"Illumination Theory" is a song by American

progressive metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...

band

Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of the ...

. The song was released on 23 September 2013, as the closing track of the band's 12th album''

''. It features a string ensemble conducted and arranged by Eren Başbuğ. The song's lyrics, according to the guitarist

John Petrucci John Peter Petrucci (born July 12, 1967) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He produced or co-produced (often with former member Mike Portnoy before he departed the band in 2010 ...

, are about things for which people will live, die or kill. The song's length is 22:17, making it Dream Theater's fifth longest to date. The entire song was released as a 12" picture disc exclusively for Record Store Day 2014 and limited to 2,700 copies.

Segments

* I. "Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire" (instrumental) * II. "Live, Die, Kill" * III. "The Embracing Circle" (instrumental) * IV. "The Pursuit of Truth" * V. "Surrender, Trust & Passion" The song properly ends at 19:17, leading to a 30-second silence followed by a hidden track consisting of an electric guitar and piano instrumental, clocking the song out at 22:17.

Personnel

;Dream Theater *

James LaBrie Kevin James LaBrie (born May 5, 1963) is a Canadian singer, best known as the lead singer of American progressive metal band Dream Theater, which he has been fronting since 1991. Early life Kevin James LaBrie was born in Penetanguishene, Ontar ...

– lead vocals *

– guitar, backing vocals,

producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

Jordan Rudess Jordan Rudess (born Jordan Charles Rudes; November 4, 1956) is an American musician, software developer and composer best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive metal supergroup Liquid Tension Experime ...

– keyboards,

Continuum Continuum may refer to: * Continuum (measurement), theories or models that explain gradual transitions from one condition to another without abrupt changes Mathematics * Continuum (set theory), the real line or the corresponding cardinal number ...

, GeoSynth App *

John Myung John Ro Myung (; born January 24, 1967) is an American bassist and a founding member of the progressive metal group Dream Theater. Background and personal life Born in Chicago to South Korean parents, Myung grew up with John Petrucci on King ...

– bass guitar *

Mike Mangini Michael Anthony Mangini (born April 18, 1963) is an American musician and current drummer of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He has also played for bands and artists such as Annihilator, Extreme, James LaBrie, and Steve Vai. Befor ...

– drums, percussion ;String ensemble *Violin I – Misha Gutenberg (concert master), Larisa Vollis *Violin II – Yelena Khaimova, Yevgeniy Mansurov *

Viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

– Aleksandr Anisimov, Noah Wallace *Cello – Anastasia Golenisheva, Valeriya Sholokhova *

Contrabass Contrabass (from it, contrabbasso) refers to several musical instruments of very low pitch—generally one octave below bass register instruments. While the term most commonly refers to the double bass (which is the bass instrument in the orchest ...

– Len Sluetsky ;Production *Eren Başbuğ – orchestral arrangements, conducting

References

{{authority control Dream Theater songs 2013 songs Songs written by John Petrucci