Self Titled Album Discussion thread [Expect Spoilers]

[Perpetual Change]

The album continues to grow on me, but I still lose focus toward the end. "Surrender to Reason" hasn't clicked at all yet, and I'm having trouble with the second half of "Illumination Theory". But the string of songs between "The Enigma Machine" and "Along for the Ride" have definitely become high points on the album for me.

[Warhorse000]

Second playthrough for me:

I'm really loving the album overall and I still think my least favorite song is Enemy Inside. 

In my opinion ADTOE was a chance for the band to rebound with a tried and true formula and push another album out with a few memorable tracks then this album comes out and you can just FEEL the band is smiling and having a good time making every riff and sound on the album. 

The end result makes me happy and it feels like the first time in about three albums that they've really pushed some boundaries with their sound and broke away from their norm.

[eviljust]

One of my favorite vocal moments is in the bridge of TLG where James sings, "you are caught up in the gravity." SO beautiful. I get chills.

This. 

[Millais]

Had this on repeat yesterday - but only listened to it about 3-4 times already - so take my points with that in mind!

* You can see EXACTLY why this was a self titled album. It is quintessential Dream Theater. Nearly every song I could refer back to a previous album - like SDOIT or Awake.
* Composition has improved significantly from ADTOE. Perhaps this is because I like artists taking a slight risk.... ADTOE was an enjoyable but *safe* album. This has experimentation scattered around the songs which is just magnificent.
* LaBrie just gets better and better. ADTOE was one of the best albums for him since SDOIT, this album has improved on that further.
* Ruddess' best album to date for sure. Melodically and technically.
* The mix feels better than previous albums but only time can tell that for sure.

The orchestra/string section in Illumination Theory. Wow. A particular highlight for me.

[lovethedrake]

Im about 5 listens in.....

1. False Awakening--- Amazing,  not sure why some people dont like this.  So solid from start to finish.    9/10

2. Enemy Inside-- Cohesive and catchy, just not my thing.  Not a big straightforward metal guy.   5/10

3. Looking Glass--  I feel like 90's DT would have made this amazing and I would prefer a musical suite towards the end rather than a solo.    Still a very good return to form song.  8/10

4. Enigma Machine- Cant remember anything about it after 5 listens... VERY dissapointing.   2/10

5. The Bigger Picture--  Solid song   7/10

6. Behind the Veil--- horrendous first verse, but pretty good overall and sounds like WDADU  6/10

7. Surrender to reason-  Ugh... why the hype?   This song just seems tiring to listen to.  Hopefully it grows on me.    3/10

8. Along for the Ride-  Best Song on the album.  Just imagine if JLB could still sing... song would be incredible.  A little cheesy but solid.   9/10

9. IT-  Pretty awesome, has issues but pretty awesome.    9/10

Easter Egg-  Beauiful,  too bad they don't make music like this.


Is it just me or is it incredibly exhausting listening to this album?   Maybe its the production or maybe its cringing EVERY time Labrie opens his mouth aside for a few parts .   Man I used to love this guys voice in the 90's but its getting tough to stomach these days.   When he sings with his chest he still sounds great.  However, he usually elects to sing in that sinister annoying nasally voice now. 

Overall this album will probably sit just a hair above Black clouds and ADTOE and way above Octavarium and SC.   But considerably lower than everything else. 

Still though... considering its been 25 years....  I am pretty happy.

[Podaar]

One first impression I had that has remained--and even grown--through repeated listens is that JP's choices for guitar effects, tone, and solos is quite varied and adventurous while still being recognizable as him. I really love that and think it is a great step forward for DT's sound!

[Zydar]

I hear a clear Red Barchetta feel during the solo in Surrender To Reason.

[Mister Gold]

I hear a clear Red Barchetta feel during the solo in Surrender To Reason.

Funny, I thought of Freewill with the chaotic solo in StR!

[lyfeternl]

One of my favorite vocal moments is in the bridge of TLG where James sings, "you are caught up in the gravity." SO beautiful. I get chills.

This. 

Totally agree. But honestly, pretty much all of TLG's vocal moments are catchy and bring on the "good feels" chills.

As much as I loved ADTOE upon first impressions, I think I have more excitement over this album. 

[lovethedrake]

Just to add... Labrie sounds amazing on the entire second half of IT after the orchestra. 

That is the type of stuff that needs to be written for him.... maybe my distaste of his voice lately isnt all his fault.

[eviljust]

Just listened to The Bigger Picture, for the third time. This is a masterpiece.

[philippaopao]

One first impression I had that has remained--and even grown--through repeated listens is that JP's choices for guitar effects, tone, and solos is quite varied and adventurous while still being recognizable as him. I really love that and think it is a great step forward for DT's sound!

That's the one thing that really stands out in the album. I might as well call it JP unleashed instead of MM (being a guitar enthusiast). JP has incredibly restrained himself from shred-fests here in this album (sections that I expected him to shred, were proven otherwise), and at the same time imo this is the first time since SFAM/SDOIT that his playing is full of nuances, both in the effects and technique. You can immediately see that he's trying to build upon his already extensive phrasing vocabulary in TLG, BTV and IT; looks like he's more into bluesy solos with whammy play compared to before. I'm really impressed.

[Polarbear]

Just listened to The Bigger Picture, for the third time. This is a masterpiece.

Does anyone else here think that The bigger picture has one of the best refrains in a DT song ever?

[Zydar]

Can anybody be so kind to share the timestamps for when the different sections begin in Illumination Theory? I'm a bit unsure.

Edit: Nevermind!

[Warhorse000]

Did anyone notice the volume of the guitar on certain parts of songs seems to decrease fast and dramatically?  I don't have an exact time stamp part, but when the drums really pick up on parts of Behind the Veil it sounds like the guitar is really loud then it is like insta-half volume. 

[ResultsMayVary]

Surrender To Reason is so fucking good. Best song on the album, IMHO. Not a dull part in the song and you can hear Myung throughout. 

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I know the first half of the album well by now, and I'm loving it. I'm still learning the second half, and haven't even attempted to tackle "Illumination Theory" yet!

The one thing that jumps out about the album to me is how different each song is from the last. The first few songs go: Orchestral instrumental -> Beefy piece of metal -> Rush ballad -> Cartoony instrumental. It's really cool the amount of diversity here.

[evz]

Surrender To Reason is so fucking good. Best song on the album, IMHO. Not a dull part in the song and you can hear Myung throughout. 

My favorite so far although i love the entire disc...  The "restless angels" section makes my eyes well up every time, happen to be listening to it just this moment.  That part just hits me so deeply its crazy.  Was funny yesterday I was like on my second listen and the tears were flowing bigtime and my wife happened to walk in and immediately she worriedly asked me what was wrong.  I laughed and told her that I was just so moved by a new DT song that I couldn't help myself.  She totally understood - she's awesome and can feel music the same way I do...

[KevShmev]

The Looking Glass is pretty great.  Loving that one thus far.

The Bigger Picture, Behind the Veil and Surrender to Reason are all slowly growing on me.

Both instrumentals are pretty average.  There isn't one memorable melody from Enigma Machine. 

[ResultsMayVary]

Surrender To Reason is so fucking good. Best song on the album, IMHO. Not a dull part in the song and you can hear Myung throughout. 

My favorite so far although i love the entire disc...  The "restless angels" section makes my eyes well up every time, happen to be listening to it just this moment.  That part just hits me so deeply its crazy.  Was funny yesterday I was like on my second listen and the tears were flowing bigtime and my wife happened to walk in and immediately she worriedly asked me what was wrong.  I laughed and told her that I was just so moved by a new DT song that I couldn't help myself.  She totally understood - she's awesome and can feel music the same way I do...

The guitar melody under the "Restless Angels" section is pure gold.

[evz]

Surrender To Reason is so fucking good. Best song on the album, IMHO. Not a dull part in the song and you can hear Myung throughout. 

My favorite so far although i love the entire disc...  The "restless angels" section makes my eyes well up every time, happen to be listening to it just this moment.  That part just hits me so deeply its crazy.  Was funny yesterday I was like on my second listen and the tears were flowing bigtime and my wife happened to walk in and immediately she worriedly asked me what was wrong.  I laughed and told her that I was just so moved by a new DT song that I couldn't help myself.  She totally understood - she's awesome and can feel music the same way I do...

The guitar melody under the "Restless Angels" section is pure gold.

Totally agree, also what Mike and JMX are doing is awesome...

[metropofreak]

Are Mangini's parts as creative and catchy as MP's were? Or are they just technical?

The thing with Mangini's playing is that it is much more precise than MP's (IMO). There really isn't a single note he plays that doesn't reflect what one of the band members is playing. My problem with this is that it doesn't always leave room for MM to come up with his own unique parts. The counter to this is MM's drum parts in TLG or the beginning to IT, which are just plain awesome on every level. I'm sure there are more moments - problem is it'll take some time to reveal because the man can be so damn subtle!

Of course, I don't think its possible to come up with a drum part that is a good as the intro in The Great Debate 

[YtseCullen]

So far I'd say these are my personal song rankings:

Illumination Theory
Behind The Veil
The Looking Glass
The Bigger Picture
Enigma Machine
Surrender To Reason
False Awakening Suite
The Enemy Inside
Along For The Ride

I'm loving that these songs are shorter but are still kick ass tracks. I loved ADTOE, but nowadays, as much as I love the tracks, the lengths and the lack of dynamics in the production I tend to lose interest mid way through the track. With this album I think the way the songs are written in terms of song length I will already see myself having more longevity with this album, not to mention the energy the band just gives off with this album. This album clicks with me like no other new release out there.

[toro]

After my 2nd listen: Illumination Theory, The Looking Glass, Behind The Veil and The Bigger Picture are the ones that I liked, the other ones aren't clicking or are mediocre.

[bosk1]

Hey, DTF.  I know the album stream is beyond awesome.  But there is even more cool news coming very soon.  SOON... 

[jammindude]

Only heard The Looking Glass twice, and I'm wandering through the store completely unable to get it out of my head. I keep finding myself humming it...totally addictive song.

[mikeyd23]

Hey, DTF.  I know the album stream is beyond awesome.  But there is even more cool news coming very soon.  SOON... 

Whoa!!   

[Dream Team]

Are Mangini's parts as creative and catchy as MP's were? Or are they just technical?

The thing with Mangini's playing is that it is much more precise than MP's (IMO). There really isn't a single note he plays that doesn't reflect what one of the band members is playing. My problem with this is that it doesn't always leave room for MM to come up with his own unique parts. The counter to this is MM's drum parts in TLG or the beginning to IT, which are just plain awesome on every level. I'm sure there are more moments - problem is it'll take some time to reveal because the man can be so damn subtle!

Of course, I don't think its possible to come up with a drum part that is a good as the intro in The Great Debate 

Agreed, and it's one of the main things I'm looking for from MM. I think he's trying to be TOO technical. MP's best rhythms had this insane mix of progginess, heaviness, and air-drummingness that is pretty hard to match.

[ronrule]

Are Mangini's parts as creative and catchy as MP's were? Or are they just technical?

Mangini's drum parts are not as interesting in my opinion. Take a basic rock beat and add speedy, ambidextrous flourishes that are often in unison with the other members and you have a Mangini drum part.

[lonestar]

Hey, DTF.  I know the album stream is beyond awesome.  But there is even more cool news coming very soon.  SOON... 

North American tour dates hopefully...


Finished my work week, got all my personal stuff done. Time to lose myself in the album. Later guys....

[RodrigoAltaf]

 Does anyone else feel that DT12 has a more upbeat/relaxed feel on all songs - I mean MUCH more relaxed than ADTOE? I think ADTOE was a make-or-break kinda record, so that tension probably reflected on the overall feel of the album. This time it seems the guys were much more relaxed and genuinely happy to be with each other, even more so than in the previous album, where they might still be adjusting to the fact that they had a newcomer in the band.

[bosk1]

Hey, DTF.  I know the album stream is beyond awesome.  But there is even more cool news coming very soon.  SOON... 

North American tour dates hopefully...

Your mileage may vary, but in my personal opinion, even better than that.

[cyberdrummer]

Hey, DTF.  I know the album stream is beyond awesome.  But there is even more cool news coming very soon.  SOON... 

North American tour dates hopefully...

I'm 99% sure it's not that.

I'm guessing it's the JP Q&A that has been hinted at.

[Zydar]

Intergalactic tour dates then.

[WindMaster]

Excited for that news....

Anyway I've listened to this album once, not enough to form an opinion, but so far I think it's pretty good. Still feels like they are recycling old ideas, but I'm sure i'll like it better after a couple more listens.