The Glass Prison

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"The Glass Prison"
"The Glass Prison" cover
Song by Dream Theater
from the album Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Released 2001
Genre Progressive metal
Length 13:52
Label Elektra Records
Writer(s) Mike Portnoy
Producer(s) Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence track listing
"The Glass Prison"
(1)
Blind Faith
(2)

"The Glass Prison" is a song by the progressive metal band Dream Theater. It is usually argued that "The Glass Prison" is one of the most aggressive and heavy tracks the band has ever released. It runs 13:52 and is the first track on the Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence album. A shorter version running 5:22 appeared on the Standard Dream album.

It is the first track from their 2-CD album Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002), and is about the first three of the famous 12 steps created by Bill Wilson. The lyrics were written by the band's drummer, Mike Portnoy, about his experience with alcoholism.

This track was often used to begin concerts since the World Tourbulence tour.

Two sequels to "The Glass Prison", entitled "This Dying Soul" and "The Root of All Evil", appeared on subsequent albums Train of Thought and Octavarium respectively. As well, these follow-up songs have lyrical and musical references to the previous ones. Also, this entire suite of songs can be considered a sequel of sorts to "The Mirror" and "Lie" (both found on 1994's Awake), as they reflect numerous thematic and lyrical ideas found in that song. Though it is clear that Mike has stated that the songs reflect his alcoholism, it is unclear how deep it ran with him. Fans wonder but highly respect his right to privacy; he has (to date) never made an official statement regarding the degree of the subject.

Mike Portnoy has also stated his intention to release all 12 steps on a future live release. This will happen as soon as the songs for steps 8-12 are finished and recorded in the studio.

This is the only Dream Theater song to feature the sound of turntables, although the effect was actually achieved by keyboardist Jordan Rudess manipulating the pitch-ribbon of his keyboard, not with actual turntables.

Dream Theater
James LaBrie | John Myung | John Petrucci | Mike Portnoy | Jordan Rudess
Chris Collins | Charlie Dominici | Kevin Moore | Derek Sherinian
Discography
Albums and extended plays: When Dream and Day Unite | Images and Words | Awake | A Change of Seasons | Falling into Infinity | Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory | Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence | Train of Thought | Octavarium | Systematic Chaos
Live albums: Live at the Marquee | Once in a LIVEtime | Live Scenes from New York | Live at Budokan | Score
Videos and DVDs: Images and Words: Live in Tokyo | 5 Years in a Livetime | Metropolis 2000: Scenes from New York | Live at Budokan | Score
Songs: Pull Me Under | Another Day | Metropolis | A Mind Beside Itself | The Glass Prison | Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence | Stream of Consciousness | Instrumedley
Related articles
Dream Theater discography | History of Dream Theater | Jelly Jam | Liquid Tension Experiment | Majesty demos | MullMuzzler | Nightmare Cinema | OSI | Platypus | Songs by lyricist | Songs covered | Transatlantic | True Symphonic Rockestra | YtseJam Records
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