Portnoy left DT

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

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.

Honestly, I'd like a calmer, groovier, more bass-heavy album.

I'm in the same boat as you. Myung is the only member of that band I really like anymore, anyway.

I wish DT would re-record their whole discography sans vocals. It's really hard to appreciate the music when all you can hear is a screeching voice.

I know, you really have to filter it out at times to appreciate the music. He sounds like a dying bird. A sparrow. No, a crow. A really annoying crow that caws really loud.

 

[Pamonha]

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.

Exactly. Top 5 Shitty 5 could be the album title.

I'm in the same boat as you. Myung is the only member of that band I really like anymore, anyway.

And I read somewhere on the matrix that he participated on the lyrics in this new album. I really like his lyrics, he's the shy type that never talks, people like that normally are really sensitive and put it all away in the writing. I'm looking forward to this

I know, you really have to filter it out at times to appreciate the music. He sounds like a dying bird. A sparrow. No, a crow. A really annoying crow that caws really loud.

He's voice is annoying sometimes, but I like it in general. I know that's the Achilles tendon of DT, but I think some songs prove that you can fit the music and melody to match his weird dying mutated bird voice type. In The Presence of Enemies and Ocatavarium are good recent examples. Just keep him away from high notes and heavy vocals, and that's ok for me.

 

[Sep3]

Labrie's lower register is really pleasant and actually I like his heavy mid-low range vocals too, if he's not pushing distortion too much. What's bad about him is the massively overused, forced belting, that sounds like a stabbed piglet. They've indeed ruined quite a few otherwise decent songs with that.

 

[Kenneth R.]

LaBrie's voice isn't what murders DT. It's poor arrangement and shit lyrics. Since those are variables and not constants like LaBrie's voice, they are able to ascend from the gutter with some kick-ass songs, but mostly they flounder in mediocrity or worse because of their inability to escape the prog stigma and dogma that they've branded themselves with.

 

[SymphonyXV]

Yeah, I can't believe they got rid of Charlie for him. Charlie's voice sounds perfect to me. I think vocals are like a crutch in most music. Like a lot of songs don't need vocals, but for whatever reason, bands feel forced to add them. DT really doesn't need vocals.

 

[Pamonha]

LaBrie's voice isn't what murders DT.

Agreed. Only Portnoy's ego could do that. I'm so glad he failed.

 

[manticore999]

Labrie's lower register is really pleasant and actually I like his heavy mid-low range vocals too, if he's not pushing distortion too much. What's bad about him is the massively overused, forced belting, that sounds like a stabbed piglet. They've indeed ruined quite a few otherwise decent songs with that.

This. He's ok when he doesn't try to scream. Unfortunately a lot of their songs force him to.

 

[SymphonyXV]

LaBrie's voice isn't what murders DT. It's poor arrangement and shit lyrics. Since those are variables and not constants like LaBrie's voice, they are able to ascend from the gutter with some kick-ass songs, but mostly they flounder in mediocrity or worse because of their inability to escape the prog stigma and dogma that they've branded themselves with.

Very true. I wonder why so many people are so bat shit crazy about them. I know a lot of people who refuse to listen to anything but DT and just can't stop talking about how Petrucci is god. I like some DT songs, but there's just so much better music out there.

 

[Sep3]

Petrucci is god.

Well maybe not god, but quite close to jesus or something.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Well as long as Mangini doesn't do any backing vocals for DT then the song writing HAS to get better.

As for milking markets for everything, yea it isn't respectable, but that's just price discrimination working itself. Getting the people with the highest willingness to pay to buy those ringtones, vip packages, or pay advertising for the DT drummer game show is the most profitable thing to do from their standpoint. This is what KISS did amazingly well, despite what I see as a lack for truly great music.

Most profitable, sure.

But again, personally, when I am for example, shopping for stuff, I tend to try to support mom & pop kind of places that genuinely care about what they're selling instead of the super-mega-mart guys who sell anything and everything in volume. DT's market strategy seems to be the latter. Good for them as businessmen, but it earns no points with me as a music lover.

 

[Progbass]

Not sure if this is officially from the new album, but atleast sounds like it is.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAxdslSXMGk&feature=grec_index[/ame]

It's not bad to be honest, I like how it sounds a bit awake/change of seasons era and also the bass playing has more space and not just following all the guitar lines.

 

[RuRoRul]

That is Venice Burning from one of James Labrie's solo albums (Mullmuzzler 2, I think). There are a whole bunch of different things with James Labrie singing or from John Petrucci's solo album that say they are new DT.

First single will be officially available to listen to tomorrow, though.

 

[javie]

It's never been clear to me why so many people hate on Portnoy and LaBrie, or why there are so many complaints about DT's arrangements, but I think it hit me today.

In my mind, there are two Dream Theaters. One DT is the band that releases 90% of the band's tunes. The other is the band that releases Erotomania, Dance of Eternity, The Test That Stumped Them All, The Glass Prison, and pretty much the entire Train of Thought album, among others.

In other words, there's the "really technical" DT that releases these heavy, intricate, complex, virtuosic music, and there's this other DT that actually releases the great majority of their songs, and apparently draws the great majority of their fans.

I listen to only the "virtuosic" stuff that I named above. (I might add Constant Motion and Dark Eternal Knight to the list). So in my mind, DT is the most amazing band in the universe, LaBrie is a wonderful singer that fits right in, and the arrangements, the drumming, the instrumental playing, and everything about the music is stunningly amazing, while also being amazingly stunning.

I have absolutely no idea what 90% of DT's catalog sounds like, and I don't want to. Every time I bring up one of DT's non-technical songs, I either zone out or tear off the headsets. I kind of like Forsaken, I admit, but that's pretty much it. (And their live covers of other bands' songs are absolutely disgraceful).

As to the new music that's been leaked -- assuming the leaks are true -- I can't stand any of it. I'm hoping that there's a big technical song on the way -- probably the one that they used in the drummer auditions for testing their skills -- but otherwise I'm not really interested in the tunes so far. (Unless I've missed the relevant leak...?)

Anyway, that is all.

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

^ This is one of the problems, though.

They either write extremely simple and boring music, or stuff that's just overly technical, and doesn't fit... resulting in... boring music. They do not seem capable (anymore) of writing a song that is intricate, creative, and accessible all the way through, and woven together seamlessly.

I agree with Ken, 100%. I like Labrie.

 

[PurpleDink]

Yeah, I can't believe they got rid of Charlie for him. Charlie's voice sounds perfect to me. I think vocals are like a crutch in most music. Like a lot of songs don't need vocals, but for whatever reason, bands feel forced to add them. DT really doesn't need vocals.

You would know why if you saw the old WDADU live videos. Labrie was picked because he was awesome during the Awake and I&W days. And would have been one of the only few that could fight Allen for the throne of best singers ever. It all went downhill after COS when he got sick and now that hes better, its just age and an overall crap job of taking care of his voice.

 

[manticore999]

I wish DT would re-record their whole discography sans vocals. It's really hard to appreciate the music when all you can hear is a screeching voice.

I agree! I wish Symphony X would do it too. I can't stand the agressive style Russ is using now. It gets old real fast.

 

[Pamonha]

You would know why if you saw the old WDADU live videos. Labrie was picked because he was awesome during the Awake and I&W days. And would have been one of the only few that could fight Allen for the throne of best singers ever. It all went downhill after COS when he got sick and now that hes better, its just age and an overall crap job of taking care of his voice.

Well, I've heard a lot of the early DT videos, even the vocal auditions.

I disagree. I don't think (or maybe I can't hear it) such a huge difference in Jame's voice.

Labrie needs to born again to come even close to Russell's singing. And I don't mean the old DWOT - V style, it can be today's style, still kicks JLB ass anytime.

 

[metalxmetalx]

You would know why if you saw the old WDADU live videos. Labrie was picked because he was awesome during the Awake and I&W days. And would have been one of the only few that could fight Allen for the throne of best singers ever. It all went downhill after COS when he got sick and now that hes better, its just age and an overall crap job of taking care of his voice.

I tried very hard to get into Dream Theater. I know their very good musicians, but it never happened. I have some of their albums, l ike some songs, but....
Well, their music doesn't do much for me. I think much of it has to do with LaBrie's voice, which lacks power, beauty, whatever! Being a “metal” guy I prefer Symphony X.

 

[PurpleDink]

^^ agreed with everything except he was once great.

And yeah, DT is hard to get into. Im pretty sure everyone hated them when they first heard them.

 

[Prog is King]

And yeah, DT is hard to get into. Im pretty sure everyone hated them when they first heard them.

I don't think everyone hated DT the first time they heard them. I remember hearing Pull Me Under
on the radio in 1992 and was impressed. I bought Images and Words immediately and listened to it constantly for months. IaW and Awake are my favorite DT albums. Maybe because I really like
Kevin Moore. I kind of lost interest in them after Train of Thought. I still listen to their older stuff.

I think much of it has to do with LaBrie's voice, which lacks power, beauty, whatever! Being a “metal” guy I prefer Symphony X.

I completely agree with you on this point. I have always thought that LaBrie is the weakest part of
DT. Imagine them with a powerful singer. Sometimes I like his voice but for the most part he sounds weak and thin. I've seen DT 10 times and each time he looked like he would have rather been anywhere else but there on stage. The other guys always seemed to be having a great time.
Unlike Symphony X who have put on a great show both times I have seen them. Especially Russell
who owns the stage.