Shaking Up The System

[GasparXR]

The "problem" is in your mind. I mean, it is just your perception. I'm SymphonyX fan too and for me what they do is just horrible, they are wasting their time as a band imho by releasing albums every 5-6 years.
All what DT is doing these days is amazing for me and I hope they continue releasing albums, but not every 2 years, let's hope every year. I miss the days when a band put out a new quality album every year too. I suppose it is because the album sales are not the same anymore, and they focus a lot  in touring.

Not really. Dream Theater albums are nearly twice as long as most albums. Back in the vinyl days, a single vinyl on both sides holds up to about 45-50 minutes of music, so albums were generally less than that, and that trend for someone reason held on for CDs which hold up to 80 minutes. But Dream Theater albums are usually ~75 minutes long, barring WDADU, I&W and SDOIT. They write more music per-album than most artists.

[rumborak]

I used to be the type who criticized DT for releasing albums so quickly, but that was somewhat born out of frustration over the lack of interesting music they put out. If they can put out an ADTOE with their usual cycle, I can live with that.

That said, I always like it when bands take chances, like Opeth for example. I'm not sure DT is that kind of band however, partially because it's much more a collaborative effort than Opeth or Porcupine Tree. Opeth's Heritage was really a result of Akerfeldt getting bored with the usual death metal style.

[iamtheeviltwin]

Okay, that makes three people that think I need to adjust my expectations and grow an attention span. Sheesh, I'm a Symphony X fan. They release an album about once every ten years.

Well that is your problem right there 

[johncal]

Not with you at all, I'm afraid. A change is as good as a break, and they've got a new drummer, a new band leader, a new status quo with a new ethos, increased contributions from John Myung, outside producers on the vocals, Mike Mangini will be writing on the next album... they're fine for change, right now!

I love weirdness, and revel in changes, but they've only just had the biggest one of their career! Do I hope the new album surprises me, and treads new ground, and proves Dream Theater are capable of working in new formats and doing new things I would have never expected to hear on a DT album? Yep, totally. But they've just endured their biggest change in 20-odd years. They're hardly slouching.

Something new........ maybe progressive polka.

[SuperTaco]

I think SC is quite a bit more boring than this, but yeah, If anything I wish they would condense the cycle. Two years is plenty of time to promote/tour the record, take a vacation to refuel the fire, and get back on the saddle for the next one. Back in the day bands did all this in one year.

The band isn't getting any younger, and we all know that they don't want to take an extended break. They sort of lost a founding member because of it. If they're happy with the two year cycle I say let it be. As much as it sucks thinking about it, there will come a time when these guys decide to call it a day. Personally I'd like them to release as much music as possible before that time comes.

[hefdaddy42]

I'm a Symphony X fan.

Volumes have been spoken.

[bosk1]

<- volumes

[TL]

It has less to do with how often a band releases music, and more to do with how inspired they actually feel/are when making a new album. They seem really inspired these days (moreso than they have in years), and I'm sure that DT12 will reflect that, regardless of how long it takes them to make it.

[Demolition]

I am fine with the two year cycle as long as it doesn't start getting longer than that.  At first listen I didn't like ADTOE but after a couple of listens I grew to appreciate most of the songs.  I do think there are too many ballads on the disc as they are the weak links in my opinion.  I don't think they've put out a boring album since Awake    . 

[GasparXR]

I am fine with the two year cycle as long as it doesn't start getting longer than that.  At first listen I didn't like ADTOE but after a couple of listens I grew to appreciate most of the songs.  I do think there are too many ballads on the disc as they are the weak links in my opinion.  I don't think they've put out a boring album since Awake    . 

I honestly don't think they've put out a boring album ever. Even BC&SL, my least favourite album to listen to, interests me pretty much the whole way through.

[The Dark Master]

They definitely should not slow down right now.  They just replaced a key member, and while Mangini has won over most of the fans, he still hasn't really proven himself in the studio, so a new album, with MM as an actual contributing song writer, should be delivered in short order to secure his position as the new drummer.  A Mike Portnoy-less DT still has a lot to prove to the fans, and ADTOE was just the first step.  They now have to show that MM is more then just a flashy hired gun.  He has to show he is a drummer who can be creative in the studio as well as insanely talented at live shows.   

Also, the band has to prove that they can continue to maintain high chart positions and album sales with the new lineup.  One of the reasons why MP's timing for his hiatus was so poor was due to the fact that DT had just cracked the Top 10 for the first time in their careers.  To take a hiatus just when the mainstream was finally starting to open up would have been incredibly foolish.  With MM, the band not only had a second  Top 10 album (albeit slightly lower then the last MP album), but also a Grammy nomination.   Dream Theater should continue their drive into the mainstream while the momentum is still with them, and see just how far they can go in the music business.

One last thing.  Although it may be an outside chance, one of the few things that could push the band's career even further would be for them to make a true masterpiece of an album, on par with I&W or SFAM.  I don't know how likely this is, but with the recent roster shake-up, the creative juices a probably flowing is quantities unseen in a very long time.  ADTOE, despite some new elements, was overall a very safe album for the band to make.  If they really push the envelope, they could have a third opus in the bag, and such an album would not only secure MM's position in the band, but also further the position of the band as a whole in the wider world of music, and may be one of the few things that could help Dream Theater to finally crack the Top 5, and maybe even have a # 1 album.  It is a long shot, but I feel that it is definately in the realm of possibility.

Clearly, DT still has more room to rise, and they should continue pushing up further until they hit an obvious popularity ceiling.  When that happens, then DT can consider taking a break, slowing down their output, and turning their attention towards other endeavours outside the band.  I personally feel that if the band is smart, the next two or three albums (at least) will still be made on their current two year cycle of albums and tours.  After that, then the band probably should consider taking a break, whether MM works out or not, whether they break further into the mainstream or not, and whether they make another grand masterpiece or not.   By that point, with 13 or 14 albums under their belts and all the band members in their 50's, the band will be reaching pretty far into seniority as a rock band, and scaling back their activities as Dream Theater may be a necessity for the good of the band.


EDIT: also, a lot of what I wrote in this post:https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=33986.msg1396026#msg1396026 has relevance to this topic, as well as it's native thread.

[j]

I thought ADTOE was pretty great, but I've been saying I'd like them to push the envelope and do something musically different outside of the prog metal sphere for quite a while.  But I understand that they risk alienating fans, etc. by doing something like that, and I guess they are playing the type of music they enjoy most if they've been doing it for all these years.

-J