Looks like DT has already begun the process of writing the new album!

[The Letter M]

I wish they'd throw the "we need to make sure we do x" mentality away. I appreciate the heavy songs on ADToE, and I feel they were done masterfully. I just want them to make the music that comes to them. Dream Theater owes me, as a fan, no favors. I want to hear what inspires you, not what you think you are obligated to do for me.

I think ADTOE was the most inspired album since SDOIT for them. The music had no parameters - TOT was their heavy metal album, 8VM had it's musical concepts, SC was all over the place and full of weird and fiction-based lyrics, BC&SL was pretty dark musically and lyrically... ADTOE felt like a return-to-roots collection of inspired pieces from everyone in the band, both musically and lyrically.

I think, now without the desire to have an album's direction planned out, they're writing what flows out of them naturally, especially now that they are writing on the road again, and possibly seriously considering using these riffs or bits in the next album. And even though ADTOE was written in the studio, the environment was different, so the outcome changed.

-Marc.

[robwebster]

I wish they'd throw the "we need to make sure we do x" mentality away. I appreciate the heavy songs on ADToE, and I feel they were done masterfully. I just want them to make the music that comes to them. Dream Theater owes me, as a fan, no favors. I want to hear what inspires you, not what you think you are obligated to do for me.

I think ADTOE was the most inspired album since SDOIT for them. The music had no parameters - TOT was their heavy metal album, 8VM had it's musical concepts, SC was all over the place and full of weird and fiction-based lyrics, BC&SL was pretty dark musically and lyrically... ADTOE felt like a return-to-roots collection of inspired pieces from everyone in the band, both musically and lyrically.

I think, now without the desire to have an album's direction planned out, they're writing what flows out of them naturally, especially now that they are writing on the road again, and possibly seriously considering using these riffs or bits in the next album. And even though ADTOE was written in the studio, the environment was different, so the outcome changed.

-Marc.

In fairness, I seem to remember Mike Portnoy very specifically went into Systematic Chaos without any particular direction in mind. It just happened to come out ballsy. They happened to be in a ballsy place.

He had some sort of plan in mind - a sort of design - but he changed his mind when they went into the studio. Left it at the door! After the very strict format of Octavarium, he chose to abandon all the parameters, go in, and simply let the music happen. I believe the same thing happened with BCSL. The songs just came out long.

I could be wrong, I don't have any sources on me so this could all be a misrecollection, but it's an oddly specific misrecollection if it is. Then again, wouldn't put it past me! If I'm right, though, they haven't really restricted themselves since 2004/2005.

Do agree that ADToE sounds free-est, though. Then again, they were under completely different kinds of pressure, there - they had to make a classic, they made a very specific decision to have a mixture of everything. I seem to remember BMUBMD (or was it Lost Not Forgotten?) was written precisely because there were too many softer songs, and they wanted to have a bit of everything. So you could argue that was more directed than either of the last two Mike Portnoy albums.

[snapple]

LNF was written because of too many soft songs. And don't get me wrong, I really enjoy that song. But, if you write a soft album I'll be okay with it. I connect on a level with the guys musically. Falling Into Infinity, to me, is a better album that SDOIT. I can dig it (soft album).

[me7]

I don't want a gimmick. Gimmicks haven't worked well for DT in the past; I don't want DT to go into the studio saying "we're going to write the heaviest/proggiest/longest album ever". This has been their studio approach since TOT and the music has suffered for it.

I just want them to write a lot of music and put it on a disc so everybody will be happy.

I think that Scenes from a Memory was their proggiest album so far and it came out just fine, one of their best albums. Six Degrees of inner Turbulence was definitely their longest album and I think that it's also among their best.

[theseoafs]

Yup. I said I wanted them to shed the post-SDOIT "let's make sure we do this" mentality. If they start writing music and the longest proggiest album ever written comes out, I'm fine with that, but it's not fine if it's premeditated.

[ResultsMayVary]

I wish they'd throw the "we need to make sure we do x" mentality away. I appreciate the heavy songs on ADToE, and I feel they were done masterfully. I just want them to make the music that comes to them. Dream Theater owes me, as a fan, no favors. I want to hear what inspires you, not what you think you are obligated to do for me.

They are a progressive metal band, so the heavier songs are going to come out. It's just a matter of how many will make the CD.

[BlobVanDam]

I wish they'd throw the "we need to make sure we do x" mentality away. I appreciate the heavy songs on ADToE, and I feel they were done masterfully. I just want them to make the music that comes to them. Dream Theater owes me, as a fan, no favors. I want to hear what inspires you, not what you think you are obligated to do for me.

I think ADTOE was the most inspired album since SDOIT for them. The music had no parameters - TOT was their heavy metal album, 8VM had it's musical concepts, SC was all over the place and full of weird and fiction-based lyrics, BC&SL was pretty dark musically and lyrically... ADTOE felt like a return-to-roots collection of inspired pieces from everyone in the band, both musically and lyrically.

I think, now without the desire to have an album's direction planned out, they're writing what flows out of them naturally, especially now that they are writing on the road again, and possibly seriously considering using these riffs or bits in the next album. And even though ADTOE was written in the studio, the environment was different, so the outcome changed.

-Marc.

In fairness, I seem to remember Mike Portnoy very specifically went into Systematic Chaos without any particular direction in mind. It just happened to come out ballsy. They happened to be in a ballsy place.

He had some sort of plan in mind - a sort of design - but he changed his mind when they went into the studio. Left it at the door! After the very strict format of Octavarium, he chose to abandon all the parameters, go in, and simply let the music happen. I believe the same thing happened with BCSL. The songs just came out long.

I could be wrong, I don't have any sources on me so this could all be a misrecollection, but it's an oddly specific misrecollection if it is. Then again, wouldn't put it past me! If I'm right, though, they haven't really restricted themselves since 2004/2005.

Do agree that ADToE sounds free-est, though. Then again, they were under completely different kinds of pressure, there - they had to make a classic, they made a very specific decision to have a mixture of everything. I seem to remember BMUBMD (or was it Lost Not Forgotten?) was written precisely because there were too many softer songs, and they wanted to have a bit of everything. So you could argue that was more directed than either of the last two Mike Portnoy albums.

Another joyful read, rob.
I'd say all of their albums have a "thing" if you want to look for it, so this isn't something you can really use to lump together their recent albums. I actually hope the next album is more "thingy". I think they're overdue for it.
I don't necessarily consider it a contrivance to have a clear goal in mind, I just consider it a set of parameters to focus the songwriting in one direction, and that's fine by me as long as it's not too restrictive.

[me7]

I'd say all of their albums have a "thing" if you want to look for it, so this isn't something you can really use to lump together their recent albums. I actually hope the next album is more "thingy". I think they're overdue for it.
I don't necessarily consider it a contrivance to have a clear goal in mind, I just consider it a set of parameters to focus the songwriting in one direction, and that's fine by me as long as it's not too restrictive.

This is what I love about prog bands: they (sometimes) manage to craft albums that feel like "albums", and not like "collections of random songs". I prefer albums that are coherent and where each songs fulfills a particular function to produce a whole picture.

IMO, the next SDOIT is overdue

[snapple]

I wish they'd throw the "we need to make sure we do x" mentality away. I appreciate the heavy songs on ADToE, and I feel they were done masterfully. I just want them to make the music that comes to them. Dream Theater owes me, as a fan, no favors. I want to hear what inspires you, not what you think you are obligated to do for me.

They are a progressive metal band, so the heavier songs are going to come out. It's just a matter of how many will make the CD.

I didn't say no heavy songs. I just said, don't feel obligated to make one. Write what inspires you, not what you think you owe the fans.

[GasparXR]

I wish they'd throw the "we need to make sure we do x" mentality away. I appreciate the heavy songs on ADToE, and I feel they were done masterfully. I just want them to make the music that comes to them. Dream Theater owes me, as a fan, no favors. I want to hear what inspires you, not what you think you are obligated to do for me.

They are a progressive metal band, so the heavier songs are going to come out. It's just a matter of how many will make the CD.

I didn't say no heavy songs. I just said, don't feel obligated to make one. Write what inspires you, not what you think you owe the fans.

You can't lump writing into those two categories (what inspires you/for the fans). They don't put parameters or goals in mind for the fans necessarily -- they can do it for the album as a whole.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

All this talk is getting me hot for the new album

[GasparXR]

All this talk is getting me hot for the new album

[Vivace]

Agreed! this just might be the most anticipated Dream Theater album for me since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. 

[BlackInk]

Agreed! this just might be the most anticipated Dream Theater album for me since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. 

Pretty much all Dream Theater albums are.

[GasparXR]

Agreed! this just might be the most anticipated Dream Theater album for me since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. 

Pretty much all Dream Theater albums are.

Even SFAM was the most anticipated DT album since SDOIT.

[BlobVanDam]

Agreed! this just might be the most anticipated Dream Theater album for me since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. 

Pretty much all Dream Theater albums are.

Even SFAM was the most anticipated DT album since SDOIT.

wat.

[GasparXR]

Agreed! this just might be the most anticipated Dream Theater album for me since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. 

Pretty much all Dream Theater albums are.

Even SFAM was the most anticipated DT album since SDOIT.

wat.

He said all DT albums are

[BlobVanDam]

Agreed! this just might be the most anticipated Dream Theater album for me since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. 

Pretty much all Dream Theater albums are.

Even SFAM was the most anticipated DT album since SDOIT.

wat.

He said all DT albums are

Oh. Right.
I didn't even notice that.

[BlackInk]

Agreed! this just might be the most anticipated Dream Theater album for me since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. 

Pretty much all Dream Theater albums are.

Even SFAM was the most anticipated DT album since SDOIT.

Please, SFAM was the most anticipated Dream Theater album since, like Octavarium.

[The Letter M]

Please, SFAM was the most anticipated Dream Theater album since, like Octavarium.

Wait...wut?

(That was chronologically confusing...)

-Marc.

[theseoafs]

You found the joke. 

[GasparXR]

Agreed! this just might be the most anticipated Dream Theater album for me since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. 

Pretty much all Dream Theater albums are.

Even SFAM was the most anticipated DT album since SDOIT.

Please, SFAM was the most anticipated Dream Theater album since, like Octavarium.

Yeah, well the majesty demos were the most anticipated since Twelveavarium.

[BlackInk]

Majesty Demos was the most anticipated since Omerta.

[Sketchy]

ADTOE was the most anticipated album since ADTOE.

[GasparXR]

ADTOE was the most anticipated album since ADTOE.

I'm pretty sure the ontopic posts are being anticipated.

[BlackInk]

seems a bit sudden, and soon.

is the most anticipated on topic post since

ADTOE was the most anticipated album since ADTOE.

I'm pretty sure the ontopic posts are being anticipated.

[ariich]

Timing seems pretty sensible, if they're heading into the studio this autumn, then it would make sense that JP is coming up with ideas already. Exciting stuff already, seems to have come around very quickly!