Dream Theater S/T new studio album

I hope I don't get to the point of criticizing every little detail of every album I hear. I listen for the pure enjoyment of it. I must admit, I disagree with 90% of the posts made on the forum in regards to whats good or what isn't. I think it's a great thing that so many people disagree, otherwise this forum would probably get a bit boring. lol DT seems to fuel quite a bit of debate, and I guess when a band like that sets the Bar so high, people expect a masterpiece every time. My favorite DT release so far was Scenes from a Memory, to me an absolute masterpiece. Not to mention this was THE album that got me interested in progressive music. I have enjoyed most of their cd's before and after. Systematic Chaos and ADTOE are also favorites of mine, loved both these albums. Getting the new cd is a blind buy for me. I have met Portnoy and I am a fan of several projects he has done, and is doing. However, to me, Mangini has breathed new life into this band and I can't wait to hear the new album.
 
TOT is my absolute favorite DT album. I love all of them for different reasons, however I think Octavarium is their weakest by far IMO.
 
I really liked Octavarium (especially the title track and Panic Attack). Least favourite album for me is ADTOE - despite everyone else seemingly raving about it, I just couldn't get into it at all. I'm not a huge fan of Awake either, which seems to be an uncommon opinion.

Favourite album is definitely SFAM - second only to The Black Halo in my list of favourite concept albums.
 
Put me in the camp that loves FII. It's their bravest and most emotional album in my opinion. Lines in the Sand is probably my favorite DT track to this day and stuff like Hollow Years still stands as one of their better ballads. It's a shame they had such a sour experience from that album, because I felt like it really pushed them forward stylistically.
 
There's great material on ALL of their releases but also some dreck (IMHO). I was glad to see the Portnoy influence almost completely vanish on his departure, almost as if they did this on purpose. REALLY glad to see his cookie monster vox gone. I truly enjoyed ADTOE and am hopeful for the next one with Mangini's input there as well.
 
DREAM THEATER Preview New Self-Titled Album In NYC

Attention Deficit Delirium's Bryan Reesman reports:

Last night progressive metal legends DREAM THEATER held their first-ever media listening party to preview their forthcoming self-titled album. Their 12th release - the fourth with Roadrunner Records overall and their second with drummer Mike Mangini - is an hour-long, nine-song opus that harkens back to the melodic, slightly more traditional songwriting of their early days and meshes it with the chops, speed and epic ambitions that they have become known for since. Most of the songs are five to seven-minute morsels, two of which ('The Looking Glass' and 'Surrender To Reason') recall vintage RUSH, while the majestic, multifaceted, predominately instrumental 19-minute closer 'Illumination Theory' has a gorgeous neo-classical centerpiece courtesy of keyboardist Jordan Rudess that makes for an unexpectedly serene break during an often frenetic number.

There is a slightly more mainstream slant to the album that will allow Dream Theater disciples and fellow prog heads to play this release to a non-genre fan who could appreciate it and not instantly be overwhelmed by a maelstrom of notes. Dream Theater have explored different approaches over the years, but it seems that the stigma of dauntingly ambitious, epic music has stuck with them. Frontman James LaBrie told me that the catchy, U2-ish song 'I Walk Beside You' from Octavarium was sent to commercial radio for airplay consideration, but he suspected that they ignored it simply because of the connotations associated with the band’s name. Obviously Dream Theater do not aspire to be played on Top 40 stations, but some of the new material is more commercially friendly in a good way.

“What has always been our nemesis is the preconceived notion of what Dream Theater represents musically, and there so many facets to us,” LaBrie told me during the playback. “I always feel that on every album there is a song that is right for a crossover and could allow us to reach a wider audience. The problem has always been that people look at us as superfluous or self-indulgent, that we’re technically based and not song based. That’s bulls**t and the furthest thing from the truth. We’re always trying to create something that is memorable, and to me that’s what a song is about.”

Read more at Attention Deficit Delirium
 
I really hate to say it, but this band has found new inspiration since Portnoy left and just sounds completely revitalized.
 
AeonicSlumber said:
I really hate to say it, but this band has found new inspiration since Portnoy left and just sounds completely revitalized.
Click to expand...

I'm a Portnoy fan and I couldn't be happier. Dream Theater had been mostly stagnant to my ears since 6doit with Octavarium being the only exception. On the other hand I love most of Portnoy's side projects. I saw the move as a win win and so far its working out that way.

DT has put out one solid disc and it looks like another is on the way. On the flip side we've gotten some amazing music with Flying Colors a transatlantic disc next year. Adrenaline Mob was a dud and Winery Dogs aren't my thing but you can't win them all. All in all I think it was a fantastic move based on the volume of quality music we've gotten.
 
New song is nothing special IMO. I want to hear something new and innovative from these guys. The DT purists will love it though. Just feels like they use the same formula for song writing. Yes, if it ain't broke don't fix it, right but then again experimenting with new things will help a musician grow and go places they never thought of before.
 
This song sounds pretty fresh. Glad they moved back into "metal". My faith in the band has been officially restored. The new album still won't be a blind buy though.
 
I'm enjoying "The Enemy Inside," but it basically sounds like what I would expect from Dream Theater. They've been giving a taste of one song before the release of a new album since they were preparing to release "Systematic Chaos," and each time they do it, I ended up liking the majority of the rest of the album a lot more than the song they decided to push. I have a very strong feeling that history will repeat itself yet again with this album, which suits me just fine.


Stay metal. Never rust.
Albert
 
Met-Al said:
I'm enjoying "The Enemy Inside," but it basically sounds like what I would expect from Dream Theater. They've been giving a taste of one song before the release of a new album since they were preparing to release "Systematic Chaos," and each time they do it, I ended up liking the majority of the rest of the album a lot more than the song they decided to push. I have a very strong feeling that history will repeat itself yet again with this album, which suits me just fine.


Stay metal. Never rust.
Albert
Click to expand...

Agreed. I also think this is a common trend though. The majority of the bands I like will release a new song before the release of the album that tends to be the weakest or one of the weaker tracks on the album. This is why for the most part I try to avoid listening to songs before release.
 
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