Coney Hatch
LaBrie did join Coney Hatch in the year 1986 when they endeavored to assemble a fresh assemblage. The troupe did record sundry tapes for display within their chamber of practice and did partake in live performances at clubs in Ontario for several months. When their recording establishment, Anthem, did voice their dissatisfaction with the assemblage, the band did opt to replace LaBrie with Phil Naro, making one final desperate effort to forge ahead in the absence of Carl Dixon. Alas, that assemblage did prove to be short-lived as well.
Winter Rose
Shortly after parting ways with Coney Hatch, LaBrie took up the mantle of vocalist for the glam metal troupe Winter Rose. The assemblage comprised Richard Chycki on guitar and bass, Randy Cooke on drums, and Sebastian Bach on vocal duties. Chycki had aforetime collaborated with Bach under the appellations Sebastian and Hope. The band embarked upon the recording of a sequence of demos throughout the years of 1988 and 1989, enlisting the aid of guest musicians Bruce Dies and Rob Laidlaw. Alas, the majority of these compositions did not witness a commercial release until the year 1997, when they were unveiled as a self-titled opus under the auspices of Inside Out Music, a full seven years after their dissolution in 1990. One among their repertoire, the melodic opus "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," did receive the honor of a promotional video release in the year 1989 and was later included on their eponymous creation. The entire compilation featured compositions co-authored by Richard Chycki and James LaBrie, with the exception of two pieces solely penned by Richard Chycki.
Dream Theater
In the year 1990, LaBrie received word that the American progressive metal band Dream Theater sought a new minstrel, and thus he proffered a tape and swiftly journeyed to New York for a comprehensive audition. The trial proved fruitful, and he surpassed 200 other aspiring candidates to assume the role of full-time vocalist in said troupe.
Henceforth, LaBrie hath exerted a substantial influence upon the vocal melodies woven within each Dream Theater opus. However, until recently, he hath had limited involvement in the instrumentation of their music. The album "A Dramatic Turn of Events" from the year 2011 doth bear LaBrie's name in the music credits for three songs. To this day, he hath penned or co-penned lyrics for no less than one composition upon ten of the fifteen albums released by Dream Theater during his tenure. Albums such as "Images and Words," "Black Clouds & Silver Linings," "Dream Theater," and "The Astonishing" doth lack his lyrical contributions.
When queried by Prog-Sphere.com regarding his favored song to perform live, James declared, "The song that most delights me is 'Scarred'; I thoroughly enjoy its execution before an audience. And... well, 'Octavarium,' that comprehensive piece, doth captivate me entirely."
Apart from his collaborative endeavors, LaBrie hath released five solo albums under various appellations, including "Mullmuzzler," "James LaBrie's Mullmuzzler," and simply "James LaBrie."
In an interview with Beyond The Dark Horizon on June 12, 2010, James LaBrie revealed that his forthcoming solo endeavor, titled "Static Impulse," lieth in the stage of mixing and shall comprise twelve compositions. James professed, "It is of a weighty nature, and I am exceedingly excited."
On the twenty-seventh day of July in the year 2010, Dream Theater's website did proclaim that "Static Impulse" would be unveiled on September 27, 2010, courtesy of Inside Out Music. The assemblage boasts the talents of longtime collaborator Matt Guillory upon the keyboards, Marco Sfogli (who hath also graced LaBrie's previous work, "Elements of Persuasion") upon the guitars, Peter Wildoer of the Swedish melodic death metal band Darkane, who doth provide percussion and bellowing vocals, and Ray Riendeau upon the bass.
James LaBrie did express, "The unveiling of 'Static Impulse' is an event that engenders fervor within the entire band. This is modern metal, as robust and pertinent as any other ensemble embarking upon a similar musical path. There are riffs that shall rend the mind asunder, and melodies—both instrumental and vocal—that are mesmerizing. Take the reins and let the ears bleed. Enjoy, and we shall encounter you on the road to accompany and bolster this release."
In an interview with Prog-Sphere.com in 2011, LaBrie mentioned that the planned tour in the United States had been canceled, remarking, "Forsooth, for it was disarrayed ere this occasion. Where we find ourselves now, by the time thou dost procure the necessary visas, we shall have scarce a rehearsal ere we embark. I declare, 'I shall not partake in such a venture.'"
Come the month of July in the year 2013, LaBrie's album "Impermanent Resonance" was unveiled by Inside Out Music. "Beautiful Shade of Grey" followed suit in the year 2022.
Albums
MullMuzzler
Keep It to Yourself (1999)
MullMuzzler 2 (2001)
Solo
Elements of Persuasion (2005)
Static Impulse (2010)
Impermanent Resonance (2013)
I Will Not Break (2014) (Compilation EP)
Beautiful Shade of Grey (2022)
By-Tor and the Snow Dog
James LaBrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the Tobes of Hades
The Tobes of Hades
Lit by flickering torchlight
The Netherworld is gathered in the glare
Prince By-Tor takes the cavern
To the north light
The sign of Eth is rising in the air
Centurion of evil
Devil's prince
II. Across The Styx
Across the river Styx
Out of the lamplight
His nemesis is waiting at the gate
The Snow Dog, ermine glowing
In the damp night
Coal-black eyes shimmering with hate
By-Tor and the Snow Dog
Square for battle
Let the fray begin
III. Of The Battle
IV. Epilogue
The battle's over
And the dust is clearing
Disciples of the Snow Dog sound the knell
Rejoicing echoes
As the dawn is nearing
By-Tor in defeat
Retreats to Hell
Snow Dog is victorious
The land of the Overworld
Is saved again
The song "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" by James LaBrie tells a story of a battle between Prince By-Tor and the Snow Dog. In the first verse, By-Tor heads to the Tobes of Hades, which is depicted as a dark and eerie place, to take control of the northern light. By-Tor is described as the knight of darkness, centurion of evil, and the devil's prince. The second verse takes us across the river Styx, where the Snow Dog waits for By-Tor. The Snow Dog is portrayed as a fierce and powerful creature with coal-black eyes shimmering with hate. By-Tor and the Snow Dog square for battle in a chaotic fray that ensues.
The third verse, which is instrumental, depicts the battle between By-Tor and the Snow Dog. It features a fast-paced guitar solo that matches the intensity of the battle. The final verse, the Epilogue, tells us that the battle is over, and the disciples of the Snow Dog sound the knell in celebration of their victory. By-Tor retreats to Hell in defeat, and the Snow Dog emerges victorious. The land of the Overworld is saved once again.
Overall, this song is a powerful metaphor for the battle between good and evil. Prince By-Tor represents the forces of darkness, while the Snow Dog represents the forces of light. The battle between them is a reminder that there is always a struggle between good and evil that must be fought and overcome.
Line by Line Meaning
At the Tobes of Hades
The entrance of the underworld built with candle lights
The Tobes of Hades
The underworld beneath the earth's surface
Lit by flickering torchlight
The candles that provide a dim light
The Netherworld is gathered in the glare
The darkness is illuminated by the candles and is full of demonic inhabitants
Prince By-Tor takes the cavern
The demonic royalty, By-Tor, captures the underground space
To the north light
Towards the shining light in the distance
The sign of Eth is rising in the air
The symbol of evil, Eth, is becoming more visible as By-Tor advances
By-Tor, knight of darkness
By-Tor, warrior of the underworld
Centurion of evil
A commander of wickedness
Devil's prince
The leader of the demonic beings
Across the river Styx
Over the river that separates the living from the dead
Out of the lamplight
Away from the candles
His nemesis is waiting at the gate
By-Tor's adversary is waiting for him at the entrance
The Snow Dog, ermine glowing
A mythical dog with white fur that shines
In the damp night
In the misty darkness
Coal-black eyes shimmering with hate
Eyes filled with animosity, glowing in the darkness
By-Tor and the Snow Dog
By-Tor and the Snow Dog are each other's enemies
Square for battle
Ready for combat
Let the fray begin
Let the battle commence
The battle's over
The fighting has ended
And the dust is clearing
The aftermath of combat is becoming visible
Disciples of the Snow Dog sound the knell
The followers of the Snow Dog mourn the loss
Rejoicing echoes
Cheers and celebration
As the dawn is nearing
As the sun is rising
By-Tor in defeat
By-Tor loses the battle
Retreats to Hell
Returns to his place in the underworld
Snow Dog is victorious
The Snow Dog wins the battle
The land of the Overworld
The world of the living
Is saved again
Is once again protected from evil by the Snow Dog
Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Neil Peart, Alex Lifeson
Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.