Editing Falling into Infinity (section)

==Background==
Following a brief tour in support of the ''[[A Change of Seasons]]'' [[Extended play|EP]], Dream Theater entered Dream Factory Studios in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in early 1996 to begin writing material for a new album.<ref name=OneEightSix>{{cite book|last=Wilson|first=Rich|title=Lifting Shadows: The Authorized Biography of Dream Theater|year=2007|publisher=Essential Works Limited|isbn=978-0-9545493-7-4|pages=186}}</ref> It was their first time writing with keyboardist [[Derek Sherinian]], who replaced [[Kevin Moore]] in 1994.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bio |url=http://www.dereksherinian.com/bio.htm |publisher=Derek Sherinian Official Website |access-date=July 22, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918144046/http://www.dereksherinian.com/bio.htm |archive-date=September 18, 2012 }}</ref> Around this time, [[Elektra Records]] was exerting pressure on the band to write concise, radio-friendly songs.<ref name=OneEightSix /> Consequently, creative conflicts arose, with guitarist [[John Petrucci]] accepting the label's plea for change and drummer [[Mike Portnoy]] fighting against it.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wilson|first=Rich|title=Lifting Shadows: The Authorized Biography of Dream Theater|year=2007|publisher=Essential Works Limited|isbn=978-0-9545493-7-4|pages=188}}</ref>

For over a year, Dream Theater wrote songs without being given permission to record them; according to Portnoy, at one point they became so frustrated that they considered retirement.<ref>{{cite web|author=RhinoEntertainment|title=Dream Theater - 20th Anniversary Documentary (Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LduXtT3edlI|publisher=YouTube|access-date=July 23, 2012}} Timestamp 30:35.</ref> In March 1997, the band was finally given the go-ahead to record the new album with [[Kevin Shirley]] producing.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wilson|first=Rich|title=Lifting Shadows: The Authorized Biography of Dream Theater|year=2007|publisher=Essential Works Limited|isbn=978-0-9545493-7-4|pages=193}}</ref> By May, the band had enough material for a [[double album]] but was told to keep it to one disc for budget reasons.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wilson|first=Rich|title=Lifting Shadows: The Authorized Biography of Dream Theater|year=2007|publisher=Essential Works Limited|isbn=978-0-9545493-7-4|pages=195}}</ref> As a result, certain songs were not included on the final cut of the album, including "Raise the Knife", "Where Are You Now", "Cover My Eyes", "Speak to Me", "The Way It Used to Be", and "Metropolis Pt. 2", the latter of which was later expanded into its [[Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory|own album]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Portnoy|first=Mike|title=How did Dream Theater figure out which songs to include and which ones to leave off of Falling Into Infinity?|url=http://www.mikeportnoy.com/aboutmike/faq/answers/31.aspx#340|publisher=Mike Portnoy Official Website|access-date=July 15, 2012|archive-date=August 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802200555/http://www.mikeportnoy.com/aboutmike/faq/answers/31.aspx#340|url-status=dead}}</ref> with the rest being included on the 1999 fan club CD "Cleaning Out the Closet".<ref>{{cite web|last=Portnoy|first=Mike|title=What are the contents of the 1999 Fan Club CD, and how many were pressed|url=http://www.mikeportnoy.com/aboutmike/faq/answers/37.aspx#384|publisher=Mike Portnoy Official Website|access-date=October 6, 2014|archive-date=October 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014161058/http://www.mikeportnoy.com/aboutmike/faq/answers/37.aspx#384|url-status=dead}}</ref> Shirley made significant alterations to some of what was left on the album; most notably, he took the middle section out of "Burning My Soul" and turned it into what would become "Hell's Kitchen".<ref>{{cite book|last=Wilson|first=Rich|title=Lifting Shadows: The Authorized Biography of Dream Theater|year=2007|publisher=Essential Works Limited|isbn=978-0-9545493-7-4|pages=196}}</ref> Shirley also recommended that the band work with [[Desmond Child]] to re-write "You or Me", resulting in Petrucci being flown down to Florida to work on the song with Child. Following the sessions, the song became "You Not Me".<ref name=Childs>{{cite web|last=Portnoy|first=Mike|title=How did Desmond Child get involved in co-writing You Not Me?|url=http://www.mikeportnoy.com/aboutmike/faq/answers/31.aspx#341|publisher=Mike Portnoy Official Website|access-date=July 20, 2012|archive-date=August 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802200555/http://www.mikeportnoy.com/aboutmike/faq/answers/31.aspx#341|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Actual recording for the album began on June 2, 1997, at Avatar Studios (now [[Power Station (recording studio)|The Power Station]]) in New York City.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wilson|first=Rich|title=Lifting Shadows: The Authorized Biography of Dream Theater|year=2007|publisher=Essential Works Limited|isbn=978-0-9545493-7-4|pages=201}}</ref> In contrast to the difficult  writing and pre-production stages, the band considered the recording sessions trouble free and enjoyable. The album, titled ''Falling into Infinity'', was completed on July 30.<ref name=RD>{{cite book|last=Wilson|first=Rich|title=Lifting Shadows: The Authorized Biography of Dream Theater|year=2007|publisher=Essential Works Limited|isbn=978-0-9545493-7-4|pages=202}}</ref> Originally, Petrucci and Portnoy wanted to call it ''Stream of Consciousness'', but the rest of the band rejected the name because they felt it was too pompous (although the phrase "Stream of Consciousness" is found in the song "Lines in the Sand" and would later become the title of the instrumental piece on ''[[Train of Thought (Dream Theater album)|Train of Thought]]''). Its eventual title was proposed by Petrucci,<ref>{{cite web|last=Portnoy|first=Mike|title=How did the album title for Falling Into Infinity come about?|url=http://www.mikeportnoy.com/aboutmike/faq/answers/31.aspx#342|publisher=Mike Portnoy Official Website|access-date=July 21, 2012|archive-date=August 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802200555/http://www.mikeportnoy.com/aboutmike/faq/answers/31.aspx#342|url-status=dead}}</ref> and its [[cover art]] was designed by [[Storm Thorgerson]].<ref name=Notes>{{cite book|title=Falling into Infinity Liner Notes|year=1997|publisher=EastWest Records}}</ref>