Dream Theater self titled album discussion - [SPOILER FREE DISCUSSION ONLY]

[senecadawg2]

I had a dream last night that the epic was 31 minutes long 

I can't wait to see that played live in the spring when they make it over here. I'm assuming they'll announce dates soon

[Whatsername]

I just did a little dance in my seat. EVENING WITH WHAT I CAN'T EVEN.

[Frank]

Twist: "Along for the Ride" is a 34-minute prog epic about a guy who also happened to be in the car when the Count of Tuscany took JP for a drive

That actually briefly entered my head when I saw the tracklist. CoT happens to be one of my all-time favorites so I wasn't surprised I focused on that. So instead of Petrucci as narrator we'll have a professional wine importing guitar tech.

If anything like this turns out to be vaguely true I would be highly amused. I would also love to see some fanfiction written about this. Not the Twilight one.

[PROGdrummer]

The tour is called "along for the ride"

(https://www.facebook.com/dreamtheaterofficial/posts/10151479258802181)

Yes.  Yes, it is.  https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=37547.msg1614360#msg1614360

*sigh* I'm always too damn late.



also, I thought a blast beat was snare, bass and crash/china etc.. at same time as a fill, like in sacrificed sons 4:20

A better example of an actual blast beat would be at 14:44 in A Nightmare to Remember. But not all blast beats are just hitting on the bass snare and cymbal at the same time. Some types of blast beats are just snare/bass alternating like at 0:58 in The Dark Eternal Night. Thats also a "blast beat". Theres lots of different kinds.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Huh, I've always thought "blast beat" just referred to the bass drum. Didn't know it included cymbals and snare.

Of course, I'm hardly an authority on this.

[mike099]

I could bring my wifes minivan to Chattanooga and we could van pool.  Of course there are two potential problems with that.  1) I am probably much older than your friends(old fogey 55) and 2) If you and your friends areyounger you may not want to be seen in a mini van.

Hoping the 'evening with format' is for the whole tour.  Looks like I may have to travel to Atlanta, but that will be fine even if I have to go by myself.  I have not found too many folks that even know of Dream Theater in my area of the US(Tennessee).

My wife likes some of the stuff, but can only handle so much.  She still cannot get the name correct.  When I am on the computer she asks if I am on that 'Nightmare Theater' site.

Agreed on the "Evening With..." format hopes for the US tour. Oh, I'll be traveling to Atlanta from TN (Chattanooga) as well and bringing those I have made into DT converts 

[dparrott]

Now that we have the titles, which songs will have an orchestra?

[JayOctavarium]

Behind the Veil, and the closer.


I'm guessing.


and maybe the opening suite as well?

[kirksnosehair]

Can we get some crabcore on this tour?

[chrisbDTM]

0:36 to 0:54 = different blast beat types, ANTR isn't a very good example

https://youtu.be/EuPYJ0bzOdM?t=31s

[BFRedrocks]

I was looking through the track listing again and the only title that sticks out to me The Bigger Picture. That is the least DTish title I see on the album. The rest I get a good vibe from.

Sounds more like a Rush song title to me. 

[atmyne]

I was looking through the track listing again and the only title that sticks out to me The Bigger Picture. That is the least DTish title I see on the album. The rest I get a good vibe from.

Sounds more like a Rush song title to me. 

Moving the bigger pictures

[BFRedrocks]

I guess The Enemy Inside will be the single. The title kind of reminds me of Constant Motion. Probably because it sounds and CM was a pretty metal sounding single.

Yet another Rush-esque referenced song title (aka "The Enemy Within").  Although it could be more about JP's inner "bear" trying to come out too often. 

[PROGdrummer]

0:36 to 0:54 = different blast beat types, ANTR isn't a very good example

https://youtu.be/EuPYJ0bzOdM?t=31s

Blast beats in DT tho

[bosk1]

Twist: "Along for the Ride" is a 34-minute prog epic about a guy who also happened to be in the car when the Count of Tuscany took JP for a drive

That actually briefly entered my head when I saw the tracklist. CoT happens to be one of my all-time favorites so I wasn't surprised I focused on that. So instead of Petrucci as narrator we'll have a professional wine importing guitar tech.

If anything like this turns out to be vaguely true I would be highly amused. I would also love to see some fanfiction written about this. Not the Twilight one.

The closest example of Count of Tuscany (and other DT-related) fan fiction I can think of is this:  https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=10181.0   Count of Tuscany section begins on page 5 after leaving The Silent Man.

Reading through that again, I'm again bummed that it died.  That was fun. 

[chrisbDTM]

0:36 to 0:54 = different blast beat types, ANTR isn't a very good example

https://youtu.be/EuPYJ0bzOdM?t=31s

Blast beats in DT tho

i'd love if DT experimented with new things from other genres, if even for small parts


it's what makes between the buried and me so good. their ability to break into completely different sounding sections easily. keeping the listener on their toes

[wolven74]

I guess The Enemy Inside will be the single. The title kind of reminds me of Constant Motion. Probably because it sounds and CM was a pretty metal sounding single.

Yet another Rush-esque referenced song title (aka "The Enemy Within").  Although it could be more about JP's inner "bear" trying to come out too often. 

Since they named the tour after Along for the Ride... I'll go with that as the first single.

[jonny108]

I'm running from the enemy inside
Searching for the life I left behind
These suffocating memories
Are etched upon my mind
And I can't escape from the enemy inside

Already loving it, not even heard it yet haha.

[Voices]

I'm running from the enemy inside
Searching for the life I left behind
These suffocating memories
Are etched upon my mind
And I can't escape from the enemy inside

Already loving it, not even heard it yet haha.

Seems to be a powerful chorus!

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I've never understood how people can judge lyrics before hearing them in a song. To me, the words don't really anything for me if I don't hear them in context.

Not saying it's wrong, I just can't do it.

[Setlist Scotty]

I like bands that tap into many genres, even if for a small part.  A little blast beat here, a little jazzy part there, a couple of heavy songs...keeps things interesting.

I agree with that - as long as it's appropriate to the song. The blast beat in ANtR seems to have been inserted in there just so that MP could try to do a blast beat. Personally, I hate blast beats - while they require a lot of technique, there's nothing interesting about them. However, in the right setting, a small amount can help the song. The one example that specifically comes to mind is the song Hybrid Times from Riverside, time stamp 8:34-8:39 - the blast beat works perfectly for the way the song builds up to the climax. If MM uses the blast beat in an appropriate way like that, I'd have no problem with it.

Perhaps they'll add some instrumental tracks throughout the setlist, so he can take longer breaks and rest his voice inbetween songs.

This! I'd love to see them bring back a number of live-only instrumental songs that have sections allowing for some improvisation, like they did on the Images and Tour/Music in Progress tours of 1992-1993. Over the course of that tour, they did 7 different instrumentals other than the extended improv/soloing following To Live Forever.

What do you think are the chances of them playing Wait for Sleep this tour?

Considering that they did that song on the last tour, it's too difficult to say. Not sure to what extent they'll be changing things up from tour to tour like they used to on previous tours. But to be on the safe side, don't bank on it.

I think it also has a lot to do with the setlist. Some songs, if performed night after night (or even every other night), put a lot of strain on the vocal cords. A cleverly designed set list with a couple of strategically placed instrumentals would make it a lot easier to cope with.

Exactly - that's part of what allows Rush to continue doing Evening With tours, despite the fact that Geddy is gonna be 60 soon (if he's not already)!

Hoping the 'evening with format' is for the whole tour. 

My understanding is that that is the case.

Yay!

[Flacracker]

I think blast beats are total crap. They just sound like a bunch of fast repetitious banging. No groove or beat to them at all. Now someone is going to argue me with "Isn't that what all drumming is?" or something like that.

[Voices]

I like blast beats, when it's done right. Peter Wildoer can do it, but MPdoesn't.

[dparrott]

When I first got into death metal during it's prime, I was blown away as to how fast blast beats were. 

[LCArenas]

I don't know if anyone has asked this yet but....

If MP was still in the band how could he get to change the album name to the always fitting drum pun of his drumming DVD?

[Zydar]

I don't know if anyone has asked this yet but....

If MP was still in the band how could he get to change the album name to the always fitting drum pun of his drumming DVD?

Drum Beater?

[Kotowboy]

I don't know if anyone has asked this yet but....

If MP was still in the band how could he get to change the album name to the always fitting drum pun of his drumming DVD?

Drum Beater?

Only Possible Option surely ?


Drum Theater at the very least.

[JRuivo]

I don't know if anyone has asked this yet but....

If MP was still in the band how could he get to change the album name to the always fitting drum pun of his drumming DVD?

Drum Theater. Easy.

[nicmos]

Hoping the 'evening with format' is for the whole tour.  Looks like I may have to travel to Atlanta, but that will be fine even if I have to go by myself.  I have not found too many folks that even know of Dream Theater in my area of the US(Tennessee).

My wife likes some of the stuff, but can only handle so much.  She still cannot get the name correct.  When I am on the computer she asks if I am on that 'Nightmare Theater' site.

Agreed on the "Evening With..." format hopes for the US tour. Oh, I'll be traveling to Atlanta from TN (Chattanooga) as well and bringing those I have made into DT converts 

Atlanta's probably my only hope too, still a 3-hour drive from Tuscaloosa AL.

[dparrott]

What if the album STARTS with the orchestra???

[Elite]

I think that's a very reasonable option, considering it's called a 'Suite'.

[Kotowboy]

  What if the first song is ONLY the orchestra ? !

[lyfeternl]

What if the first song is ONLY the orchestra ? !

Either way, it'll be suite...

[?]

I have no idea where I could find the chart from the studio report right now, but I definitely remember that all the songs included some instrumentation by at least some of the band members.

[Onno]

I have no idea where I could find the chart from the studio report right now, but I definitely remember that all the songs included some instrumentation by at least some of the band members.

Yep, that's true. I think the orchestra is on at least one of the epics.