Illumination Theory... (let's call it appreciation thread)

[hefdaddy42]

I was playing Oblivion last night, and thought I would put on something in 5.1, but I didn't want Genesis or Crimson, so I opted for a little mini concert with Systematic Chaos followed by DT12.

Maybe it was the mood I was in, maybe it was the night (it is rainy here in Connecticut), maybe it was because I was alone... but both albums just kicked my ass up, down, left, and right.   I'm still not down with the growly vocals in Constant Motion, The Dark Eternal Night isn't my favorite song of all time, and generally, some of the lyrics are best ignored, but the rest was far better than I remember, and far better than some of the posters here would have you believe.

But here's the reason for the post here:   I also pleasantly surprised by how DT12 hit me, and specifically The Looking Glass, The Bigger Picture, Along For The Ride, and Illumination Theory.  The big surprise was IT.   That just didn't connect for me for some reason, until last night.   The three parts (I know it's five:  I mean I/II, then III, then IV/V), the build up, the finale...  it was really a strong piece of music, and for me, the idea of the interlude works.  Whether I'd prefer it rearranged isn't relevant, because it's their statement, and that statement came through loud and clear.    And whether it was just the contrast or what, but for whatever reason, I actually consulted the lyric book more than once just to make sure I heard what I thought I heard, and even reversed a couple passages to hear them again.   I don't have them in 5.1, but I am driving this weekend, so I may revisit BC&SL and ADTOE in the same way and see if the magic strikes twice.   

Really fired up to have connected with IT like that.

[Podaar]

*awesome post*

What a minute man, that's not how it is, you must be confused...



















You couldn't still be playing Oblivion!

 

[SystematicThought]

The orchestral part of IT matches quite well with the soundtrack of that game 

[Drinktheater]

It made me cry as well, the last part was very moving specially for some one like who battled depression and still battling it.


You will never know
You will neer know.

[Anguyen92]

I still think it's a pretty damn great song.  The BTFW version was pretty good with the strings and the crowd totally digging it.  The lyrics are still top-notch as well, especially during Live, Die, Kill.

[Prog Snob]

It made me cry as well, the last part was very moving specially for some one like who battled depression and still battling it.


You will never know
You will neer know.

I agree with that and empathize completely. That whole last verse gets me every time. I always quote those lines of Facebook and people really like it. 

[madscot]

I've seen DT live 12 times now and have cried at least once at about 5 or 6 shows, IT makes me cry every time I listen to it, when the orchestra kicks in on the BTFW blu-ray it blows my mind, I have sobbed uncontrollably if i'm feeling a bit down listening to it

[MirzekDT]

The ending of IT is for me the only time I've ever cried on not just DT concert but any concert and I cried out of happiness and I cried a lot. It was incredible. It happened when the the crowd was waving with hands together with JLB during JP's solo and on the screen was suddenly shown a little boy in the crowd on shoulders of his father.

He was waving as well and his face was so beautiful, clean and innocent like the most children has but combined with the message of the song it was a perfect fit and connected with me very very deeply and I totally exploded with joy and happiness. It was one of the most emotional moment in my life yet. This is the reason why IT and whole DT12 will always have a very very special place in my heart.

[Liveinthemoment]

Chalk me down for crying as well. I have cried nearly every time I have heard IT, always near the end.

It is a struggle sometimes to face the fears inside.

At the same time I feel the song is emotionally supporting me so ultimately it is an uplifting experience.

Most resonating song I have heard.

[Bertie_Wooster]

I don't really like the instrumental part.   Not that it isn't good but it sort of ruins the mood.   
 If it were a Yes song they would have had Jon Anderson sing a nice melody during that part.
My favorite part of the song is the last 3 minutes.   I wish DT would start a tradition of releasing
Instrumental versions of all of their future albums and some of them from the past .

[The Stray Seed]

The ending of IT is for me the only time I've ever cried on not just DT concert but any concert and I cried out of happiness and I cried a lot. It was incredible. It happened when the the crowd was waving with hands together with JLB during JP's solo and on the screen was suddenly shown a little boy in the crowd on shoulders of his father.

He was waving as well and his face was so beautiful, clean and innocent like the most children has but combined with the message of the song it was a perfect fit and connected with me very very deeply and I totally exploded with joy and happiness. It was one of the most emotional moment in my life yet. This is the reason why IT and whole DT12 will always have a very very special place in my heart.

Thanks for sharing Mirzek

[Drinktheater]

I really love this song like their other epics, SDOIT and SFaM,

The orchestra interlude is great,

And another thing Eren Basbug made some arrangement for that and he conducted as well Considering a few years ago nobody knew who he was he was just a Music student in Turkey who happens to be a fan of Dream Theater who made a school pressentation of the SDOIT suite and Octavarium.

And now he arranged and conducted a piece that could be considered one of the greatest songs from one the greatest bands ever. He really did follow his dreams and made it.

You will Never know
You will Never know.

[BlobVanDam]

And now he arranged and conducted a piece that could be considered one of the greatest songs from one the greatest bands ever. He really did follow his dreams and made it.

I think that orchestral section is one of the best things they've ever done, so huge credit to Eren there, but the song? Not even close to one of their greatest imo.

[Drinktheater]

The ending of IT is for me the only time I've ever cried on not just DT concert but any concert and I cried out of happiness and I cried a lot. It was incredible. It happened when the the crowd was waving with hands together with JLB during JP's solo and on the screen was suddenly shown a little boy in the crowd on shoulders of his father.

He was waving as well and his face was so beautiful, clean and innocent like the most children has but combined with the message of the song it was a perfect fit and connected with me very very deeply and I totally exploded with joy and happiness. It was one of the most emotional moment in my life yet. This is the reason why IT and whole DT12 will always have a very very special place in my heart.

Very nice thanks for sharing, I think they really intend to capture the emotion on this one these guys ( DT ) knows what they are really doing the song it self may not be that deep and the musicality may not be the most technical but they certainly found a chemistry that will touch a listener maybe because its easy to relate to and the melodies more predictable and yet emotional its really hard to explain.

[Drinktheater]

I also love how they presented the whole song live in Baston in Breaking the fourth Wall.!!

They played first Songs from the Album Awake like Space Die Vest, The Mirror and Scared which I think are one of the darker DT albums and songs then They play Illumination theory which is somewhat a resolution to the "darkness" if you will

[comment]

No tears on this one, but it's the best off the album.  LOVE IT!

[FLEEBS]

I don't remember at what point it happened for me, but I definitely cried at beautiful ending of Illumination Theory. My mother passed away just before this album was released, and once while listening to Surrender, Trust & Passion, I just lost it. I love that section of the song. It's so powerful and emotional, and it's my favorite part of the entire piece.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Count me as one of the people who gets a little emotional during the orchestral section. It's such a beautiful piece of music and the whole song is really one of their best.

[Drinktheater]

Its still put me to tears even to this day when I listen to IT.. specially V. "Surrender, Trust & Passion"



"Until you struggle in the dark you will never know you are alive"

[ReaPsTA]

IT is one of the best five songs DT's ever made.

How many artists are producing their best work almost 30 years into their careers?

To borrow a line from hack movie critics, IT is an astounding achievement.

[Cedar redaC]

I was listening to Illumination Theory today as I was driving home. It was a picture-esque evening if there ever was one. It was a truly special moment. I'll have to post pictures later, but it was something like this.

[faizoff]

Listened to this song today and there are some amazing moments in this entire track. I think my favorite part will always be the first solo by JP.

[A Drop of Water]

Myung's bass sounds incredible in this song. I really like his playing during the neo-classical section before the song goes into the new age section.

[emtee]

Bump.

I just had my soul crushed by the Breaking The Fourth Wall version of IT. My god what a song. I can't even find the right words
to describe how moving this song is. It is everything I love about DT. Killer riffs, flawless execution and beautiful melodies.
On this beautiful sunny day, moving into spring, this song really hit me.

Wow

[hefdaddy42]

 

[pcs90]

Absolutely. I think it's easily their best "epic", and a perfect album closer. While a song has never made me cry, the last section of IT is the closest I've ever gotten. Plus there's the easter egg (I still wish this got played live somehow).

[bosk1]

Bump.

I just had my soul crushed by the Breaking The Fourth Wall version of IT. My god what a song. I can't even find the right words
to describe how moving this song is. It is everything I love about DT. Killer riffs, flawless execution and beautiful melodies.
On this beautiful sunny day, moving into spring, this song really hit me.

Wow

To this day, the structure of this song still throws me, and I have a difficult time really being engaged by the middle section.  But that said, I love just about everything else about the song.  I was just thinking about it over the weekend too.  Need to listen.

[energythief]

Absolutely. I think it's easily their best "epic", and a perfect album closer. While a song has never made me cry, the last section of IT is the closest I've ever gotten. Plus there's the easter egg (I still wish this got played live somehow).

I've been close to tears from it as well. It's like my emotions are amplified and can't fit inside me anymore so they want to leak out my eyes. LOL


What a damn good song.

[emtee]

Bump.

I just had my soul crushed by the Breaking The Fourth Wall version of IT. My god what a song. I can't even find the right words
to describe how moving this song is. It is everything I love about DT. Killer riffs, flawless execution and beautiful melodies.
On this beautiful sunny day, moving into spring, this song really hit me.

Wow

To this day, the structure of this song still throws me, and I have a difficult time really being engaged by the middle section.  But that said, I love just about everything else about the song.  I was just thinking about it over the weekend too.  Need to listen.

I've always been a sucker for that kind of contrast. Floyd's Dogs and Yes's Awaken are perfect examples. I can understand how
people might not get/feel that section but man oh man it moves me big time. Just so beautiful and peaceful.

[Drinktheater]

Bump.

I just had my soul crushed by the Breaking The Fourth Wall version of IT. My god what a song. I can't even find the right words
to describe how moving this song is. It is everything I love about DT. Killer riffs, flawless execution and beautiful melodies.
On this beautiful sunny day, moving into spring, this song really hit me.

Wow

Welcome to the illumination theory emotional fans club,

That last section is so moving it is so damn inspiring hell children at school should sing it!!!

[Drinktheater]

Absolutely. I think it's easily their best "epic", and a perfect album closer. While a song has never made me cry, the last section of IT is the closest I've ever gotten. Plus there's the easter egg (I still wish this got played live somehow).

I've been close to tears from it as well. It's like my emotions are amplified and can't fit inside me anymore so they want to leak out my eyes. LOL


What a damn good song.

It seems the last section of IT really gets a lot of listeners I guess because it is something a lot of people can related too!!

It is because everyhuman being has faced strugles,pain and the fear of death, so the Melody and the lyrics of that final part really hits home.

And it really fits as the Finale of the Song!! so it brings some sort of closure!!


I think the message is never give up no matter how difficult your situation no matter how hopeless once.

Never give up because you will never know!!!!

Just like Eren Busbu he is just a college guy in Turkey who loves Prog Metal and Dream Theater he just pursued his career in Music and made that school project a symphony Cover of Six degrees of Inner turbulence and Ovtavarium.

Then one day Jordan Rudess saw the Video in Youtube,

Then years later he conducts the Orchestra at Beyond the fourth wall, that Orchestral Middle section is like a tribute to him!!

Just look at it this way he just started as fan of DT, how many times that has happened that a big fan of a band then gets hired to arrange and conduct the orchestra for the band he always loved!!

It is just awesome.

[SeRoX]

 Illumination Theory - James LaBrie Awake era AI Voice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xthfC8p2bdw

[crystalstars17]

James LaBrie Awake era AI Voice

Oh please don't do this... **blocks ears**

[TAC]

Yeah, at this point, I'm steering clear of all AI voice videos on youtube. They're all over the place.

[nobloodyname]

James' voice on Awake was fine. But all this does is make DT's poorest epic worse.