What are your thoughts on DT12?

[Dr. SeaWolf]

I really like this album. It feels like a  throwback to SFAM/6DOIT in my opinion. Very melodic and atmospheric.

[TheGreatPretender]

I really like this album. It feels like a  throwback to SFAM/6DOIT in my opinion. Very melodic and atmospheric.

And major. Since being signed to RR, they've been very scarce with happier sounding melodies, but on this album, there are quite a few examples of it.

[rickhawk80]

I really like this album. It feels like a  throwback to SFAM/6DOIT in my opinion. Very melodic and atmospheric.

And major. Since being signed to RR, they've been very scarce with happier sounding melodies, but on this album, there are quite a few examples of it.

Totally agree here -- feels like an instant classic to me.  And easily one of the best albums of any and all I purchased in 2013.

[Zydar]

I revisited it last night after not having listened to it for a while, and it confirmed that to me it's their best one since Six Degrees. I thought ADTOE was very strong when it came out, but this one feels even stronger.

[rickhawk80]

We're in sync, Zydar.  Six Degrees is my all-time DT favorite.

[Sycsa]

I also went back to it after a longer hiatus and it surprised me how good it was, although I loved every minute of it on the very first listening as well. 

[Nekov]

Hadn't listened to the full album in a while and going back to it all I can say is that if it wasn't for TEM, this would be DT's second best album easily. I'm still amazed at this comeback from the band after I had lost my faith in them.

[OsMosis2259]

Hadn't listened to the full album in a while and going back to it all I can say is that if it wasn't for TEM, this would be DT's second best album easily. I'm still amazed at this comeback from the band after I had lost my faith in them.

What's TEM? Do you mean EM? 

While it is in the bottom half of my DT album rankings, I think DT12 is a good album. I think the overall sound is somewhat of a turn off.
I thought ADTOE was a masterpiece. 

[Nekov]

Yeah, that's how much attention I pay to that song 

Seriously, their worst instrumental by far.

[The Letter M]

Yeah, that's how much attention I pay to that song 

Seriously, their worst instrumental by far.

You prefer "Raw Dog"? (You didn't specify album instrumental)

-Marc.

[TheGreatPretender]

It doesn't matter, cause EM is one of their best instrumentals anyway. 

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I find Raw Dog more interesting than Enigma Machine.

[JiM-Xtreme]

Yeah, that's how much attention I pay to that song 

Seriously, their worst instrumental by far.

You prefer "Raw Dog"? (You didn't specify album instrumental)

-Marc.

I fail to see what's surprising about that, if indeed he does. Raw Dog's sick as f*ck!

[Lucidity]

Raw Dog > Enigma Machine

[Nekov]

Yeah, that's how much attention I pay to that song 

Seriously, their worst instrumental by far.

You prefer "Raw Dog"? (You didn't specify album instrumental)

-Marc.

I forgot about raw dog  . Still, second worst is nothing to be proud about 

[TheGreatPretender]

I forgot about raw dog  . Still, second worst is nothing to be proud about 

It's Dream Theater we're talking about. Second worst by DT standards is still awesome.

[genome]

Illumination Theory aside, I feel it flows really well from song to song, like a live gig would. Illumination Theory is a bit of a weird one, has some stunning sections in it but doesn't really feel like a "song", just like a bunch of parts glued together. The string section, while beautiful, just came out of nowhere in the context of the song. Odd.
I really like The Looking Glass, Surrender to Reason and The Bigger Picture. They really hold the album up. Enigma Machine is pretty cool, a little repetitive for an instrumental, but that TCOT like solo in the middle blew my head off. I can give or take the singles.

In terms of the production: Not Petrucci's finest rhythm tone, feels a bit flubby in places (as does Myung's tone) and lacks sharpness, brilliant leads though, you can really taste the "chocolate cake" he was on about. The drums feel a little bit over-mixed and tight, un-natural. The mix as a whole doesn't really breathe as a result.

Overall, I think it's pretty good, nothing stunning, and on par with ATDOE.

[BlobVanDam]

I forgot about raw dog  . Still, second worst is nothing to be proud about 

It's Dream Theater we're talking about. Second worst by DT standards is still awesome.

No it's not. Even amazing bands can slip by the occasional stinker, even DT.
I enjoy EM, but I'm still a bit disappointed with it, especially being their first album instrumental in quite a while.

[Kotowboy]

Listened to DT12 for the first time in ages today.

Whilst I still enjoy it - I am no longer sure how I feel about it overall. The initial new-album-smell has gone completely.

I am leaning towards ADTOE more I think. But the production of DT12 HD is better.

I think ADTOE has more sections overall that I enjoy more whilst DT12 has more highs. If that makes sense ?

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

As much as I initially disliked A Dramatic Turn Of Events, I think I prefer it to Dream Theater.

[Bolsters]

As much as I initially disliked A Dramatic Turn Of Events, I think I prefer it to Dream Theater.

Same here.

[JayOctavarium]

So I listened to it AGAIN today (5.1 mix). It's no BAD... I enjoy the melodies and what not... but it still seems... lacking.

[TheGreatPretender]

No it's not. Even amazing bands can slip by the occasional stinker, even DT.

Says the guy who hates second half of Awake.

[BlobVanDam]

No it's not. Even amazing bands can slip by the occasional stinker, even DT.

Says the guy who hates second half of Awake.

Point proven. DT have some stinkers!

[TheGreatPretender]

Point proven. DT have some stinkers!

So, I know I'm totally baiting, but how would you say Enigma Machine stacks up to Scarred or Lifting Shadows Off A Dream?

[BlobVanDam]

Point proven. DT have some stinkers!

So, I know I'm totally baiting, but how would you say Enigma Machine stacks up to Scarred or Lifting Shadows Off A Dream?

As I said, I do still enjoy Enigma Machine despite feeling it could have been better, which automatically puts it ahead of those songs.
I don't see how that's baiting. It's all good.

[TheGreatPretender]

Well, it's baiting others. There you have it, folks! Enigma Machine is better than Scarred and Lifting Shadows! 

[ZKX-2099]

I want to say that this is my favorite album for Jordan.

[Joshin U]

I want to say that this is my favorite album for Jordan.

I can definitely see that.   While my love for DT12 has definitely faded and I'm left thinking it feels kind of plastic-y and soulless, I think that this is the most even distribution of JR that we've heard.  He's rarely "in-your-face-experimental" like he has been in the past, and yet he still has enough time to solo and accompany the music in a distinguished way.   

[Prog Snob]

I want to say that this is my favorite album for Jordan.

I can definitely see that.   While my love for DT12 has definitely faded and I'm left thinking it feels kind of plastic-y and soulless, I think that this is the most even distribution of JR that we've heard.  He's rarely "in-your-face-experimental" like he has been in the past, and yet he still has enough time to solo and accompany the music in a distinguished way.   

Metropolis Part 2?

[Joshin U]

I want to say that this is my favorite album for Jordan.

I can definitely see that.   While my love for DT12 has definitely faded and I'm left thinking it feels kind of plastic-y and soulless, I think that this is the most even distribution of JR that we've heard.  He's rarely "in-your-face-experimental" like he has been in the past, and yet he still has enough time to solo and accompany the music in a distinguished way.   

Metropolis Part 2?

Any album that includes BTL's horn solo can not be classified as without excess experimental qualities.

[BlobVanDam]

I want to say that this is my favorite album for Jordan.

I can definitely see that.   While my love for DT12 has definitely faded and I'm left thinking it feels kind of plastic-y and soulless, I think that this is the most even distribution of JR that we've heard.  He's rarely "in-your-face-experimental" like he has been in the past, and yet he still has enough time to solo and accompany the music in a distinguished way.   

Metropolis Part 2?

Any album that includes BTL's horn solo can not be classified as without excess experimental qualities.

Any album that doesn't include BTL's horn solo can be classified as not being experimental enough.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Personally, I think Six Degrees had some of Jordan's best work.

[Prog Snob]

I want to say that this is my favorite album for Jordan.

I can definitely see that.   While my love for DT12 has definitely faded and I'm left thinking it feels kind of plastic-y and soulless, I think that this is the most even distribution of JR that we've heard.  He's rarely "in-your-face-experimental" like he has been in the past, and yet he still has enough time to solo and accompany the music in a distinguished way.   

Metropolis Part 2?

Any album that includes BTL's horn solo can not be classified as without excess experimental qualities.

So you slight a whole CD based on a minutes worth of music?   Should the most well known and popular band in progressive metal NOT be experimental?   

[Joshin U]

So you slight a whole CD based on a minutes worth of music?   Should the most well known and popular band in progressive metal NOT be experimental?   

Oh absolutely not! Let me restate that I enjoy SFAM much more than DT12 overall.  But my point is that I enjoy JR's playing more on DT12 than SFAM, with BTL's solo being an example as to why I would say that.  There are no moments on DT12 of JR's playing that I dislike (feel free to point some out, this is off the top of head) and I cannot say the same for SFAM.