Dream Theater Grst Hit

[sixxswine]

From Blabbermouth.net:

DREAM THEATER: 'Greatest Hit (& 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs)' Details Revealed - Jan. 11, 2008 After recently celebrating the band's 20-year anniversary, DREAM THEATER returns with its first-ever best-of collection. Spanning 1991-2005, the two-disc set contains rare single edits, B-sides and a trio of new remixes that spotlight that band's nonpareil musicianship, complex arrangements and amazing songwriting. DREAM THEATER's "Greatest Hit (…& 21 Other Pretty Songs)" will be available from Rhino on April 1 at all physical retail outlets and www.rhino.com for a suggested retail price of $19.98 and at all digital retail outlets for a suggested retail price of $12.99.

Referring to DREAM THEATER's first and only major radio hit, "Pull Me Under", the compilation's tongue-in-cheek title is a testament not only to the band's sense of humor but also highlights the acclaimed New York-based quintet's ability to make music and cultivate a legion of fans on its own terms, without help from radio or MTV. The collection features more than two hours of progressive hard rock from James LaBrie (vocals), John Myung (bass), John Petrucci (guitar/vocals), Mike Portnoy (drums/vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards).

The collection contains three newly remixed versions of tracks from DREAM THEATER's breakout 1992 album, "Images And Words": the aforementioned "Pull Me Under" as well as "Take The Time" and "Another Day". Portnoy says this album presented the perfect opportunity to give the songs a bit of a facelift. "The original mixes always sounded a bit ''80s' to me, so we had our good friend and longtime mixer Kevin Shirley give the tracks a bit of an update to sound more like the rest of the DREAM THEATER catalog. The songs remain the same (no pun intended — Kevin just mixed that album as well), but there are little nuances in the tracks that I forgot were originally there, and it's very cool to hear them again."

The collection's 22 songs are split evenly between two discs, which are divided into "The Dark Side" (the metallic) and "The Light Side" (the melodic). Filled with some of the band's most sinister sounds, the first disc lives up to the billing of "The Dark Side." Longtime fans will appreciate the abundance of alternative versions of classic tracks, including single edits of "Lie", "Home" and "Misunderstood". Disc One concludes with two tracks from the band's 2005 album "Octavarium": "The Root Of All Evil" and "Sacrificed Sons".

The second disc, "The Light Side", spotlights the band's melodic side and features an alternate mix of "Through Her Eyes", a single edit of "Solitary Shell" and "To Live Forever", a 1994 B-side from the U.K.-only single of "Lie".

A grassroots phenomenon for 20 years, DREAM THEATER continues to record studio albums acclaimed for award-winning musicianship as well as artistic vision. To meet the demands of a demanding global fan base, the band also maintains an active touring schedule that regularly includes sold-out performances around the world.

DREAM THEATER has currently been on the road since June 2007, traveling the globe in support of their latest studio album "Systematic Chaos". Their world tour will conclude with a final run throughout North America in May as they premiere their "Progressive Nation" package tour with OPETH, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, and 3 supporting.

"Greatest Hit (…& 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs)" track listing:

Disc 1 (The Dark Side):

01. Pull Me Under (2007 Remix)
02. Take The Time (2007 Remix)
03. Lie (Single Edit)
04. Peruvian Skies
05. Home (Single Edit)
06. Misunderstood (Single Edit)
07. The Test That Stumped Them All
08. As I Am
09. Endless Sacrifice
10. The Root Of All Evil
11. Sacrificed Sons

Disc 2 (The Light Side):

01. Another Day (2007 Remix)
02. To Live Forever
03. Lifting Shadows Off A Dream
04. The Silent Man
05. Hollow Years
06. Through Her Eyes (Alternate Album Mix)
07. The Spirit Carries On
08. Solitary Shell (Single Edit)
09. I Walk Beside You
10. The Answer Lies Within
11. Disappear

 

[Psychonaut]

No Space Dye Vest. This compilation fails!

 

[Wyvern]

I already have all their albums, I'm a fan but not THAT a fan.

 

[sixxswine]

I'm picking this up because I'm a casual fan at best...

 

[Psychonaut]

I'm one of those that gets bored of the noodle-fests implanted in most of their songs. Some people like them, but I find them to be distracting to the overall feel of the songs. I have the first two, and there's some good stuff on them but I lean towards their shorter songs.

 

[poundingmetal74]

Not bad, but, where is Metropolis Pt. 1 and Another Day? Each of which were released as singles and are fan favorites. They had videos for both songs which received airplay = AUTOMATIC greatest hit!

(If Skid Row did a greatest hits disc Youth Gone Wild would be on it, even though it's a mediocre song for them - you expect it to be there based on fame!)

 

[mdmatt4ever]

Not bad, but, where is Metropolis Pt. 1 and Another Day? Each of which were released as singles and are fan favorites. They had videos for both songs which received airplay = AUTOMATIC greatest hit!

(If Skid Row did a greatest hits disc Youth Gone Wild would be on it, even though it's a mediocre song for them - you expect it to be there based on fame!)

another day is track 1 on disc 2:Smug:

i agree its missing some good stuff. most of it is kevin moore stuff so maybe it was done on purpose. i might get this because all i own is train of thought, images and words and awake. i don't like much of what they did after moore left

 

[poundingmetal74]

all i own is train of thought, images and words and awake.

Same here.

"Here's DT in a nutshell. Lebrie sings. 20 minute wank fest. Lebrie sings. Next song."

 

[wdiv]

I like the title.

 

[razoredge]

Same here.

"Here's DT in a nutshell. Lebrie sings. 20 minute wank fest. Lebrie sings. Next song."

wow, whodda thought it could be so simple....

 

[Wyvern]

Same here.

"Here's DT in a nutshell. Lebrie sings. 20 minute wank fest. Lebrie sings. Next song."

Since I own all their material I can say that I disagree. They made good prog metal when they up to, the problem is thay try TOO HARD to please listeners outside the fandom and/or the prog metal community. Hence they come with mallcore sounds in TOT and in a couple of songs of SC and that really sucks!
If they stuck to the formula used in IAW, FII and "Octavarium" they will do fine, no need for experimentation. Many good prog rock bands did lots of music without experiment outside their own boundaries, a bit of change here and there is not bad, but showing off changing sounds drastically to say hey look how accomplished we are as musicians is the real wankery IMO.

 

[poundingmetal74]

Yeah, well I saw them live and every song was the same format. You get a long build up, a verse/chorus or 2 with lebrie and then wanking for 10 minutes.
I will say though, that they've stuck to their guns and still do what they do, and do it well. They haven't gone through an identity crises like Queensryche and numerous other bands from the period have gone through.

 

[mdmatt4ever]

Yeah, well I saw them live and every song was the same format. You get a long build up, a verse/chorus or 2 with lebrie and then wanking for 10 minutes.
I will say though, that they've stuck to their guns and still do what they do, and do it well. They haven't gone through an identity crises like Queensryche and numerous other bands from the period have gone through.

i hardly say queensryche is having an identity crisis. since they are progressive they are going to change. thats what they did

 

[Wyvern]

They haven't gone through an identity crises like Queensryche and numerous other bands from the period have gone through.

I disagree I believe they HAD already an identity crisis hence the ukef TOT and songs 3 and 4 from SC. They have stuck (I insist) with the formula of the early albums, I see no need for a progressive band to progress (or in a metal band for that matters).

NP: Avantasia - 'What Kind Of Love'

 

[razoredge]

Sure they have a formula but what band doesnt. They have been around over twenty years. I like long musical passages and they have done that since the begining. It was part of what attracted me to them. I think I know what songs and sounds are being mentioned here. Theres some Tool sounding song, I can think of one that is so obviously Metallica in places, a few other newer metal sound songs.. in places but the ol Dream Theater machine kicks in somewhere along the lines. BUT... Ya know, they have always done a bit of this. Theres one part in I forget what song off I&W that seemed to be to be a direct twist of some Kansas run, possibly off Carry On My Wayward Son, theres been a fair share of stuff with similarities to things Rush has done. It also seems done so blantently obvious that I cant help but think they have done it on purpose, to pay tribute to their influences or more recently, other recent bands or sounds that caught their ear. They also have the reputation of doing a fair share of live covers of bands they appreaciate. So I dont let any of that bother me. The band has a wicked amount of material and percentage wise its loaded with the Dream Theater trademark.

Wankery ? Wankery... to me is... alot of crying about other peoples affairs. Why did men go to the Poles ? Because they could. Why do men climb Mt Everest ? because they could. Why does Dream Theater do gobs of musical passages and solos ? Because they can............

 

[mdmatt4ever]

I disagree I believe they HAD already an identity crisis hence the ukef TOT and songs 3 and 4 from SC. They have stuck (I insist) with the formula of the early albums, I see no need for a progressive band to progress (or in a metal band for that matters).

NP: Avantasia - 'What Kind Of Love'

i like train of thought

 

[wdiv]

I disagree I believe they HAD already an identity crisis hence the ukef TOT and songs 3 and 4 from SC.

I like Dark Eternal Night. Not a big fan of Constant Motion though.