Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings

[aramism]

ok so i am a huge dt fan and love every album except the last one (systematic chaos)

i didn't like the rite of passage the first single from this cd but heard that internet radio version of the other song and i loved it. can't wait to get the cd tomorrow and listen for the first time i've only heard 2 songs really and 50% so i'm hopeful they bounce back on this one.

some thoughts later on today after a few listens through.

 

[Morgan C]

Some cool bits, some really shit bits (rite of passage and best of times are awful in their entirety), overall it gets old fast.

 

[MetalJonesy]

im liking it overall, think i prefer it more that octavarium though.. could be on a par with systematic chaos, but it still doesnt touch train of thought, 6doit, awake and scenes from a memory mtpt2

 

[MetalJonesy]

ill have to say im liking the guitar tonez in this album though!

 

[Kadmium]

I like the production on this more than any other DT album. Portnoy's drums fiiiiinally sound decent. Usually they're annoying. Rhythm guitars are also nice and crushing. Some of the songs are forgettable, the lyrics are hilariously awful, and Mike Portnoy REALLY needs to stop singing. Or grunting. Or whatever the hell it is he's doing. There's enough genius to make it worthwhile, though. Beats the crap out of Systematic Chaos (but then, what doesn't) and it's a little better than Octavarium and Train of Thought, but nowhere near Six Degrees. A Nightmare to Remember has some wonderful parts and I rather enjoyed A Rite of Passage.

 

[Forceps]

I'm gonna see them tomorrow in Germany so I'm curious how it sounds live. Download Festival stream was OK, except for the vocals the first 2 songs. Hope LaBrie is in better shape tomorrow ;-)

 

[dan weapon]

Just bought it but don't expect much. I didn't really get into Octavasium or Systematic Chaos either.

Although I own all DT's albums, it's Images, Metropolis and Change of Seasons for me.

 

[Ola Englund]

It's out on spotify and it sounds pretty cool.. I'm only like 1 minute in though

 

[jacare]

I'm liking some melodies and passages that are trully beautiful. BUT:
1 - Mike, PLEASE, stop singing/ grunting/ hip hoping whatever the hell you are doing. YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT SOUNDING RIDICULOUS (IMO, of course).
2 - Someone got to tell this guys that those passages guitar shred/ keyboard shred/ guitar and keyboard shred are nothing more than silly. And awful to hear.
3 - Where is the guy who wrote the lyrics for A Change of Season ?
4 - Where are the clever parts you guys use to had in your songs ? Did you throw them all away since ToT ?

I&W>A>ACOS>SFAM>SDOIT>FII>O>BCASL>SC>ToT

I trully miss the old days of this band... they used to be my favourite band.

 

[Ola Englund]

Hmm kinda bugs me that the Shattered Fortress borrows to many parts from a song from an earlier record(don't remember the original song name). I mean wow it was cool earlier when they borrowed elements from other songs but come on the shattered fortress is just like a compilation of riffs from older songs. If I bought this album I would feel ripped off.

 

[aramism]

still haven't boght it but i agree SC was crap. i love all the stuff before tough. my fav album is awake and iaw but i like octavarium a lot. it had some songs i never listen to but from like song 3 and on (these walls i think) it makes it up and i love it. i dunno i am def a "new" dt basher as i hate their current gothic bullshit and unnecessary guitar/keyboard solo duels. between them all looking like gay pirates in promo pics and sounding like cheesy bullshit on their records the last few years have sucked for dt IMO. i think they are all going through midlife crisis if you ask me. their songwriting now is nothing like it was even 4 years ago.


i'm placing a lot of stock into the new album as if it is like systematic chaos again then saddle they may be done as a band that is original and good IMO. then again basically from 1991-2006 they had near flawless music and 7 awesome albums (iaw - oct) back to back (8 if you count the first one)

that is an unsurpassed feat if you ask me in modern music. its hard to stay on top.

 

[DanLights]

3 - Where is the guy who wrote the lyrics for A Change of Season ?

That would be Mike Portnoy, first lyrics he ever wrote.

Hmm kinda bugs me that the Shattered Fortress borrows to many parts from a song from an earlier record(don't remember the original song name). I mean wow it was cool earlier when they borrowed elements from other songs but come on the shattered fortress is just like a compilation of riffs from older songs. If I bought this album I would feel ripped off.

I haven't heard the album nor that song yet, but it obviously continues the saga that started with a glass prison containing the 12 steps of AA thing. The songs in this saga would be The Glass Prison >> This Dying Soul >> The Root of All Evil >> Repentance >> The Shattered Fortress

Not sure if the saga is done with this one, would have to see the lyrics, the steps are represented there.

 

[Jaymz]

I really liked the first 2 tracks I heard then as I got into the rest of the album I became dissapointed. I had a mate round and played it to him and he said they sound like they rushed this album and I happen to agree.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

I liked SC.

I'll prolly like this album, too. I don't see all the shit that you guys do. I think I and W was killer too, but I like all the lunacy that DT puts out. It's fucking hilarious.

 

[DanLights]

I liked SC.

I'll prolly like this album, too. I don't see all the shit that you guys do. I think I and W was killer too, but I like all the lunacy that DT puts out. It's fucking hilarious.

I have to totally with ya there arnold

edit: haha I accidentally did the "I accidentally the whole fleshlight" thing. I think the word missing in that sentence would be "agree"

 

[t-rave]

the Opening track is about as good as it gets for DT to me..they actually sound good at being heavy on this one, unlike the embarrassing Systematic Chaos..

I still can't figure out why there flow always has to be shit on by a guitar/keyboard noodlefest for no rime or reason... the first track has a great melodic section into a cool prog build up and then the nerd rock carnival takes a huge smelly dump on all of it..

great guitar and drum sounds so far..

I really liked Octavarium...

 

[Matt-Steele]

Shattered Fortress makes this album a joke. DT covering themselves with a medley of their own tunes. I loved how they weaved parts of Metropolis part one into Metropolis part 2, but the Shattered Fortress are direct pickups from their previous songs! WTF??? When I pay for an album I want it to be new originals, not rehashed crap!

I do enjoy Wither for easy listening.

 

[NicholasDWolfwood]

Shattered Fortress makes this album a joke. DT covering themselves with a medley of their own tunes. I loved how they weaved parts of Metropolis part one into Metropolis part 2, but the Shattered Fortress are direct pickups from their previous songs! WTF??? When I pay for an album I want it to be new originals, not rehashed crap!

erm, thats kinda the point...it's the final track of Portnoy's 12 Step Saga. hence why it borrows parts from the other 4 songs (The Glass Prison. This Dying Soul, The Root of All Evil, Repentance).

 

[MetalJonesy]

erm, thats kinda the point...it's the final track of Portnoy's 12 Step Saga. hence why it borrows parts from the other 4 songs (The Glass Prison. This Dying Soul, The Root of All Evil, Repentance).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AA_Saga

 

[HandsOfDespair]

Shattered fortress sucks a lot IMO, I think the arrangement is boring. Honestly, I think the only song I dig on this album is A nightmare to remember. The best of times has awful lyrics, and I'm sure some parts are directly from Octavarium. I find this album as bad as Systematic chaos, if not worse. I loved Octavarium though.