Liquid Tension Experiment 3
Liquid Tension Experiment 3 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 16, 2021 | |||
Recorded | July–August 2020 | |||
Studio | DTHQ (Long Island) | |||
Genre | Instrumental rock, progressive metal[1] | |||
Length | 117:31 | |||
Label | Inside Out Music | |||
Producer | Liquid Tension Experiment | |||
Liquid Tension Experiment chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Liquid Tension Experiment 3 | ||||
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Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Blabbermouth.net | 8/10[3] |
Metal Hammer | |
Metal Injection | 8/10[5] |
Record Collector |
Liquid Tension Experiment 3 is the third studio album by the American instrumental progressive metal super group Liquid Tension Experiment. Released on April 16, 2021,[1] it is their first studio effort since 1999's Liquid Tension Experiment 2.[7]
The regular edition of the album contains eight tracks, including two duets, one "on-the-fly jam" and one "meticulously arranged cover"; the bonus disc comes with almost one hour of improvisations. It was released in digital, CD, LP and Blu-ray formats, including a limited 2CD+Blu-ray artbook edition and a limited deluxe hot pink box set.[7]
A video for the song "The Passage of Time", their first composition in 22 years, was released on January 22, 2021.[7][8] This was followed up by a video for "Beating the Odds" on February 26, 2021,[9][10] and then by a video for "Hypersonic" on March 24, 2021.[11]
Background and writing
[edit]On December 14, 2020, band members Tony Levin (bass), John Petrucci (guitars), Jordan Rudess (keyboards) and Mike Portnoy (drums) released a series of posts on social media (pictures of themselves wearing surgical masks spelling out "LTE 3") teasing a third Liquid Tension Experiment album; a picture of the four of them together with the same masks was posted the following day.[12] On December 17, 2020, it was formally announced that Liquid Tension Experiment 3 would be released by Inside Out Music in the second quarter of 2021.[13] The date, later announced to be March 26, has since been delayed to April 16, 2021, due to printing errors by the manufacturer.[1]
The album had been recorded secretly in August 2020,[14] at the Dream Theater studio named DTHQ.[15] Portnoy had previously recorded drums for Petrucci's solo album Terminal Velocity at the studio, their first release together since 2009's Black Clouds & Silver Linings (with Dream Theater);[16] the band would re-use the studio for the LTE sessions. Portnoy and Rudess also had performed together during a Cruise to the Edge a few years before.[17] The drummer said that the "insanity of 2020" allowed them some time to reunite.[17]
Also according to Portnoy, all members plus two studio professionals quarantined and took COVID-19 tests before the album's sessions.[17]
Like Liquid Tension Experiment 2, each song is described by the band in detail within the liner notes.
The track "Chris & Kevin's Amazing Odyssey" is a follow-up to "Chris and Kevin's Excellent Adventure" (from Liquid Tension Experiment) and "Chris & Kevin's Bogus Journey" (from Spontaneous Combustion); Chris and Kevin is how a photographer mistakenly called Mike and Tony during photo sessions for the first album, and that has since remained a recurring internal joke and is used to title duets between the drummer and the bassist.[17] It is a drum-and-bass duet featuring Levin on the electric upright bass.[18]
"Rhapsody in Blue", composed by George Gershwin, was arranged and performed by the band during their 2008 tour; the band would record a studio version of the arrangement for the album.[18] The middle section of the band's 2008 arrangement was inspiration for the middle section of "The Count of Tuscany" off Black Clouds & Silver Linings; also, the standard clarinet introduction was played by Levin on the Chapman Stick.[19]
Track listing
[edit]All music is written and arranged by Liquid Tension Experiment (Tony Levin, John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, and Jordan Rudess); except for "Rhapsody in Blue" written by George Gershwin, arrangement by Liquid Tension Experiment.[20]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Hypersonic" | 8:22 |
2. | "Beating the Odds" | 6:09 |
3. | "Liquid Evolution" | 3:23 |
4. | "The Passage of Time" | 7:32 |
5. | "Chris & Kevin's Amazing Odyssey" | 5:04 |
6. | "Rhapsody in Blue" (music: George Gershwin) | 13:16 |
7. | "Shades of Hope" | 4:42 |
8. | "Key to the Imagination" | 13:14 |
Total length: | 61:42[7][16] |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Blink of an Eye" | 10:28 |
2. | "Solid Resolution Theory" | 10:02 |
3. | "View from the Mountaintop" | 5:24 |
4. | "Your Beard is Good" | 14:31 |
5. | "Ya Mon" | 15:24 |
Total length: | 55:49 |
Personnel
[edit]All credits sourced from liner notes.[20]
Band
[edit]- John Petrucci – guitars, production
- Tony Levin – Chapman Stick, bass guitar, electric upright bass, production, photography
- Jordan Rudess – keyboards, production
- Mike Portnoy – drums, percussion, production
Additional personnel
[edit]- James "Jimmy T" Meslin – recording
- Rich Mouser – mixing, mastering
- Bouchra Azizy – additional digital editing
- Matthew "Maddi" Schieferstein – band and studio coordinator
- Sean M. Smith / Echodesignlab – design
Charts
[edit]Chart (2021) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[21] | 10 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[22] | 82 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[23] | 53 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[24] | 15 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[25] | 5 |
French Albums (SNEP)[26] | 82 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[27] | 7 |
Italian Albums (FIMI)[28] | 21 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[29] | 9 |
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[30] | 30 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[31] | 7 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[32] | 25 |
Swedish Physical Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[33] | 3 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] | 8 |
UK Albums (OCC)[35] | 88 |
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[36] | 5 |
US Billboard 200[37] | 109 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Stenzel, Friedrich (April 1, 2021). "Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3 (Album Review)". Sonic Perspectives. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ Jurek, Thom. "LTE3 - Liquid Tension Experiment". AllMusic. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ Roche, Jason (13 April 2021). "CD Reviews - Liquid Tension Experiment 3 Liquid Tension Experiment". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
- ^ Dome, Malcolm (March 22, 2021). "Liquid Tension Experiment's LTE3: instrumental prog metal masturbation – and proud of it". Metal Hammer. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ Blum, Jordan (April 14, 2021). "Album Review: LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT Liquid Tension Experiment 3". Metal Injection. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ Tucker, John (April 2021). "Progressive supergroup reunite for third album". Record Collector. No. 517. p. 125.
- ^ a b c d "Watch LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT Video for Epic First Single 'The Passage of Time' From Upcoming Studio Album "LTE3"". Sonic Perspectives. January 22, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ Ewing, Jerry (January 11, 2021). "Liquid Tension Experiment reveal artwork and tracklisting for new album". Louder Sound.
- ^ Maxwell, Jackson (February 26, 2021). "Liquid Tension Experiment, John Petrucci's Prog Supergroup, Premiere New Song, "Beating The Odds"". Guitar Player. Future US. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ Maxwell, Jackson (February 26, 2021). "Liquid Tension Experiment, featuring John Petrucci, release new song, Beating The Odds". Guitar World. Future US. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ Ewing, Jerry (March 24, 2021). "Liquid Tension Experiment release new video for breakneck Hypersonic". Prog. Future plc. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ Rosenberg, Axl (15 December 2020). "Liquid Tension Experiment Working on First New Album Since 1999". Metal Sucks. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ Maxwell, Jackson (March 31, 2021). "John Petrucci's Prog Supergroup, Liquid Tension Experiment, Have Reunited". Guitar Player. Future US. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
- ^ "Liquid Tension Experiment". INSIDE OUT MUSIC. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- ^ "John Petrucci Reacts to Mike Portnoy Wanting to Hire Dimebag Darrell Over Him for LTE, Reflects on Meeting King Crimson Legend". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- ^ a b Divita, Joe (January 11, 2021). "Liquid Tension Experiment Announce First New Album in 22 Years 'LTE3′". Loudwire. Townsquare Media. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Bienstock, Richard (February 9, 2021). "Liquid Tension Experiment: How COVID "Insanity" Led Supergroup to Prog-Metal Gold". Revolver. Project M Group LLC. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ a b Burgess, Mick (April 2021). "TONY LEVIN ( LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT): "["Rhapsody In Blue"] is the gateway drug to use to slowly draw people into the band"". Metal Express Radio. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ Portnoy, Mike. "Two facts about RiB that people keep incorrectly commenting on". Twitter. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ^ a b Liquid Tension Experiment 3 (CD booklet). Liquid Tension Experiment. Inside Out Music. 2021. 19439837732.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Austriancharts.at – Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Albumit 16/2021" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ "Top Albums (Week 16, 2021)". SNEP. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Italiancharts.com – Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2021-04-26" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- ^ "Veckolista Album Fysiskt, vecka 16" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
- ^ @billboardcharts (April 26, 2021). "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200 (2/2)..." (Tweet). Retrieved April 27, 2021 – via Twitter.