Alternate D-12 Playlist/s

[d-tailer]

After regular visits to the forum, thought there might be some interest in a 'remix' of the DT-12 tracks, mainly for a more gradual intro with the superb BTV and to reposition the more intense TEI and EM for a different blend:

1 > False Awakening Suite(1)
2 > Behind the Veil(6) - great intro track (if FAS is skipped)
3 > Looking Glass(3)
4 > Enemy Inside(2) 
5 > Surrender to Reason(7) 
6 > Along for the Ride(8)
8 > Enigma Machine(4)
8 > Bigger Picture(5)
9 > Illumination Theory(9) & outro

With due respect to DT (& RC), hope they won't mind some minor tweaks to their 'masterpiece' including BTV (intro level boosted to balance with FAS and the rest of BTV) and IT (trimmed the outro gap and some distracting effects from 2.02 -> 2.15min) - which are easy enough with an editor like the freebie WavePad or Audacity. OTBOA could be added to the mix as a loop-back to FAS (for repeat CD playback).
I'm wondering if anyone else thinks the track order and transitions between them make much of a difference to the listening experience - or am I being a bit too picky?

BTW- appreciate your excellent forum

[BlobVanDam]

I don't mind the order as is, although I think FAS > TEI is perfectly placed as the opener to the album (I'm a fan of opening with the high energy rocker), and IT at the end (because you can't really follow up an epic with anything).

You could probably shuffle everything inbetween and have it work just as well, but it wouldn't make any difference to me.

The only DT album I've ever felt inclined to shuffle the track order for is SC, to put ITPOE as one song at the end, so it then opens with Forsaken instead, which works well imo.

Welcome to the forum.

[ZKX-2099]

Actually DT is one of the few bands who always have great song arrangement. Flawless usually.

The ST flows so well that I... I really can't think of a better order.

[sylvinception]

Too technical for me...

[ZKX-2099]

The only DT album I've ever felt inclined to shuffle the track order for is SC, to put ITPOE as one song at the end, so it then opens with Forsaken instead, which works well imo.

I almost said something like that... though in that case I would open it with CM then Forsaken. Forsaken is not an opener.

[BlobVanDam]

The only DT album I've ever felt inclined to shuffle the track order for is SC, to put ITPOE as one song at the end, so it then opens with Forsaken instead, which works well imo.

I almost said something like that... though in that case I would open it with CM then Forsaken. Forsaken is not an opener.

That would work well, as CM is a perfect opener (and worked great live in that role), but I like to keep the running order as "stock" as possible, so sticking ITPOE at the end was as far as I was willing to bend! But if I were to change it, that would be a good one. I don't mind Forsaken opening it though. It still works fine.

[The Letter M]

The only DT album I've ever felt inclined to shuffle the track order for is SC, to put ITPOE as one song at the end, so it then opens with Forsaken instead, which works well imo.

I almost said something like that... though in that case I would open it with CM then Forsaken. Forsaken is not an opener.

That would work well, as CM is a perfect opener (and worked great live in that role), but I like to keep the running order as "stock" as possible, so sticking ITPOE at the end was as far as I was willing to bend! But if I were to change it, that would be a good one. I don't mind Forsaken opening it though. It still works fine.

I'm sure I've posted this before, but I did something similar, but instead I opened with CM and TDEN, then followed with TMOLS. I then mixed the ending of that into the beginning of Forsaken, using the wind sound effects as the segue. After that, I continued with Repentance and POW and closed with the complete ITPOE (pieced together with the wind sound effects once again). Works perfectly and the flow of the album is much better IMO.

As for the flow of DT12, I quite like it so I don't really see myself re-ordering the track any time soon. I generally am pleased with DT's choices as far as track orders, although I have re-ordered both IAW and FII to include respective B-sides and turned them into double albums, which is ironic considering albums 2 and 4 would then be double albums, and then followed by album number 6 as another double.

-Marc.

[Nearmyth]

Along For The Ride -> The Bigger Picture? Ballad after a ballad? Nah. Besides that I think it's a cool list.

I've been thinking about alt. playlists for DT12 as well, mine had something like
FAS -> TEI (those have to be first imo) -> BTV -> TBP -> EM -> TLG then the last 3.

Only other albums I've done with this are I&W and Awake :grin

[wolfking]

1. FAS
2. TEI (But with only a split second pause between FAS and this.)
3. The Looking Glass
4. The Bigger Picture
5. Behind the Veil
6. Along for the Ride
7. Enigma Machine
8. Surrender to Reason
9. Illumination Theory
10. Easter Egg track

[TAC]

Interesting concept. I guess I've been thinking about the running order too. Especially after reading Meberts's post in the FW thread.

I'm not sure what I would do with the order though. I do feel like Surrender To Reason is lost in the order.
But I don't know where to put it.

There is something about Along For The Ride that feels like it sucks some of the life out of the album for me. I think BTV and STR is a good 1-2 punch, but the album loses momentum before IL.

[Lucien]

1 False Awakening Suite
2 Behind the Veil
3 Surrender to Reason
4 The Bigger Picture
5 Enigma Machine
6 The Enemy Inside
7 The Looking Glass
8 Along for the Ride
9 Illumination Theory
10 True Sleep on the Summit


That's my name for the Easter Egg, as Easter Egg just sounds so cliche and stale.

[Daso]

That's a cool name, though 

I've thought about making one of these. Perhaps if I find some time tomorrow, I will.

[BlobVanDam]

1. FAS
2. TEI (But with only a split second pause between FAS and this.)
3. The Looking Glass
4. The Bigger Picture
5. Behind the Veil
6. Along for the Ride
7. Enigma Machine
8. Surrender to Reason
9. Illumination Theory
10. Easter Egg track

Oh yeah, I would have preferred that TEI kick in over the rumbly outro sound effect of FAS. It would have been perfect. But maybe they wanted FAS to have a clean ending so they could use it isolated. Dunno.

[Zook]

DT12 flows perfectly. No need to change the order. Same can be said for all their albums.

[d-tailer]

  Thanks for the feedback guys - good to get a variety of playlists and opinions. Just put the remix out there on a 'give it a try' basis and maybe spark your own preferred track order, which is now so easy with the likes of iTunes and iPods. Will admit to being a 'serial remixer' trying to create tracklists that flow well without the urge to skip tracks.
I'm a relative late starter on the DT timescale but got hooked on ADTOE and can't wait to hear them live. FYI here are a few track shuffles I've done with ADTOE: 1>4 same, 5-O, 6-BAI, 7-BTS, 8-BITS, 9-FFH.
Have been catching up with their earlier works and get the vibe there's plenty of high octane ideas left in their collective tank?

[adastra]

1. FAS
2. Behind the Veil
3. The Looking Glass
4. The Bigger Picture
5. Along for the Ride
6. Surrender to Reason
7. Illumination Theory
8. Easter Egg track

This would be good :3

[The Letter M]

1. FAS
2. Behind the Veil
3. The Looking Glass
4. The Bigger Picture
5. Along for the Ride
6. Surrender to Reason
7. Illumination Theory
8. Easter Egg track

This would be good :3

Don't like "The Enemy Inside"??

-Marc.

[adastra]

1. FAS
2. Behind the Veil
3. The Looking Glass
4. The Bigger Picture
5. Along for the Ride
6. Surrender to Reason
7. Illumination Theory
8. Easter Egg track

This would be good :3

Don't like "The Enemy Inside"??

-Marc.

Nope, not really   I like to skip that one.. and enigma machine too.

[wolfking]

1. FAS
2. TEI (But with only a split second pause between FAS and this.)
3. The Looking Glass
4. The Bigger Picture
5. Behind the Veil
6. Along for the Ride
7. Enigma Machine
8. Surrender to Reason
9. Illumination Theory
10. Easter Egg track

Oh yeah, I would have preferred that TEI kick in over the rumbly outro sound effect of FAS. It would have been perfect. But maybe they wanted FAS to have a clean ending so they could use it isolated. Dunno.

Yeah, that would work too.  I just think the 2-3 second gap affects the flow a little.  It should be instant.

[JediKnight1969]

Mine:

1- Behind the veil
2- The looking glass
3- Along for the ride
4- Surrender to reason
5- Enigma machine
6- The bigger picture
7- Illumination theory
8- The enemy inside

Yep: no FAS.

[Jaq]

Mine:

FAS
The Enemy Inside
The Looking Glass
Enigma Machine
The Bigger Picture
Behind The Veil
Surrender to Reason
Along For The Ride
Illumination Theory.

 

It works the way it was released. Why do prog nerds feel the need to think they know better than the band how to sequence the album?

[wolfking]

It works the way it was released. Why do prog nerds feel the need to think they know better than the band how to sequence the album?

Of course it works fine the way it is, but I don't think anyone is posting alternate tracklists because they think they know better, we are all just some different options for fun and discussion.  I don't believe anyone has said DT don't know how to arrange their tracklists.

[d-tailer]

  Apologies to any dedicated DT fans who feel that I shouldn't be messing with the original mix. I did expect some aggro responses and seriously thought about not posting a remix, as I have total admiration for the group and most of their creative work. I agree with Wolfking and as other responses show I'm not the only one who prefers to reshuffle the track order. IMO the best example of a track to move is BTV which is an ideal intro track - but FAS has to go first.
Anyway I guess it's easy enough to ignore my suggestions and stick with the original mix.

[The Stray Seed]

I'm fine with the original one, it's just perfect, but today I tried another tracklist and I liked it very much as a secondary option with transitions I'm pretty satisfied with =) It's much less varied, since songs are grouped in categories, but for this reason I find it flows very well. It can be quite tiring cause it has a long heavy section, too. And last, it's obviously based on my personal taste. Here it is:


                   /1. The Looking Glass  (works pretty nice as the kick off. Hey, we're DT and we're back)
Prog section
                   \2. Surrender To Reason  (progressive vibes unleashed)

                        /3. Behind The Veil  (we're in for some heavy stuff, the intro is perfect for a transition of musical styles)
                      /4. False Awakening Suite  (catches and focuses your attention again after two dense songs)
Heavy section
                      \5. The Enemy Inside  (FAS flows perfectly into this one, so I kept this transition)
                        \6. Enigma Machine  (We're not over with you, I told you we're damn serious)

                     /7. Along For The Ride  (Now you can rest a little bit. You deserve it. Again: perfect intro for style shift)
Ballad section
                     \8. The Bigger Picture  (We will move you to tears and set the mood for a huge and dramatic ending)

Epic              9. Illumination Theory  (Yeah guys... this is IT).

[wolfking]

Apologies to any dedicated DT fans who feel that I shouldn't be messing with the original mix. I did expect some aggro responses and seriously thought about not posting a remix, as I have total admiration for the group and most of their creative work. I agree with Wolfking and as other responses show I'm not the only one who prefers to reshuffle the track order. IMO the best example of a track to move is BTV which is an ideal intro track - but FAS has to go first.
Anyway I guess it's easy enough to ignore my suggestions and stick with the original mix.

Don't apologise bro.  That's what the forum is for, discussing the album and the band.  It's not the first time a bands work has been discussed in regards to track orders and other thoughts.  I find it a perfectly acceptable and fun thread, continue.

[wolfking]

I'm fine with the original one, it's just perfect, but today I tried another tracklist and I liked it very much as a secondary option with transitions I'm pretty satisfied with =) It's much less varied, since songs are grouped in categories, but for this reason I find it flows very well. It can be quite tiring cause it has a long heavy section, too. And last, it's obviously based on my personal taste. Here it is:


                   /1. The Looking Glass  (works pretty nice as the kick off. Hey, we're DT and we're back)
Prog section
                   \2. Surrender To Reason  (progressive vibes unleashed)

                        /3. Behind The Veil  (we're in for some heavy stuff, the intro is perfect for a transition of musical styles)
                      /4. False Awakening Suite  (catches and focuses your attention again after two dense songs)
Heavy section
                      \5. The Enemy Inside  (FAS flows perfectly into this one, so I kept this transition)
                        \6. Enigma Machine  (We're not over with you, I told you we're damn serious)

                     /7. Along For The Ride  (Now you can rest a little bit. You deserve it. Again: perfect intro for style shift)
Ballad section
                     \8. The Bigger Picture  (We will move you to tears and set the mood for a huge and dramatic ending)

Epic              9. Illumination Theory  (Yeah guys... this is IT).

Interesting.

[d-tailer]

  Haven't considered that sort of mix Stray Seed but after multiple listens of DT-12 I might try a 'left-field' mix for a bit of variety. I've already tried various combinations and swapped EM to Tr6 and TBP to Tr7 as EM grows on me and TBP mixes well with IT.
When all tracks are as solid as these, DT have set themselves a challenge to top the DT-12 benchmark.

[The Stray Seed]

Haven't considered that sort of mix Stray Seed but after multiple listens of DT-12 I might try a 'left-field' mix for a bit of variety. I've already tried various combinations and swapped EM to Tr6 and TBP to Tr7 as EM grows on me and TBP mixes well with IT.
When all tracks are as solid as these, DT have set themselves a challenge to top the DT-12 benchmark.

I agree, especially with the bold parts.

[d-tailer]

After trying a variety of track combinations and some other suggestions I've settled on this revised DT-12 list which flows well and keeps FAS & EI together at tracks 3 & 4. Another plus is the smooth transition from the IT outro back to BTV if you want to repeat the track sequence.

1 > Behind the Veil
2 > Looking Glass
3 > False Awakening Suite
4 > Enemy Inside
5 > Surrender to Reason
6 > Along for the Ride
7 > Enigma Machine
8 > Bigger Picture
9 > Illumination Theory

That's all folks - give it a try!