Holy freaking cow !! What happened to Dream Theater ?!?!

[Bryant]

While I love my Vanden Plas, there is only a handful of prog-metal bands I even like. I respect the musicianship and complexity, mind you, but it doesn't usually work for me as far as those bands simply being able to write good songs I can follow. In the early - mid 90's prog-metal was different. Dream Theater had Images and Words, Fates Warning had a couple of monsters, even Queensryche's Mindcrime (though late 80's) had a lot of prog moments.
Anyway, I was on Urban Breed's forum and one of the members posted something about Dream Theater's new release. They have been so bad for so long, if he wouldn't have made a short post (unlike mine,) I would have skipped over it. He basically said " This release, however, was possibley their best work. Mainly because they decided to actually write songs for this album as opposed to what they normally do." I pulled a video up on Youtube, then listened to all the other tracks. Yeah there is some musical masturbation there, but over-all, after 22 years, Dream Theater finally made a worthy followup to Images and Words. It kicks ass.

 

[Platinum Maze]

Very good album. Great song. This one is good too. Killer guitar solo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlOxJ7KW4dA


Though I do like Train of Thought and have checked out everything they've ever done, I do not like much other than Images and Words. Labrie has always been my main issue with the band but I like him on this latest album.

 

[Wyvern]

I guess you haven't check them in quite awhile, isn't it?

The post-Portnoy albums are more interesting than the stuff they made after SFAM, but nothing to die for. The band seems more tight in composition now, and breathing smoother but they haven't went back to past glories that much.

 

[Assault_Attack]

Labrie has always been my main issue with the band

I hate to say it but me too! I have had serious discussions with D.T. fans about this. I prefer Russel Allen & Symphony X over Labrie & D.T. I don't think that will ever change.

 

[Bryant]

I hate to say it but me too! I have had serious discussions with D.T. fans about this. I prefer Russel Allen & Symphony X over Labrie & D.T. I don't think that will ever change.

Labrie has always been THE make or break for DT. I am a guitarist. I have been playing for 30 years, yet it is still always the singer that breaks a band for me as well (not necessarily makes it mind you.) Having said that, Labrie is an odd monster. When he is good, he is REALLY good. When he is bad, he is REALLY bad. He has a beautiful voice when he does the softer more melodic stuff. When he puts too much of the rasp in his vocals, I don't care for it.
However, I also feel the same about Sir Russell. When he does angry Russ, I am not impressed. When he sings with an emotic voice, he is incredible. I am the type (well I guess a typical metal-head) that normally thinks heavier is better, but for both DT and SX, I prefer the ballads.

Bryant

 

[Bryant]

Very good album. Great song. This one is good too. Killer guitar solo.


Though I do like Train of Thought and have checked out everything they've ever done, I do not like much other than Images and Words. Labrie has always been my main issue with the band but I like him on this latest album.

Well he IS John Petrucci. I have an incredible amount of respect for him as a guitarist. I would rather hear Wolf Hoffmann play, though. I can't put a number on Petrucci as far as where he sits in my all time favorite guitarists, but he definitely has some solos that are fllat out mind blowing.

I guess you haven't check them in quite awhile, isn't it?

The post-Portnoy albums are more interesting than the stuff they made after SFAM, but nothing to die for. The band seems more tight in composition now, and breathing smoother but they haven't went back to past glories that much.

Actually I may have not given a release or two as much of a chance as I should, but VERY LITTLE has grabbed me as much as most of the songs on this one.

Bryant

 

[Assault_Attack]

Labrie has always been THE make or break for DT. it is still always the singer that breaks a band for me as well (not necessarily makes it mind you.)

Agree, If I can't get past the vocals, well I move on.

However, I also feel the same about Sir Russell. When he does angry Russ, I am not impressed. When he sings with an emotic voice, he is incredible. Bryant

Agree. I was such a huge fan of Russell before he started the "Angry Russ" so it was an adjustment for me. So I guess I deal with it as a long time fan, But I do wish he would stop it, lol.

 

[wdiv]

I really enjoyed systematic chaos, may be my favorite DT album. The albums since then have been very forgettable. I think I&W is a tad overrated.
Symphony X is a shadow of their former selves. They peaked with Odyssey and the "aggressive" sound of iconoclast is a big step backwards -- Applies to the songwriting, Romeo's guitar work, the whole thing, not just Russ.

 

[Wyvern]

Agree, If I can't get past the vocals, well I move on.

Reason for me to dislike ALL black metal, death metal, and a lot of bands out there ( e.g. Mercyful Fate, Accept). If i don't connect properly with the voice, goodbye.

 

[SoundMaster]

DT has improved dramatically in recent years. The songwriting is simply better than ever and LaBrie's voice is much more palatable than it was in their early years.

While I really like the older records, they're currently (since 1999+) in the midst of their prime, IMO.

The '09 release, 'Black Clouds and Silver Linings' is their masterpiece, to my ears.

 

[MetalAges]

I'm one of the guys who loved Dream Theater from the first album on, but then they started to lose me around Six Degrees/Train of Thought. It just got too - I don't know, the songs just weren't there for me anymore.

I hate to say this, but the post Portnoy stuff brought me back in. I know Mike had been integral in the band with music, lyrics, new ideas etc. - but I think in hindsight maybe that is what I didn't like. A Dramatic turn of Events brought me back in - killer album.

 

[Wyvern]

I'm one of the guys who loved Dream Theater from the first album on, but then they started to lose me around Six Degrees/Train of Thought. It just got too - I don't know, the songs just weren't there for me anymore.

I hate to say this, but the post Portnoy stuff brought me back in. I know Mike had been integral in the band with music, lyrics, new ideas etc. - but I think in hindsight maybe that is what I didn't like. A Dramatic turn of Events brought me back in - killer album.

I'm like you almost. Even if I had all their studio albums, the band to me worth until "Falling Into Infinity", "Metropolis pt 2: SFAM" is good but a little pretentious, the rest of the Portnoy era albums range from horrible to so-so, with Mangini the band had freshen up some, still need some more to recapture the old magic.