The Enemy Inside Discussion Thread

[Mat JB]

 This track =

[Sketchy]

Listening now. It's pretty damn cool.

[The Boomr]

Ok, ok, I'm gonna stop reading and try to get in all my reactions to the song and what everyone else has been saying...

I've only listened once, about 2 hours ago. I liked the song. Liked, not loved.

Intro was killer heavy, super in my face in a good way, I liked that, although I was kinda feeling like "wherrrre is this going guys..." for a few seconds but then JR dropped the huge keyboard chords and I was like "ohhhhhhkay."

I dislike that JLB's vox remind me of his solo work. His solo work isn't bad, but it's very different from DT and I don't want DT sounding like JLB solo stuff (this is the reason BMUBMD hasn't aged well with me). Sounds like JLB's vocal style and tone is pretty much the same as ADTOE, so not too thrilled with that, but meh, he's still not bad, by any stretch of the imagination. Didn't really notice that he was too low in the mix, but then again I was listening to MM and JP primarily throughout the whole track

Reeeeally loved JR's wacky keyboard bit! I will never understand all the JR hate. Having that in the instrumental break was a breath of fresh air, lifted me out of that gloomy heavy-metal mindset for a minute, and that makes the track all that much more likable. I don't want tracks that are all one thing the whole time. Variety is better. Hoping we hear more of this kind of thing on the rest of the album, and also more of his lovely orchestral sounds from the keys.

JP's solo was kinda meh for me....I mean it was a great solo, but I was disappointed to hear the tone of his guitar as soon as it started. Reminds me of his solo tone in OTBOA and LNF, and I LOVE it there, but now it feels just old, sorta...Hrmmm.

Wasn't thinking about it as I listened, but after reading comments, yeah I didn't notice JM at all. Prolly just doubling the guitar in this track though so I'm not that worried about the rest of the album.

Ok, DRUMS. YES. SO much better overall than ADTOE, full, present, I could hear the bass drums!!! Loved hearing MM finally lay down some straightforward double bass machinery, although I noticed a bit into the riffage that he was actually leaving out the beats where he accents on a cymbal which was awesome! Only one gripe: yes, the snare. I love that the bass drum is more audible, but the snare definitely felt to loud to me, especially whenever MM laid down fast hits on it in succession. Too fat. And now that someone mentioned it, it does almost sound triggered...reminiscent of I&W...that is NOT a good thing for me. I hate that MP was "forced" to have his snare and bass drum triggered on that album. I still love the album, but he couldn't have any dynamic contrast with the snare because of that terrible decision. I doubt it was actually triggered on this track, and I'm sure MM makes it sound totally different in different contexts on the album, but still. Grr.

Definitely noticed the bad quality sound....Definitely hoping it's just the online compression, especially after Noxon's comment.

Absolutely PSYCHED though that Noxon said it's his least favorite but he still likes it! That's very promising for me. I'm hoping none of the other tracks have a JLB solo album vibe. That was my largest complaint overall about ADTOE, albeit a very minor one, still.

So....I dunno! Will be listening tons more when I get home from work, but I do feel slightly underwhelmed. But I think it'll grow on me. Maybe. I'm very picky

P.S. the china cymbal fade out at the end of the track? GLORIOUS.

[RodrigoAltaf]

This track =

Great review. Probably the best so far. No joke.

[JPX]

Love the song - its got to be time to get rid of Jordan though, i just hate his style the more I listen to him these days.

As I stated earlier, I think JR is the star of this song. He's been by far the most 'out of the box' member of the band since he joined imo. Which ties into the other thread of why I think Marco would have been great for the band because I think he would have encouraged Jordan to push the envelope even more. I think he would of pushed JP too which I think really needs to happen. JP is my favorite musician but I really think he needs a change in his approach. Perhaps this will be the case with the rest of the new material but I feel as though it won't be.

[DTrox84]

This is like Dream Theater meets Symphony X... which is outstanding!  The only DT song that came to mind to try to compare it to is sections of The Shattered Fortress, especially the first verse rhythm.

I'm loving what i'm hearing!! I do hope the mix on the actual album is tweaked about. James needs to be louder, but no biggie.

I can honestly say that I didn't hear SX in the track at all. Was there a section in particular that you got this from?

The first minute and change. Especially the powerful opening, then the fade away leading to a guitar only single note lead up.  It had the same kind of feel as some of the tracks on their newer albums, Paradise Lost, Iconoclast, etc.

[DreamerTV]

I literally screamed for joy as the song started. And i enjoyed every second of it.
I really need this album to be good, for various reason, and this song is a really valid argument to think it will definitely be.

I think there's no need to repeat it, but Petrucci is one hell of a guitarist. 

[Dekost]

Good track for me. Surely much better than what I expected and I'm glad it doesn't blatantly copy any other band, even though the chorus definitely sounds like something off JLB's solo efforts. But it still sounds good, it's nothing new, but I liked the metal riffage and the drive that it has. I don't have a problem at all with metal per se, I hate when they try too hard in emulating younger metal bands or other metal bands in general like in Constant Motion (Metallica).. but that's not the case, being definitely a DT track. Didn't like the drum sound at all, especially the snare which sounds way too triggered and compressed.. and JR's keyboard sounds are not very innovative.. but other than that I thought it was a good, adrenalinic, heavy track. Being (most likely) the worst song, I'm positive about the album.

[PROGdrummer]

I really hope theirs a music video for this track. Un-edited in length.

[userx]

This is like Dream Theater meets Symphony X... which is outstanding!  The only DT song that came to mind to try to compare it to is sections of The Shattered Fortress, especially the first verse rhythm.

I'm loving what i'm hearing!! I do hope the mix on the actual album is tweaked about. James needs to be louder, but no biggie.

exactly. this is SX all over, my first thought upon 1st listen... and I don't like SX, ergo, don't like this one. hopefully the rest of the album will be better as noxon said it is in his opinion

[MarkFitDT]

Ok, ok, I'm gonna stop reading and try to get in all my reactions to the song and what everyone else has been saying...

I've only listened once, about 2 hours ago. I liked the song. Liked, not loved.

you are a brave person to review a DT song after just one listen whether it be positive or negative!! Went over my head the first time!

[gmillerdrake]

Dere Mike Portnoy, can has you Dream Theatre play in Turkestan. I am large fan

[noxon]

How large are we talking here? Do we need a forklift?

[Mister Gold]

On my fourth listen right now, and I love it a lot! Great, great song! When the opening riff started up on my first listen, I thought to myself, "Wait a sec, does Jeff Loomis have a guest spot on this album or something?! " Didn't take too long for me to recognize it was JP though. I must say, this chocolate cake sounds utterly delicious~

Obviously Mangini sounds much, much better on this album than he did on ADToE, and his influence is definitely noticeable. I love it. I also like Jordan's work in the song. His and JP's solos are good too. I haven't listened to the song yet with my headphones, so I haven't heard JMX very much yet in the song, though it's not like he's completely inaudible. Hopefully we get to hear more of him in the other songs on the album! JLB sounds great too, though I do agree with the sentiments that his voice is lower in the mix than it should be.

Overall, I'm very excited for the new album!

[Joshin U]

Dere Mike Portnoy, can has you Dream Theatre play in Turkestan. I am large fan

[Hanz Gruber]

I really like the instruments.

The vocal part though .....  I wish it had more melody and wish it was more catchy/memorable

Cool sound though. (the instruments) 

Hopefully the vocal parts are better on the rest of the album  (more memorable)


Makes the album sound promising


(PS  Wasn't a fan of the high note at the end but no big deal)

[Mladen]

I'm on my third listen in a row, I love it so far. 

[Red_Queen]

So..after few listen I must say,I really like Petrucci (7 string) guitar-work on this song ! That wah-wah stuff at 4:48..uhmm tasty  ! Chord progression sound creepy but fuc*ing balanced with the melody ! 

EDIT: Only thing which is little bit against my ear.. is the aggressive sound of the MM snare at the beginning of the song.

[Nel_Annette]

I stopped about halfway through. Just sounds like standard ol' DT to me. Which means it's still a good song, but nothing I haven't heard the band do better before.

[The Boomr]

Ok, ok, I'm gonna stop reading and try to get in all my reactions to the song and what everyone else has been saying...

I've only listened once, about 2 hours ago. I liked the song. Liked, not loved.

you are a brave person to review a DT song after just one listen whether it be positive or negative!! Went over my head the first time!

Haha, thanks! I like to get down my first impression of things (in general, like all things in life literally) whenever possible, so that after something grows on me or has been around a while I can look back and think Ohhhh, yeah I see what I was thinking there, but....etc. etc. I'm hoping that my opinion of this song shifts in the positive direction over the next...*checks* 50 days!

[PROGdrummer]

ugh, i really need to stop reading all these negative opinions. its putting such a damper on all my excitement. It probably doesnt help that I just listened to the song some 30 odd times and i probably wore it out already...
But I do love it! a wholee lot. when im not in such a lazy mood I'll go into further detail but I think this is without a doubt better than any song on ADTOE. im srs

[Moor]

Here is my review: ENERGY, POWAAAAHHHH
Awesome track 
@ 4:43 Aren't those JR's notes that were midi'ed over here??

[mocool13]

Not that there's anything wrong with that, but JP's tone didn't sound much different than it did on ADTOE. Felt like I already had chocolate cake 2 years ago.

Am I the only one that thinks the vocals are mixed just fine? People are saying too low and I can hear them just fine.

I got a bit of a Killswitch Engage guitar vibe in the heavy chorus. Love that artificial harmonic JP sneaks in there.

Solo is pretty cool, LOVE the note that it ends on.

Loved the quirky Jordan part.

Couldn't hear JM. But that's not anything different than most, especially heavy, DT songs.

Drums were definitely more audible than ADTOE.

Looking forward to hearing this song uncompressed and the rest of the album.

[Sketchy]

I enjoyed that song, although I do hope that Myung is far more represented on the rest of the album.

[TL]

Went to listen to it again, and now the soundcloud thing on USA Today's page is giving me the 'not available in your area' thing. It was working earlier. Anyone have one of the localized links for Canada?

Also, good job Roadrunner's Canadian site, not having a single mention of this.

[aprilethereal]

Dere Mike Portnoy, can has you Dream Theatre play in Turkestan. I am large fan

Joshin, I'm starting to love you

Love the song - its got to be time to get rid of Jordan though, i just hate his style the more I listen to him these days.

FO REAL LETS GET THE MROER AND PORNTY BACK THAT WAS TEH REAL DREAM THEATRE!!

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Mr Boom
"I don't know why people care about the production so much, as long as the song is good I usually don't care about stuff like that , unless it's something completly fucked up of course. If JLB is a little low or MMs snare sounds muffy or what ever I could not care less because in the end that's all about taste and preference and a million other reasons that I don't know about".
Really dude, have you ever listened to music on a good system? My guess you a strictly and mp3 guy not theres anything wrong with that. Do yourself a favor and listen to DT on a decent system and then you will give a shit about production, or maybe not. Whatever DT rules and so does Symphony X.

First: Don't judge me because I don't seem to value things like you do.

Second: Yes I always try listen on diffrent systems and sure I acknowledge when an album have a good sonic quality but if some small things don't find my tastebuds I usually don't care as long as the song is good. I will not let the "personal mix from someone" demeanor a good song unless it's for the extreme.

Third:

Whatever DT rules and so does Symphony X.

Had that sentence anything to do with my post? Because I love both bands just to be clear.

[Cruithne]

Love it 

[noxon]

Here is my review: ENERGY, POWAAAAHHHH
Awesome track 
@ 4:43 Aren't those JR's notes that were midi'ed over here??

What is this midi thing people are talking about?

[mike099]

From the beginning I said that I would not listen.  I still plan not to listen until the cd comes out.  Must be strong!

Love the reviews so far.  Glad folks say it is in your face.

[aprilethereal]

Here is my review: ENERGY, POWAAAAHHHH
Awesome track 
@ 4:43 Aren't those JR's notes that were midi'ed over here??

What is this midi thing people are talking about?

Somebody from DTF transcripted a midi file from a screenshot of the first studio video.

[chrisbDTM]

I feel like I just enjoyed this more than the majority of the opinions I've read so far. Blew my expectations away really, especially with this being the 'single'. If I had to pick the worst part (just to be negative) it would the vocals and they aren't even bad. And no this isn't a Periphery guitar tone

[The Boomr]

Was just gonna say this thread has certainly calmed down a bit now that the excitement is passed, for the most part....Alas, as soon as I clicked  the reply button, "Warning - while you were reading 2 new replies have been posted."

ARGH!

And now 2 more while I was typing 

[Mebert78]

I feel like this could be the "Constant Motion" of the album -- that fast-paced blistering song that DT seems to have in every album.  I'm sure the album will have it's more emotional and atmospheric moments as well, which is more my cup of tea.  That being said, it's a solid DT rocker.  Nice job!

[Moor]

Here is my review: ENERGY, POWAAAAHHHH
Awesome track 
@ 4:43 Aren't those JR's notes that were midi'ed over here??

What is this midi thing people are talking about?

It is not as popular as the "noxon" thing people are talking about  but it is some JR music sheets that appeared on the in-studio videos and that were transcribed to midi file