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

[Dacling]

According to Noxon's review the Dvd has a stereo mix also and that is the best version. Less compression thanks to the better quality and still playable for those without 5.1.

That's pretty much the last chance for some halfway decent audio quality.

BTW does anyone know if those who preordered the album will get the download version of AFTR just like we got TEI?

Greetings...
Nef

I'd assume so since we get a digital copy of the entire album on release so you'd think we'd get a download copy of both the singles.

[dparrott]

Am I missing something here?  Is this an official single?  Not unheard of, but unlikely. 

[aprilethereal]

Am I missing something here?  Is this an official single?  Not unheard of, but unlikely.

Yes. And why unlikely?

[Nefarius]

I'd assume so since we get a digital copy of the entire album on release so you'd think we'd get a download copy of both the singles.

Not on relase, more like now.

Greetings...
Nef

[dparrott]

Am I missing something here?  Is this an official single?  Not unheard of, but unlikely.

Yes. And why unlikely?

Do bands release more than one single prior to an album's release?  I know it's common in pop.  An official single is sold separately and has it's own artwork.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Does anybody do that anymore? I'm honestly curious.

[dparrott]

Yea, DT barely releases two singles from an album at all.  Two before an album is strange.  That makes me think this is just a preview stream, not an official single.

[Shadow2222]

Yea, DT barely releases two singles from an album at all.  Two before an album is strange.  That makes me think this is just a preview stream, not an official single.

Um, Jordan, John, and James have all been tweeting about it, plus the administrator of DTF (Weymolith) is the one that posted the thread about it. Plus, Grammy.com is the one streaming it (a VERY official website).

Yeah, it isn't available for purchase, but singles these days usually aren't until at least a couple days later or not at all (this close to the album release).

There is nothing unofficial about this at all. It simply looks like instead of a single and music video, they chose to do two singles.

[aprilethereal]

It doesn't have to have it's own artwork and be released two months before the album to be an official single.

[JoeG]

https://www.lithiummagazine.com/interview-mike-mangini-dream-theater-august-28th-2013

New Mangini interview. As usual, just dripping with passion.

[dparrott]

It doesn't have to have it's own artwork and be released two months before the album to be an official single.

I guess not.  I'm living in the past.

[Whatsername]

Awww, that's a fantastic interview with Mike! He just sounds so positive and happy all the time.

[ResultsMayVary]

From what I've read, there has been no indication that AFTR is a single. It seems they used the song's melodicness in order to get a stream on GRAMMY.com. That makes total sense. A mainstream song being streamed as a (fairly) mainstream awards website. It sounds like they were just seizing an opportunity to stream a song on GRAMMY.com and this song probably made the most sense considering the Grammy's obvious mainstream involvement.

[Mladen]

Nothing wrong with that, good for them trying to get a more accessible song out there. 

[Daso]

https://www.lithiummagazine.com/interview-mike-mangini-dream-theater-august-28th-2013

New Mangini interview. As usual, just dripping with passion.

I was about to post this!   

Great interview, really. Nice to hear the story about The Enigma Machine and where the former name "The Clover" came from, really funny story  And it's amazing to see Mangini saying he actually held himself back. Beyond the fact of having a great sense of recognition to what is going on and what he should do according to the mood of what is being played, it also shows he won't go all complex just for the sake of it, since it might not be as musical as a more simple drum part. I just love this guy 

[Kotowboy]

I know Mike isn't about to blast anyone for being dreadful - but it's a bit disappointing that he called Hugh Syme's artwork " AMAZING ".

[Meatrose]

I know Mike isn't about to blast anyone for being dreadful - but it's a bit disappointing that he called Hugh Syme's artwork " AMAZING ".

He's not the only one. At the listening party John said that he thought that Syme's work for DT12 was among the best he's ever done.

[lyfeternl]

I just can't help but grin like a happy idiot when I read anything he says. Talk about one of the most positive, joyful guys I know...

From the interview:

     MM: "You'll hear how every little drum hit has a place, like it matches something in the music. I'm very proud of that. I would love for you to enjoy that"

I don't know about anyone else, but this quote from MM has me extremely excited to hear the rest of the album! The dude seriously puts himself and his creativity into every beat of the music. To all of those complaining that he hasn't brought anything fresh to the DT camp yet, something tells me he's looking forward to shutting you all up in a few weeks.

[theseoafs]

I know Mike isn't about to blast anyone for being dreadful - but it's a bit disappointing that he called Hugh Syme's artwork " AMAZING ".

Well, I think the artwork for this album is actually pretty awesome (if we ignore the watermark blunder, which is pretty inexcusable).

[dparrott]

I know Mike isn't about to blast anyone for being dreadful - but it's a bit disappointing that he called Hugh Syme's artwork " AMAZING ".

He's not the only one. At the listening party John said that he thought that Syme's work for DT12 was among the best he's ever done.

That's because he doesn't have time to stare at it for hours and find its flaws and look up its sources! 

[Madman Shepherd]

I know Mike isn't about to blast anyone for being dreadful - but it's a bit disappointing that he called Hugh Syme's artwork " AMAZING ".

He's not the only one. At the listening party John said that he thought that Syme's work for DT12 was among the best he's ever done.

That's because he doesn't have time to stare at it for hours and find its flaws and look up its sources! 

[Jaffa]

I wonder if Mike Mangini has had any negative feelings about anything at all since joining Dream Theater.  I find it difficult to imagine. 

[ZirconBlue]

I wonder if Mike Mangini has had any negative feelings about anything at all since joining Dream Theater ever.  I find it difficult to imagine.

FTFY

[Kotowboy]

I bet he doesn't like things on high shelves.

[ResultsMayVary]

 

[Nearmyth]

I bet he doesn't like things on high shelves.

[aXygnus]

I bet he doesn't like things on high shelves.

You're an horrible person.
I'm an horrible person too for laugh at that 

[abydos]

And yet, he puts all those cymbals and stuff so high. Looks so awkward every time I see him play, is it just me? I can't stop thinking that it can't be comfortable.

[CodyWanKenobi]

I FUCKING LOVE MIKE MANGINI

[Super Dude]

I know Mike isn't about to blast anyone for being dreadful - but it's a bit disappointing that he called Hugh Syme's artwork " AMAZING ".

He's not the only one. At the listening party John said that he thought that Syme's work for DT12 was among the best he's ever done.

It's just like how every band ever (with some notable exceptions) in every pre-release interview says this newest album is the best work they've ever done, even when that's clearly not the case. They want you to buy the album. Of course they won't say it sucks.

And they don't want to burn bridges. Even if it was true, it would be colossally stupid to hire the guy for several albums, say he sucks in an interview, and then try to hire him for the next one. It's just bad PR.

[MoraWintersoul]

I'm just sitting here thinking that whether or not I like this album will decide whether or not I go see them this first leg of the tour. I mean, I already dislike the major part of everything they did from and including Octavarium up to this point, so that's legitimately almost half of the setlist, add another album they'll be promoting that I'm not sold on and it'll probably be pointless to travel to another country (even if it's relatively close and I get to meet DTFers and I technically speak the language ) and give up a shitload of other shows in this period just to see them.

Even if they do play for three hours or play LTL or SDV or whatever, they've been straying from what I like to listen to since before I even started listening to them, at some point you gotta admit a band and you are going separate ways.

Of course, if the album is as good as everyone says it is, no worries; I'll be sure to approach it with an open mind and eager to like it, just like all other albums. But it wouldn't be the first time something like this happened to me

[BlackInk]

I must be one of the few people alive who likes Mangini's playing more than his personality.

[aprilethereal]

I must be one of the few people alive who likes Mangini's playing more than his personality.

What's not to like about his personality?

[DreamerTV]

Allow me to ask some tricky prog questions. Firstly, Dream Theater and Fates Warning are releasing new albums. If you had both on the same day, which one would you listen to first and why?

I've actually already heard the new Dream Theater and it's awesome.
(Charlie Griffiths, Haken)

[wasteland]

Oh, well, one more clue

For some reason I feel more positively about the album than I did 15 minutes ago. I'm very changeable.