THE OFFICIAL DREAM THEATER DISCUSSION THREAD

[EyeballKid]

I'm going to sum up EVERYTHING you have said/contributed in this thread in a few words (which you could've done in the first place to save yourself a lot of time)

"I don't like Dream Theater"

You disliked the video before you even watched it so why bother? The only things worse than blind fanboys are people like you who feel that it is your god given duty to start shit-slinging at every opportunity rather than just moving on to something else.

The reason I have a problem with current Dream Theater is because I did enjoy what they used to sound like. I could pull a song off of each CD since Scenes from a Memory that I like and talk about how cool it is, but that would mask the fact that I feel the other 8-10 tracks are under (or over) developed and lacking emotion.

Most of what I post about DT is simply for amusement. I'm not trying to say the band is tripe (like Linkin Park) or has no talent (like Korn), I'm saying they are wasting what talent we all KNOW that they have. I am knocking the individual members of the band in a very obvious way, simply for a couple chuckles at their expense.

And the video I watched all the way through, and made a fair opinion that: A) it had a weak concept, and B) it seemed (like all DT does) very impersonal.

Worse? I really doubt it. I used to be a "blind fanboy" myself and now that I look back, I realize I was more annoying than any DT basher ever will be.

Precisely. I have found, bar none, that DT blind fanboys are the absolute worst that you can get. The immense amount of time signature changes must cloud the mind from making literal decisions. Not to knock all Dream Theater fans, just those who blindly hail DT as if they are Slayer, and that NOTHING THEIR BELOVED THEATER OF DREAMS CAN DO IS WRONG BECAUSE 17.5/8 IS A BETTER TIME SIGNATURE THAN WHAT YOUR BAND CAN PLAY!

Actually, come to think of it, I negate my statement. SLAYER blind fanboys are the worst you can get. Followed by Metallica. In the prog world, however, DT is at the peak.

Regardless of whether you think that SC was well written/executed or not, I think you have to respect DT for putting out an album that is significantly different than their others, but it's similar enough to please all the DT fanboys out there (well, it didn't, but it should.) It's tempting for bands to stick to one style after it works, but I really like to see bands branch out, but stick to their guns for at least SOME of the album. So I think that if nothing else, they accomplished this on SC, and all their previous releases IMO.

At the end of the day, I guess that's why I don't like SC at all: because it doesn't sound like they are taking a leap. Falling Into Infinity was a leap, Train of Thought was a leap, Octavarium was a leap. All of these albums are not without their flaws (especially the third), but I respect that the band went a new direction and injected their style into a new vein of music. Systematic Chaos, to me, sounds like a mashup of everything they've ever done, just more poorly executed. That's why I can't get behind, because it feels like a retread.

I hate this thread. Jax, PLEASE lock it oh God seriously guys, you're all actually ruining DT for me. Half of you come to this thread to bitch and complain, the other half fanboy. ffs it's been like 46 pages of you all saying the same damn thing

no for the love of God don't lock it. then it'd spread onto other threads.

Definitely don't close the thread, because the above is true. If we can avoid two things (being rabid DT fanboys and DT bashers, myself included) from spreading around the WHOLE board, that would be great. Leave the thread open please, if you don't want to be subjected to it, don't read this single thread.

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

I hate this thread. Jax, PLEASE lock it oh God seriously guys, you're all actually ruining DT for me. Half of you come to this thread to bitch and complain, the other half fanboy. ffs it's been like 46 pages of you all saying the same damn thing

If you feel DT is being ruined for you, go listen to Awake again.

And ignore anyone who simply bashes DT.

The reason I have a problem with current Dream Theater is because I did enjoy what they used to sound like. I could pull a song off of each CD since Scenes from a Memory that I like and talk about how cool it is, but that would mask the fact that I feel the other 8-10 tracks are under (or over) developed and lacking emotion.

That's my attitude as well, and I think many of the people in this thread share it. I love their 90s albums, and what I find disappointing about their current music is that it lacks originality compared to that. And, as I pointed out a page or two back, the change in their sound/approach/image coincided with the move away from outside producers. It's especially disappointing to start liking a band's output less after they assume total creative control over their music.

Precisely. I have found, bar none, that DT blind fanboys are the absolute worst that you can get.

Yes, the irrationally loyal fanbase is a growing problem with recent DT. There's also a self-amplifying loop (like feedback) with this and the band's increasing egotism (primarily Petrucci and Portnoy). The more I think about it, the less I like the idea of the special edition of SC. I bought it, but I haven't looked at the DVD yet. The 5.1 mix is a cool idea, yes, but only a band that's pretty full of itself releases a new album along with a documentary about it. That sort of thing should be reserved for a later reissue of the album (perhaps as a live performance, like SFAM).

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

Wow, I really didn't like that video. Portnoy is a screen hog, and they show like 3 seconds of Rudess. Most importantly, though, they cut out Myung's entire bass groove after the second chorus. That is completely lame on all sorts of levels.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

I hate this thread. Jax, PLEASE lock it oh God seriously guys, you're all actually ruining DT for me. Half of you come to this thread to bitch and complain, the other half fanboy. ffs it's been like 46 pages of you all saying the same damn thing

It takes a simple thread to ruin DT for you? Jeeze... i thought it'd only take listening to them once or twice.

 

[Kenneth R.]

I hate this thread. Jax, PLEASE lock it oh God seriously guys, you're all actually ruining DT for me. Half of you come to this thread to bitch and complain, the other half fanboy. ffs it's been like 46 pages of you all saying the same damn thing

I like Dream Theater. I also criticize them. Good lord, I'm not in either camp of lemmings! ... But yeah, lock this shit. It's gone on far too long and needs to be derailed or killed.

 

[Meedleyx10]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHgc8KZTOek

there's the MTV edit of the CM video

 

[Ascension]

I like Dream Theater. I also criticize them. Good lord, I'm not in either camp of lemmings!

It's obvious that you are in the Hater lemming camp. There's probably a cliff near you...you haven't found it yet. Follow the line.

 

[Setsu]

I like the song a lot, but they cut out too much of what makes the song enjoyable for me in the video. I'm not too impressed with it, but i'm somewhat glad they actually pushed out a video after so long.

 

[Kenneth R.]

It's obvious that you are in the Hater lemming camp. There's probably a cliff near you...you haven't found it yet. Follow the line.

Congratulations again for being pedestrian. If you are unaware of the term, I am implying that figuratively there were many points, and you obliviously walked right by them unawares. Here comes another one again, ready? Get out pen and paper. You may need to write it down since if you did read it, your memory has fault.

I enjoy Dream Theater. Particularly Awake, I&W, ACOS, SFAM, 6DOIT, and FII. After this period, they dropped further into mediocrity, recycling riffs and ideas, lengthening the boring passages of excessive instrumentation that has absolutely no relation to the melody or meaning of the song, and in general became nothing but cheap imitations of their former selves. They stagnated. As an enjoyer of the earlier work, I criticize their new material. Your implication is that I must be a frothing fanboy in order to say anything negative about the band, which is itself a paradox designed such that there are no negative comments made about them. That puts you clearly in the camp of blind worshipping fools.

Did you miss it this time?

 

[DoomsdayZach]

It's obvious that you are in the Hater lemming camp. There's probably a cliff near you...you haven't found it yet. Follow the line.

lol, this is so riddled with irony that it is simply unbelievable.

by the way, why close the thread? It obviously has some merit here. Jesus christ, i've heard less about DT in other topics than ever since the start of this thread. Just because you guys can't handle opposing opinions? Ken, you surprise me most by saying that. I thought you were better than that dude...

 

[Kenneth R.]

It's run its course dude. This thread is mimicking DT now.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

point well taken.

 

[EyeballKid]

I enjoy Dream Theater. Particularly Awake, I&W, ACOS, SFAM, 6DOIT, and FII. After this period, they dropped further into mediocrity, recycling riffs and ideas, lengthening the boring passages of excessive instrumentation that has absolutely no relation to the melody or meaning of the song, and in general became nothing but cheap imitations of their former selves. They stagnated. As an enjoyer of the earlier work, I criticize their new material. Your implication is that I must be a frothing fanboy in order to say anything negative about the band, which is itself a paradox designed such that there are no negative comments made about them. That puts you clearly in the camp of blind worshipping fools.

Obviously, you must LOVE Dream Theater to be able to mock Dream Theater. And obviously, no one who LOVES Dream Theater would mock Dream Theater. That makes perfect sense, doesn't it? No? Oh...well, I guess you shouldn't voice your opinion about DT at all.

by the way, why close the thread? It obviously has some merit here. Jesus christ, i've heard less about DT in other topics than ever since the start of this thread. Just because you guys can't handle opposing opinions?

Exactly. DT fans don't want to hear opposition to their beloved band because they are aware that all points made are valid, and that by reading said points, their view of the band will sink below that ridiculous plateau of perfectness that DT place themselves on.

I love Dio. Is he cheesy and overdone? Hell yeah. Love it.
I love Megadeth. Do some Megadeth songs/albums suck beyond all belief? Extremely so. Look at Risk.
I love Symphony X. Could I still pull out at least 3 songs by them and mock them into a fiery grave? Yep.

DT fans: stop taking yourselves so seriously. I know it's hard, especially when the band in discussion takes themselves seriously to the point of parody.

It's run its course dude. This thread is mimicking DT now.

Just like Dream Theater has become a mimic of themselves...LOOK! They even influence the direction of things in which they have no hand in...methinks Portnoy is an angel of death.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Exactly. DT fans don't want to hear opposition to their beloved band because they are aware that all points made are valid, and that by reading said points, their view of the band will sink below that ridiculous plateau of perfectness that DT place themselves on.

I love Dio. Is he cheesy and overdone? Hell yeah. Love it.
I love Megadeth. Do some Megadeth songs/albums suck beyond all belief? Extremely so. Look at Risk.
I love Symphony X. Could I still pull out at least 3 songs by them and mock them into a fiery grave? Yep.

DT fans: stop taking yourselves so seriously. I know it's hard, especially when the band in discussion takes themselves seriously to the point of parody.

i love you because of this. we are now friends.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Get on the train Zach, he was cool long ago

 

[Setsu]

Dream Theater does no wrong.

(Insert Clever Retort by Kenneth R. Here)

 

[Kenneth R.]

In soviet Russia, wrong does Dream Theater.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Dream Theater does no wrong.

(Insert Clever Retort by Kenneth R. Here)

Dream theater's existence is wrong. Period.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

I've done quite a bit of scientific research, and I've discovered that listening to Dream Theater is in fact destructive to the listener's personality.

Within 48 hours, symptoms of listening to Dream Theater include:

- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Over-analytical thoughts
- Extreme love of a whiny, nasal vocal style
- OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)
- Loss of feeling in all limbs
- Arrogance regarding all non-prog/non-technical music
- Loss of emotion
- Fictional belief that John Petrucci is the best guitarist ever and can melt the sun with his solos
- Loss of reality
- Frustration (when your peers cannot understand or comprehend a 19/16 groove)
- False belief that all bassists who play four-strings are inferior to John Myung
- Expecting all musicians to play spider-like riffs
- Watching a spider not crawl in time with The Dance of Eternity and promptly killing it
- Extreme anger towards drummers whose kits do not have three bass drums, thirty-seven rack toms, sixteen octobans, and five full octaves of plastic blocks
- Shouting demeaning comments at all non-Dream Theater musicians (regardless of said musicians' playing style)
- Constant "black-or-white" thinking
- Near-orgasmic feeling when a random measure of 3/16 is thrown into a normal riff just for the sake of mind-fucking the common, "lower-class" listener

I do like Dream Theater's music. I used to love it, but I've since mended my self-destructive ways. I still occasionally enjoy a Dream Theater tune or two (Forsaken and The Ministry of Lost Souls from the new album are great songs full of feeling, and the older stuff is great), but I don't over-analyze the technical aspect of the music anymore. It gets you nowhere in life and makes you expect more out of everyday people than they can possibly deliver (resulting in devastating episodes of disappointment).

I still enjoy the technical side of progressive music, just not the technical side of Dream Theater's music. For example, bands like Symphony X and Circus Maximus occasionally have technical musical sections, sans the arrogance and tasteless wank-fests.

Sometimes I wish I had never discovered Dream Theater on that fateful day in early 2002 when I heard The Glass Prison for the first time. Speaking of The Glass Prison, being an alcoholic would probably be more productive than listening to Dream Theater. I'm going to the liquor store.

 

[Kenneth R.]

amazing.