Dream Theater - Mike Portnoy + Mike Mangini = OMFG!

[The Butt]

Fuck dream theater!!!

 

[Kara-Shehr]

I'm listening to Dream Theater right now bitches.


DRAWING LINES IN THE SAAAAAAAAAAAAND!!!!!!!

 

[ArneZ]

Dream Theater is just as awsome as they are boring. Depends on my progressive mood, excited to hear some new stuff.

 

[TheInsane]

I find Dream Theater to be one of the most uneven bands out there. Half of what they have done ranges from good to awesome. The other half goes from meh to pretty damn bad and boring.

I was hoping for new ideas coming with the new drummer. Seems like all the music was already written so I guess its gonna be more of the same old. Last album was a snoozefest unfortunately.

 

[SkeletonWitch]

Scenes From A Memory and their live cover of Dark Side of the Moon are excellent. Everything else they did ranges from passable to craptastic.

 

[Kara-Shehr]

Album title and track list was just revealed.

Title: A Dramatic Turn of Events

1. On the Backs of Angels
2. Build Me Up, Break Me Down
3. Lost Not Forgotten
4. This is the Life
5. The Shaman's Trance
6. Outcry
7. Far From Heaven
8. Breaking All Illusions
9. Beneath The Surface

 

[TheInsane]

Scenes From A Memory and their live cover of Dark Side of the Moon are excellent. Everything else they did ranges from passable to craptastic.

This is how I would rate the albums I have listened to:

Images and words - pretty danmn excellent. I feel most things click on this record. I much prefer the guy they had playing the keys on the early stuff to Mr Rudess.

Awake - Not as good but still good. No complaints.

Scenes from a memory - While not bad I feel its hugely overrated. Parts are excellent but I dont feel like it holds up all the way.

Six degrees of inner turbulence - I seem to be one of the few that absolutely loves the second disc and I think it is superior to the first one. Not saying the first one is bad but for me it has that scenes from a memory feeling where parts are excellent but the whole doesnt quite hold up.

Train of thought - One of their most disliked albums among fans but one of my favorites.

Octavarium - This one is saved by the amazing title track which I feel is one of the best songs DT has ever made. The rest isnt really that memorable. Is it werent for the song octavarium I would have never bought this record.

Systematic chaos - I think its good and underrated. With this one and Octavbarium I feel LaBrie actually stepped up his game.

Black clouds and silver linings - I have tried on several occations to get into this album but I just cant. It feels so tired.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

I don't like Dream Theater as much as I used to and consider them more of a guilty pleasure than anything, but I still think Images & Words is absolutely brilliant. Most of the criticisms people love throwing at Dream Theater don't apply to that album or at least not to as large an extent as to the others. It's not prog for prog's sake, it's what prog should be, it's inspired, mindblowing, brain-tickling music that could only exist in time signatures no sane man would touch.

The only problem I have with that album is that while all the individual songs are great, the album as a whole is very incoherent. Were they going for intentional contrast when they placed Another Day after Pull Me Under? Whatever the case, it doesn't work and it's jarring as hell. The rest of the album isn't much better in that regard.

 

[Matt]

Train of Thought is an awesome album and is one of my favorites from them. I didn't think that was 'ho hum' or 'average' at all

Agreed, it's one of my favorites too.

I liked them all, Systematic Chaos was bleh though.

SC sucked, compared to their older stuff.

I still think Metropolis Part II: Scenes From A Memory. Is there best. Such epic tracks & solos on there.

As far as Mangini goes...It's not really gonna change much IMO.

Scenes is their best in my opinion. Aside from one or two really shitty songs, it's a fantastic album.

And I think that Portnoy had more influence on the songwriting than he's given credit for. He might not take credit for full songs often but I do think that his presence (or lack thereof) will result in better songs. Though I'll miss his virtuosic drumming.