of Mighty Mike's best drumming ever, and not only one of Dream Theater's finest albums, but one of the best of the entire genre.

[@maverator]

I too enjoy playing the “what’s the time signature” game.

[@TheBroman59]

You should check out disc1 of this album…it’s equally amazing!

[@t3hgir]

This will always be my favorite Dream Theater piece.

[@falloutfan2502]

Magnificent piece, and thanks so much for covering it in its entirety. That whole album is amazing, but the 42-minute song is stellar. I never cease to be amazed at their music year after year and album after album, and I've been a fan since Images and Words. Curious whether this outdoes Octavarium in your opinion - I think this is somewhat better, but difficult to compare.

[@bigvicious7317]

Such an amazing piece. Thank you for uploading this Doug

[@tony0_]

You'll love to here this with a real orchestra ? You can, because they made it live (with the "Octavarium Orchestra") : it's in the Score album (or DVD). It's amazing, I'm sure you'll love it !

[@wf29499]

We are almost near the end of the DT epics! The last one is In the Presence of Enemies Pt. I & II. Hard to not love all the time you put into these analyses beyond just going “oh my god what” over and over like other reaction videos.

[@SaloMikael]

As someone who is working in the music industry, as well as suffering from mental illness, I have watched this reaction for many times already, and everytime I appreciate your facial emotions and insight so much. Thank you for the work you do 🙏🥲🖤

[@countoftuscany6753]

outstanding episode! Really appreciate your comments and analysis. Well done, Doug!

[@akosizulyer]

I really love your reactions and comment with DT's album. I hope you continue doing this with their other album up to their recent ones.

[@ryanganaban8150]

Did you recognize About to Crash from when you saw them live?? It was incredible to hear them do it again on this tour, especially right into The Ministry of Lost Souls. This suite, and the whole album, are DT at it’s best. So glad you got to experience it!

[@Doug.Helvering]

It was great!

[@ryanganaban8150]

@@Doug.Helvering I always enjoy listening to your reactions to DT, because growing up they were my favorite band, and am also a huge theory/classical music nerd, so my brain works like this too when I listen. I am also a drummer so taking in all this rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic content is so exciting :D

[@ganteng_ini_menyiksa]

Finally you give your reaction to the entire epic song Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. I always enjoy your analysis of every DT song.

[@harikrishna398]

Doug is such an amazing listener, it's so awesome! Keep the great analysis' going!

[@tazyou11]

Thanks so much Doug for posting this here on your main channel. Was waiting for this as I was curious to know what you thought of the album, but more importantly the song, Solitary Shell as I am Autistic, or i was actually diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and relate to that song so much. Doug from my experience with Autism, Dream Theater got it right with the lyrics on that song, it might be hard to believe it, but I go through all of that most every day. I have moments in my day where I can be disturbed, lost within myself, in a catatonic state, or feeling like I am going in and out of sanity and then another moment seem just fine and some would wonder, there isn't anything wrong with me when they see me at least at the moment I am with them. Of course some of that could be me masking when I am with others and try hard not to let them see my Autism, so to speak. I am in my fifties now and I struggle to get through just about every day and I am helplessly behind. I relate to the lyrics, Monday morning lunatic, Disturbed from time to time and a momentary maniac with casual delusions, but then otherwise at different times I am just fine, wouldn't think anything wrong with me. I certainly was an odd child and definitely daydreamed in and out of my own world. Sometimes I would get frozen in my head and just literally stare at something maybe for a minute or so before I would be let go from that stare and carry on with my day. I will say that I did walk and talk on time too and did not care to be held as my mom has told me I never reciprocated when she would hug me as a child. I just was a limp body there and I know when my grandfather passed my mom hugged me crying and I didn't put my arms around her, I just stood there as she hugged me. Interesting what you say about working with Autism Speaks.They really got it right on the lyrics. How amazing is it for a music group to write music on Mental Health and Autism. I have to add that the song, The Test That Stumped Them All seems to fit me also as I have tried so many Anti-Depressants and Mood Stabilizers and Counseling/Therapy and seem to be not much better than when i was first diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety and then a few years later with Asperger's Syndrome. Makes sense as those things are Co-morbid with Asperger's or high functioning Autism if you want to call it that. What can I do, it's something I was born with and will have the rest of my life, I mean the Autism and I just deal with it. Anyway, I really appreciate your music expertise and value your opinions quite a bit. This reaction really made my day. Keep up the good work you do. Dream Theater were and still are way ahead of their time.

[@workingmanbh]

Hey. Good to read this. I was diagnosed 3 years ago, and im just 41 now. With attention deficit too...

[@tazyou11]

@@workingmanbh Nice to know you, I was diagnosed pretty late myself, I guess I was around 40 years old. The song Solitary Shell really holds a place in my heart. Yeah, even the parts about being disturbed from time to time and momentary maniac with casual delusions really hit home for me. I don't take some of the song lyrics literally, but I get what they are trying to say.

[@duaniel_the_guitardude]

was diagnosed with Asperger with 12 or 13. Learned to live with it as an adult even if it is still somehow hard from a social point of view. I love this track and DT's way to engourage people to talk more about these issues.

[@Michael-kx2bn]

I requested this a year ago and am so happy you were able to review/react to it. This song, album is a masterpiece. Thanks so much! Great review (y'all) lol

[@carlosnascimento9269]

I was really looking forward to this. Great analysis. Please never stop doing these reaction videos. And yeah, the way Portnoy's drumming carries the songs and just takes them to another level is just unmatched. Please do more Pain of Salvation, Beyond the Pale would be awesome.

[@mehulsheth7688]

Thanks so much, Doug, for taking on this song; I was planning on going to bed but as I came across this video, I instantly knew my bedtime would have to be delayed by an hour! This piece has stuck with me so powerfully over the last 2 decades, not only for the heavy and powerful lyrical content but for the music as well. I’m glad that you touched a bit on this but what I find so awesome is that the lyrical themes of the different sections are mirrored by the emotional themes of the actual music. “About to crash” has such a happy/giddy myxolydian tone alluding to bipolar mania; “war inside my head” with the heavy/dark agitation of PTSD; “test that stumped them all” with the frantic, odd, disorganized arrangements paralleling paranoid schizophrenia; the somber melancholy lullaby feel of “Goodnight Kiss” highlighting postpartum depression, the bright childlike acoustic music in “Solitary Shell” sometimes in stark contrast to the lyrics-highlighting the inner emotional conflicts contrasted against the inherent innocence in autism, the subdued tone of Losing time showing the fragility of someone with a dissociative disorder, and the grand musical climax of finally coming to terms with mental health and acceptance. It’s almost as if it could have been written as an instrumental and if told it’s about mental health and to fill in the blanks, you’d probably come close to naming the different lyrical themes. I remember a writing assignment senior year of high school when we had to review a piece of music and make the teacher want to hear it. I wrote on A Change of Seasons, but had this come out when I was in high school, I would have most definitely written on this given the multilayered thematic richness of it all.

[@altarkus]

I was about to cry when listening to the last part of Goodnight Kiss. Thank you so much, Doug for sharing your feelings. Greetings from Italy. :) P. S: I just LOVE your drumming moves and your face when the double bass drum kicks in! :D

[@Gorbyrev]

Absolutely loved that. Some point in the future listen to the orchestral version on Score. Always brings me to tears and greatly appreciate your insights. God bless.

[@Tecnica21Gaming]

Dude, Doug would ABSOLUTELY love THE ASTONISHING... I just KNOW IT

[@JK-js2td]

Agreed!

[@theeuropeanlegacy5075]

Another boring MM album

[@Bloorgusgoorge]

@@theeuropeanlegacy5075 you are not welcome here

[@JK-js2td]

@@theeuropeanlegacy5075 you're the boring one...with your lame comments regarding Mangini.

[@user-tr3st4ms9g]

​@@JK-js2tdshut up portnoy fanboy 🙄

[@kevztunz]

That final chord ends at exactly the 6-minute mark of the last track of the CD.

[@sordel5866]

Well, Doug proves how tight the logical structure of this piece is; by stopping after every section you break multiple climaxes. I know that some find this Broadway but I think it's DT's most accomplished epic.

[@TM-721]

This 'song', this epic/ masterpiece is the best DT ever created, it's my absolute favorite! Thanks for picking this one! The live version from Score is amazing as well!

[@Mindseas]

Yet another treat Doug, thank you for your insight and curiosity, it's always fun to re-listen to music that has become more or less trivial, and again catch that enthusiasm from your perspective. Take care, and all the best

[@DanielSantosAnalysis]

I think this song is Dream Theater's greatest achievement, it is utterly sublime from start to finish.

[@TheNamesJER]

I definitely would have liked to see you do the Score live performance with the Orchestra but still super cool to see you react to this and explain all the complexities of this song. It’s the song that got me into Dream Theater and still remains my favorite by them.

[@jromojo8769]

I’ve heard this album so many times but somehow this felt like the first time all over again. Thanks

[@moony1289]

I love you Doug. Thank you for making these videos.

[@garrethikes]

such an amazing piece of music - glad you enjoyed it

[@alexandrematos1112]

Been asking for this reaction long gone...TANKS. The live concert with orquestra in New York, is absolutely amazing, celebrating their 20 years career. Take care Doug.

[@DJalaviivaLibor]

Doug, I love your reaction videos! Often to a point that I'd rather listen to these songs via your channel. This piece opened up to me in a whole new way while listening to your reaction, and it has now become one of my favorite DT "epics". Always great commentary and profound observations. Best "reaction channel" on KZbin, hands down. Thank you and keep up the good work. Hey y'all!

[@KPD017]

Wow I’m on my 4th or 5th DT album with you and just to see another musician’s appreciation just warms my soul. I’ve been a fan since 2003, was introduced with the Awake album. Since I’m a former drummer I couldn’t believe my ears listening to Mike Portnoy. So when you said nothing against Mike Mangini I totally understood that as my fandom has wavered a little since MM came aboard. Then my bro got us tickets to see Dream Theater in San Jose, Ca 7/24/23, and renewed my love again for DT. So I’ve been listening to them on KZbin and of course my car stereo and one of your reaction videos from dream theater came up for Octavarium the Score version at RCMH (I was there!!). I was hooked after that. I’ve listened to a few of your Pink Floyd vids also. I’m happy to say I take a little bong hit when you sip or toke on your pipe. Thanks for the fun vids! 🙌🏼🥁🎸

[@KingXanadu]

I can’t wait to listen to this tomorrow at work. Just commenting to boost the algorithm ! Thanks Doug

[@dreunik6356]

I heard an instrumental (and more "orchestral") version of this piece live with Jordan R at the keyboard and the Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. The lead voice was performed by the first violin. It was one of the most amazing musical experience in my life. It was a Jordan's solo world tour about 10 years ago. Great video as always Doug. Thanks for uploading it.

[@JohnBrown-zw1jy]

I got carpal tunnel just from listening to Jordan.

[@Kawabongahlive]

Hi doug! I know I'm late to the party but I'm going to write down the mental illnesses in the song if you want to know! Spoilers if you want to figure it out yourself! Grade 1. Bipolar Disorder Grade 2. PTSD From War Grade 3. Schizophrenia Grade 4. Post-Partum Depression Grade 5. Autism Grade 1 (Reprise). Bipolar Disorder Grade 6. Multiple Personality Disorder Also yes, the end of Losing Time / Grand Finale is connected to the first song of the following album, Train Of Thought (7rain of 7thought, 7th album with 7 songs)

[@hipnofago2102]

THANK YOU!

[@moo4929]

Thank you, always end up forgetting what the songs mean, also I never knew the "7" stuff with train of Thought, very cool.

[@moisesfernandez5681]

Nice! Just an fyi, multiple personality disorder is an old term, the correct one is dissociative identity disorder.

[@ctbhaley]

If I can add a little perspective, Bipolar which used to be called manic-depressive is how it's demonstrated in About to Crash and Reprise respectively. About to crash is the depression phase and About to Crash Reprise is the manic phase. The other thing I really like about this whole 8 part piece is they showcase that in some cases the condition is just that, a condition and in other cases it's brought on by environmental factors. Parts of it also shows how the medical community doesn't know how to deal with it and also describes either the support system or the personal coping mechanism. I truly enjoy not only how melodic Dream Theater's music is but also how intellectual it is. I've been a fan since 1992 and as a band that gets no radio play it's nice to see them begin to gain a more main stream following.

[@n-Chantreuse]

@@moisesfernandez5681 I think the updated name is more accurate to the portrayal in the song. There's no sense of a split personality, just that the person is mentally not present because she sees her day-to-day life as pointless.

[@TheArake07]

They connect the albums up until Octavarium, which begins and ends with the same note, thus completing a cycle. Pretty dang cool :)

[@merqury5]

So glad you finally were able to do this one. In my opinion this might not be the most popular piece from DT, but maybe the most impactful. Loved when you recognised that Portnoy has his own distinctive voice of drumming, like it or not. It does seem like you are immune to silly good guitarsolos, but naturally you notice the beautiful keys work. But one thing that we sometimes dont think of is the incredible bass work. Myung is going along on all those silly hard riffs. He is doing this on a 6bstring bass guitar and no pick, baffeling. All inn all the music, the musicianship and the lyrics make out a powerful piece of music. Its certainly my favourite, even though there are tough subjects for sure.

[@pabloc1935]

Thank you Doug to let me see you discovering this masterpiece... Looking forward to see DT live in Spain, they are playing About to crash in their setlist!!

[@torspomedia5861]

This second disc of this album was the first I ever heard from the band while driving to the studio to record our band's debut EP. The drive was through wintery scenery and this album was the perfect soundtrack. Even to this day, this (disc two) is my favourite piece of Dream Theater music... and this time im listening to it accompanied by your comments and review. Cool.

[@slyzombie6166]

Many of the songs it this song really hit home for me. One of my absolute favorites. I'm openly bi-polar. Putting it out there helps with many things. First it helps with the stigma surrounding mental illness. Second, it seems to help those around me understand why I may act differently on sooner days than others. Mainly though it helps me by not trying to keep it in and hide it.

[@natehaviland3244]

This album was my introduction to dream theater very early in my musician career and for some reason this hit me so hard with this listen thru. 20 years later and having dealt with so many different mental illness issues with both myself and my closest friends and partners. Losing 2 of them and now a 3rd who is absolutely not functional because of the way we all dealt with said issues. I'm so glad I learned from every one of those situations and am still here and free in every sense from those patterns. But as we all know it's a daily fight to keep the peace within. Thank you Doug not only do I enjoy you're musical sharing as my ear has definitely got better with notes watching you than it ever has. But you also have a unique way of breaking down the lyrical content that just shows so much of who u are as a person. BTW pretty much spot on with every diagnosis on this one. Plus as a drummer nobody beats portnoys parts. Yeah Mancini can play anything but Portnoy wrote half the lyrics before he left so he'll naturally play with more feel. He rly should be the only time the double kick is not an issue he uses it very very well and meaningfully

[@natehaviland3244]

I'd have to add that because of the nature of DT music the double kick rarely lasts for much time from Portnoy, with the exception of maybe parts of the AA suite which is all about Mike's own struggles... and very fitting of the subject matter. Glass prison is an absolute Marathon to play by itself.

[@mikegallagher2732]

THANK YOU for this Doug !!!!! And THANK YOU for your Analysis !!!! From A HUGE fan Of D.T. AND YOURS !!!

[@diegopeart]

This is, indeed, my favorite DT album. I KNOW, I KNOW, Scenes is a masterpiece. yeah, it is. But the sheer mix of feelings and musicianship in both discs of 6DOIT make me feel stuff I don't feel listening to any other album whatsoever. It's just that good and criminally underrated. Also, the album with the best drum sound Portnoy ever recorded with DT, imho. Just the right amount of wood sounding in the snare, huge bass drum, gated in the right spaces, toms and floor toms sounding immense as well, the right amount of cymbals, as usual. also, Disappear is just a gem of a song, and being written by LaBrie, it usually goes unnoticed under the radar.

[@JK-js2td]

I couldnt agree more, DIEGO! And this has my fave DT song of all time...the Great Debate 🤘

[@Ryguypie17]

@@JK-js2td Completely agree with both you and Diego. The drum sound on the album is the best they've ever achieved and the mix of styles on the album is eclectic and captivating. The Great Debate is underrated among fans in my opinion, and even if the topic may not be as socially relevant as it was then, it's still a highly interesting song lyrically and musically. The double hi hats and mysterious, ominous sounding intro are just parts of what make it such an amazing song. Disappear is also fantastic, as is Misunderstood, both of which I feel are wonderful experimental songs.

[@marinhrabric6162]

6 Degrees is by no means underrated. It's the most talked about album in DT discography. The self-titled is a good example of underrated.

[@AMGU2B]

I don't know if 6DOIT is underrated or not, but in terms of pure quality it is top notch. A serious candidate for DT's best album, no doubt.

[@marinhrabric6162]

@@AMGU2B i wouldn't agree. When the album is good, it's really good, but it has some flaws in my opinion. And it can't be a candidate for best album if you have flaws. Because DT's 2 of the best albums(Images and Awake) have no flaws. Perfect albums. 6d is not a perfect album so there's no competition.

[@CriticalPotato]

I think Solitary Shell being peppy was to contrast directly with Goodnight Kiss before it, even the intro's being the same 4/4 bass drum beat driving it while having completely different tones. Seeing your child dying which is obviously sad, compared to seeing your child living. Also from the lyrics about them in adulthood, you can conclude that they are a fully functioning adult which any parent would be quite happy to have even with their odd, reclusive and manic quirks.

[@angelol2877]

Solitary Shell is in 7/8.