What do you want from DT's music?

[comment]

I say let them do whatever they want.  I'm happy with their releases overall.  There is something of a formula feeling I've been getting over the last three albums.  It's not bad though.  It sounds like the production is tighter.  What I would like is an album where the band meets up and writes the music together.   Hmmmm...

It would be great to see DT take a mini vacation together and have some fun, refresh, connect and write some music.

A little more social media connecting with the fans would be nice too. 

Let's see ... What else... A song that puts the spotlight on JMs bass playing.  Actually, I think a set of songs that centerpiece each of the band members instruments/vocals would be cool.

Maybe a song featuring some guest vocals.

[rumborak]

I actually don't know what I want from DT anymore. I should be loving TA, since I requested strong melodies and proggy stuff before the release. But TA doesn't do much for me.

Couldn't have said it better myself...

They can, and should make the music that they are happy with. But my excitement for new DT music, has pretty much disappeared..

The saddest aspect might be for me that I entirely stopped caring for the drums. It's somewhat entertaining to see him play the stuff live, but the recorded stuff is total meh for me.

[JiM-Xtreme]

I want JM to do a five minute slap bass solo!

[red barchetta]

I actually don't know what I want from DT anymore. I should be loving TA, since I requested strong melodies and proggy stuff before the release. But TA doesn't do much for me.

Couldn't have said it better myself...

They can, and should make the music that they are happy with. But my excitement for new DT music, has pretty much disappeared..

The saddest aspect might be for me that I entirely stopped caring for the drums. It's somewhat entertaining to see him play the stuff live, but the recorded stuff is total meh for me.

i feel the same. A big disapointment for me is that I thought that Mike Mangini's input in the songs creative structures would have bring something great which is not what I think of the last 2 albums.

[425]

Don't get me wrong, I really like DT12 and I think I really like TA, too (three months is apparently still too early for me to judge). But I would love to get some more long songs on the next album. The last two albums have had only one song longer than 8 minutes, and none in the 8-21 minute range. That's been nice for a change of pace, but I would like to see a bit of a return to longer songs. I'm okay whether the next album has an epic or not, though I love epics, but I really want to see some more long songs with proggy instrumental sections. I feel like that's an important part of their DNA that they've really downplayed on the last two albums.

[ariich]

I don't hope or expect for anything out of the band. In my opinion, building up expectations always ends up being a bummer. I just want them to continue writing music they enjoy, and hopefully I dig it too.

From here on, TOX is my official spokesperson.

[The Curious Orange]

I like TA - but there's just too bloody much of it. The beautiful melodies need to act as a counterpoint to the insane instrumental bits.

[red barchetta]

A big disapointment for me is that I thought that Mike Mangini's input in the songs creative structures would have bring something great which is not what I think of the last 2 albums.

[Logain Ablar]

A big disapointment for me is that I thought that Mike Mangini's input in the songs creative structures would have bring something great which is not what I think of the last 2 albums.

Just a thought, but I think *some* of this may be down to production. I don't think the production on the last 3 albums has allowed MM to shine as well as he might. When I watched them live, it was noticeable how many little things MM was doing, especially on the cymbals, that just seemed to get buried in the mix on the album.

It's nitpicking really, as it's not a massive deal for me, but it would be great if they could figure out how to best capture the energy of MM's live performance on the next album.

[BlackInk]

Proper production is also something I want from DT's music. Especially now when they're this big, there's really no reason why they shouldn't be among the best. Yet every other "small" band I listen to absolutely ace their production while DT's just comes across as really lazy. Compared to DT12, TA was admittedly an improvement, but it still feels lacking, especially with the drums.

BC&SL isn't an album I like really, but it's the last DT album that had any punch to it. So even that sound would be a welcome change, particularly for the drums and the guitars.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I think The Astonishing sounds great, but I agree that the drum cymbals and such could have been higher in the mix. It's a nit-picky thing though; I really like the album's sound in general.

[Enigmachine]

I'd say that DT have always had at least satisfactory production apart from WDaDU.

[jakepriest]

The saddest aspect might be for me that I entirely stopped caring for the drums. It's somewhat entertaining to see him play the stuff live, but the recorded stuff is total meh for me.

This x100. Funny that drums were the main reason I got into DT and now I just don't care one bit about what Mangini plays because it's so meh to me.

Petrucci also needs to go back to his pre-ADTOE distortion tone, cause the one he uses now is frankly horrible imo. But different strokes for different folks and all that I guess.

[red barchetta]

A big disapointment for me is that I thought that Mike Mangini's input in the songs creative structures would have bring something great which is not what I think of the last 2 albums.

The main thing I wanted to point out with that statement is that I thought Mangini would have had a bigger input with the songwriting. I'm not sure he is a big +.

[Dublagent66]

I got nothing against MM.  Great drummer and he plays all the stuff to a tee.  But it's clear that he has little input towards the musical direction compared to MP.

[goo-goo]

I like TA but I don't love it...However, I have to applaud and bow to DT because they had the balls to do something out of their comfort zone. I made a custom playlist for TA and I'm loving it. I think it would have benefited if they trimmed out a bit of the ballads and length of the album. But that's just me. The writing combo of JP and JR is great and I wouldn't change that.

ADTOE and DT12 have great songs and moments (On the Backs of Angels, Bridges on the Sky, Breaking all Illusions, Through the Looking Glass, The Bigger Picture, Surrender to Reason, IT, Moment of Betrayal, Gift of Music, Ravenskill, A New Beginning, among others in TA). I would like for DT to continue with this trend. I love DT's prog rock side more than the metal side and the last 3 albums are proof on what direction they are going (more prog than metal driven imo). I would love for DT to get a grip on their sound as far as the mixing and mastering goes. The quality of ADTOE and DT12 was affected because of this. TA's production is a bit better but still lacking (the double bass drums a bit too high).

What I want from the DT? Whatever they feel like doing is fine with me.

[Dream Team]

The saddest aspect might be for me that I entirely stopped caring for the drums. It's somewhat entertaining to see him play the stuff live, but the recorded stuff is total meh for me.

This x100. Funny that drums were the main reason I got into DT and now I just don't care one bit about what Mangini plays because it's so meh to me.

Petrucci also needs to go back to his pre-ADTOE distortion tone, cause the one he uses now is frankly horrible imo. But different strokes for different folks and all that I guess.

Yes I hate his modern over-processed tone. I want CRUNCH on those riffs. As far as Mangini goes, I agree the production is a contributing factor. I love the drumming on ADTOE but you can barely hear it. Very frustrating.

[KevShmev]

I'd say that DT have always had at least satisfactory production apart from WDaDU.

Satisfactory is a relative term, though.

None of their albums since the debut sound bad by any means, but albums like A Dramatic Turn of Events, Train of Thought and even Scenes from a Memory (which is still amazing, regardless), all could have benefited by having much better sound.

The good news is, The Astonishing sounds really good, at least it does to my ears, so it's a step in the right direction from a production and sound standpoint. 

[IDontNotDoThings]

I love DT's prog rock side more than the metal side and the last 3 albums are proof on what direction they are going (more prog than metal driven imo).

DT12 was more prog than metal? 

[RoeDent]

I love DT's prog rock side more than the metal side and the last 3 albums are proof on what direction they are going (more prog than metal driven imo).

DT12 was more prog than metal? 

Compared with ToT, SC and BC&SL it's more prog than metal, that's for sure!

[IDontNotDoThings]

I love DT's prog rock side more than the metal side and the last 3 albums are proof on what direction they are going (more prog than metal driven imo).

DT12 was more prog than metal? 

Compared with ToT, SC and BC&SL it's more prog than metal, that's for sure!

To be honest, I think all three of those albums have way more prog than DT12.

[425]

I'm inclined to agree. Heavier =/= non-prog. DT12 is one of their least proggy albums. That's fine, I don't judge album quality based on how how much prog it has, but it's just true that outside of the very proggy Illumination Theory, DT12 is not that prog-heavy.

[Enigmachine]

I'm inclined to agree. Heavier =/= non-prog. DT12 is one of their least proggy albums. That's fine, I don't judge album quality based on how how much prog it has, but it's just true that outside of the very proggy Illumination Theory, DT12 is not that prog-heavy.

Surrender to Reason?

[425]

It's somewhat proggy, but not as much as a lot of songs on the three albums in question. And even so, that's 2 out of 9.

[Crow]

I want less of it per disc tbh, quality over quantity does not seem to be a phrase they know recently

[Enigmachine]

It's somewhat proggy, but not as much as a lot of songs on the three albums in question. And even so, that's 2 out of 9.

I'd say it's more proggy than most of the stuff on those three albums (certainly stuff like As I Am, ARoP and Wither and PoW). TEI is also pretty proggy, as well as TBP, AFtR and TLG.

[Darkstarshades]

Get a girl to fuck with me

[BlobVanDam]

Get a girl to fuck with me

Then I think you've chosen the wrong band. And wrong genre.

[Another_Won]

Get a girl to fuck with me

Interesting way of putting that.  You want a girl to mess with you?  like what, make fun of the music you listen to?

Or would it be more literal, like you and another girl have your own partners and you guys are just doin' it side by side.

Or . . . Perhaps we just take out the "with"

[JustJen]

I can tell you but nobody would believe me. I want more hard rocking straight up songs along the lines of Systematic Chaos and the albums of that time frame. I'm a huge fan of the sound of The Dark Eternal Night.

[Dublagent66]

I agree with Jen.  What I want from DT is what they are best known for.  Progressive metal.  A diversely heavy sound with touches of mellow smoothness and jazzy twists.  Don't know what they are trying to prove with TA, but it's not the DT I once loved.

[energythief]

One specific thing I could do without is the random solo section that breaks the flood and the mood of the song, that is the single thing I actually don't care at all for. Metropolis has a very memorable solo section, to make another example Trial of Tears has a long solo section that keeps you "into" the song, but on the later albums we have examples such as The Ministry of the Lost Souls, Endless Sacrifice and Sacrificed Sons when they're singing about a serious issue and then ask me to completely forget about it while I hear them doodling on their instruments for five minutes before going back to whatever was the mood of the song. 

Agreed. Thanks for putting so eloquently into words exactly what bugs me about modern DT.

[erwinrafael]

One specific thing I could do without is the random solo section that breaks the flood and the mood of the song, that is the single thing I actually don't care at all for. Metropolis has a very memorable solo section, to make another example Trial of Tears has a long solo section that keeps you "into" the song, but on the later albums we have examples such as The Ministry of the Lost Souls, Endless Sacrifice and Sacrificed Sons when they're singing about a serious issue and then ask me to completely forget about it while I hear them doodling on their instruments for five minutes before going back to whatever was the mood of the song. 

Agreed. Thanks for putting so eloquently into words exactly what bugs me about modern DT.

But the last two albums do not have any.of those doodling solos. So which modern DT are you talking about?

[KevShmev]

I agree with Jen.  What I want from DT is what they are best known for.  Progressive metal.  A diversely heavy sound with touches of mellow smoothness and jazzy twists.  Don't know what they are trying to prove with TA, but it's not the DT I once loved.

I think DT is way past the point where they feel like they need to prove anything.  They have done all they can do, and then some, so I think at this point they are writing music that inspires them at the time.  Not that they didn't always do that, but I think they are free of any kind of pressure to prove themselves.

[BlackInk]

I agree with Jen.  What I want from DT is what they are best known for.  Progressive metal.  A diversely heavy sound with touches of mellow smoothness and jazzy twists.  Don't know what they are trying to prove with TA, but it's not the DT I once loved.

I think DT is way past the point where they feel like they need to prove anything.  They have done all they can do, and then some, so I think at this point they are writing music that inspires them at the time.  Not that they didn't always do that, but I think they are free of any kind of pressure to prove themselves.

Maybe this is the problem.