Your Controversial Opinions on DT

[Ben_Jamin]

I enjoy the concept and the lyrics as well. Plus the music is lovely. Especially Act of Faythe. And the end to Begin Again, which I call the Earthbound outro.

[red barchetta]

I have and make plenty of time for music but not for TA.

Feel the same, such a big and different project but not my thing.

[?]

I have and make plenty of time for music but not for TA.

Feel the same, such a big and different project but not my thing.

Same here.

[Polarbear]

I have and make plenty of time for music but not for TA.

Feel the same, such a big and different project but not my thing.

Same here.

Yeah, i feel the same.

I respect them for attempting something so huge and different, this late in their career.
It just doesn't really do it for me, apart from a couple of songs.

[Kotowboy]

I listened to The Astonishing last night whilst playing " Fink's Slaughterhouse " on Borderlands 2.

It's a long old challenge and Disc 1 lasted about the same time as the whole challenge

Still enjoy the album.

[SeRoX]

I have and make plenty of time for music but not for TA.

Feel the same, such a big and different project but not my thing.

I can't decide if I don't like the concept or the music/lyric of album itself. I suppose I can't feel the story so it takes my enjoyment even musics are alright.

[ReaperKK]

The thing is that it's just too much. Taken in short spurts the album is better but taken as one piece of music it's exhausting, it doesn't breathe. Honestly it's just not for me but I do anticipate a new DT album whenever it does get released.

[Dublagent66]

Somehow, I just can't like an album when the first 12 tracks don't even begin to appeal to me.

[Tony From Long Island]

Somehow, I just can't like an album when the first 12 tracks don't even begin to appeal to me.

We may differ on our definition of "Classic,"  but we seem to agree that The Astonishing is not a classic    :-)

Once I found the story laughable, I just couldn't get into it, no matter how much I tried.

[Dublagent66]

Couldn't care less about the story.  When I listen to bands, I'm a fan of music.  If I want a story, I'll watch a movie or play a video game.

[ChuckSteak]

Well there are cases where understanding the story or the concept behind the album helps you enjoy it even more. Like Remedy Lane for example or BE or any concept album with an interesting theme. The concept of TA doesn't interest me at all and the fact that it was inspired by Game of Thones and Star Wars just makes it harder, you know.

[bosk1]

Well, good, because it wasn't inspired by Game of Thrones or Star Wars.

[cramx3]

Well, good, because it wasn't inspired by Game of Thrones or Star Wars.

Might not have been inspired by GoT but I recall when I first read the story while following along listening to the album, my friend and I both couldn't resist some joking about the GoT similarities.  But I'd imagine I coud find similarities on many other fantasy stories as well based in a feudalistic time.

[Zook]

If it wasn't for Game of Thrones, The Beatles would not exist.

[BlobVanDam]

Well, good, because it wasn't inspired by Game of Thrones or Star Wars.

Never mind that JP / DT have specifically mentioned those as influences on TA in multiple interviews.

[DreamerTV]

Well, good, because it wasn't inspired by Game of Thrones or Star Wars.

Never mind that JP / DT have specifically mentioned those as influences on TA in multiple interviews.

Never mind influenced and inspired don't mean the same thing 

[BlobVanDam]

Well, good, because it wasn't inspired by Game of Thrones or Star Wars.

Never mind that JP / DT have specifically mentioned those as influences on TA in multiple interviews.

Never mind influenced and inspired don't mean the same thing 

YOU DON'T MEAN THE SAME THING!

[noxon]

"Regarding the inspiration for "The Astonishing" story, Rudess said: "Well, I think the inspiration comes from things like 'Star Wars' and 'The Lord Of The Rings' and 'Game Of Thrones' and all these kind of fantasy, sci-fi stories. And it's something that certainly John, who wrote the story, is into and all of us could really relate to."


"I took inspiration from many things outside of the rock album genre. Everything from Tolkien to Star Wars to Jesus Christ Superstar as inspiration on how to approach something of this scope. Of course I am a huge fan of both of the albums you mentioned and The Wall is one of my all time favorites." - JP

[BlobVanDam]

There were also several other interviews where JP specifically mentioned them.

[Mladen]

Well, good, because it wasn't inspired by Game of Thrones or Star Wars.

Never mind that JP / DT have specifically mentioned those as influences on TA in multiple interviews.

Never mind influenced and inspired don't mean the same thing 

I'm curious, what would be the difference between being influenced and being inspired by something?

[MirrorMask]

I'd daresay that influence would mark a stronger connection to the work.

For example, DT after SFAM entertained the idea of doing a "world music" album with song in styles from different parts of the world, that would be the inspiration, the world music. Never Enough on the other hand is influenced by Muse because of the callback in atmosphere to Stochkolm Syndrome.

[ReaperKK]

A world music album would certainly be interesting.

I feel like it'd sound like Shpongle.

[rumborak]

"Regarding the inspiration for "The Astonishing" story, Rudess said: "Well, I think the inspiration comes from things like 'Star Wars' and 'The Lord Of The Rings' and 'Game Of Thrones' and all these kind of fantasy, sci-fi stories. And it's something that certainly John, who wrote the story, is into and all of us could really relate to."

How is this even a discussion. The GoT influence on TA is so in your face.

A much more interesting discussion is how much influence Frozen had on the album.

[Ben_Jamin]

"Regarding the inspiration for "The Astonishing" story, Rudess said: "Well, I think the inspiration comes from things like 'Star Wars' and 'The Lord Of The Rings' and 'Game Of Thrones' and all these kind of fantasy, sci-fi stories. And it's something that certainly John, who wrote the story, is into and all of us could really relate to."

How is this even a discussion. The GoT influence on TA is so in your face.

A much more interesting discussion is how much influence Frozen had on the album.

It probably got ingrained in his head from having to hear that song a lot...Hahaha.


It's David Campbell's arrangements that make it sound so Disney.

[Kotowboy]

A world music album would certainly be interesting.

I feel like it'd sound like Shpongle.

Or ENYA

[ChuckSteak]

There were also several other interviews where JP specifically mentioned them.

Yep, I also read some interviews where he said he was influenced by them.

[DreamerTV]

Well, good, because it wasn't inspired by Game of Thrones or Star Wars.

Never mind that JP / DT have specifically mentioned those as influences on TA in multiple interviews.

Never mind influenced and inspired don't mean the same thing 

I'm curious, what would be the difference between being influenced and being inspired by something?

They're just different level of connection.
Inspired is when you're actually using some elements because are there in another specific work (like, in putting in a character i took inspiration by Sansa Stark character).
Influence is something less concrete, it's more about the idea of a style or a genre.

[Prog Snob]

Influence can have negative and positive connotations. However, it's rare you hear someone use the word inspire to reflect something bad. I also think influence is more direct. Inspiration is passive.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Inspire = gave you the idea to do something
Influence = changed the actual contents of whatever it is you're doing

[ChuckSteak]

In the positive sense, I think they are interchangeable words. Some dictionaries list them as synonyms.

[rumborak]

I think "inspire" has an aspect of "giving motivation to do X" that "influence" doesn't have. You say "this event inspired me to write a book", you don't say "this event influenced me to write a book".

[abydos]

But him reading the books influenced the story he wrote maybe? I don't know, I still haven't listened to TA.

[Samsara]

My main gripe, which most DT fans disagree with, is that after Train of Thought, the songs lack soulfulness. What I admired about Dream Theater from the early days through ToT was the band's ability to be virtuoso musicians, but still craft a lot of texture and soul, and breathing room in songs, and make it sound warm. To my ear at least, that started to erode a bit after Jordan joined, and slowly crept out of the music (again, to my ear) with Octavarium. DT hasn't quite been the same to me, since.

I know DT fans will shout examples of soulfulness and warm atmosphere post-TOT. I get it. But it doesn't sound nearly as authentic as it once did. DT to me is more clinical now, more sterile. And I'm not sure what caused it, honestly. Jordan is amazing, and technically, is a master performer. But it'd be unfair of me to blame him. It's just the overall shift the band has had to my ear over the years.

It's an unpopular opinion, and I share it not to rankle the fan base or start any arguments. But the sound just hasn't been there for me over the last several releases. 

[TAC]

My main gripe, which most DT fans disagree with, is that after Train of Thought, the songs lack soulfulness. What I admired about Dream Theater from the early days through ToT was the band's ability to be virtuoso musicians, but still craft a lot of texture and soul, and breathing room in songs, and make it sound warm. To my ear at least, that started to erode a bit after Jordan joined, and slowly crept out of the music (again, to my ear) with Octavarium. DT hasn't quite been the same to me, since.

I know DT fans will shout examples of soulfulness and warm atmosphere post-TOT. I get it. But it doesn't sound nearly as authentic as it once did. DT to me is more clinical now, more sterile. And I'm not sure what caused it, honestly. Jordan is amazing, and technically, is a master performer. But it'd be unfair of me to blame him. It's just the overall shift the band has had to my ear over the years.

It's an unpopular opinion, and I share it not to rankle the fan base or start any arguments. But the sound just hasn't been there for me over the last several releases.

Very thoughtful and well worded.

[Skeever]

I wish DT would stop trying to cop a certain "style" and just wear normal clothes like every other progressive metal band these days. Just saw JLB post his new clothing line endorsement on his wall, and I think it looks really silly and dated. Surely metal fans realize by now that there's nothing cool about a guy wearing skulls and pentagrams on his pants.