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

[JRuivo]

1. FALSE AWAKENING SUITE - A Mind Beside Itself Suite
2. THE ENEMY INSIDE - Innocence Faded
3. THE LOOKING GLASS - The Mirror
6. BEHIND THE VEIL - Lie
9. ILLUMINATION THEORY - Lifting Shadows off a Dream

Am I doin it right?  Am I unveiling what could be the beggining of the Awake/DT12 comparison theories?

[mellotron_scratch]

Well...I've finally found out the news, and am very excited!

While I'm not a huge fan of the cover, the tracklisting seems pretty good.

[jonnybaxy]

Thr more I look at this cover, the more I see the cut of the world, it just seems like a piss poor attempt..

I really don't think it's the final product though. I don't see that being released. I'm sure they'll touch up on it!

So do I! It's really clear without brightness up! I'm just concerned as they released it as album art.... If they edit it I really hope they add the DT text...

[Fiery Winds]

Yeah, honestly I like the concept, but that's all it is. A little more refinement, especially on the earth(?) would turn this from a fan-made cover* into a pretty slick looking cover that pops a bit more.

1. FALSE AWAKENING SUITE - A Mind Beside Itself Suite
2. THE ENEMY INSIDE - Innocence Faded
3. THE LOOKING GLASS - The Mirror
6. BEHIND THE VEIL - Lie
9. ILLUMINATION THEORY - Lifting Shadows off a Dream

Am I doin it right?  Am I unveiling what could be the beggining of the Awake/DT12 comparison theories?

I think we can hold off until we hear the music, though it would definitely spark some heated discussion if there were some glaring comparisons to be made.

What will probably happen is somebody will post a long list of plausible (but a stretch) comparisons, people getting angry defending the band, people getting angry defending their musical knowledge, PC perpetually talking about how DT aren't the band he thought they were, and Bosk1 handing out warnings and threatening (and probably using) the banhammer on occasion, etc.



*No offense given to the great fan-made work here, as quite a bit is more thought out than some official releases.

[Kotowboy]

So DT 13 will their pop album and DT 14 will be their Prog Rock Opus.

[dparrott]

Cover....eh...too black & white for me.  The purple logo over the earth would be a lot better.

Has DT ever done a "performance video" (like Evenflow or Wherever I May Roam)?  It would be good for a second single, just film a concert.  Better than a "lyric video" I think.

[SuperTaco]

I am deeply excited for the whole album, but False Awakening Suite and Illumination Theory are VERY interesting to me. I suppose I'm always a bit more excited for the longer tracks, but I'm starting to sense that this might be something very special.

The wait continues...

[jammindude]

Really shocked by the reactions.

I think the album cover is absolutely AMAZING!  To have the band name on it, would completely RUIN it.   It's awesome exactly as it is.

It is one of the best album covers I have EVER seen from Dream Theater.   I think it's the best since Train of Thought (which I've decided is my favorite).

The track titles....I'm not that thrilled about.  I especially dislike the title of the epic, so I hope it will grow on me.   But the album cover is **SO** good, that it dispels any reservations I may have about the song titles. 

The new Majesty logo is incredible, and I would even say it is a vast improvement.     I'm really stoked for this. 

[theseoafs]

What is so different about the majesty symbol on this particular cover that makes it so offensive to some of our posters?  I've been staring at it and a picture of the old majesty symbol for a few minutes and I can't make out any appreciable difference.

[sueño]

I like the cover, myself.  Prolly shouldn't talk as a noob -- but it looks cool and classy to me.

And WOW!!!  You guys are so PASSIONATE about it all!!!       How is it more important than what the music sounds like...which no one has even heard, yet???

This is a fascinating social study.   

[Dark Castle]

I'm neutral about the cover, it's absolutely boring, but it's not bad either.
Tracklist sounds radular though.

[XJDenton]

My main issue with the cover art is that I have no clue how to make it into an interesting forum theme right now.

[Perpetual Change]

How about show the clown riding into a burning star?

[Dark Castle]

Elephant balancing on top of it?

[Jaffa]

Question: does the phrase 'Illumination Theory' come from anywhere?  Like, is it some scientific principle I'm not familiar with, or did they just make it up?

And WOW!!!  You guys are so PASSIONATE about it all!!!       How is it more important than what the music sounds like...which no one has even heard, yet???

It isn't more important than the music.  But we don't have the music yet, and until we do, you can bet that people here will analyze the hell out of what we do have. 

[jammindude]

How about show the clown riding into a burning star?

[Elite]

My main issue with the cover art is that I have no clue how to make it into an interesting forum theme right now.

Just keep the BTS one, it's the only one I'll need

[darkshade]

Just checked thst the initials for each song don't clash with another and off the top of my head they don't

Not a clash, but one of them gets pretty close: ALONG FOR THE RIDE

AFTR

ANTR

***Also, VERY EXCITED about DT12!!!

[sueño]

And WOW!!!  You guys are so PASSIONATE about it all!!!       How is it more important than what the music sounds like...which no one has even heard, yet???

It isn't more important than the music.  But we don't have the music yet, and until we do, you can bet that people here will analyze the hell out of what we do have. 

Have fun with it.  It's a riot to read.  It's just never occurred to me to be so "involved" in an album cover!   

Hope it sounds good.

[bosk1]

My main issue with the cover art is that I have no clue how to make it into an interesting forum theme right now.

Just keep the BTS one, it's the only one I'll need

Don't worry.  All existing themes will remain available.  The only reason we don't have the old pre-ADTOE themes is because the old themes are not supported by the new forum software upgrade. 

[darkshade]

What live album?

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

[FlyingBIZKIT]

[darkshade]

Idea for joke = 

[FlyingBIZKIT]

Idea for joke = 

...

[Heretic]

The thing that makes me a bit excited for this is how unusual it is for the band. The titles aren't what you'd expect, the album art is certainly not what you would expect, and for me, that makes this whole venture a bit refreshing. I feel as though there's potential for this album to be a classic.

[showdonttell]

"Illumination Theory" sounds like it's going to be incredibly epic.

[gmillerdrake]

I like the album art and think its neat they dropped the DT text and went wih the chromed out Majesty symbol. This is a 'self titled' album that seems to have come full circle with no real 'title', only the symbol that has come to represent 'Dream Theater'.....selected when they were 'Majesty'

As far as track names...could care less if they were called 'Song 1...and so on' or if they picked out if the ordinary abstract combination words like they've done. I'm willing to wager this album is going to make a lot of people happy.

[jammindude]

From an outsiders perspective...

Both my wife and my step son said it looked like a teaser poster for a really major sci-fi epic film...like this generation's "2001"....   They meant it in a good way.   They both thought the cover was really cool.

[gibbs1245]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuw-25y6GC4

^^I remember watching this two years ago, and completely losing my mind from excitement. They definitely need to do something similar for DT12, having a brief track by track description.   

[Rattlehead]

I see a lot of people aren't happy with us criticizing the album cover  Agree or disagree, that's what a forum is for. This place would be boring if there weren't people that call it like it is 

[jammindude]

I see a lot of people aren't happy with us criticizing the album cover  Agree or disagree, that's what a forum is for. This place would be boring if there weren't people that call it like it is 

I love you...

[Rattlehead]

In the grand scheme of things, the album cover means very little to me. I don't think it's awful, I just don't really care for it. As I said before, it doesn't make me any less excited to hear the album for the first time 

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I really dig the concept of the album cover, but I hope they fix that out of focus earth lying on the background. It looks very amateur-ish.

[dongringo]

Love the album cover and the song titles. Can't wait!