What are your thoughts on DT12?

[jonB]

Still love the album but one thing that's getting really under my skin is that snare. Especially in songs where the snare is pretty isolated like on the intro of IT. Sounds like a fake cheap electronic snare. The terrible triggered snare from I&W sounds better.

On my small Altec Lansing speakers,(which are pretty good with most audio) it just sounds really terrible. My KRK hphones a bit better as they have more top end, and in my car just bearable - but only just.

I really want to like this album though - but I find the Rushisms a little oldhat - I dont think all the referencing to past bands  is needed, although they have always done it, DT are great without it.....and as for the 'closetotheedgegatesofdeliriumsoon' ambient bit in the middle, I just keep expecting jon andersons vocal to come out of it..."soon oh soon the light etc".

Having said all that, there are some great moments. But somewhat less than the sum of its parts, methinks.
(Talking of hating drum sounds - I always hated Portnoys bass drum clicky sound on SFAM)

[The Stray Seed]

Ehh, not much is as hateable as the worst of the other roadrunner albums, but there's also nothing very likeable about it which drives me to find reasons to hate it. It's had its chance to grow on me, and it didn't.

Just because you didn't find anything to like it doesn't mean that you actively have to hate it. Just sayin'.

Wise words.

[Crow]

okay, what I'm trying to say is that my attention is more drawn to the negatives than the positives due to a general lack of positives
even the songs I "like" off the album have some meh bits to them
it's not like it's the worst album I've ever heard, just that it's depressing coming from this band.

[Bertielee]

okay, what I'm trying to say is that my attention is more drawn to the negatives than the positives due to a general lack of positives
even the songs I "like" off the album have some meh bits to them
it's not like it's the worst album I've ever heard, just that it's depressing coming from this band.

To each his won, but I think DT 12 is a great album. With that being said, I can understand your feelings as I almost gave up on DT after what I consider a mediocre 3 album run (8vm, SC and BC&SL). And THAT was depressing.

B.Lee

[RoeDent]

521 votes?! Wow! Didn't even know there were that many people here!

[Xersiz]

After a month of listening,I think that it is indeed a "Very Strong Album"

I rank the songs as:



Illumination Theory
Surrender to Reason


Bigger Picture
Looking Glass
Behind The Veil
Enemy Inside
Along for The Ride



Enigma Machine

[krands85]

My vote was initially for 'meh' but I changed it recently to 'decent'.

My rankings now I've given them time to settle.

Illumination Theory
Surrender to Reason
The Enemy Inside
The Bigger Picture
Behind the Veil
False Awakening Suite (this would be #4 probably if it wasn't so short)
Enigma Machine
Along for the Ride
The Looking Glass

I think my initial rankings had both TBP and BTV a couple of places lower.

[Polarbear]

I have also recently changed my opinion from Disappointing to Decent. This album has just enough great moments to justify it's existence. However along with WDADU, its still in the bottom of my list.

But here is how i feel about the songs now:


The Bigger Picture
Illumination Theory
Surrender to Reason
The Enemy Inside


False Awakening Suite
Behind the Veil
Enigma Machine


The Looking Glass
Along for the Ride

Bottom line: Its not that bad, but it ain't that great...

[Implode]

okay, what I'm trying to say is that my attention is more drawn to the negatives than the positives due to a general lack of positives
even the songs I "like" off the album have some meh bits to them
it's not like it's the worst album I've ever heard, just that it's depressing coming from this band.

I get what you're trying to say. I agree with you on all points; I just don't speak out quite as loudly. Don't feel alone.

[Prog Snob]

521 votes?! Wow! Didn't even know there were that many people here!

3749 according to the forum stats, though a lot of those people are 0 posters.

[Brian Dobbs]

The MUSIC

I'm not going to break this down track by track. Let's look at the 30,000 foot view.
There's a saying called, "Never Happened."

Batman & Robin. Robocop 3. Speed 2. THEY NEVER HAPPENED.

Get it?

Dream Theater's A Dramatic Turn Of Events NEVER HAPPENED.

I listened to ADTOE twice. The second time was just to make sure I actually heard what I heard the first time.

I finally 'heard' what non-fans hear when they listen to Dream Theater. NOISE. MEEDLIES. DERIVATIVE.

Much in the same way Neal Morse unfortunately just re-writes his own music to churn out album after album, ADTOE was the final nail in the coffin for Dream Theater.

They had already started doing that a few albums prior, to an increasing degree. And I'm not even talking about the songs included in Portnoy's AA Saga.

On top of that, Mangini never got his shot to show us what he could do. I've been a fan of his since he toured with Vai back in the 90s. Obviously he was the perfect replacement for Portnoy. Unfortunately, he was just a drum machine on this album. A Portnoy clone.

"Dream Theater" FIXES ALL OF THAT!

Some honest-to-god new territory for the band that has seemingly done it all!

Melodies you can hum to. Unfamiliar, yet heavenly guitar and keyboard tones. And of course, Mangini gets his shot. And boy does he RIP IT UP! Christ!

At times this sounds like a movie soundtrack, although the Six Degrees overture will always be in the top spot for that.


BEFORE YOU FLAME this 'first-time' poster, please consider...

1) I've listened to Dream Theater since I heard "You Not Me" on FM Radio back in 1997.

2) I have all of their albums and DVDs.

3) I've been to plenty of shows and meetups, etc. I even dragged my wife to a show and made her sit through In The Presence Of Enemies in its entirety even though she wanted to leave.

4) I was part of the DT Forum community back when guys like "Innocuous Fox" was around, and Mark Bredius was posting as "DT Itchy" on the SFAM-styled website and forum.

5) I'm also a recording musician, who has recorded with a progressive rock band and released my own 5.1 surround sound solo-album. (I'll post links if someone asks.)

I'm a fan, okay? Just like YOU. No better, no worse.

[Viking of the Sagas]

We weren't going to demonize you anyway! Welcome, you're already a more productive member of this community than I have ever been.

[1neeto]

So far how I rank the songs:

Surrender To Reason
Illumination Theory
Enigma Machine
The Bigger Picture
The Enemy Inside
False Awakening Suite
The Looking Glass

 
Along For The Ride

[jcmistat]

Right now its a Meh. I don't understand why its not clicking for me. ADToE caught really quick and seeing them on the last tour blew my mind. I was hoping for that sound but refined with Mangini being unleashed. I'm glad the majority of people are enjoying the album, hope I come around.

[aprilethereal]

 
Along For The Ride

[Tis BOOLsheet]

Still in love with it. I think all the songs are great if not excellent and/or masterpieces except AFTR; I don't like AFTR. After some time now, I would slightly change my rankings:

IT
TBP
TLG
STR
TEI
EM
FAS
BTV (still a great song in my opinion, but there's something about the pace of the chorus with respect of the rest of the song that just isn't sitting quite right with me; the lyrics in the chorus are also a little too overdramatic.)

AFTR (clunker)

[Daso]

I think I didn't rank the songs because it was too early on, but I'm quite sure I can do it now. The two first are in the "above" level because I'm not sure which I like more as my favorite from the whole album.

Illumination Theory
The Looking Glass

Surrender To Reason
The Enemy Inside
The Bigger Picture
Enigma Machine
Along for the Ride
False Awakening Suite
Behind The Veil

It's a massively strong album, though, and I would place the bottom ones above many mid-tier songs from other of my favorite albums.

[GalacticGuitarist87]

My ranking

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

[Tom Bombadil]

It's changed a lot since release date, so right now my ranking looks like:

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

[Ben_Jamin]

After more listens....This album is justway overly loud. Too loud if I may say so. But the songs are still top notch.

[Onno]

After more listens....This album is justway overly loud. Too loud if I may say so.

Pretty much, yeah.

[BlobVanDam]

After more listens....This album is justway overly loud. Too loud if I may say so. But the songs are still top notch.

If you enjoy the album that much and don't mind spending the extra money, I'd highly recommend the HDTracks version if you want to enjoy it without all of the compression.

[Ben_Jamin]

After more listens....This album is justway overly loud. Too loud if I may say so. But the songs are still top notch.

If you enjoy the album that much and don't mind spending the extra money, I'd highly recommend the HDTracks version if you want to enjoy it without all of the compression.

If it's not too much I might. Is it really that much better.

[1neeto]

 
Along For The Ride

I liked it more at the beginning, but that's the only song is starting to grow old and I'm ending up skipping. Still this is my favorite DT album since TOT.

[aprilethereal]

AFTR might be my second favourite DT ballad ever, behind SDV.

[N4Player]

I have heard it enough to rank it properly now. The stuff I sort of liked I have grown to love. A really solid mid-pack album for me despite songs which I think are disappointing or really bad.

Behind The Veil
The Enemy Inside
The Looking Glass
The Bigger Picture

Illumination Theory


Enigma Machine
False Awakening Suite



Surrender To Reason






Along for the Ride

[MK_Ultra]

By far the worst DT album since WDADU, only one remotely enjoyable song imo (The Looking Glass). With everything else I just get very bored - what BD said he felt about ADTOE (an album I thoroughly enjoy) I feel about this album. It just seems so... pointless, none of the odd time sigs or rhythms or melodies put a smile on my face as 'old' DT did, and despite MM's undeniable technical skill, I find his drumming completely devoid of feel.
I hope they don't play too much of this on the tour x_x

[Daso]

They'll be playing the whole album since the tour is in An Evening With format.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

By far the worst DT album since WDADU, only one remotely enjoyable song imo (The Looking Glass). With everything else I just get very bored - what BD said he felt about ADTOE (an album I thoroughly enjoy) I feel about this album. It just seems so... pointless, none of the odd time sigs or rhythms or melodies put a smile on my face as 'old' DT did, and despite MM's undeniable technical skill, I find his drumming completely devoid of feel.
I hope they don't play too much of this on the tour x_x

Don't worry. It's only the tour in support of the album. They'll probably play only 1 song from it and only play Portnoy era DT songs. They might play AFTR and MAYBE TEI, but after that, it'll be only older DT.

[The Stray Seed]

 

[As I Am]

My current ranking:
Illumination Theory

Behind the Veil
The Looking Glass
Surrender To Reason

The Enemy Inside
Enigma Machine
The Bigger Picture

Along for the Ride
False Awakening Suite

Not one bad song! Just some I like more than others.

[Blue Thunder]

I don't know, I haven't been listening to it that much.  ADTOE struck a chord with me, maybe because it touched something inside at a certain time in my life.  It's still my go to DT album, that an I&W.  I do like DT12, but not as much as previous releases.  A friend of mine that hasn't been a DT fan, likes it.  Maybe it is more friendly to new listeners.  My two most recent purchases are DT12 and The Winery Dogs.  The Winery Dogs gets more play.  Whereas ADTOE was on constant play for months and still has the most plays of anything I own.  As of now, my favs in order are:

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

[eviljust]

Two months almost and I can say DT12 is still strong. Well, too early to judge for its longevity but still. It has a great emotional vibe to me and I couldn't expect THAT much, so I'm happy with it. Both Illumination Theory and The Bigger Picture remains my fav and I have goosebumps everytime I listen to them. Have to admit that Along For The Ride is way too mellow for my tastes at the moment, so I'm skipping it most of the times. Enigma Machine grew a lot on me and I really love to listen to it when I drive my car, like lot of other DT classics.
There's something I miss though and it is probably their typical progressive groove that I can hear here and there in this new record, but not that much like in their previous works. Not saying I miss redundant JR solos or JP/JR useless duels, just something more of what they did on IT and EM or BTV. But hey, this is a solid record anyway and I'm enjoyin it.

[Tick]

They'll be playing the whole album since the tour is in An Evening With format.

They will surely play most of it, but I doubt all of it. I say we get 6 of 8 tracks with FAS played as a recording to begin the show.

[Ben_Jamin]

The HDtracks, I converted to AAC as the ALAC won't play on ipods....it still sounds better than the actual cd mix.