Well this is interesting....

[Pockets17red]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=209447142439946&set=o.7677942180&type=1&ref=nf

[Zook]

I knew about the similarity but that's ridiculous. Different artist too. Sooooooo Hugh Syme = Hack?

[Adami]

Wow.

I know we have a lot of conspiracy theories about rip offs............but this is the most convincing of them all.

[chrisbDTM]

might as well void the entire album

[wammabe]

Looks like the same clown guy. At first I thought it was a copy paste...

Maybe this is the only way Dream Theater would reconsider their cover artist in the next album...

[alirocker08]

Wow.

That unicycle looks like it's at the wrong angle to stay on the rope, never noticed that before.

Oh, and that is weird, same creases and everything. Only excuse I can think of for that is that they used the same reference picture for the pose.

[El Barto]

My guess would be stock-photo clown.  It's also possible that it was a different picture from the same shoot.  Either way,  if the pictures available for use,  makes more sense to use it than to set up a new shoot for a picture you already have.  

[BlobVanDam]

"I need an explanation from part of Dream Theater. =/"

Um, no you don't. Both artists used the same stock image. There's no conspiracy or copying. Just an unfortunate coincidence.
I'm sure a lot of these designers are going to use the same sites for their stock elements when they create so many album covers. I've stumbled across elements from album covers on these sites before. And we all remember the Octavarium cover woman. Anyone can find and use them. And how many options are there gonna be if you want a guy on a unicycle?

[T-ski]

it took me less than :30 seconds to find this image on a google search...



it seems Circus Maximus just rotated it while Hugh Syme used it to suit his own design.  In the end who really cares?

[El Barto]

Search unicycle on I-Stock and he's the very first picture.  Pretty simple.

https://www.istockphoto.com/search/text/clown%20unicycle/source/basic#1e61faf

edit:  Dammit t-ski!

[Architeuthis]

And we all remember the Octavarium cover woman.
[/quote]

  When I bought Octavarium, at first glance I thought it was John Myung, LOL!!

[chrisbDTM]

/thread

[BlobVanDam]

  When I bought Octavarium, at first glance I thought it was John Myung, LOL!!

I remember a whole thread about it at the time, and you weren't the only one who thought that.

And I love the thought of Hugh Syme looking at that unicycling clown and thinking "hm no, that's not quite right. He needs to be slightly more clowny, and slightly less unicycley".

[Architeuthis]

BTW, is that really gonna be Dt's new album cover?  Weak!!   I hope they reconsider.

[Zook]

BTW, is that really gonna be Dt's new album cover?  Weak!!   I hope they reconsider.

I think it's a little late for that.

[BlobVanDam]

BTW, is that really gonna be Dt's new album cover?  Weak!!   I hope they reconsider.

I'm not sure how long it takes for the whole process, but it's probably a bit late to be changing the cover art now. Personally, I prefer it over the BCASL album cover, which felt like a bit of a Photoshop medley. I'm not crazy about this one either, but DT aren't known for their amazing album covers.

[unspoken]

Search unicycle on I-Stock and he's the very first picture.  Pretty simple.

https://www.istockphoto.com/search/text/clown%20unicycle/source/basic#1e61faf

edit:  Dammit t-ski!

I guess you tried to link to this pic:

https://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-100513-acrobat.php

[The Silent Cody]

Nice, the most known prog metal unicyclist 

[Progmetty]

Geez this is embarrassing.
Even if there was no copying, it's embarrassing to think they didn't take the time to find other guys on unicycles photos on the internet.

[T-ski]

is it harder to ride a unicycle or play music in odd time signatures?

[chrisbDTM]

Geez this is embarrassing.
Even if there was no copying, it's embarrassing to think they didn't take the time to find other guys on unicycles photos on the internet.

it would be embarrassing to use the same guy. but he used the midsection and 1 arm. not a big deal

[The Silent Cody]

The angle of the wheel is not correct when You take a closer look, that is embarrasing

[j]

Wow, that's pretty weak.

-J

[Architeuthis]

BTW, is that really gonna be Dt's new album cover?  Weak!!   I hope they reconsider.

I think it's a little late for that.

Not really, look how fast the changed Live Scenes from New York. they pulled it off the shelves the day of the release due to the haunting similarities to the 9-11 attacks. The album was shortly released afterwards with new cover. I think they could easily fix this. If not, no big deal. It is about the music ultimately!

[John94]

Who honestly cares? If you care about it, then you need to find better things to care about.

All I am bothered about is the 9 songs on the album. Not the unicyclist stock photo.

[Zook]

BTW, is that really gonna be Dt's new album cover?  Weak!!   I hope they reconsider.

I think it's a little late for that.

Not really, look how fast the changed Live Scenes from New York. they pulled it off the shelves the day of the release due to the haunting similarities to the 9-11 attacks. The album was shortly released afterwards with new cover. I think they could easily fix this. If not, no big deal. It is about the music ultimately!

Exactly. If people are cool with In the Court of the Crimson King, I don't see why this cover is such an embarrassment.

[7StringedBeast]

I don't get why DT keeps getting the same guy to do their cover art.   I mean, its hard to believe that the same guy who did the art of 8V is the same guy who did this cover. 

They should bring in an actual artist, not just a photoshop guy.  That's my opinion on it.

[chrisbDTM]

well obviously they like his work, so? and its not just any guy. hugh syme is a huge name in album art

[SystematicThought]

Exactly. It's the same guy that created Rush's starman logo

[7StringedBeast]

I'd say this cover and the last cover were not very good at all.  SC was decent because the concept was well done, but to me wasn't very visually appealing in a design sense.  8V was fantastic.  

I just want to see a different style.  I want to see some original art instead of photoshop cut and paste stuff.  

[Cool Chris]

I was going to say that of course everyone bows at the mighty prowess of Hugh Syme. Even if his cred is largely based on a logo he created 30+ years ago. I'd say the majority of his is unimpressive and quantitatively outweighs the really good covers he has created.

[7StringedBeast]

Well all I have to add to that is it doesn't matter what you did 30 years ago, you are only as good as your last project.

[ghostnotes]

Exactly. If people are cool with In the Court of the Crimson King, I don't see why this cover is such an embarrassment.

This artwork was phoned in.  It's embarrassing for any artist, especially the supposed "great Hugh"

Who honestly cares? If you care about it, then you need to find better things to care about.

Oh come on, really?  You're SHOCKED that in the largest community of Dream Theater fans on the internet, there exist some who actually CARE about the artwork representing the first recorded album without not only a founding member but the person previously known as the HEART and SOUL of the band?!?

I care about album artwork in the first place because to me it's a huge part of the overall expression the musicians are delivering.  It's a graphical representation of the theme, inspiration, etc. that ties everything together.  I care about THIS particular album artwork because this album represents a LOT more for this band than arguably any other album since Scenes From a Memory (when Jordan joined) or even since the start with When Dream and Day Unite (when Portnoy and company first laid anything down).

This album is MONUMENTAL in the history of this band and the cover is anything but.  Not only is it anything but monumental in concept, but there are even photoshop snafus and stock photos. 

My question is "why isn't EVERYONE scratching their heads, demanding more out of this artwork given the nature of the album?"

[FretMuppet]

Sheesh guys there's nothing wrong with the cover, its very nice

[chrisbDTM]

My question is "why isn't EVERYONE scratching their heads, demanding more out of this artwork given the nature of the album?"

cause id say youre in the minority of people who are that passionate about the art.


the audio is what matters and if a picture somehow hinders that, i feel sorry for you