Is ADTOE the Dream Theater Album you were hoping for?

[Laich21DT]

Too hard to say for now, but mayve I was expecting more beautiful solo moments like beginning of TITS or BAI solo. Because I'm all satisfied with heavy side of ADTOE it's balanced very well.

TITS?

This is the Life.

And yes, this is what I was hoping for. I am more of a fan of DT's 90's output, but with that said, I still enjoy everything the band has released. So this new album is a breath of fresh air for me. I feel like JR is finally being utilized to his fullest as the Dream Theater keyboardist now.

[BelichickFan]

It turns out that this might be my favorite ever - and DT was already my favorite band of all time 

The instrumental parts are as good as ever - and, in fact, better than ever.  James sounds fantastic and these are the most consistently good vocal melodies yet; as much as I love DT their vocal melodies aren't always a strongsuit but they are here.

And then there's the lyrics.  I know what the band has said but the lyrics and CD title just fascinate me as they could almost all be about Portnoy's leaving and, yet, none of them could too.  Just fascinating stuff.

[Orthogonal]

Not that I'm terribly disappointed with any of their album's, but this is one brought back the Magic like no album has since SFAM on first listen.

[Zook]

I was hoping for a good Dream Theater album and I got a great one, so yeah.

[Jamesman42]

I was hoping for a good Dream Theater album and I got a great one, so yeah.

[Cable]

Yes.

An album that sounds like DT, and not metallica, megadeth, pink floyd, muse etc.

[Jamesman42]

amen

[1neeto]

Totally exceeded all my expectations. I just wish my best friend which is a lifelong Portnoy fan would give it a chance. I showed him the OTBOA video and his reply was "meh". And he keeps calling Mangini "mangina".

[Dcrupi]

A million times yes.

[dongringo]

Yes, and then some!

[The Letter M]

Actually, ADTOE is BETTER than the album I was hoping for, and now I can only anxiously wait and imagine what DT12 will bring in terms of musical, lyrical, and over-all greatness!

-Marc.

[kiwiclapton]

I was hoping for a good Dream Theater album and I got a great one, so yeah.

This

[1neeto]

DT please let MM be part of the creative process next time! That's my only gripe about this album, Mangini was pretty much told what to drum.

[The Letter M]

DT please let MM be part of the creative process next time! That's my only gripe about this album, Mangini was pretty much told what to drum.

I still don't think this is the case, exactly... think of it this way - JP gave MM a coloring book and some crayons and said "Here, color these, and use your crayons, but stay inside the lines", the lines being the programmed drums that JP made as a framework for the songs and the crayons being MM's drums/cymbals and his skills. MM definitely added color to the songs' drum parts and I doubt JP programmed EVERYTHING that MM came up with/recorded/played, and I recall interviews from JP and JR that they were both wowed by what MM did on the drums, so I don't think JP told MM what to do down to the 32nd note. There was a lot of surprise/shock in there from MM, I'm sure!

-Marc.

[i am fabio]

I really didnt see this coming....honestly guys I think it is my new favorite album from them. Havnt had this feeling about an album in a long time. Last one that did this to me was the Pagans Mind album entitled Enigmatic Calling.

[jjrock88]

Really enjoying the disc more and more I listen to it.  There are new sounds to enjoy each and every time and I find it to be a great atmospheric listen.

[cramx3]

After Portnoy announced he was leaving, I thought that the next album might not be so great, but the guys handled it great and did the awesome process of deciding to bring in Mangini.  I liked the way the the guys all said and did the right things and I really started to think the new album was going to be really good.  And, well it is.

[PetFish]

ADToE is WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND what I was hoping for.

[1neeto]

DT please let MM be part of the creative process next time! That's my only gripe about this album, Mangini was pretty much told what to drum.

I still don't think this is the case, exactly... think of it this way - JP gave MM a coloring book and some crayons and said "Here, color these, and use your crayons, but stay inside the lines", the lines being the programmed drums that JP made as a framework for the songs and the crayons being MM's drums/cymbals and his skills. MM definitely added color to the songs' drum parts and I doubt JP programmed EVERYTHING that MM came up with/recorded/played, and I recall interviews from JP and JR that they were both wowed by what MM did on the drums, so I don't think JP told MM what to do down to the 32nd note. There was a lot of surprise/shock in there from MM, I'm sure!

-Marc.

Oh I'm sure that MM put his own little twist to whatever JP gave him, but he wasn't given enough freedom to warrant having his name in the songwriting credits, I find it almost insulting considering MM's caliber. Your coloring book analogy is pretty good but what I'm trying to say is that I think we haven't heard an ounce of what MM has to offer.

[The Letter M]

DT please let MM be part of the creative process next time! That's my only gripe about this album, Mangini was pretty much told what to drum.

I still don't think this is the case, exactly... think of it this way - JP gave MM a coloring book and some crayons and said "Here, color these, and use your crayons, but stay inside the lines", the lines being the programmed drums that JP made as a framework for the songs and the crayons being MM's drums/cymbals and his skills. MM definitely added color to the songs' drum parts and I doubt JP programmed EVERYTHING that MM came up with/recorded/played, and I recall interviews from JP and JR that they were both wowed by what MM did on the drums, so I don't think JP told MM what to do down to the 32nd note. There was a lot of surprise/shock in there from MM, I'm sure!

-Marc.

Oh I'm sure that MM put his own little twist to whatever JP gave him, but he wasn't given enough freedom to warrant having his name in the songwriting credits, I find it almost insulting considering MM's caliber. Your coloring book analogy is pretty good but what I'm trying to say is that I think we haven't heard an ounce of what MM has to offer.

You're right, and it is a shame that MM didn't get any input this go around as far as the initial creative processes were concerned, but it seems the band are already jamming on-stage during soundchecks and I'm sure they are recording some ideas for the next album, with MM's input. I'm sure the band realized that (there was a lack of showing off MM's talents) on the album due to the constraints of JP's frameworked drum parts, so they let MM have a drum solo on the tour over the summer, a valuable 4-6 minutes that could have been used on a song in a short set of about 90-120 minutes.

I'm sure we'll get some crazy MM stuff on the next album, but do recall that MM has gone on record as saying that he is comfortable with just playing someone else's parts for a record, so if JP programs SOME drums for the next album, I don't think MM would have a problem with it, and to be honest, neither would I!

-Marc.

[Cranky]

I have to admit that I was very worried about DT11 when I heard about MP's departure..
I just kind of skulked around, pondering what they might do.. Maybe another Falling Into Infinity? I sure hope not..

Then, that fateful day came when I heard the first snippet they released... of Bridges in The Sky..

After that, my expectations only grew from snippet to snippet...

Then the day came where I actually got to listen to the album.


It was the album that I was hoping for, and better.. Much better than I had hoped for.
There are some weak tracks, and weak sections within some tracks.. But, nothing but a pimple on the giant, BEAUTIFUL face that is A Dramatic Turn of Events!!

They really should stick with this formula, and maybe try some new things as they always have on their next record.

[CrimsonSunrise]

Too difficult for me to answer yet.

This

[AleBl4st]

I feel that ADTOE is more than what I was hoping for. I couldn't even imagine that it would be this great! 

This.

[Derango]

It's *almost* what I was hoping for. If it had a slightly clearer mix it would have been exactly what I was hoping for. A return to form, injecting old school Dream Theater elements into their new more modern sound and scaling back on the 100% metal assault.

[Pinga]

No. I was merely hoping for something not bad (baby steps!).

I did not expect such a great album.

[Metabog]

My greatest DT dream pretty much came true when I heard MP was leaving and they were still carrying on. I had 0 doubts they'd make an amazing album after that, and they did. I kind of wish there were more JM lyrics and less Persians, but the songs are all genuinely good.

On a related note, Breaking All Illusions seems to be the top rated DT song on Spotify right now, so that probably says something considering most of the other top songs are singles that probably got there through mass non-fan listens. This song is so far above anything they've done on the last two albums it's not even funny.

[gmillerdrake]

Yes. I had hoped that they'd give me improved lyrics, didn't have to be Shakespeare but better than what we had been hearing on the last two and they did that. I had hoped they'd venture away from this 'heavier' DT and although there are glimpses and moments of heavy elements they are just that, elements to a bigger and better concept. And, MM more than impressed. They easily exceeded my expectations.

[Progmetty]

They easily exceeded my expectations.

Same here.

[kirksnosehair]

Well, let's see.....what was I hoping for?

No more silly growling or grunting vocals......check

A move back into a more progressive direction.....check

Less immediate accessibility and kick up the complexity a notch or two.....check

Better vocal melodies.......check

Better lyrics.......check

I could go on and on and on......this album exceeded my expectations on many levels. 

[Dream Team]

Well, let's see.....what was I hoping for?

No more silly growling or grunting vocals......check

A move back into a more progressive direction.....check

Less immediate accessibility and kick up the complexity a notch or two.....check

Better vocal melodies.......check

Better lyrics.......check

I could go on and on and on......this album exceeded my expectations on many levels. 

Also:

Better bass playing from JM . . . check

Not trying to sound like XYZ band . . . check

[gmillerdrake]

Well, let's see.....what was I hoping for?

No more silly growling or grunting vocals......check

A move back into a more progressive direction.....check

Less immediate accessibility and kick up the complexity a notch or two.....check

Better vocal melodies.......check

Better lyrics.......check

Hey...did you steal this check list from my desk? Or were these just really common wishes and desires?

[Zydar]

I can only agree with the majority here, this album exceeded my expectations. It's a big step up from the latest albums and their best one since SDOIT.

[RoeDent]

Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, this album has exceeded my expectations. IMO, it's their best since Scenes from a Memory.

[Super Dude]

Well it's not what I was hoping for, it's something different.  That's not a bad thing though.

[reneranucci]

I was expecting an album that I could really connect to, but I didn't get it, I feel ADTOE is a "distant and cold" album to me. Don't know exactly why, but I think the melodies are generally weak, that there are not enough catchy moments and meaningful lyrics that make me want to sing along, not enough face-melting guitar solos, that the instrumental sections are pointless, disjointed and ruin potentially great songs (Outcry and LNF), and that wasting disk space in 2 bland ballads was too much.

It has some excellent moments, but it doesn't grab me without letting me go. Well, I hope DT 12 is better.