Wow !!! Count me in again as a Dream Theater fan !!

[Bryant]

I won't be too verbose here. I don't want to tick off the Dream Theater fans that have followed them for the past 22 years by saying negative things, so I will simply say I wasn't able to "get" their stuff, since I&W, but I love the new release. Awesome release !!

Bryant

 

[mattbrood]

new album is their best since Scenes From A Memory IMO

 

[Hammerlock]

It's an excellent piece of work, and I had kind of fallen out of love with them over the last ten years too.

 

[NorseBlood]

I won't be too verbose here. I don't want to tick off the Dream Theater fans that have followed them for the past 22 years by saying negative things, so I will simply say I wasn't able to "get" their stuff, since I&W, but I love the new release. Awesome release !!

Bryant

Bryant,

You may be interested in this too. Dream Theater released a free "Happy Holidays" album last year on Christmas day. If you want it, you'll need to get the torrent from the official Dream Theater web site:

http://www.dreamtheater.net/news/happy-holidays-dream-theater-88331

You cannot purchase this as Dream Theater states it is strictly not for sale.

The music is very good and was recorded live at different venues around the world. If you download and run the torrent and cannot find any sources for this album, just post here and maybe between myself and others here we can schedule a "Dream Theater Happy Holidays" download party for members of this forum who want it but don't have it. The music is in FLAC format so you could make a high quality double CD from it if you wanted to.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Go see them if you get the chance. The show in Montreal this year was outstanding!

 

[Azrael LenGraden]

I have all their CDs and have seen them 16 times, For me their latest is one of their best pieces of work in their career... one of my favorites... I have always said that James LaBrie was the weak link in the band but he sounds fabulous on this CD and one of the main reasons I like it so much!

 

[Justin G]

I guess I'll be the dissenting voice. The last two were decent, but largely forgettable albums.

And I think Labrie is great, and vastly enjoyed his last three solo albums over the last three DT discs.

 

[sccaldwell]

I have always said that James LaBrie was the weak link in the band but he sounds fabulous on this CD and one of the main reasons I like it so much!

I've always liked LaBrie's vocals, but I agree…he sounds better on this CD than he has in 10 years or more. In particular, I'd vote "The Bigger Picture" as one of his best vocal performances ever (probably my favorite song on the disc, too, largely due to the vocals).

I also agree that this is their best disc since Scenes from a Memory, and one of their 3 best ever (SFAM, I&W, and the new one).

Craig

 

[johnhead]

I have all their CDs and have seen them 16 times, For me their latest is one of their best pieces of work in their career... one of my favorites... I have always said that James LaBrie was the weak link in the band but he sounds fabulous on this CD and one of the main reasons I like it so much!

ditto - I have seen them 40+ times. and I love the self titled disc.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

I've always liked LaBrie's vocals, but I agree…he sounds better on this CD than he has in 10 years or more. In particular, I'd vote "The Bigger Picture" as one of his best vocal performances ever (probably my favorite song on the disc, too, largely due to the vocals).

I also agree that this is their best disc since Scenes from a Memory, and one of their 3 best ever (SFAM, I&W, and the new one).

Craig

Did we forget "Awake"? How about "Six Degrees..."? Everything after was shite until the most recent cd, where it looks like they may find their way home after all. The Portnoy experiment ended and it saved DT's career...NO NOT DT JESUS,DT as in Dream Theater!

 

[MelbCro]

Did we forget "Awake"? How about "Six Degrees..."? Everything after was shite until the most recent cd, where it looks like they may find their way home after all. The Portnoy experiment ended and it saved DT's career...NO NOT DT JESUS,DT as in Dream Theater!

ToT and Octavarium a great albums. The latest album, which I like, is just generic DT.

 

[AngraRULES]

They can't do wrong in my book. Labrie has certainly taken care of his vocal problems and has been delivering phenomenal performances as of late. Their NYC show earlier this year was truly a night to remember.

And their material has been mostly consistent throughout their career if you ask me... Here's to hoping they continue delivering great music for many more years!

 

[Bamafan]

They can't do wrong in my book. Labrie has certainly taken care of his vocal problems and has been delivering phenomenal performances as of late. Their NYC show earlier this year was truly a night to remember.

And their material has been mostly consistent throughout their career if you ask me... Here's to hoping they continue delivering great music for many more years!

This.

 

[nomisofsiman]

They can't do wrong in my book. Labrie has certainly taken care of his vocal problems and has been delivering phenomenal performances as of late. Their NYC show earlier this year was truly a night to remember.

And their material has been mostly consistent throughout their career if you ask me... Here's to hoping they continue delivering great music for many more years!

I agree. I'm actually not much of a prog metal fan anymore, but they are one of the few bands I can still listen to. I will admit to not being the biggest fan of the album without Mangini, but this last one really surprised me with how good it was. Lastly, I know a lot of people give them shit for them being boring live, but I don't see it. They always put on a great show.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

The biggest problem with DT is their penchant for forcing out live albums every other release, and they get bigger and bigger. Whats next, a 5 cd set with 3 dvd's live somewhere in the world? The constant every other release turned me off almost as much as the Portnoy vocals, the unneccesary heaviness of ToT and the boring batch of discs that came after SFAM. I have spent a few hours listening to the most recent disc and it isn't bad, but I think they have passed their prime. I still hope to be blown away again but that window of opportunity is closing.

 

[Justin G]

Definitely agree on the live releases. I gave up after Score.

Disagree on Train of Thought though. That was the last DT album I really loved.

 

[Oblivion Ocean]

I really liked the new album too, though I liked ADToE a little better. I really think they were languishing and Portnoy leaving was the best thing that happened to them. It freed them up in a lot of ways.

Dream Theater threads are funny because people are vicious(not really talking about his one, just on the internet in general), but I think that is what happens when you're the top dog in a genre. I know I have been guilty of it in the past too. But it just makes me laugh sometimes because people scrutinize them while other bands here that are forum darlings get a pass on many of the same things. Don't get me wrong I enjoy Pagan's Mind and am looking forward to seeing them live, but I was listening to Celestial Entrance to get ready for the show and holy shit did they "borrow" from DT. This is beyond influence or tribute. Back to the Magic of Childhood sounds so much like Erotomania, Aegean Shores has a section that sounds like Under a Glass Moon, Prophecy of Pleadies has lyrics and phrasing straight from Learning to Live. I know this is a bit of old news and honestly the reason I prefer newer Pagan's Mind. But when DT writes stuff that is similar to other artists they get criticized (deservedly so), yet I have heard people defend Celestial Entrance as a tribute, influenced by, or homage.

I guess the point I am making is that a couple of years ago I kind of stepped back on Dream Theater and saw that even while not in their prime they still really are the leaders of the progressive metal genre. I think I had gotten hyper critical and was taking for granted the things they do in terms of writing music, quality live performances, ability to tour good sized venues and ability to grow and maintain a fanbase over a long career.

 

[Mardoch]

Disagree on Train of Thought though. That was the last DT album I really loved.

/highfive

I still contend that Moore was the secret sauce and everything post-Moore is...just not the same as those early discs.

 

[johnhead]

the reason they do so many live albums is plain and simple - $$$. don't buy them if you don't want them, but every band is looking to make money. Record sales are so low. I personally hate the VIP stuff - but it makes the bands great money.

DT is by far the top of the prog metal universe. They sell out decent sized theaters in the US. How many bands in their realm are doing the same thing? Rush, Metallica ... and who else?

 

[johnhead]

and speak of the live album devil ... http://www.dreamtheater.net/preorder