The Enemy Inside Discussion Thread

[Jinx]

Just downloaded it from the Android Play store!

[alexofsweden]

It's available at ITunes here in Sweden now...They've used the album artwork (even the "un-edited" one)

[Zook]

Which download has the best quality? Last time I downloaded from Amazon it wasn't even 320 like shitty iTunes.

[Kotowboy]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Enemy-Inside/dp/B00E88VFM2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375719032&sr=8-2&keywords=the+Enemy+Inside

Amazon is 256 but it was only 80p

It'll tide me over til I get the CD.

[Jinx]

Fuck me sounds even more powerful through headphones on a downloaded (and paid for!) version   

[Kotowboy]

Hmm..

LaBrie sounds louder on the download !

[Dekost]

Well Mangini here is playing something that every good metal drummer today would be able today, like Peter Wildoer for instance. I'm not saying that it's not impressive though, it surely is, especially compared to MP's playing in his last works with DT.

[The Boomr]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Enemy-Inside/dp/B00E88VFM2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375719032&sr=8-2&keywords=the+Enemy+Inside

Amazon is 256 but it was only 80p

It'll tide me over til I get the CD.

Ohhhhh. I think I can totally buy that through the UK Amazon store, but I have an MP3 credit on my US Amazon account that doesn't show up there.... D: WHAT DO I DO

[The Boomr]

Well Mangini here is playing something that every good metal drummer today would be able today, like Peter Wildoer for instance. I'm not saying that it's not impressive though, it surely is, especially compared to MP's playing in his last works with DT.

I disagree. While the basic beats and things he laid down are nothing too crazy for a professional metal drummer, Mangini's charm and superiority are in his nuances; the hi-hat work in the beginning, for example. He was probably doing all of that with one hand.

[Lucien]

I'm now downloading the MP3 from Amazon.


I'll let you know how it sounds compared to the SC stream

Still, it's MP3, so even if it sounds a little better, the CD will still sound better.

[alexofsweden]

The iTunes version sounds waaaay better then the soundcloud version...more high end and clear sound. Although its  overall very compressed, maybe a bit too much.

[Kotowboy]

Yeah i'd say it's Black Clouds levels of compression and not as bad as Systematic Chaos.

[The Boomr]

These reports of the download version are getting my hopes MUCH higher. I expect I might enjoy the fat snare sound a little more if it doesn't wash out because of compression

[Dark Castle]

Hm, just checked Itunes and it doesn't exist. Probably because I'm a damn Americunt right?

[Jinx]

Okaaaay...

It definitely sounds better in mp3 as opposed to the stream. But James still seems a bit low in the mix. JMX is almost inaudible. Oh and the drums are so loud now that when MM is doing loads of different things it sorta merges into one :/

Its weird though, while it doesn't drag at all, it somehow also seems much more than 6:17!

Personally I love the song though and as I said, its gonna kick ass live. Just excited now for the rest of the album. Something bosk said earlier makes me think that they may release snippets once a week from here on out, except maybe the False Awakening Suite or Illumination Theory (7 weeks til release!!)

[Dekost]

Well Mangini here is playing something that every good metal drummer today would be able today, like Peter Wildoer for instance. I'm not saying that it's not impressive though, it surely is, especially compared to MP's playing in his last works with DT.

I disagree. While the basic beats and things he laid down are nothing too crazy for a professional metal drummer, Mangini's charm and superiority are in his nuances; the hi-hat work in the beginning, for example. He was probably doing all of that with one hand.

Well those are the things that make him a better drummer than the average. You're right about the hi hat work. But in general he doesn't do anything too crazy in this song, or at least to compared to what he can really do. I've been to his clinic and the polyryhtmic stuff that he can play is just out of this world. He simply has one separate brain for each arm.. unbelievable stuff. And I'd love to hear some of that in the record..

[alexofsweden]

I did an back and forth comparison between TEI and OTBOA...annnnd: the vocals is kinda the same mix, the guitars sound way better on TEI...just like a chocolate cake!! Overall the mix is crispier and louder then OTBOA

[aXygnus]

Okaaaay...

It definitely sounds better in mp3 as opposed to the stream. But James still seems a bit low in the mix. JMX is almost inaudible. Oh and the drums are so loud now that when MM is doing loads of different things it sorta merges into one :/

Its weird though, while it doesn't drag at all, it somehow also seems much more than 6:17!

Personally I love the song though and as I said, its gonna kick ass live. Just excited now for the rest of the album. Something bosk said earlier makes me think that they may release snippets once a week from here on out, except maybe the False Awakening Suite or Illumination Theory (7 weeks til release!!)

If they start next week and release one a week, then it's likely. Damn.

[Jinx]

I did an back and forth comparison between TEI and OTBOA...annnnd: the vocals is kinda the same mix, the guitars sound way better on TEI...just like a chocolate cake!! Overall the mix is crispier and louder then OTBOA

Chocolate cake isn't crispy!! 

[alexofsweden]

Hm, just checked Itunes and it doesn't exist. Probably because I'm a damn Americunt right?

Yup :-p
It's August 6th now here in Sweden, I guess that the ITunes system makes the song available as soon as the local time changes to whatever the release date is

[The Boomr]

Well Mangini here is playing something that every good metal drummer today would be able today, like Peter Wildoer for instance. I'm not saying that it's not impressive though, it surely is, especially compared to MP's playing in his last works with DT.

I disagree. While the basic beats and things he laid down are nothing too crazy for a professional metal drummer, Mangini's charm and superiority are in his nuances; the hi-hat work in the beginning, for example. He was probably doing all of that with one hand.

Well those are the things that make him a better drummer than the average. You're right about the hi hat work. But in general he doesn't do anything too crazy in this song, or at least to compared to what he can really do. I've been to his clinic and the polyryhtmic stuff that he can play is just out of this world. He simply has one separate brain for each arm.. unbelievable stuff. And I'd love to hear some of that in the record..

Fair points, I suppose in the context of this song it's not super amazing if you're familiar with what he can really do. I'm pretty confident we're gonna hear some of that in the rest of the album, because JP literally said people are gonna "freak out" when they hear the drums

[Dark Castle]

Well, I got the day off tomorrow, so I think I may just stay up late and wait it out 
Seriously though, as much as I love ADToE, this song just made me so hyped, and I can't wait for the wonderful day of September 25th. This might actually be better than Chvrches now!

[Kotowboy]

I could buy the song at exactly midnite in the UK too.

[Zook]

I'm guessing it's already the 6th over there?

[jonnybaxy]

I'm guessing it's already the 6th over there?

yep by 37 mins

[Zook]

Damn you future people.

[Dark Castle]

Damn you future people.

[The Boomr]

Damn you future people.

[Marion Crane]

What concerns me is I've honestly heard the song atleast 9 times already and I really couldn't even hum any part of it

[alexofsweden]

Listened a couple of times to the iTunes version and I must say everything sounds fkin great except that snare...it's way too loud in the mix, to compressed and dry sounding! A little reverb and normal tuning wouldn't hurt!

[Tis BOOLsheet]

So, I've listened to the new single a bunch of times now through various devices including a shitty headset at work, a Bose stereo hooked up to my computer, and a good pair of Grado headphones. Here is my opinion of this song:

Before I get into this, I have to say something about my expectations going into this. My expectations were fairly low. I was expecting a stripped down mediocre effort, with few to no positives to take away in terms of instrumental performance and overall song quality. In other words, I was expecting another Forsaken, BMUBMD, These Walls, Wither, I Walk Beside You-- basically a song with little prog, mostly "ear-friendly metal" that sounded like it was written to be sent in a gift basket to a commercial output. What I think we got today however, is not that easily thrown into the same category as these other songs. This song is not half bad. It's actually quite decent and even good considering what DT singles usually are.

I was immediately shocked by the sheer aggression, speed, and balls of the opening minute. The guitar and in particular the drums came out blazing. There is just a lot of sound in that first minute. I'm pretty pleased with the guitar and drums. The riffs are solid. There some single note chugging here, and I don't think any of these riffs are going to make my top 10, but I think they're good. The solo is decent. I think the circus riff Jordan throws in there before the solo is cool. However, for a lot of this song the keyboards are almost impossible to hear. The synth before the first verse leaves us very quickly. JM is virtually absent from this performance. LaBrie sounds like LaBrie; I have no complaints about his performance. I just wish we had more keyboard and bass on this. There are times during which I cannot hear a damn thing except guitar and drums; everything does sound a bit compressed too. I hope this is not the final mix; or if it is the final mix, I hope the disc quality is better than the stream. In terms of vocal melody, I think they've done good. The chorus is catchy, but good too and it's followed by a pleasant keyboard passage. It's overall a strong single in a group of singles that is relatively poor (except for OTBoA). There is absolutely a commercial vibe to this song, but it didn't turn out nearly as bad as I thought it would.

Even though I feel better about this than I did say, a day ago. I still hope the album as a whole does NOT sound like this song. I am not sure how much replay I will be able to get out of The Enemy Inside. This is a metal song in which prog comes through for a moment, and then goes away. My hope is that the rest of the album will have more prog. I don't have the rest of the songs to make a valid comparison to ADToE or any previous DT album for matter. But I will say that this is far better than the worst song on ADToE, which is BMUBMD.

Overall: 7.5/10

[Sycsa]

What concerns me is I've honestly heard the song atleast 9 times already and I really couldn't even hum any part of it

Weird, all I could hear in my head for the most of the day was "...the enemy insideeee, chuggachugga chuggachugga.."

[The Boomr]

I find it interesting that so many people are complaining about the lack of "catchy" vocal melodies, or the fact that they can't hum/sing parts of it from memory right away. Hasn't DT always been this way, primarily? I don't want an album full of catchy choruses and singalong tracks. I put time into each album and Learn the songs, and only then do I expect myself to be able to sing along or hum instrument parts!

[dongringo]

I absolutely LOVE this song, much more so than anticipated. This being the first single, I can't imagine how good the rest of the album must be. And the guitar tone definitely sounds like cheese enchiladas. 

[Meatrose]

It's now on Spotify and it sounds better than it does on the stream.