TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER
Halcyon Way Sufferer
- Jan 7, 2002
- 3,859
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My balls don't get offended when Portnoy grunts. Just my ears. :danceboy:
Whatever, grow a pair of balls.
New DREAM THEATER thoughts???
- Thread starter Wherewolf
- Start date
Pelata
FINAL SIGN
After listening to the samples, he's nowhere near as bad as people are saying...I even think he pulled off the cookie vocals admirably.
BloodRocket
Member
I've listened to the album enough times by now, and I'm not hearing anything that sounds like cookie monster vocals anywhere.
AngraRULES
Member
AngraRULES
Member
He didn't use them on the album. He did, however, release a demo with the cookie monster vocals he wanted to do originally on the first song. He was afraid that the spoiled progsnobs with no balls (most Dream Theater fans) would be scared of them and cry.
Listening to it a few times through, I think it is a good album. Not as good as Systematic Chaos, but there is some good stuff on here. "The Count Of Tuscany" is definitely the highlight for me, tho I don't really think the music in the first half matches the lyrics much. The chorus and the end part is just killer, tho.
The covers are more of a highlight to me than the original songs. Some good choices.
The covers are more of a highlight to me than the original songs. Some good choices.
Me neither. Portnoy's vocals are somewhat angry sounding, but this is not "extreme" by anyone's standard, even DT's.
Anyway the more I listen to the album the more I love it! They are moving back up as far as I'm concerned. Systematic was the one that sounded like leftovers to me - it's like they were holding back the real quality material for Black Clouds. Even the track I disliked on first listen (Nightmare) I am liking more and more each time I hear it. Wither is such an awesome ballad, and The Count of Tuscany better go down as one of their modern classics.
I haven't given the album a good listen yet, but I mostly like it. It's funny to see so many people on here bashing Portnoy's vocals... Because I remember listening to DT stuff on youtube at one point when I had none of my music, and it was funny to me to see so many comments like: "dream theater is a good band but i hate their singer i think the drummer needs to do more vocals and kick the gay guy out!1111111" Though these same people also say they want Disturbed's singer to sing for DT...
I like his vocals though. I don't want him to be the main guy but I like when he pops up now and then and I also actually liked his part in ANTR. I am glad he didn't go with the cookie monster vocals. That didn't fit the song in his clip at all haha... In general though I don't like many growling vocals... I'm picky on them :-\
I've only listened to the album once right now and, as I said, haven't listened real close to it yet since I've been busy. But honestly I felt disappointed with the end to the 12 step suite. I enjoyed the first half then I felt like they took almost the exact same music and vocals from the past and just used them with a slightly different sound. I always like when past melodies are more subtly hinted at in their songs instead. Also it seemed like the song didn't end real well. When it stopped I said: "Wait... was that it? That's how it ends?" I dunno. It just seems like it fizzled out a bit to me.
And so far I didn't really care for "The Best of Times" at all. I've liked their past slower songs but this one just didn't grab me that much.
Though I'm sure I'll like this album more after a few more listens as happens with a lot of their stuff and some other bands. The rest of it is great, I definitely want to relisten to "The Shattered Fortress" and see if I end up liking it more.
I like his vocals though. I don't want him to be the main guy but I like when he pops up now and then and I also actually liked his part in ANTR. I am glad he didn't go with the cookie monster vocals. That didn't fit the song in his clip at all haha... In general though I don't like many growling vocals... I'm picky on them :-\
I've only listened to the album once right now and, as I said, haven't listened real close to it yet since I've been busy. But honestly I felt disappointed with the end to the 12 step suite. I enjoyed the first half then I felt like they took almost the exact same music and vocals from the past and just used them with a slightly different sound. I always like when past melodies are more subtly hinted at in their songs instead. Also it seemed like the song didn't end real well. When it stopped I said: "Wait... was that it? That's how it ends?" I dunno. It just seems like it fizzled out a bit to me.
And so far I didn't really care for "The Best of Times" at all. I've liked their past slower songs but this one just didn't grab me that much.
Though I'm sure I'll like this album more after a few more listens as happens with a lot of their stuff and some other bands. The rest of it is great, I definitely want to relisten to "The Shattered Fortress" and see if I end up liking it more.
wildfyr
unus spiritus est
Just got the 3-disc version. Read the lyrics w/o playing the music after peeling off the cellophane. First spin in the CD player happening now.
- First impression of disc 1 is favorable. Wither and The Count of Tuscany are early faves.
- Disc 2 now playing. Dig the Queen cover.
- Love the packaging, the Hugh Syme "Art Direction, Design and Illustrations". A goldfish in a beaker floating above the waterline... the elephant painting a picture... the square, compass, and DT symbol... (hehe)
Pretty cool so far.
- First impression of disc 1 is favorable. Wither and The Count of Tuscany are early faves.
- Disc 2 now playing. Dig the Queen cover.
- Love the packaging, the Hugh Syme "Art Direction, Design and Illustrations". A goldfish in a beaker floating above the waterline... the elephant painting a picture... the square, compass, and DT symbol... (hehe)
Pretty cool so far.
TwizstedJesus
Member
- Mar 1, 2004
- 1,219
- 24
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Opinions are like...well...you know the saying, but heres mine anyways
Dream Theater died. Has there truly been anything DT-like since SFAM? Each successive disc comes out and I lose a little more respect for this band. The musicianship is stellar, the recording is top notch, but it doesn't ring of Dream Theater. Its just....bleh!
I will listen to it a bit more, but first opinions are that it blows donkey.
Dream Theater died. Has there truly been anything DT-like since SFAM? Each successive disc comes out and I lose a little more respect for this band. The musicianship is stellar, the recording is top notch, but it doesn't ring of Dream Theater. Its just....bleh!
I will listen to it a bit more, but first opinions are that it blows donkey.
I found myself wondering before this album came out how the first song would start. Since Dream Theater always takes the last song of the album and it's very ending is the beginning of the next album... I wondered if "In the Presence of Enemies"'s ending would be the beginning or if, since it was just the last half of the 1st song, "Ministry of Lost Souls" would have it's ending be the beginning.
I guess it looks like "Ministries of Lost Souls" was used... I just listened to the ending of it and the start of "A Nightmare to Remember" and it kinda goes from a slight windy sound to thunder so.... I guess it's supposed to be linked?
A friend of mine and I were just curious what they would do for it. I figured it'd still be Presence of Enemies since usually the longer song was at the ending lately .... but I guess it's ending wasn't really a good way to start a song off now that I check it out again.
I guess it looks like "Ministries of Lost Souls" was used... I just listened to the ending of it and the start of "A Nightmare to Remember" and it kinda goes from a slight windy sound to thunder so.... I guess it's supposed to be linked?
A friend of mine and I were just curious what they would do for it. I figured it'd still be Presence of Enemies since usually the longer song was at the ending lately .... but I guess it's ending wasn't really a good way to start a song off now that I check it out again.
I wondered when I'd see a reply like this because I remember when Train of Thought came out (I wasn't on this forum at the time) almost everyone I read from online said DT had become an awful band and how they would never listen to them again and whatnot. I assume it's a big dislike of the leaving behind of the more 80's sound that they originally had?
Ascension
New Metal Member
Yeah...most want another I&W or Awake and they're not getting it. They don't understand the term "progressive". DT retains elements from their earlier years in just about every release, even moreso in BC&SL...but alot of people want clones of those 2. Taking that in consideration, I have to wonder if they are even fans of the progressive metal genre at all. BC&SL has all the elements you look for in a great prog metal release. Maybe too much of a DT hater mentality. A band gains the top ranking in a genre...next thing you see is some of their "so called" fans jumping ship. They don't feel the band is exclusive to them anymore & not catering to their needs...i.e. another I&W/Awake/SfaM.
Not to worry...going to the shows...observances of younger fans scattered in the audience says that DT is reaching a newer fanbase after every release. A great signal of longevity for them.
Harvester
The Promoter
Claus / Intromental
20 years of uniting the powers of metal
And the band hit #6 on Billboard last week. Very cool considering who surrounds them in that list.
Very cool considering who surrounds them in that list.
Ascension
New Metal Member
J-Dubya 777
It NEVER ends
Write it down folks. I agree with Ascension.
Oh NO! Not you too!
Scary, when it happens, isn't it?
TwizstedJesus
Member
- Mar 1, 2004
- 1,219
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As a fan of Dream Theater since when Dominici was the singer, the band progressed very nicely through the years, Awake being my personal favorite. I felt that Falling Into Obscurity was rock bottom, especially after Change of Seasons EP was so damn awesome. SFAM righted the ship once again, Six Degrees was more hit than miss, then...DISASTER! Train of Thought was my least favorite, until Octovarium became my least favorite, until Systematic Chaos...etc,etc... It has nothing to do with me not being a fan of progressive music ( Yes,I took that personal since I've been a fan of the genre since Watchtower "Control & Resistance" or even Fates Warning "No Exit"...20 years as a prog dog!). It has something to do with me not liking the direction that DT has taken. Similiar to Fates Warning's direction after APSOG, fans like what they like and when new elements are entered into the picture,some get turned off. With Dream Theater its the "Cookie Monster" vocals by Portnoy,which just completely ruin the songs. With Fates,the industrial elements that are creeping in to their recent music.
Newer bands like PathosRay Scale The Summit and Circus Maximus are the future of progressive metal. The old guns are starting to fade away for me,so I search for new exciting developments in the genre. The fans only jump ship when they can no longer find satisfaction in their once favorite bands music I.E. "The Queensryche Condition". You keep buying the new material hoping that you'll be stunned once again(the amazing interplay between Jordan and John in the early days now seems so cliche),but it happens less each successive release.
I'm glad that DT still has a strong fan base. I've just started to lose interest, no more, no less
Newer bands like PathosRay Scale The Summit and Circus Maximus are the future of progressive metal. The old guns are starting to fade away for me,so I search for new exciting developments in the genre. The fans only jump ship when they can no longer find satisfaction in their once favorite bands music I.E. "The Queensryche Condition". You keep buying the new material hoping that you'll be stunned once again(the amazing interplay between Jordan and John in the early days now seems so cliche),but it happens less each successive release.
I'm glad that DT still has a strong fan base. I've just started to lose interest, no more, no less
Pelata
FINAL SIGN
Awake is my personal favorite as well, but I became a fan on I&W. "A Change Of Seasons" is the best single song the band ever recordedm IMO. For my money, Falling Into Infinity was better than SFAM...SFAM didn't stick as hard as FII did. After seeing them on the 6DoIT tour, my interest faded and ToT and Octo didn't get a lot of attention from me...it all sounded samey. But Systematic Chaos brought me back, and I haven't heard BC&SL yet (I get it tomorrow), but I love "Rite Of Passage"...
