The Mirror's Demo and Burning My Soul's Demo

[Scar]

Recently, I went over the beauty of the demo's for Awake and Falling into Infinity. I realized that for The Mirror, there was Petrucci's guitar solo for Lie. Did anyone like The Mirror's demo more than what The Mirror is right now? I personally loved the 10 minute "The Mirror" demo rather than Petrucci's final solo being handed off to Lie.

As for Burning My Soul, I really loved its demo more than I loved the regular on the released album. I think Hell's Kitchen should've stayed with Burning My Soul because it fits and I love hearing those two together, instead of Hell's Kitchen being a separate song.


Thoughts?

[YtseJamittaja]

You should remove the links because they are official material from the official bootlegs. Not allowed here 

But myself, I'm really happy they (or Kevin Shirley) chose to separate BMS and HK. That intro in BMS studio version is the badassest ever, it's one of the best intros in DT song.

[seasonsinthesky]

My favourite arrangement – not recording, though – of "The Mirror" is the one from Live Scenes. I'm not particularly fond of "Lie" altogether, so I like that they avoided it and moved directly into the reprise and solo without any of the second song at all (which is why I differentiated it from the demo; unsure if OP realized parts of "Lie" are in it, from the post wording).

BMS is definitely better as released. It makes no sense in the middle (and start) of BMS, and the transition out of HK into the solo is... not well written. Perhaps that's why they split them. It also forced the creation of the super epic HK ending melody 'climb,' which is just as good as the rest of the track! And then it's got a delicious transition into LITS – HK is the all-around winner in this deal, imo.

[Mosh]

Also Burning My Soul is one of their worst songs and I'm glad I don't have to endure that to hear Hell's Kitchen.

[jammindude]

My favourite arrangement – not recording, though – of "The Mirror" is the one from Live Scenes. I'm not particularly fond of "Lie" altogether, so I like that they avoided it and moved directly into the reprise and solo without any of the second song at all...

<snip>

I actually used Audacity to make my own mix of The Mirror where it is *exactly* like the Live Scenes version.   I used that version to make my own mix 12 Step Suite CD.   It opens with my longer remix of The Mirror before going into The Glass Prison.

[BlobVanDam]

I don't know that I've actually bothered listening to the Awake demos even though I have them. I prefer whatever version has the least of Lie sucking the life out of it.

As for BMS/HK, like every other change from the demos, it was for the better. I love both songs, but together they didn't flow at all, and didn't fit. BMS works best as a short badass metal song, the other is a beautiful instrumental piece that works perfectly before LITS.

[Rodni Demental]

I agree with you TC. I've never been a huge fan of Lie (although it's slightly grown on me over time), I definitely think Lie is better as an instrumental and the mirror reprise section at the end of lie is a much more epic ending.

As for Burning my Soul, I love the demo arrangement. I think some things could be improved and some things were improved (like MP backing vocals that sounded better once they put crazy effects on for studio version). But the demo has more interesting pacing imo. I like the way it builds itself, seems less generic than the final version which is more of a typical a, b, a, b, c, b structure where as the demo has the HK intro, the extended verse build up, an interlude between verse 1 and 2 which means the chorus isn't overplayed. Plus the extended HK instrumental sections works beautifully in this song. I concede that the decision to separate Hell's Kitchen wasn't necessary a bad thing though as it works just as well as an intro to Lines in the Sand.

[Tomislav95]

Best demo from FII demos is Take Away My Pain. Album version just sounds too happy or somethin. and that ddoesn't go well with the lyrics.

[JiM-Xtreme]

Hell's Kitchen makes Burning My Soul a much better song.

However, Burning My Soul makes Hell's Kitchen sound much worse.

I think it's for the best that the two were separated.

[seasonsinthesky]

My favourite arrangement – not recording, though – of "The Mirror" is the one from Live Scenes. I'm not particularly fond of "Lie" altogether, so I like that they avoided it and moved directly into the reprise and solo without any of the second song at all...

<snip>

I actually used Audacity to make my own mix of The Mirror where it is *exactly* like the Live Scenes version.   I used that version to make my own mix 12 Step Suite CD.   It opens with my longer remix of The Mirror before going into The Glass Prison.

Same. Why ever listen to "Lie" if you don't have to?!

It was great on the Along for the Ride tour, though. (Not necessarily on BTFW.)

[Cable]

The things added to HK make it awesome- the unison, and the amazing outro with the bell samples or whatever. If HK was in BMS, it would not have received those parts most likely. As Blob has also said, and is often said overall, is that the flow is terrible. Unfortunately Illumination Theory repeats the flow stop, as the demo of PMU is the same way IMO too with the Erotomania solo in it.