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

[N4Player]

I like the bold statement the band is making with the self titled release. Cover art could have been more creative, but what's inside the album matters most,  obviously. Cannot wait to hear it, and the hint of an epic with "Illumination Theory" has me the most excited. 

[LCArenas]

I like the older logo but to be honest I don't dislike the new one either. And I'm far more interested in the tracklist.

[jingle.boy]

hhhmmmm... not even 2 pages before the nitpicking begins.  It's a very simple cover.  I like it, and for the average fan, the differences in the logo aren't going to be noticed.  Frankly, IMO change is good.  It's not the same band as when the "original" logo was developed, so why shouldn't the logo evolve along with the band?  Cleaner, more refined, polished.  That's what I see.

Just my opinion.

Love the song titles too.

Like every new release, I'm very excited to have a listen.

[liran95]

OMGOMGOMGOMG.


I just want to refer to this album as "The Metallic Album".

[Mister Gold]

hhhmmmm... not even 2 pages before the nitpicking begins.  It's a very simple cover.  I like it, and for the average fan, the differences in the logo aren't going to be noticed.  Frankly, IMO change is good.  It's not the same band as when the "original" logo was developed, so why shouldn't the logo evolve along with the band?  Cleaner, more refined, polished.  That's what I see.

Just my opinion.

Love the song titles too.

Like every new release, I'm very excited to have a listen.

Exactly.

I wonder how long until we get a single?

[LCArenas]

I'm trying not to get too hyped on this. Do you think there's a chance that the songs will be more simple or, say, commercial since it's their S/T? That would turn me a bit off

[TheAtliator]

I notice that since it has 9 tracks, it breaks the album track symmetry some people thought they had going.

[mocool13]

My first impressions:

Cool cover, reminiscent of Dark Side of the Moon. I just hope that because the cover is dark that all the music and the album will be too "metul"


Also looks like the Brooklyn Bridge is on/in the logo

Abstract/proggy/partly pretentious album tracks, very intriguing and not typical of DT imo. I can see a faint hinting of a concept/thematic album

I love a suite opening up the album, seems like a 3 in one song

Looking forward to the 20 min epic with Mangini at the helm

[Ben_Jamin]

I still can't shake off the coincidence of the artwork and song titles relating to the Awakening of our human consciousness, and comet ISON. It's too parallel for me to ignore, especially the artwork of the light behind the Earth, I see it as comet ISON.

But, I am excited and am pumped to hear just how amazing this will sound. I don't ever put expectations on new releases, but I feel this is gonna be plain amazing.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I'm trying not to get too hyped on this. Do you think there's a chance that the songs will be more simple or, say, commercial since it's their S/T? That would turn me a bit off

One of the songs is reportedly 20 minutes, so I don't think we have to worry.

[Super Dude]

Uber-prog.

[liran95]

I'm trying not to get too hyped on this. Do you think there's a chance that the songs will be more simple or, say, commercial since it's their S/T? That would turn me a bit off

Maybe one or two.
They need to make this album-one-song that can really sell the album to the general public.
But I really think this album will be awesome

[BlobVanDam]

I'm trying not to get too hyped on this. Do you think there's a chance that the songs will be more simple or, say, commercial since it's their S/T? That would turn me a bit off

One of the songs is reportedly 20 minutes, so I don't think we have to worry.

Also, it's Dream Theater, so I don't think we have to worry.

[liran95]

I'm trying not to get too hyped on this. Do you think there's a chance that the songs will be more simple or, say, commercial since it's their S/T? That would turn me a bit off

One of the songs is reportedly 20 minutes, so I don't think we have to worry.

Also, it's Dream Theater, so I don't think we have to worry.

This.

[sueño]

Boy, you DT fans sure are...errmmmm..."detail-oriented"...! 

Jus' listen to tha music!!! 

[obscure]

When I first signed up here it was my understanding - or maybe hope, I should say...  that this place would be where Dream Theater got a lot of love and praise. I quickly came to understand that I was wrong 

I mean, come on guys.... the album is not even out....  feels a lot of nitpicking to me...   

and we know DT has a good track record of releasing "complete experiences" ... we could maybe wait for the album to come out and see how the artwork relates to the concept...

OMG.. did I just say concept? 


inb4 I get told off by Blob 

[Voices]

My thoughts on the tracklist:

1. FALSE AWAKENING SUITE (John Petrucci)
i. Sleep Paralysis
ii. Night Terrors
iii. Lucid Dream
2. THE ENEMY INSIDE (John Petrucci)
3. THE LOOKING GLASS (James LaBrie)
4. ENIGMA MACHINE (Instrumental)
5. THE BIGGER PICTURE (John Petrucci)
6. BEHIND THE VEIL (John Petrucci)
7. SURRENDER TO REASON (James LaBrie)
8. ALONG FOR THE RIDE (John Petrucci)
9. ILLUMINATION THEORYi. Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire (John Petrucci)
ii. Live, Die, Kill (John Petrucci)
iii. The Embracing Circle (John Myung)
iv. The Pursuit of Truth (John Myung)
v. Surrender, Trust & Passion (John Petrucci)

I have the feeling that we'll have an album kinda like Awake+SDOIT. The art looks awesome, and it has the same dark vibe from Awake. The song names seems very dark too, but something in it reminded me of SDOIT.
Anyway, I'm still expecting to hear something from the new album!

[fadetoblackdude7]

I am soooo excited for this album!

Love the track listing, as everyone said, those titles are some serious prog!

Don't like the album cover, I thought they would've come up with something more 'detailed' for lack of a better word. It should have the DT logo on it, like all the others. But I'm sure I'll get used to it and warm up to it fast.

This album is gonna be EPIC!!

[Elite]

I'm not sure how the logos are different.

Can anyone do a quick sideby side comparison?

Also note that the planet image just cuts off. I brightened the image so you'd see the shape of the Majesty logo on the cover better and noticed that.

Now I can't unsee Earth cutting off. Damn, why would they not look this over a bit more?

[eosforum]

It's blatantly evident how influential MP was when it came to album and song titles. Since his departure the titles are of a very different logic. I would never bitch about that, but these are the kind of titles I would 've come up with (not a good thing )

[TheGreatPretender]

One of the songs is reportedly 20 minutes, so I don't think we have to worry.

Considering that we're opening with a 3 part suite, and ending with a 5 movement song... I'm pretty sure we'll get our proggyness out of this album.

If they did try to make the songs more radio friendly, I'm sure that'd equate to being more melodic and technical, and less balls to the wall heavy, and personally, I wouldn't be against that.

[eosforum]

Also, could we merge the two threads? The topic is the very same...

[BlobVanDam]

Now I can't unsee Earth cutting off. Damn, why would they not look this over a bit more?

On my monitor it doesn't show up until I brighten it in Photoshop, so I doubt anyone else would have noticed, and hopefully it shouldn't be noticeable in print.
On the ADTOE cover there was a complaint that the rope didn't go all the way to the edge of the image, but I'm pretty sure that didn't appear on the printed cover, so keep in mind it's a different output to the final physical album.

[Mister Gold]

When I first signed up here it was my understanding - or maybe hope, I should say...  that this place would be where Dream Theater got a lot of love and praise. I quickly came to understand that I was wrong 

I mean, come on guys.... the album is not even out....  feels a lot of nitpicking to me...   

and we know DT has a good track record of releasing "complete experiences" ... we could maybe wait for the album to come out and see how the artwork relates to the concept...

OMG.. did I just say concept? 


inb4 I get told off by Blob 

Seriously, I'm surprised that such a simple change as the updated Majesty logo got such a nit picky response from some people.

[Moor]

Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olbers%27_paradox
I smell some astrology

[The Letter M]

Wow... I slept in today and woke up to this thread being BLOWN UP. Nice

Alrighty...well the artwork is pretty good. Not too complicated or pretentious (the track names do that already  ). It's a subtle statement - here's Dream Theater, we're here to take over the planet, and there's nothing you can do about it.

The track list looks good. Interesting and unique names, a slight continuation of ADTOE (which had good titles like "Bridges In The Sky" and "Breaking All Illusions"). My favorites have to be "Enigma Machine", "Behind The Veil" and "Illumination Theory".

Also, abbreviations for future use:
FAS
TEI
TLG
EM
TBP
BTV
STR
AFTR
IT

Doesn't look like there are any over-laps with older song titles' abbreviations, so we're good for this album!

As for "False Awakening Suite" being "Opening/YARGGG", it's not entirely unlikely. Just because the opening was written last doesn't mean it was going to be a shorter song. I can see it being a 7-10 minute track in 3 parts. Remember that "The Killing Hand" is only about 9 minutes long and is FIVE parts, so I think a 7-10 minute track in 3 would be doable, but the progress chart noted that "YARGGG" would not have lyrics, so it is curious if the whole song is "YARGGG"/instrumental or if it's just the first part ("Sleep Paralysis") that will have no lyrics... guess time will tell.

It also looks like they kept the working title of "Along For The Ride" and that "Epic" turned out to be "Illumination Theory" (great title, interesting movement names too). The instrumental could be either "Enigma Machine" or "Behind The Veil", I think, but the former more likely. It just sounds like it'll be a musically complicated song, perfect for an instrumental featuring Mangini and his intense drumming.

As for it being a concept album...well, it's possible there could be themes and ideas carried throughout the whole album, just by looking at the titles. We have "Surrender To Reason" and then "Surrender, Trust & Passion" in the end of "Illumination Theory". Also titles like "The Looking Glass" and "Behind The Veil" seem to suggest songs about things being hidden from truth (or being light...illumination?), a word used twice in the movement titles of the last song. "The Enemy Inside" suggests there's a song about something within, again an idea of something hidden (possibly from the truth, or from being revealed). "The Bigger Picture" could be relating everything to how it all works together, taking a look at how everything fits, like parts of a machine (an Enigma Machine?). The opening suite is interesting, though, and perhaps sets the tooooooone for the whole album, and the titles seem to indicate that perhaps this all occurs during a dream, that these ideas and thoughts happen as one sleeps, and they wake up when the last song comes around.

This is going to be a good album, I have a really good feeling about this!

-Marc.

[Zook]

Now I can't unsee Earth cutting off. Damn, why would they not look this over a bit more?

On my monitor it doesn't show up until I brighten it in Photoshop, so I doubt anyone else would have noticed, and hopefully it shouldn't be noticeable in print.
On the ADTOE cover there was a complaint that the rope didn't go all the way to the edge of the image, but I'm pretty sure that didn't appear on the printed cover, so keep in mind it's a different output to the final physical album.

I can see it without brightening it, but probably wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't said anything.

[OsMosis2259]

When I first signed up here it was my understanding - or maybe hope, I should say...  that this place would be where Dream Theater got a lot of love and praise. I quickly came to understand that I was wrong 

I mean, come on guys.... the album is not even out....  feels a lot of nitpicking to me...   

and we know DT has a good track record of releasing "complete experiences" ... we could maybe wait for the album to come out and see how the artwork relates to the concept...

OMG.. did I just say concept? 


inb4 I get told off by Blob 

Agreeeeed 

[JoeG]

I'm guessing that Opening/YAAARG is either Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire or Sleep Paralysis, and serves as an instrumental overture for Illumination Theory or the False Awakening Suite, respectively, rather than the whole album, and that Easter Egg became its own track.

[CodyWanKenobi]

Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olbers%27_paradox
I smell some astrology

I'm guessing that part is gonna be the instrumental intro to that track.

[Sycsa]

Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olbers%27_paradox
I smell some astrology

What does that have to do with horoscopes?

[Marion Crane]

Any predictions on ballads?  I would guess atleast one, best guess being The Looking Glass

[senecadawg2]

I think the cover looks fantastic. I'm not going to complain about the differences in the logo, because I've never looked at the logo close enough for this to bother me now. It's simple, classy, and direct.

As for the tracklist, I'm very excited. The two epics both have me quite intrigued, and I'm especially looking forward to the lyrics in the latter. The only one I'm having a lukewarm response to is  Surrender to Reason. It feels... meh

[Perpetual Change]

I can now see the planet cutting off as well. It looks like a shadow, but it's too distinct and you can tell it's just the picture ending. My monitor is probably duller than most, since the brightness tends to bother my eyes.

I think it's obvious at this point that Syme has strugged with keeping up with the high definition aspect of modern digital art. If he made any of his classic album covers today, I'm sure many flaws would be much more obvious in high res than they had been previously.

That said, I have no big issues with the album art. It takes the simplicity of ADTOE, and takes out the clown while setting the tone for some darker moods. It looks fine by me.

[King Postwhore]

I just Mangini'd.