Self Titled Album Discussion thread [Expect Spoilers]

[Mister Gold]

By the way, does anyone agree with me that JLB sounds better on this album than he's sounded in decades?

It's definitely the best he's sounded since 6DoIT.

[Kotowboy]

By the way, does anyone agree with me that JLB sounds better on this album than he's sounded in decades?

He sounds damn good on his last two solo albums too.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

Here's a comment that actually applies to the last two albums: Has anyone noticed that there aren't really any "polymeters" or whatever you might call them, anymore? What I mean is, the drums will play some 5/8 while the others play a 3/4 or something. Ib always loved that about DT's music, but it seems it got kinda lost with MP's departure.
In general actually I would say that DT's music has gotten rhythmically simpler since the split.

I disagree. I think ADToE had more complex rhythmic moments than their previous; LNF and Outcry come to mind.

[rumborak]

That may be true - and I have no way of detecting polyrhythms - but is it such a bad thing if there are less of them?

Well, if you happen to be somebody who specifically loved that in their music, then yes

[Tis BOOLsheet]

By the way, the instruments cleaned up nicely once I put on a good set of headphones. It's still my only complaint about this album so far. But at least now I can hear the bass.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I'm dying to read The Bigger Picture's lyrics.

[Lucidity]

Controversy time. I feel like this is the poppiest album since Octavarium, and although it has its moments, some of the songs just feel so generic and un-DT style, I might as well listen to Linkin Park. I feel like a lot of the songs seem almost cut short for the sake of being shorter... And Enigma Machine is alright, but I had such high hopes that I'm truly disappointed...

[Super Dude]

Controversy time. I feel like this is the poppiest album since Octavarium, and although it has its moments, some of the songs just feel so generic and un-DT style, I might as well listen to Linkin Park. I feel like a lot of the songs seem almost cut short for the sake of being shorter... And Enigma Machine is alright, but I had such high hopes that I'm truly disappointed...

How does this sound in any way like Linkin Park? Or poppy, for that matter? If anything, it's closer to Symphony X and Royal Hunt's end of the spectrum.

[7StringedBeast]

Controversy time. I feel like this is the poppiest album since Octavarium, and although it has its moments, some of the songs just feel so generic and un-DT style, I might as well listen to Linkin Park. I feel like a lot of the songs seem almost cut short for the sake of being shorter... And Enigma Machine is alright, but I had such high hopes that I'm truly disappointed...

I consider Devin Townsend's Addicted to be a pretty poppy style heavy album.  DT12 is nothing like that.  There really is not much pop going on.  Along for the Ride is the poppiest song on the album.  The album is pretty proggy.

[ReaperKK]

The Easter Egg reminds me of Lost Keys by Tool.


It also reminds me of an idea I had to finish my album. Intervals and all. Plus only a semitone out

https://davidoakes.bandcamp.com/track/over-out

Actually I think Orcus hit the nail on the head with Mellon collie. It sounds very similar.

I'm on my third full spin of this album. To put it into perspective it took me almost a month to listen to all of ADTOE, and I've spun it maybe less than 5 times.

This album is so good.

[rumborak]

Does anyone know how long the stream will be up?,

[Mister Gold]

Does anyone know how long the stream will be up?,

A week.

[Kotowboy]

Ok - new poll -

Who is the MVP / Man Of The Match on DT 12?

1.) John Petrucci
2.) John Myung
3.) James Labrie
4.) Jordan Rudess
5.) Mike Mangini

[RodrigoAltaf]

I for one think there are a lit of prog-pop moments, but find the ones on DT of much better taste than BTS, I Walk Beside You, The Answer Lies Within or Wither.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

Controversy time. I feel like this is the poppiest album since Octavarium, and although it has its moments, some of the songs just feel so generic and un-DT style, I might as well listen to Linkin Park. I feel like a lot of the songs seem almost cut short for the sake of being shorter... And Enigma Machine is alright, but I had such high hopes that I'm truly disappointed...

How does this sound in any way like Linkin Park? If anything, it's closer to Symphony X and Royal Hunt's end of the spectrum.

Agreed. I agree there is a side of this album that friendly, but I hesitate to use the word poppy. I think this is more cinematic. I could see this driving a silent movie, telling one big story. There's a difference to me between the friendly sound of a song like The Bigger Picture and the sound of I Walk Beside You or The Answer Lies Within.

I think the only "poppy" song on this disc is Along for the Ride. Coincidentally (or perhaps not) I think that's the weakest song.

[Dark Castle]

The entire week.

[Perpetual Change]

I think the Easter Egg is my favorite. I'd love to have DT just let lose and do an album of melodic improv stuff.

[antigoon]

I think LaBrie sounds so strained on this record.

[Bardic Tortoise]

Just got finished listening. I really like the album on the whole.

Unfortunately, I'm just not feeling it on a lot of JP's lyrics. Can we just hire Neil Peart to write all DT lyrics in the future?

I sometimes crave an all-instrumental DT album, but then I remember that I would really miss JLB's presence.

[millahh]

That may be true - and I have no way of detecting polyrhythms - but is it such a bad thing if there are less of them?

Well, if you happen to be somebody who specifically loved that in their music, then yes

If you want polyrhythms and are missing them here, go listen to the latest Karnivool, and you'll be satiated...

I'll probably listen to the stream of this tomorrow morning.

[Super Dude]

I for one think there are a lit of prog-pop moments, but find the ones on DT of much better taste than BTS, I Walk Beside You, The Answer Lies Within or Wither.

No way, TALW is great. And I would never stretch to say any of the tracks on this album are poppy - 6:00 sure, NM and YNM sure, Take the Time *maybe* and IWBY arguably, but definitely not these. And if you want actual prog-pop, certainly not Dream Theater: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=20961.0

[jsbru]

By the way, does anyone agree with me that JLB sounds better on this album than he's sounded in decades?

It's definitely the best he's sounded since 6DoIT.

Yup.  They're writing him better vocal tracks again...instead of trying to hide his voice.

Ultimately, JLB sounds best when he's trying to be JLB--and not some heavy metal singer.  Snarly JLB just doesn't work for me.  It takes some getting used to if you've never heard DT before, but JLB's vocal range needs to be unleashed and utilized.

Although on Beyond the Veil, they go back to snarly JLB, and it kind of ruins that part of the song.  But the vocal tracks on the last two songs of the album are fantastic.

[CodyWanKenobi]

Just finished and I loved the hell out of it.

Fuck yes dude, fuck yes. 

[Pepe108]

I'm sorry to say this, but I didn't like it, and I have listened to it 6 times. I feel that this has the worst songwriting they have ever made.

Ideas are thrown away randomly and they are not properly developed. Choruses are really weak, and that could be said for all vocal melodies, except for Illumination Theory. Sound is horrible, a lot of clipping in some specific moments like the first riff on Illumination Theory. Even Petrucci's solos are uninspired and pretty forgettable.

[rumborak]

I think the Easter Egg is my favorite. I'd love to have DT just let lose and do an album of melodic improv stuff.

I'm late to this. What's the easter egg? The section at the very end?

[orcus116]

Yes.

[Kotowboy]

YEah the JR / JP section.

[JoeG]

I'm curious how they will incorporate the Easter Egg into live performances. I really hope it doesn't just get skipped, it's incredible. I think that in the Evening With format, Illumination Theory would work well as a first set closer, with a tape of the Easter Egg played as the concert goes to intermission.

[GasparXR]

I'm curious how they will incorporate the Easter Egg into live performances. I really hope it doesn't just get skipped, it's incredible. I think that in the Evening With format, Illumination Theory would work well as a first set closer, with a tape of the Easter Egg played as the concert goes to intermission.

Something I could see happening is they end IT without the easter egg as the main set closer, and for the encore, they play the easter egg followed by maybe ITNOG. It would KILL as an encore that way.

[ibosmiley]

My God I totally had a moment listening to this.  Holy hell I love this album! Kinda takes me back to the ol' 90s Dream Theater.  Good.  Very good.  I need to go change my underpants now...

[dongringo]

Well, I've just finished my initial listen on a very good headphone/amp setup and I have to say I'm completely blown away. This is the album I've been waiting for...from any band. I knew they had this sound in them, but could only hope they would pull it out. It's melancholic, cinematic, dreamy, yet crunchy and progressive...exactly what I was hoping for when I first laid eyes on the album cover. They did it! They blew away all my expectations. I MUST SEE THEM ON THIS TOUR!!!

[Tom Bombadil]

On my 2nd listen and I'm liking it even more than the first time! I've come to grips with the mix and it no longer bothers me. Which is great because the music itself is incredible.

[skydivingninja]

So some quick thoughts on the album, keeping in mind this is just after one listen:

-The two singles are still just "meh" songs.
-False Awakening Suite shouldn't be called a suite if its only 3 minutes, and its just okay.
-The beginning and end of "Enigma Machine" sounds a lot like "Mountain" by Devin Townsend.  I liked the song though so I don't mind too much.
-The Looking Glass sounds a lot like a band inspired by WDADU/early 90s Dream Theater and it doesn't quite translate.
-Songs like Behind the Veil, Surrender to Reason, and parts of Illumination Theory sound like post-Brave New World Iron Maiden, especially in the verses.  Think of songs like "Paschendale" or "For the Greater Good of God."  This isn't bad, per se, its just something that sounded familiar and it hit me later on.
-That being said Surrender to Reason is one of the most intriguing songs on the album and shows a lot of promise for repeat listens.
-Illumination Theory is probably my favorite song on the album.  I was actually getting pretty into it while the rest of the album kinda held me at arm's length for some reason.  After that its probably Enigma Machine and then I'll need more listens to fully digest the rest.

Overall?  Its an okay album.  They've written much worse material, but they've also written a lot of much better material.  I admit it will probably need more listens, but after I was blown away by ADTOE (and still enjoy it!  Which I can't say about SC or BC&SL nowadays) this is a disappointing album.  There's not much here that really excites me.  I'd place it just above my bottom three of SC, WDADU, and ToT.  Maybe above BC&SL too, not sure yet. 

[Outcrier]

I'm getting the impression that this album is gonna sound like Circus Maximus - NINE (less wanking and more accessibility)

I was right.

[jsbru]

Thoughts after just one listen.

Things I like:

• They're back to experimenting again and taking chances.  This is overwhelmingly a good thing.  They got stuck in a sonic rut a few albums ago, and each new album sounded progressively more like the last one.  The middle section of IT is absolutely fantastic and fresh.  Sounds nothing like anything else they've ever done.  Love it.
• I really adore the "encore" ending of IT.  This is a really good sound for them.  It's sad that it's limited to just one riff.  I wish they would have developed an entire song out of this.  It sounds very moody...almost along the lines of Radiohead.  But DT could take that sound to new heights if they wanted.
• AFTR is the best song they have written since Awake.  Not just best ballad...best song.  The only problem is that it's not long enough.  They could have really written another part to it and still kept it to like 7 minutes.
• For a thrashy song TEI is pretty good.  Perfect mix of heavy and proggy parts, and JLB's vocal track is a better fit for his voice.  JLB in the upper register still sounds good with heavier songs.  No more snarling!!
• I like that they're giving JM more prominent parts.  One of my favorite parts of the last half of Awake was that you could hear JM so much.  He's really a great part of the band, and they should feature him more.

Things of which I am still skeptical (albeit after only one listen):

• I think it's great that they're writing songs like TLG that are based primarily on a major key riff again, but this one sounds too much like Rush.  Let's hear another song in a major key that sounds like Dream Theater.
• EM just kind of wanders aimlessly.  All great instrumentals have some sort of musical theme to tie them together.  Orion, Call of Ktulu, Stream of Consciousness, Erotomania, Ytse Jam, Jessica (that's all I can think of off the top of my head) all have very strong melodic riffs that give them a sense of structure and make up for the lack of vocals.  This one just sounds like band practice.
• Not impressed with TBP, but I think it's a song that could grow on me with time.  It has a good feel at some parts, but it doesn't have any good riffs or hooks that I can latch on to.  Reminds me too much of SFAM.
• BTV started out great, but then the vocal track they wrote in killed it.

Overall, I don't think this is going to come close to I&W and Awake, but it's at least middle of the pack for me.  But that's only after one listen.  It could get better.