new DT

[maestro41]

http://www.youtube.com/roadrunnerrecords#p/u/0/oasnbzEMV08

I like it, I could do without the piano interlude around 6:00 or so. It sounds good but will have to grow on me I think. JLB sounds a bit nasily.

 

[PurpleDink]

i wonder what the album title is reffering to?

Good to see Myung rejoined the band.

 

[Phanto]

Meh. But it's probably better than what it would have been with Portnoy's "aggressive" influence.

 

[PurpleDink]

agreed, and i love ToT, like BCSL, and half of SC is okay.

 

[maestro41]

i wonder what the album title is reffering to?

Good to see Myung rejoined the band.

I didnt know he left.

 

[Sep3]

Good to see Myung rejoined the band.

Who?

 

[KevinMoore]

Meh. But it's probably better than what it would have been with Portnoy's "aggressive" influence.

Agreed.

 

[Pamonha]

If this song is the weakest in the album, it's going to be killer. If it's amongst the best, this album still is going to be better than the last two.

 

[BruceSX]

Is this right?


On the Back of Angels

Standing on the backs of angels,
Destined to create,
Mounting the attack,
While heroes carry a weight.

We spiral towards disaster,
Survival fading faster,

Riding out the wave,
Content to feed off the machine.
Bleeding us to death,
The new American dream.

You’re blinded by your hunger,
Beware… your days are numbered.

Tears fall from the shameless,
Shelter me, guide me to the edge of the water,
Selfless are the righteous,
Burden me, lead me like a lamb to the slaughter.
Blurring lines drawn in between,
What is right and what is wrong,
Victims on parade are stringing us along.

We’re on to your adgenda,
The dead end wrote in nowhere.

Tears fall from the shameless,
Shelter me, guide me to the edge of the water,
Selfless are the righteous,
Burden me, lead me like a lamb to the slaughter.

Tears fall from the shameless,
Shelter me, guide me to the edge of the water,
Selfless are the righteous,
Burden me, lead me like a lamb to the slaughter.

Selfless are the righteous,
Burden me, lead me like a lamb to the slaughter.

 

[SyXified]

This is certainly a step in the right direction for Dream Theater. The song is not incredible, but it has elements that spark reminders of Falling into Infinity, and that more mellow, proggy vibe is I think what DT does (or did) best.

Amazingly it really seems like it was the right move for Portnoy to leave DT. I think the music he makes with Morse and Transatlantic is vastly superior to what he has been making with Dream Theater over the past 10 or so years, and DT seems to be benefiting from writing in a less aggressive style that allows the individual instruments to breathe and experiment more.

The thing that is frustrating is that DT has adopted an ever-increasing standard pop format to their songs. On Images and Words they outright refused to put any song aside from Another Day into an easily accessible format. And that's what is so great about that album--it is a challenge to the listener, not an appeal to the listener. Images and Words is an album that takes some serious dedication to really comprehend and fully appreciate, but once it all starts to lock in place for you, more and more you realize why things are the way they are and how valuable all the different parts are.

This new tune, though more mellow, still has a simplified, accessible structure that says either the band is trying to be accessible or they simply do not have the time to create truly intricate pieces these days seeing that they now go into the studio for a couple weeks, bang out the material, and hit the road again. I don't know if bands simply run out of creative juice after a while and change from creating truly ambitious albums to simply playing live to bring in the bucks. I guess we can hold out hope that this is the "single" and is therefore the most simple song on the album.

 

[The Stormbringer]

To be honest, I don't feel even the slightest notion that anything has changed with this new song. Godawful keyboard patches, plodding riffs, drums that could have been played by Portnoy, thoroughly non-memorable chorus and instrumental section and at least three minutes too long for what the song is trying to convey. Don't like it.

 

[PurpleDink]

Why do seem to be the only one who thinks FTI is god awful with the exception of Lines in the Sand which is just good, and not great? That album was not Dream Theater. I really dont know what to think of this song. Im hoping it will grow on me like how ToT did (which i now believe is their best album since 94) I like hearing the bass, Petrucci isnt wanking, and....thats it. I dont hate the keyboards but i just think JR tries to hard to stand out. Yes JR, we know you are awesome, but you dont need to use those wacky sound effects, a simple synth or piano sound will do just fine. I wouldnt say this song is simplified and easily accessible compared to alot of prog today. I listened to it twice today and still hardly remember any of it.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

Why do seem to be the only one who thinks FTI is god awful with the exception of Lines in the Sand which is just good, and not great? That album was not Dream Theater.

I'll just copy and paste what I said in the other DT thread...

Falling Into Infinity is one of my favorite DT albums, most likely because it was the album before Mr. Wanktastic himself (Jordan Rudess) joined the band. The album is a mixed bag, though, in the sense that the best songs on there are some of DT's best songs overall, but the worst are at the bottom of the barrel of their entire catalog.

 

[progmetaldan]

Overall I like it, sounds more mature overall than the last couple of albums, Mangini seemed to fit just fine, and not try-hard angst in the vocals, looking forward to hearing the rest

Good to see Myung rejoined the band.

That was my first impression, very promising!

If this song is the weakest in the album, it's going to be killer. If it's amongst the best, this album still is going to be better than the last two.

Yup, totally agreed here.

This is certainly a step in the right direction for Dream Theater. The song is not incredible, but it has elements that spark reminders of Falling into Infinity, and that more mellow, proggy vibe is I think what DT does (or did) best.

Amazingly it really seems like it was the right move for Portnoy to leave DT. I think the music he makes with Morse and Transatlantic is vastly superior to what he has been making with Dream Theater over the past 10 or so years, and DT seems to be benefiting from writing in a less aggressive style that allows the individual instruments to breathe and experiment more.

The thing that makes Morse and Transatlantic superior is not Portnoy, but Morse in the former and Morse and Roine Stolt in the latter, many other drummers would do just as well playing their compositions...

Why do seem to be the only one who thinks FTI is god awful with the exception of Lines in the Sand which is just good, and not great? That album was not Dream Theater. I really dont know what to think of this song. Im hoping it will grow on me like how ToT did (which i now believe is their best album since 94) I like hearing the bass, Petrucci isnt wanking, and....thats it. I dont hate the keyboards but i just think JR tries to hard to stand out. Yes JR, we know you are awesome, but you dont need to use those wacky sound effects, a simple synth or piano sound will do just fine. I wouldnt say this song is simplified and easily accessible compared to alot of prog today. I listened to it twice today and still hardly remember any of it.

I'll just copy and paste what I said in the other DT thread...

Falling Into Infinity is one of my favorite DT albums, most likely because it was the album before Mr. Wanktastic himself (Jordan Rudess) joined the band. The album is a mixed bag, though, in the sense that the best songs on there are some of DT's best songs overall, but the worst are at the bottom of the barrel of their entire catalog.

I feel similarly about FII, I think Hell's Kitchen/Lines in the Sand and Trial of Tears are some of DT's absolute best, and I don't mind New Millennium, but the rest is pretty poor.

 

[Postulate]

Not bad. I wouldn't spend money on it, though. I don't have any specific comments because I listened to it only once several hours ago.

On Images and Words they outright refused to put any song aside from Another Day into an easily accessible format. And that's what is so great about that album--it is a challenge to the listener, not an appeal to the listener. Images and Words is an album that takes some serious dedication to really comprehend and fully appreciate, but once it all starts to lock in place for you, more and more you realize why things are the way they are and how valuable all the different parts are.

I have to disagree - I think all of I&W is very accessible. Pull Me Under was an MTV hit, after all. I think it's more about taste than accessibility.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

Totally unimpressed....A step in the right direction, but I'll have to wait to hear more...Unlike what some did here, judging Sy-X's new release based on one song, I will practice what I preach, and wait to hear ore....

Too much keyboard wankery in this tune for my tastes (I also hate his sounds/patches), and for whomever thought they were the only one to hate FII, you have a friend here

I despise that album completely, with the exception of Lines In The Sand......

 

[Marwen]

Well I'm not impressed either. It's meh. Not bad, but I hear nothing really fresh here. This song sounds like it could have been taken from one of their last few albums. In other words: Zzzzzz. Not much prog......ress.

This album may or may not be a step in the right direction. Will have to hear more.

 

[Prog is King]

Not bad, but I hear nothing really fresh here. This song sounds like it could have been taken from one of their last few albums. In other words: Zzzzzz. Not much prog......ress.

My thoughts exactly. Plus LaBrie kind of grates on me these days. He... drags... out... these... lyrics...
way... too... much. Just some more run-of-the-mill DT.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

I feel similarly about FII, I think Hell's Kitchen/Lines in the Sand and Trial of Tears are some of DT's absolute best, and I don't mind New Millennium, but the rest is pretty poor.

I thought Peruvian Skies, Hollow Years, and Anna Lee were good, too, but the other three or four songs just reeked of filler.

But yeah, Lines in the Sand and Trial of Tears were definitely at the top of that album.

Anyway, I've listened to the new song a few times now, and nothing has really impressed me. It's not great, but it doesn't outright suck, either. It honestly sounds like it could have fit perfectly on their previous album. LaBrie is annoying as always.

 

[Bluefish]

Why do seem to be the only one who thinks FTI is god awful with the exception of Lines in the Sand which is just good, and not great?

I agree. I don't know why people reference that album as a highlight. To me, it was a low point. I like, don't love, roughly half the songs and think the rest are among their worst work. I like New Millennium, Peruvian Skies, Hell's Kitchen, Lines in the Sand and Trail of Tears. Other than that, forget it.