DT14 speculation thread

[Bertielee]

I distinctly remember at the time DTF making a big deal out of the fact....

It's DTF : "making a big deal out of the fact" since the beginnings. 

B.Lee

[Mosh]

The total runtime is listed at the top of the page, but not with the tracklist. I distinctly remember at the time DTF making a big deal out of the fact it was only around 70 minutes.

I remember that too. Biggest forum panic since Portnoy left.

[Kotowboy]

Jeez I remember.

2 minutes shy of an hour and twenty minutes is too short !!!

I'd be more than happy if the new Metallica album run to 50 minutes instead of 80.

It would mean we'd probably be getting an album that's all great music and not a lot of fat on it.

[AboutToCrash]

Shorter albums sometimes leave you wanting more but there's generally a far better chance of there being more quality than filler

[Mosh]

I just listened to DT12. I like the conciseness of the album, I think STR could've been expanded though.

[Kotowboy]

Nope.

I do like DT12. The snare sound brings it down a bit. The album is overall a bit hot and Illumination Theory is a bit disjointed.

I really do not like Along For The Ride or Surrender though...

[Ravenfoul]

Nope.

I do like DT12. The snare sound brings it down a bit. The album is overall a bit hot and Illumination Theory is a bit disjointed.

I really do not like Along For The Ride or Surrender though...

Really? I quite enjoyed Surrender. I actually have some problems with the track, but once it gets jamming - it's probably a top 75 or 50 for me. To me, it's on the better side of DT. I only cared for Surrender, IT (don't care for the middle), TEI (kind of) and FAS. Much preferred ADOTE/TA over 12.

[ToT-147]

Less quantity doesn't directly imply better quality.. For instance, albums like SDoiT and TA are extremely long and they're both excellent works... OTOH, WD&DU is the shortest DT album, and if not THE least loved, at least one of them, by the majority..

I mean, the longest DT songs are also the most loved aren't they?.. And then you have the case of DT12, that was -unfairly- judged and criticized by its "short" lenght... I remember some even saying they didn't develop the ideas... even regarding IT, being a 22 minute song!..

[AboutToCrash]

In theory though if they have the same level of inspiration on the next album but the album is half the length the album would be of a more consistent quality..

Interesting fact: just listening back to IT I noticed the start of Surrender, Trust and Passion has the exact same melody as the vocal ending of the astonishing! "Eternally, in harmony, our lives will be astonishing" section... You can literally sing those lyrics over it! Anyone else notice that?

[ToT-147]

Interesting fact: just listening back to IT I noticed the start of Surrender, Trust and Passion has the exact same melody as the vocal ending of the astonishing! "Eternally, in harmony, our lives will be astonishing" section... You can literally sing those lyrics over it! Anyone else notice that?

Yeah, I have, from the beginning, as soon as I heard the melody in Dystopian Overture.. Actually they're not exactly the same, but until some point they are..

[Kotowboy]

For The Record - I was talking about Surrender to Reason and not any portion of Illumination Theory.

[Bertielee]

Up to SC, I was eagerly waiting for a new DT album for the songs but also for what the individual instruments would come up with. Needless to say, MP's drum parts and JP's parts were the ones I could not wait to hear. Now, I'm waiting for the songs, for JP's parts but no more for the drums. And that's a shame, because I would like to. Unfortunately, I feel that the drums and bass now function as in an orchestra : you know there here but don't really care for them as prominence is taken so much by other instruments. I wish there wuold be a shift for the next album to more upfront drums and bass.

B.Lee

[ToT-147]

Idk about the drums, I think they're fine.. But the bass certainly has to have more presence..

In fact, just to give one example, we don't have JM starting a song since several albums already.. The last time he did that was on In the Presence of Enemies, or Panic Attack for a bass start with more impact..

Either way, if we're wishing a ToT kind of album, then we're in part wishing the drums and bass to have more presence... aren't we?..

[Architeuthis]

I've had a few friends over that brought some of their friends with them about a year ago. We had a great time rockin out to different cd's with DT12 being one of them. I haven't been able to find that CD since, it just mysteriously disappeared. I haven't bought a new one in hopes that it will turn up someday. I now have accepted the fact that it is gone.  I really want to hear it after its absence for a year, so now I have to buy it again. I hope who ever has is enjoying it and not using it for target practice or bird deterrents on airplane hangars etc..

[bosk1]

Bummer.  I loaned mine out awhile ago, and after the person I loaned it to failed to return it after 6 months, I went and bought another copy.  6 months after that, he returned it. 

[Bertielee]

Off topic, but I never  ever loan my CDs again, as a "friend" of mine borrowed me 4 and never returned them. When I asked him to return my CDs-after at least  3 years (see, I have been patient)- he decided not to speak to me anymore.

B.Lee

[Architeuthis]

Damn.   it seems if you loan out something to somebody, after a period of time goes by they think it is theirs. Not only with cd's, but tools too.
 On another note, I bought a second copy of The Astonishing and gave it to a friend for a gift. He said he would listen to it on the road as he drives long truck routes for a living and is also a rock musician. We'll here it is 8 months later and he still hasen't taken it out of the plastic package.. WEAK!

[Dream Team]

Up to SC, I was eagerly waiting for a new DT album for the songs but also for what the individual instruments would come up with. Needless to say, MP's drum parts and JP's parts were the ones I could not wait to hear. Now, I'm waiting for the songs, for JP's parts but no more for the drums. And that's a shame, because I would like to. Unfortunately, I feel that the drums and bass now function as in an orchestra : you know there here but don't really care for them as prominence is taken so much by other instruments. I wish there wuold be a shift for the next album to more upfront drums and bass.

B.Lee

Unfortunately, I feel that JM is there to be "felt" rather than seen or heard. Especially live, maybe you can feel the bass thumping in your chest rather than hear it.

[Architeuthis]

The best I've ever heard J Myung in the mix was the Progressive Nation Systematic Chaos tour. All other tours he was pretty much drown out.

[mikeyd23]

In regards to JM in the mix at live shows, it's always pretty much dependent on where I've been sitting in the venue. At shows that I've sat near the board, I can usually hear him great. Other times when I've been close to the stage the sound tends to be dominated by drums and guitar (obviously making the most actual noise on stage).

[red barchetta]

Off topic, but I never  ever loan my CDs again, as a "friend" of mine borrowed me 4 and never returned them. When I asked him to return my CDs-after at least  3 years (see, I have been patient)- he decided not to speak to me anymore.

B.Lee

I have learned my lesson a long time ago. I think it was in 1980, the boyfriend of a cousin wanted to borrow some of my albums for a party and one of them, Led Zeppelin's The song remains the same returned to me with scratches everywhere. I have always pay a lot of care to my vinyles.

[Cable]

Well, I was not sure where the 8 string talk started- it seemed like it was what someone thought would happen?

https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/35a7c6/hi_im_brian_ball_president_of_ernie_ball_music/cr2lok9?st=itf8cv7k&sh=9f732274

I will take this as a confirmation.

[TheLordOfTheStrings]

I was at JP's Music Man presentation at Sam Ash in Hollywood today - they unofficially announced a JP fanned-fret 8 string guitar in the works. JP said, and I'm quoting here, "I want to take my 8 string Music Man guitar into the studio and write the new Dream Theater masterpiece with it."

[mikeyd23]

I was at JP's Music Man presentation at Sam Ash in Hollywood today - they unofficially announced a JP fanned-fret 8 string guitar in the works. JP said, and I'm quoting here, "I want to take my 8 string Music Man guitar into the studio and write the new Dream Theater masterpiece with it."

Well there you go! Interesting to see what JP comes up with...

[Cable]

I'm as interested to see what Myung does- same octave, or go below and modify a 6 string (or 7?) Then his sound in the mix and actual playing. He could always do some counter to the low riffs.

[Bertielee]

I'm not sold on the 8-string guitar. Will wait and see what he comes up with for the next DT.

B.Lee

[Kotowboy]

Another heavy album please.

But no DJENT!!!

[bosk1]

Another heavy album please.

But no DJENT!!!

But...but...John Petrucci is a perfect djentleman.

[Kotowboy]

Another heavy album please.

But no DJENT!!!

But...but...John Petrucci is a bearded djentleman.

FTFY

[bosk1]

Oops.  That's actually what I meant to say. 

[Bertielee]

Oops.  That's actually what I meant to say. 

Unfortunately, it was!

B.Lee

[rumborak]

In fact, just to give one example, we don't have JM starting a song since several albums already.. The last time he did that was on In the Presence of Enemies, or Panic Attack for a bass start with more impact..

Song beginnings are exceedingly likely to be started by one of the songwriters' instruments, mainly because it's more often than not the seed (or a variation thereof) that then became the song.
If you listen to TA, each song that isn't started by the full album is either started by guitar or keys, for that reason.

For the same reason, when MP was still around for the songwriting, you'd get an occasional song that was started by drums (6:00, HTF, TAMP). That has not happened since the switch.

[Cable]

^

Interesting, I never looked at it like that. That makes sense; JM's one known song with him having some ideas was Lifting Shadows.

[ToT-147]

In fact, just to give one example, we don't have JM starting a song since several albums already.. The last time he did that was on In the Presence of Enemies, or Panic Attack for a bass start with more impact..

Song beginnings are exceedingly likely to be started by one of the songwriters' instruments, mainly because it's more often than not the seed (or a variation thereof) that then became the song.
If you listen to TA, each song that isn't started by the full album is either started by guitar or keys, for that reason.

For the same reason, when MP was still around for the songwriting, you'd get an occasional song that was started by drums (6:00, HTF, TAMP). That has not happened since the switch.

You're right.. Also, another factor is JM's shyness.. But we definitely need some of that again, as well as one MM's intro.. In fact the two beginnings that you can barely say the drum is starting the song since he's in the band are BMU, BMB and Outcry, and in both cases there are actually digital drums doing those parts..

Interesting, I never looked at it like that. That makes sense; JM's one known song with him having some ideas was Lifting Shadows.

Hmm, Idk.. He's credited way more than that.. I wanna think he has contributed, in a way, at least with some percentage in about half of DT's songs.. Otherwise they wouldn't have reasons to establish the "Myung, Petrucci, Portnoy, Rudess," in the credits of a lot of songs... not mentioning the ones in which is a sure thing he participated, like Vacant, the ones in ADToE/DT12 or the songs he wrote the lyrics..

[Cable]

Interesting, I never looked at it like that. That makes sense; JM's one known song with him having some ideas was Lifting Shadows.

Hmm, Idk.. He's credited way more than that.. I wanna think he has contributed, in a way, at least with some percentage in about half of DT's songs.. Otherwise they wouldn't have reasons to establish the "Myung, Petrucci, Portnoy, Rudess," in the credits of a lot of songs... not mentioning the ones in which is a sure thing he participated, like Vacant, the ones in ADToE/DT12 or the songs he wrote the lyrics..

I didn't mean his only one idea. I meant his one big song, or at least one of them. It has been made clear his other contributions.