Crucial Track for January 21, 2026

"Scene Seven: I. The Dance of Eternity" by Dream Theater

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Share a song that changed your perspective on music.

A friend introduced me to both Dream Theater and progressive metal in general by sharing this song with me in high school, which ended up having what is probably the single biggest impact on my lifelong musical taste. After this one song came to my attention, I devoured Dream Theater's discography (thanks to the "lala" mail CD-trading service back in those days!), then many other progressive metal bands, then many other related genres (progressive rock.)

I regard the album that this song is from, "Metropoils Part II: Scenes from a Memory", as one of the all-time greatest progressive metal albums. The album's technical musical composition as well as its concept and lyrics remain as interesting, well-executed, and clever as when I first listened to it over 20 years ago. If you've never heard the album but like metal or rock music of any kind, give it a listen; it's quite accessible!