Black Clouds & Silver Linings: Reactions

[JLa]

After listening through the album for a couple of times, it has begun to sink in. All in all a really good record, although I'm not too excited about A Rite of Passage and Wither. AROP is somewhat saved by the groovy, solo sections, while Wither is just flat out boring. I don't get Portnoy's attemt at being Mr. Angry Man in ANTR, but otherwise, great stuff! There's a lot of amazing music on this disc, and I hear things both reminiscent of older days as well as DT anno 200x.

It's nice to get a record like this after the sub-par SC, and I'm thinking maybe I'll go see DT in concert again this time around. It has been a while.

[squishyboots]

I'm just in the floyd section of COT for the 5th time.

album gets better with each listen, definitely like it more than I used to.

did anyone think though, on the shattered fortress, right after the whole ROAE, part, where it's like "Keep all of me..."  that end note they held before going back to GP, was going to turn into the Razor's edge from Octavarium?

I may have to mix that, because it fits perfectly.

[Nic35]

I just realized that TCoT is their best album closer. I thought Octavarium was better with the Razor's Edge solo, but the main thing that changed my mind is that in TCoT, it is not only JP who shines, it is every member. JP solo is amazing, James' whoaaa is his best moment of the album, MP drums are incredible, JR sound is delicious and JM is, as usual, quite descreet, but so efficient.

[7StringedBeast]

Octavarium definitely takes the cake for me personally.  I believe Octavarium is the best song ever written.... I think

[Nic35]

Octavarium definitely takes the cake for me personally.  I believe Octavarium is the best song ever written.... I think

I haven't said that The Count of Tuscany was better than Octavarium, because it is false. I don't think they can top the masterpiece that is Octavarium

[7StringedBeast]

After listening to this album more and more, my prediction that this album is going to be a grower is coming true.  This album just keeps getting better and better the more familiar I get with it.  At first I didn't find anything great about TCOT but now it is SERIOUSLY growing on me.  At first I thought this CD wasn't doing anything new, but the songwriting is very different on this album and I'm picking it up now.  The way ANTR and TCOT tell stories are incredible.  I really love the lyrics and the story they tell and how that blends into the musical scheme.

[TheVoxyn]

I've been listening to it waaaaay to much the last few days, but it's so damn awesome.

[nightmare_cinema]

I've been listening to it waaaaay to much the last few days, but it's so damn awesome.

There's such a thing as too much? Since I got the album I've listened to it nearly 20 times apparently... it's a real grower for me.

[TheVoxyn]

I've been listening to it waaaaay to much the last few days, but it's so damn awesome.

There's such a thing as too much? Since I got the album I've listened to it nearly 20 times apparently... it's a real grower for me.

I'll get sick of it when I keep listening to it this much .

[nightmare_cinema]

I've been listening to it waaaaay to much the last few days, but it's so damn awesome.

There's such a thing as too much? Since I got the album I've listened to it nearly 20 times apparently... it's a real grower for me.

I'll get sick of it when I keep listening to it this much .

Oh! That never happens to me I'm apparently slightly obsessive when it comes to listening to music... when I first heard dredg my last.fm registered 999ish plays in the first week.

[zerogravityfat]

so count of tuscany is about hannibal lecter?

[TheVoxyn]

I've been listening to it waaaaay to much the last few days, but it's so damn awesome.

There's such a thing as too much? Since I got the album I've listened to it nearly 20 times apparently... it's a real grower for me.

I'll get sick of it when I keep listening to it this much .

Damn, that's alot. Like 3 months ago I had 200 Anathema listens in a week, haven't really listened to them since .

Oh! That never happens to me I'm apparently slightly obsessive when it comes to listening to music... when I first heard dredg my last.fm registered 999ish plays in the first week.

[chrisbDTM]

so count of tuscany is about hannibal lecter?

i think its just another factor that made petrucci lose it

[sonatafanica]

What mixing software are you guys using?

[Super Dude]

*fourth listen'd*

...

...

...

Yup, still a great album.

[SeRoX]

Damn! I just relaize that I haven't written my reactions. My bad!

It is coming soon...

[Super Dude]

Okay, we are waitin ur post

[SeRoX]

Okay, we are waitin ur post

hey,, your smile tells everything. 

[Super Dude]

[blackngold29]

I woke up today, but didn't want to get out of bed. So I picked up my remote controller for my CD player and played Wither instrumental. It was heavenly... and I mean that in the most manly way possible.

[bosk1]

... and I mean that in the most manly way possible.

I...really don't think there is one.

[hefdaddy42]

so count of tuscany is about hannibal lecter?

[j]

Octavarium definitely takes the cake for me personally.  I believe Octavarium is the best song ever written.... I think

I haven't said that The Count of Tuscany was better than Octavarium, because it is false. I don't think they can top the masterpiece that is Octavarium

They already did, several times before they even wrote it.   

-J

[Crow]

My most common reaction:

"Holy crap, 75 minutes already? I just started listening to the album like 5 minutes ago, though... "

[Super Dude]

My most common reaction:

"Holy crap, 75 minutes already? I just started listening to the album like 5 minutes ago, though... "

Yes, definitely the best aspect of this album.  Leaves you craving more.

[Crow]

Just thought that same thing again.


























The Count Of Tuscany

[Disappear]

I haven't listened enough but it's somewhere between good and up there with the best of them. Definitely a marked improvement from SC, which I enjoyed.

[staveoffzombies]

After many more listens I think I can safely place this album firmly in fifth place in my album rankings behind IaW, Awake, SFAM, and SDOIT.  There is a small chance it could go a bit higher but I think it will stay where it's at.  And considering the amazing calibre of the four albums I rank above it, fifth is not a bad thing by any means.

[metfiXXXer]

albums grow on me...when i first heard SC, i hated it but after a few twirls it grew on me. i LOVE this album, so i can only envision me liking it more. i can't remember the last DT album that had this effect, maybe its the nostalgia of listening to DT music that "i don't know", but i rate this as the best DT album after a "first listen"

TSF is a beast of a song, COT too. unbelievable riffage

[Serpentor]

got my 3 disc in the mail yesterday.  This and the cover disc kick some serious ass

[erik16]

I've finally managed to get MY hands onto BC&SL. 23rd and 24th were national holidays back in Estonia and new music arrived only today. I've listened it once and I'm listening to it for the 2nd time now. My opinion on the songs is as follows:
ANTR: It's a good opener, it has a dark mood to it, the lyrics are great and the middle calm section repeats itself in my head. It drags on a few minutes but overall I really like both the heaviness and the softness in the middle.
AROP: The beginning is flashy and as a single it is most suitable and probably very accessible.
Wither: Nice ballad, very easy to follow and JP solo suits well.
TSF: I'm not familiar with much of the 12step suite but the music is nice and I've heard TROAE which I was able to recognize in that song.
TBOT: Easily my favourite song off the album. It has an I&W feel to it, the lyrics are really touching, I don't care if they are straightforward. Every bandmember shines especially JR and JLB.
TCOT: I hope that it will grow on me because at the moment ANTR, TBOT and partially TSF overshadow it. The ending of the song is really funny, the story is almost like a parody of epic stories. I do like the solos of JP and JR background though.
Overall I think that the album is a lot better than SC, I was impressed very much by JR's playing and I like the vocal harmonies on many of the songs, they were carried out really well.

[FurFactor]

Here's my review:

A Nightmare To Remember: The first half of the song is spot on. Heavy riffs and great melodies are present throughout. I especially like the "peaceful sedation" section. The instrumental section unfortunately drags on for a while, and that's just about the only gripe I have with this song. I don't even mind MP's vocals that much. It has a cool groove to it. Oh, and mp can has blast beetz. Rating - 7.8/10

A Rite Of Passage: I probably like this song more than most people. The chorus is awesome, to say the least; and the instrumental section of AROP is one of the best they've done in my opinion. The bebot solo is completely ridiculous, but I like it somehow. This is going to be a great live song. Can't wait to hear it. Rating - 8.2/10

Wither: This one took me by complete surprise. Wither has (ironically) the best lyrics on the album, which I feel the whole album is lacking slightly. The melodies here are fantastic, making it one of DT's best ballads. The highlight of the song is definitely the part where it's just James singing with JR playing piano (and the proceeding solo). Rating - 8.4/10

The Shattered Fortress: I really don't know what to say about TSF. It serves as a fantastic conclusion to the Twelve Step Suite, but as a stand-alone song it just doesn't do it for me. I was a little disappointed that there's a lot of cut-and-paste, but I can probably look past it. I'll give this song another month of listening and I'll review it again. Rating - 7.6/10

The Best Of Times: The fastest 10:00+ song in DT's entire discography. It actually feels like one coherent song (no long instrumental sections). The first half of the song is nice and happy, reminiscing of the times MP had with his dad. The second half is much more melancholy, talking about MP dealing with him dealing with his death and such. What follows is one JP's best solos he's ever done. Some people are complaining that the lyrics are bad, and I have no idea what they're talking about. This is a personal song, it wouldn't make sense to have lyrics that have to be rigorously interpreted to figure out the meaning. Rating - 9.6/10

The Count Of Tuscany: The opening instrumental portion is great, and reminded me of Rush for some reason. Then, the lyrics. Yes, they're hilariously bad, but they're so hilariously bad that it makes the song that much more awesome. We then move into the Pink Floyd section (by the way people, that's a guitar with a volume pedal, not a continuum), followed by the much talked about climax, which is very well delivered by James. A satisfying conclusion to a great album. Rating - 9.3/10

Final Rating (average) - 8.5

Definitely their best since Six Degrees.

[Bacong]

Pretty decent album.

song ranks:

The Count of Tuscany
The Best of Times
Wither
A Nightmare to Remember
A Rite of Passage
The Shattered Fortress

[perfectcircle58]

My new favorite, for now at least. Everything about the past few albums that made people feel like DT were hopelessly abandoning their roots seems to be fixed. I'm sure this will be controversial but BCSL gives off the vibe of a new and improved Images & Words. Why? First of all I think this album shows the lighter side of DT that has been missing for a long time (the best of times, the count of tuscany intro). Also there's a lot of extremely successful experimentation such as the acoustic/clean guitar work (A nightmare to remember/the shattered fortress). The instrumental sections, for the most part, are more cohesive and really contribute to the songs. And JP's solos are tasteful, emotional, and memorable again instead of just flashy (wither/the best of times). They're tapping back into the same creativity and inspiration they had during I&W while also showing how they've grown since. I am extremely impressed with this album, and I think it will continue to grow on me even more.

My song rankings as of now (I'm sure they'll change):
1. A Nightmare to Remember (the heavy sections are some of their best. not only are the riffs awesome but the production makes the guitar sound even crunchier. and the acoustic section has some of the best vocal melodies/harmonies that DT has ever written)
2. The Count of Tuscany (the intro is absolutely awesome. i feel like this song, more than any others, displays continued evolution in DT's sound into an even mature band)
3. The Shattered Fortress (very cool how all the previous songs in the suite are weaved together. and the new riffs are also awesome. the "i am responsible part" gives me chills- one of the most epic parts in the album)
4. The Best of Times (very beautiful and uplifting song. awesome solo. this is another example of DT's continued growth)
5. Wither (powerful and beautiful. again, awesome solo)
6. AROP (I guess I'm already sick of this because I heard it before as a single and the instrumental section is one of the only moments I've found so far on the album that I don't like)

[Spolt]

Wow,

Seriously this cover disc is just wonderful.

" ooooooouu GIVE ME A GOOD GUITAR ! "