What to do when you’re full of inspiration but you don’t seem to have the time to record an album due to all kinds of different obligations, touring with Dream Theater being one of them? Indeed you take the time you have - in this case two weeks - and you lock yourself into a studio. Of course this doesn’t work for regular musicians, but when you’re as talented as Jordan Rudess, this way of working might be as fruitful as any other away. After two weeks the material was written and the solo work was recorded. Next up was the recording of all additional instruments and the vocal parts. The guitars are played by Joe Satriani, Steve Morse, Vinnie Moore, Greg Howe and Daniel J, not the least in the business, and each responsible for a distinctive and characteristic sound of the different tracks.

The music on “Rhythm Of Time” is hard to describe due to the fact that there are so many rhythms, mood and tempo changes within each song.

The diversity on the album is enormous but yet in its entirety perfectly balanced. Personally I absolutely dig the more moody and jazzy influences on the album and the way these parts are integrated in the incredible guitar solos of the above mentioned musicians. The forth and the eighth song feature vocals (Kip Winger); a clever move since complete instrumental albums are often a little bit inaccessible.

Jordan Rudess had made his marks long before he joined Dream Theater early 1999 and proves his skills once more with the powerful and moody “Rhythm Of Time”, which will please Dream Theater fans but will also be appealing to people with a more classical, jazzy and moody preference.