Along for the Ride Discussion Thread

[jammindude]

The Pull Me Under for the Greatest Hit album WAS NOT RE-RECORDED. It used the original un-triggered recording.

[LKap13]

You know there's a problem when you can't distinguish the snare drum from the bass drum 

[Shadow2222]

The Pull Me Under for the Greatest Hit album WAS NOT RE-RECORDED. It used the original un-triggered recording.

Actually, I believe that you are wrong too. It is not re-recorded or the original recording. The drums are still triggered, they just use better "sounds" for the bass drum and snare. I could be wrong though.

EDIT: Technically, yes, it is the original recording, but they still triggered the bass drum and snare for Greatest Hit

[adace]

It didn't grab me quite as much as TEI, but it's still a very good song.

[TL]

The main issue with the drum sound on this song, to me anyway, is that it needed a tighter snare sound; something with more snap. I understand using a flatter tone on a heavy track like The Enemy Inside, but here, you want something that cuts through and provides a solid accent.

[T-ski]

The Pull Me Under for the Greatest Hit album WAS NOT RE-RECORDED. It used the original un-triggered recording.

Actually, I believe that you are wrong too. It is not re-recorded or the original recording. The drums are still triggered, they just use better "sounds" for the bass drum and snare. I could be wrong though.

EDIT: Technically, yes, it is the original recording, but they still triggered the bass drum and snare for Greatest Hit

thanks for the clarification.

[Whatsername]

I loved the song my first listen through. The intro is gorgeous and I think James sounds great. I love hearing a more tender side of his voice. On first listen I wouldn't rank this above BTS or some of their other ballads, but with time I think I will grow to love it.

[Daso]

The only flaw I could find was the effects on JLB's voice. Left off untouched, or perhaps with a little bit of delay, it would have sounded a lot more fitting to the nature of the song. His performance was incredible, though. Very adequate.

I might need to listen to the song with earphones since my speakers didn't reproduce the bass sounds properly, even though I could notice something amazing was going on with JMX. I'll wait until the 24th for that, though. Keeping my word of only listening to it once 

[Metabog]

Listened to it a few times now. It's a good song, nothing really wrong with it. I can't believe some people are complaining about the keyboard solo, it's a classic Moog sound. It sounds way better to me than TEI, but similarly formulaic. The chorus is repeated way too many times with the exact same lyrics.

Looking forward to the non-singles. So far it's fine, at this point I'm just glad there's nothing cringeworthy.

[Anguyen92]

Pretty good, nothing too ground-breaking, just a standard DT ballad.  I think it is a good thing they decided to leak this one out, for the moment, and not one of their big-time feel songs.

[Super Dude]

Not great, not terrible. I like the way it sounds, but it's probably not something I'll listen to 30 times.

[tofee35]

I liked it. It was catchy.

A side note: I'm on board with the snare drum-haters on this song. I get that MM/producers might be going for a (late 80's) metal ballad sound, but he's got so many options on the kit. It would have been nice to hear that snare drum crack on this one. Or, at least get some dynamic playing in there. The drumming seemed a bit over-played and metally for my taste.

[T-ski]

I liked it. It was catchy.

A side note: I'm on board with the snare drum-haters on this song. I get that MM/producers might be going for a (late 80's) metal ballad sound, but he's got so many options on the kit. It would have been nice to hear that snare drum crack on this one. Or, at least get some dynamic playing in there. The drumming seemed a bit over-played and metally for my taste.

nice avatar, Brian Regan is hilarious.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

Gets better with every listen!

[OsMosis2259]

Can someone post the link to the Dutch stream? Apparently it sounds better but I can't find it at all.

[nikatapi]

https://www.lustforlifemagazine.nl/
Just on the previous page, sounds really better.

[Marion Crane]

How are you guys listening to the Dutch stream?  It won't let me listen from my location.

[Meatrose]

How are you guys listening to the Dutch stream?  It won't let me listen from my location.

Use Google Chrome with the Hola Unblocker app. It's a free app.

[OsMosis2259]

https://www.lustforlifemagazine.nl/
Just on the previous page, sounds really better.

Cool thanks. The link doesn't work for me so I'm out of luck haha

[dparrott]

PMU drums on GH sounds like demo drums to me.  I doubt that it's triggered.  I thought that was the point to restore the *real* drum sound.

[Marion Crane]

How are you guys listening to the Dutch stream?  It won't let me listen from my location.

Use Google Chrome with the Hola Unblocker app. It's a free app.

Yeah it's not letting me do it from my work PC

[Mat JB]

Great song. Dream Theater are producing classic Dream Theater again.

[Whatsername]

I can't get Hola Unlocker to work with the stream.

[nikatapi]

I can't get Hola Unlocker to work with the stream.

Did you turn it on? It doesn't work automatically as far as i know, you have to press on the icon and there it lets you change a region. The first time it will load the page but it might take a little to load the stream, at least this is what happened to me.

[Whatsername]

Did you turn it on? It doesn't work automatically as far as i know, you have to press on the icon and there it lets you change a region. The first time it will load the page but it might take a little to load the stream, at least this is what happened to me.

Yes I did turn it on. I used the US and the GB modes but both of them showed me the same error. >.>

[ariich]

Nice song, but hard to tell what I'll think overall within the context of the album. Also I've only listened once so I won't have a fully formed opinion at this stage.

But I have to say, why are they using Soundcloud? The stream quality is SO DAMN TERRIBLE. Why can't they do what most bands do and use Youtube, the sound is so much better. I'm not going to listen again until the album comes up unless they stream it somewhere that isn't shit.

[ariich]

Oh and also, I'm loving the drum sound on these songs so far - really fat sound!

[Whatsername]

Oh and also, I'm loving the drum sound on these songs so far - really fat sound!

This! I love the fat snare sound. It's nice and rich. I think Mike might have stolen some of John's chocolate cake!

[atmyne]

JRs solo has grown on me! :/
I believe this song will be even better in the context of the album as a whole.

[Kotowboy]

Youtube better audio than Soundcloud ? That'll be the day...

[Whatsername]

Also, I finally figured out how to get it to work. I had YouTube open on another tab and for some reason it was jacking it up. WOW the Dutch stream sounds so much better.

[King Postwhore]

Very melodic, I like.  I love the guitar in the beginning of the song.

Also the solo sound like Keith Emerson, one of JR's idols not KM.

[CodyWanKenobi]

I definitely liked it! Upon first listen, I thought it was pretty good. Then a couple hours later, I tried it again, and I really liked it the second time! Definitely a good song. I like it much better than some of their older ballads like Another Day or even Anna Lee (and I really like Anna Lee). And I keep hearing people comparing it to Beneath the Surface, and I think I might even like it more than Beneath The Surface too!

I definitely think a JP solo was needed at the end though. Something simple and melodic to play under James' vocals, sorta like the melody he keeps playing toward the end of The Spirit Carries On.

[MetalJens]

Woow... this was.. different. Different from what I expected. It sounds new and refreshing, but maybe a bit too mainstream and plain at the same time. But guess that is to be expected from a single.

I'm starting to get this "loudness" debate though... for TEI I thought it was just that the song itself is very heavy, but even this ballad doesn't really get to "breathe" a lot. It sounds maybe a bit too "busy" and loud for a ballad. But I still like the new songs though, and can't wait to hear the rest 

[DTUK]

I've got to say I hated this song on first listen, but now after a few spins It does make more sense. It does have a certain depth to it and hence still feels like DT. I agree with previous posters; the bass is great.


Hopefully it'll work well in the context of the album!