Lines in the Sand. Fck me. No matter how many times I listen to this song, the solo never fails to tear me to pieces.
In a month's time it'll be three years exactly since I fell in love with this song. Awkwardly, it finally broke me the week I lost my mum, spending hours driving through the snow to and from hospital, chain smoking outside the gates, sitting by the bed and waiting. And all I listened to was this, and Road Salt by Pain of Salvation. Sorry to be morbid... but it's a wonderful feeling. Even though she was never into Dream Theater (despite my best efforts), all I have to do is put this on and I'm with her. It's one of those weird timing coincidences of life that somehow ended up being a mad positive thing. It's not just a solo, it reflects a major event in my life and listening to it is like purging myself of pain and loss, and opening myself up to a future that is different but can eventually be good in its own way.
The Spirit Carries in LSFNY used to be my favourite guitar solo of all time but over the past few years this has clawed its way up there and taken the top spot I think. There's nothing I could improve upon, it's simply perfect, I've never heard such emotion conveyed through a guitar. I often listen to it at her grave when I visit. I will shut up now. I bloody love this solo more than I even love most humans in my life. It's euphoric. It's better than opiates. Over and out.