During the early years of the grunge era, the Smashing Pumpkins released arguably its best album to date, “Siamese Dream.” The album produced a number of radio hits, such as the song that made them famous, “Today,” as well as “Disarm” and “Rocket.” This album defined what rock ‘n’ roll was at that time: loud, heavy and not for the weak at heart.

-In a year where possibly the biggest contender for “Siamese Dream” was Pearl Jam’s “Vs.,” “Siamese Dream” set a standard for all grunge albums to follow. The following year, Soundgarden released its mega hit “Superunknown,” and Alice in Chains opened a “Jar of Flies.” But unfortunately, after the Pumpkins wowed us all with “Siamese Dream,” they drifted into a different direction with the orchestrations of “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” and the electronica of “Adore.”

“Dream” opens with “Cherub Rock,” a hard and heavy number with some interesting lyrics: (Who wants honey as long as there’s money?)

Perhaps singer/guitarist Billy Corgan is referring to the wonders of fame and fortune compared to a normal love life. Either way, these lyrics are intriguing, as are the lyrics to the fifth song on the record, “Rocket.”

(Consume my love, devour my hate only powers my escape/ The moon is out, the stars invite/ I think I’ll leave, I think I’ll leave tonight.)

Who could forget the massive ending to “Rocket” with the rising guitars and feedback that simulates the launching of a space shuttle? Things slow down with the acoustics of “Disarm,” but then the tempo picks up again with one of the hardest songs on the album, “Geek U.S.A.” The feedback-drenched ballad “Mayonaise” shows just how versatile this band is.

Many will argue that this isn’t the Pumpkins’ best album, but in reality, there are two different bands here. You can look at the Smashing Pumpkins that produced such albums as this one and “Pisces Iscariot,” and then there’s the other band that gave us the gothic stylings of “Adore” and “Machina: The Machines of God.” One can argue for hours on which is the better band, but few will come to a mutual understanding.