DT13 Plans?

[ReaPsTA]

I've been out of the DT loop lately.  I looked at Google to see if there were confirmed plans to start writing and recording DT13 after New Years and got nothing.  Is there anything more obscure out there confirming it?  Has anything even been suggested?

[The Letter M]

AFAIK, there's been no word from the band (and it's members) one way or another. They might be going into the studio soon, or they might not. Also, I don't recall any new tour dates for 2015 pop up, so there's also that possibility.

I think the band is trying to enjoy a nice long winter break for now, but I'm sure we'll hear from them within a couple of weeks.

-Marc.

[Mosh]

Crazy that we'll be possibly be getting a new DT album this year. DT12 still feels pretty new to me. ADTOE too for that matter!

[erwinrafael]

At their age, I really would like them to put out as many albums as possible at the soonest time while they can still play their instruments exceptionally.

[RodrigoAltaf]

 I think all we have at this point are hints that they will record a new album next year, but no official confirmation yet. And we´ll get another Levin Minnemann Rudess next year too - that one has been confirmed by Jordan´s Fan Club.

[Art]

outside producer....i want to believe 

but it won´t happen 

[hefdaddy42]

Nothing concrete.

[gabeh1018]

outside producer....i want to believe 

but it won´t happen 

I second that
I've been a diehard fan since 2001, but it wouldn't hurt to have an outside producer

[Calvin6s]

Will they be taking an indefinite break?

[King Postwhore]

Will they be taking an indefinite break?

We'll have to see on the next episode of the Bear and The Forklift.

[hefdaddy42]

Will they be taking an indefinite break?

It's indefinite if you mean they haven't defined it to their fans.  But that phrase usually means, "We are going to take a long break, and sometime in the future we will get back together."  I don't think that is what is happening.

[rumborak]

Inb4 the hiatus.

[King Postwhore]

Inb4 the hiatus.

I never get that from this band.  Look, they dumped MP for that reason.  They didn't want to stop.  It may have been a good time to pull back but they didn't.

[rumborak]

Oh, my post was a joke comment for sure. I fully expect DT to do the write/release/tour cycle this year. For better or for worse, DT are not the band to shake things up.

[King Postwhore]

*Blonde Moment*

[1neeto]

Well they've been releasing an album every other year for 20+ years now. I would expect a new album by around this fall as usual.

[ReaPsTA]

Thank you for the replies everyone.

[RoeDent]

I never get that from this band.  Look, they dumped MP for that reason.  They didn't want to stop.  It may have been a good time to pull back but they didn't.

The problem now is, if ever they do decide to take a break, some people (likely including MP diehards) will pull this card. More than 4 years have passed since then though, two full album cycles. Personally I'm glad they didn't pull back in 2010, because we wouldn't have had the majestic album that is ADTOE. Or probably not exactly the way it turned out to be. Which is perfect.

[King Postwhore]

Let the internet babies do so.  Like they have any control over the band.  The mind boggles

[The Letter M]

Just for reference, does anyone know when the band announced that they were working on their next album when they made ADOTE and DT12? AFAIK, they were in the studio in January til about March or so for each album, then released in September. If we can figure out when they told us their plans the last two times, I think we can expect a similar time-frame for the next album soon.

-Marc.

[BlobVanDam]

Oh, my post was a joke comment for sure. I fully expect DT to do the write/release/tour cycle this year. For better or for worse, DT are not the band to shake things up.

If only. We'll definitely get an album this year.

[Grizz]

Inb4 the hiatus.

I never get that from this band.  Look, they dumped MP for that reason.  They didn't want to stop.  It may have been a good time to pull back but they didn't.

"Mike Mangini had this great idea. After four years, he was starting to get burnt out, and wanted to take a five year hiatus to recharge our batteries and save him from himself. We had some objections as a band, but we respect his opinion and agreed to do so. It will give us more time to do solo work and he even offered to join us for some solo work despite his gut. To many people this will come as a complete shock, and will also likely be misunderstood by some, but please believe me that it is not a hasty decision...it would truly hurt for us to think of a Dream Theater without Mike Mangini.
'Give me time to recharge my batteries, I'll see her when she's older and I'll bounce her on my knee.' - Honor Thy Father "

[Calvin6s]

You forgot to mention:

John Myung just wasn't feeling the DT format any longer and left to make funky disco albums from Paraguay.  When he tires of that, he will start to write TV jingles.  Finally, he will pursue a law degree.

LaBrie was given his pink slip.  They had always planned to go with Robert Mason, and he is now ready to join.

The next release will be a concept album.

[Grizz]

"After hearing all the criticisms of the sound quality of DT12 and BTFW, James LaBrie and Richard Chycki agreed that there was only one solution: revive Winter Rose."

[TheCountOfNYC]

I would actually prefer it if they did a few more legs on this tour. Three years between albums isn't a bad thing and could actually give them more time to craft the songs (see Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence). They only toured for a little bit over a year. A little longer certainly wouldn't hurt.

[Dublagent66]

Yeah, I need a little more time to dislike DT12. Seriously though, they need to put more time and effort into the next album.  DT12 sounds hurried and thrown together.  Take. The. Time.

[RoeDent]

For all we know, the creative process might have already started. I'm gonna go with them going into the studio in the summer or early autumn, for an early-2016 release.

[rumborak]

Yeah, I need a little more time to dislike DT12. Seriously though, they need to put more time and effort into the next album.  DT12 sounds hurried and thrown together.  Take. The. Time.

People keep saying this, but I actually don't think simply more time will improve things. I think their current writing process is partly to blame, and it seemed JM was kinda agreeing on that in that one audio commentary (where he got shut down by MP). I think their, for lack of a better word, stream-of-consciousness way of writing leaves little space for crafting a song.

[RodrigoAltaf]

I too believe that an outside producer would be of help to their songwriting.  One name I would suggest is Brendan O'brien.  Prog and metal may not be his cup of tea, but much like Rick Rubin when he cared about his job, Brendan seems to bring out the best of the bands he is prducing.

[erwinrafael]

I think Dream Theater actually had a hard time crafting the self-titled because they find it harder to write short songs that still retain their signature sound.

[Dublagent66]

Behind The Veil is a shorter song and it's perfectly written.  Too bad most of the other shorter songs weren't as good.  I think they had problems writing the long closer and like I said before, if they had put in more time and effort, it might have lived up to the caliber of their other long epics.  It doesn't even come close.

[BlobVanDam]

Yeah, I need a little more time to dislike DT12. Seriously though, they need to put more time and effort into the next album.  DT12 sounds hurried and thrown together.  Take. The. Time.

People keep saying this, but I actually don't think simply more time will improve things. I think their current writing process is partly to blame, and it seemed JM was kinda agreeing on that in that one audio commentary (where he got shut down by MP). I think their, for lack of a better word, stream-of-consciousness way of writing leaves little space for crafting a song.

I wouldn't say he got shot down by MP, MP just pointed out that they couldn't really do things the way they used to, and the fact they haven't really changed their approach much says it all.
But I agree, that more time won't change the process. As with many creative tasks, after a while you get into a routine of how you approach it, and you end up boxing yourself in with too many preconceptions and limitations.

[rumborak]

That, and the fact that the writing seems to be a "participatory" process, with the whole band present during writing. The more people you involve in a process, the harder any change in direction becomes.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I think that we can expect another "proggy, metal and epic DT album that defines better than ever how the band is supposed to sound".

I mean, that's not a bad thing, but that may be a sign that the band is going to release good albums (not groundbreaking albums) 'til the day they stop.

And as it was mentioned already, the record/tour cycle is probably going to stay for a while.

[The Letter M]

At any rate, 2015 marks the band's 30th anniversary, so I would imagine we would get SOMETHING this year, be it an extended tour or an album.

-Marc.