Hey dude!
Wow! I figured you had already heard it since it seems you get [official] advance copies. Mine wasn't official, but now it is! I ordered mine the day Ken made the announcement of early release and got it in the mail last week. It is awesome! Very melodic, plenty of technical passages to makes ones jaw drop, heavy moments, soft moments -- its in there!
So order it if you haven't already!
I haven'tbeen on as much lately either. Too much stuff going on this summer. Yes, we will. We're at the Grenada - where are you staying? I'm getting there Wednesday in time for Oliva.
I also concur with everyone about the new Symphony X disk - its a MUST own. I know how mileage can vary with DT, but I enjoy this disk quite a bit too. Its not disk of the year, but its worth owning and listening to.
Off the top of my head, four MUST own disks so far this year:
Circus Maximus - Isolate
Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Thought Chamber - Angular Perceptions
Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
Back OT: everyone buy the new Circus Maximus disk NOW - its EXCELLENT! 10 out of 10 metal signs.