Dream Theater-A Rite of Passage

Recently the American symphonic rock band Dream Theater released the album Black Clouds & Silver Linings; truly a great album with impressive songs and instrumental breaks the band is famous for. One song in particular caught my attention. 

A Rite of Passage has lyrics full with references to Freemasonry. In the middle of the booklet of the album and on the cover of this single we see the well know international logo of the brotherhood, the compass and square within the middle, not the letter G what we would expect, but the logo of the band. Checking out the video of this song on Youtube we come across some strange looking ritual, with clear and obvious connections with Masonry. At the end we see a company of initiates gathered around what appears to be a holy object, the Perfect Cube.

Checking forum discussions on the website of Dream Theater’s record label Roadrunner, it is said that none of the guys in the band are Masons themselves, but somewhere in their family there can be found Masonic ties. All together, an interesting reference to the Masonic legacy in present day music. The song doesn’t seem to be critical toward Freemasonry at all, but seems more to be intended as some kind of tribute. And of course: it’s great music.