My thoughts on 'Dream Theater' (***SPOILERS***)

[Outcrier]

Meatrose, thanks for sharing your thoughts of the new album with us!
First impression, can you tell me if IT feels (in your opinion) cohesive or forced?

[aXygnus]

What song does it seem like it has the Myung lyrics?

[Meatrose]

Well, I'm really hyped up.

You made some comparisons with songs I really enjoy, that makes me way more anxious to hear it myself!

But I wanna know...how about JM in this new record? What can you tell about his contribution and performance?

Cool, I'm glad you're excited. High expectations sometimes lead to disappointment though and not everyone is going to like this album. It is... different. I'm not telling you not to be excited, just that it's always good to try to manage one's expectations (especially if they're based on a text that'll probably turn out to be pretty inaccurate). =)

I'm sorry to say that I didn't pay very much attention to the bass as there was so much to take in, especially in this environment where you can't get into the music the way you would at home. I'd say that he plays a more prominent role this time around though and there are definitely moments where he gets to truly shine. One section that comes to mind is basically just him and Mangini going at it for a while. I'm not sure which song it was though, sorry.

Meatrose, thanks for sharing your thoughts of the new album with us!
First impression, can you tell me if IT feels (in your opinion) cohesive or forced?

It's really hard to tell at this point as there was so much going on in my head while we were listening. I'd say that I'm probably going to find it pretty cohesive the next time I listen to it. I wasn't blown away by the transitions into and out of the middle break though but that opinion could definitely change after a couple of spins.

Edit:

What song does it seem like it has the Myung lyrics?

I really don't know. Most of the time I was just listening for phrases that would let me know which song I was listening to. I guess it could be Behind The Veil but that's a freaking shot in the dark as I didn't pay attention to what the lyrics were really about. 

[Voices]

DT never disappointed me, and I'm sure that it won't be different this time! 

Something that I am curious about too...what can you say about JLB melodies on this album? He was "safer" in ADTOE, and we can hear him way more agressive in SI and IR...how does he sounded to you on this new record?


Thanks for answering!

[krieger]

DT12 makes me think of some kind of cross-breed between Images And Words and Awake with a "modern DT twist"... or something like that.

That would be... amazing! 

[hefdaddy42]

If I had to try to describe my first impressions of the album by referring to other DT albums I would have to say that the songwriting on DT12 makes me think of some kind of cross-breed between Images And Words and Awake with a "modern DT twist"...

[adastra]

Thanks for the post Meatrose!   Illumination Theory sounds pretty great!   I love those "ambient" part in the middle of the songs (CoT, Echoes etc.).

[Stef1]

Did anyone who has heard the album smile whilst listening to it / get shivers / goosebumps / do a bit of a head bob in certain sections?

To me - an album fails if it doesn't make you react in any way.

Nothing worse than a new album that leaves you cold. Just that feeling of :  why aren't I enjoying this ?

I know when I heard it when the guitars kicked in on the intro my heart began pounding, I remember the guitar sound was awsome.
I smiled twice where JM's bass comes to the fore. and where I noticed the Rush comparisons.
As for head bobbing, heck the temptation to go into full headbanging mode is there lots of times.
Careful if listening when driving as you may end up in a Wayne's World situation once you really know the album.
All of those feeling I got and I'm sure everyone else will.
Having heard the album once I am still as excited as most everyone else here waiting for my copy to arrive so I can really digest everything  properly.

[wolven74]

If I had to try to describe my first impressions of the album by referring to other DT albums I would have to say that the songwriting on DT12 makes me think of some kind of cross-breed between Images And Words and Awake with a "modern DT twist"...

[Zydar]

Thanks for the info, Meatrose

[adastra]

If I had to try to describe my first impressions of the album by referring to other DT albums I would have to say that the songwriting on DT12 makes me think of some kind of cross-breed between Images And Words and Awake with a "modern DT twist"...

[TheGreatPretender]

If I had to try to describe my first impressions of the album by referring to other DT albums I would have to say that the songwriting on DT12 makes me think of some kind of cross-breed between Images And Words and Awake with a "modern DT twist"...

When in Rome...

[Zydar]

[Meatrose]

If I had to try to describe my first impressions of the album by referring to other DT albums I would have to say that the songwriting on DT12 makes me think of some kind of cross-breed between Images And Words and Awake with a "modern DT twist"...

Haha! I feel that I probably need to address this statement of mine. My intention was not to blow people's expectations out of proportion. Dream Theater does not sound like any of those albums but if I had to reference their previous releases it would be those two and the reason for that would be the type of songwriting that seems to have given birth to the songs. I was not talking about quality or how well it's likely to rank. That being said, I'm also not insinuating that it's not potentially "up there", just that it's way, way too soon for me to even be thinking about stuff like that.

Let's see, after a good night's sleep I'm going to add a couple of things. Note that these are not real "opinions", I'm just trying to predict what I might end up thinking in the future after having listened to the album for a while.

Wild prediction #1: The album does not have a "bad song". I'll probably think that the weakest track on DT is stronger than the weakest tracks on most of their other albums.

Wild prediction #2: While being a consistently good album none of the "highlights" or "defining moments" will quite measure up to those of some of their previous releases. (Which would make it similar to ADTOE in that regard, in my opinion I should add)

Wild prediction #3: I'll probably think that The Enemy Inside is one of the weakest tracks on DT, if not the weakest. Keep in mind that this is coming from someone who thinks that even if BMU,BMD was twice as good as it is it would still be the weakest song on ADTOE (and someone who thinks that Train of Thought is probably a "bottom 2" album).

Wild prediction #4: None of the songs will feel as if it was extended to be longer than it needed to be for the sake of it being longer.

Wild prediction #5: None, or at least very few of the fast/technical sections will feel as if it's fast and/or technical just for the sake of it.

Wild prediction #6: This will be considered to be the most melodically driven album of Dream Theater's "Roadrunner era".

[cyberdrummer]

Haha! I feel that I probably need to address this statement of mine. My intention was not to blow people's expectations out of proportion. Dream Theater does not sound like any of those albums but if I had to reference their previous releases it would be those two and the reason for that would be the type of songwriting that seems to have given birth to the songs. I was not talking about quality or how well it's likely to rank. That being said, I'm also not insinuating that it's not potentially "up there", just that it's way, way too soon for me to even be thinking about stuff like that.

Let's see, after a good night's sleep I'm going to add a couple of things. Note that these are not real "opinions", I'm just trying to predict what I might end up thinking in the future after having listened to the album for a while.

Wild prediction #1: The album does not have a "bad song". I'll probably think that the weakest track on DT is stronger than the weakest tracks on most of their other albums.

Wild prediction #2: While being a consistently good album none of the "highlights" or "defining moments" will quite measure up to those of some of their previous releases. (Which would make it similar to ADTOE in that regard, in my opinion I should add)

Wild prediction #3: I'll probably think that The Enemy Inside is one of the weakest tracks on DT, if not the weakest.

Wild prediction #4: None of the songs will feel as if it was extended to be longer than it needed to be for the sake of it being longer.

Wild prediction #5: None, or at least very few of the fast/technical sections will feel as if it's fast and/or technical just for the sake of it.

Wild prediction #6: This will be considered to be the most melodically driven album of Dream Theater's "Roadrunner era".

I agree with pretty much everything you say there.

[wasteland]

I would like any of you to elaborate on this point:

Wild prediction #2: While being a consistently good album none of the "highlights" or "defining moments" will quite measure up to those of some of their previous releases. (Which would make it similar to ADTOE in that regard, in my opinion I should add)

[cyberdrummer]

Well on first listen, I don't think there was a particular climactic moment that was immediately mind-blowing, but that can obviously change with time. And when you consider I'm thinking about moments like Another World, the post F# solo in LtL, 'Safe in the light that surrounds me' in TSCO, 'Trapped inside this 8V' >> Razor's Edge, it's not necessarily a comment on the quality of the album - it's simply that nothing immediately stuck out on this record quite as much as the aforementioned moments. Often that's a sign of a grower and a great album, though, so don't read too much into it. 

Hope that makes sense, a bit of a stream of consciousness.

[wasteland]

No, it does! And it's what I wanted to hear frankly. ADTOE too lacked the big, immediately discernible moment, but with later listenings a lot of peaks surfaced (the guit solo in BAI, "karma starts the signal", the BTS solo and so on). Hopefully DTDT will behave similarly! 

[nikatapi]

One question about JP's playing, if anyone is able to answer it:

Is his playing more riff-driven like on The Enemy Inside, or are there acoustic segments like in ACOS for example, or some funky stuff like in Take The Time? While i like TEI i think that JP's playing is nothing different to a modern metal song, so i was wondering if there is something more interesting in his playing (besides solos).

[Kotowboy]

I actually found the " karma starts the signal " moment in Breaking All illusions to be an anti-climax

It almost comes out of nowhere and then the song ends almost immediately after.

It *always* sounds like there should be one more line of lyrics after that...

[Mosh]

I actually found the " karma starts the signal " moment in Breaking All illusions to be an anti-climax

It almost comes out of nowhere and then the song ends almost immediately after.

It *always* sounds like there should be one more line of lyrics after that...

Agreed. I kinda have the same problem with Outcry. Great songs, could've ended better.

[TheGreatPretender]

I thought the biggest anti-climax was in Bridges In The Sky. I mean, the way the final "hand" went down instead of up just sounded kind of... Ugly... IMO. And completely derails what's an otherwise near perfect song.

[Zydar]

It's the same for me with Bridges In The Sky. It should have ended with the high note in "Shaman take my HAAAAAND" that appears earlier in the song, but it doesn't.

Edit: Ninja'd by TheGreatPretender.

[Kotowboy]

The very very last e note on the guitar in Beneath the Surface sounds ever so slightly out of tune.

It bugs the hell out of me every time.

[TheGreatPretender]

Edit: Ninja'd by TheGreatPretender.

I've noticed myself doing that a little too often these days.

[Meatrose]

I would like any of you to elaborate on this point:

Wild prediction #2: While being a consistently good album none of the "highlights" or "defining moments" will quite measure up to those of some of their previous releases. (Which would make it similar to ADTOE in that regard, in my opinion I should add)

cyberdrummer pretty much said the exact same thing that I was going to say. An album may not have Peaks of Awesomeness (let's trademark that expression) that are as high as those of some other album but still have a higher level of average awesomeness. This is sort of how ADTOE beats some of DT's other albums in my opinion.

[Kotowboy]

But does this album have Apocalyptic Fun Flakes ?

[Mosh]

It's the same for me with Bridges In The Sky. It should have ended with the high note in "Shaman take my HAAAAAND" that appears earlier in the song, but it doesn't.

Edit: Ninja'd by TheGreatPretender.

Yea, that's true too. Doesn't bother like the others though.

[Tomislav95]

But does this album have Apocalyptic Fun Flakes ?

Or Apocalyptic James LaBrie?

[Kotowboy]

But does this album have Apocalyptic Fun Flakes ?

Or Apocalyptic James LaBrie?

Huhhhh !

[Mladen]

Thanks for the info, Meatrose. 

[TheGreatPretender]

Thanks for the info, Meatrose. 

I think what you meant to say was, "Thanks to Meatrose for the facts."

[ariich]

I found there to be two particular goosebump climax moments on ADTOE: The first "shaman take my hand" in BITS, and the end of the instrumental in BAI leading into the final chorus. However, I don't remember if I felt that way on first listen - probably not as with DT there's usually so much to take in.

[Estiui]

I would like any of you to elaborate on this point:

Wild prediction #2: While being a consistently good album none of the "highlights" or "defining moments" will quite measure up to those of some of their previous releases. (Which would make it similar to ADTOE in that regard, in my opinion I should add)

cyberdrummer pretty much said the exact same thing that I was going to say. An album may not have Peaks of Awesomeness (let's trademark that expression) that are as high as those of some other album but still have a higher level of average awesomeness. This is sort of how ADTOE beats some of DT's other albums in my opinion.

It would be awesome to know noxon's opinion about this fact, since he has listened to the album a lot of times.

[AleBl4st]

Wild prediction #6: This will be considered to be the most melodically driven album of Dream Theater's "Roadrunner era".

And, in my opinion, this is awesome.