The Viper King discussion thread (with fun bonus poll)

[TheGreatPretender]

Right, like they didn't intend to write a song about a car, the music just seemed like it would be a good song to be about a car.

I mean, stylistically, musically I don't even think it's that similar to Highway Star. You can just as easily say that this song is Dream Theater's Born To Be Wild.

[TAC]

Pretty sure it's Dream Theater's Viper King.

[cramx3]

I feel like I get the Highway Star comparison much better than the SOA one.

[Dream Team]

I like it a lot, but would like it more if recorded with a 6-string. 7-string is too muddy for that type of song.

[Lax]

I like it a lot, but would like it more if recorded with a 6-string. 7-string is too muddy for that type of song.

I wonder if it would still hit like a truck with a 6 strings, it's part of the charm

[MoraWintersoul]

I like the song, but JLB's vocs are a little weird. I don't think the Gillan influences suit him so much anymore (he did sound great on the Perfect Strangers cover twenty+ years ago), and the Plant influences do not suit him at alllllll.

[The Letter M]

I like the song, but JLB's vocs are a little weird. I don't think the Gillan influences suit him so much anymore (he did sound great on the Perfect Strangers cover twenty+ years ago), and the Plant influences do not suit him at alllllll.

The only issue with JLB's vox on this song that I have are his very first vocal lines. He sounds so strained and nasally, almost like latter-day Geddy Lee trying to sing older songs. It's a bit of an ear-ache at first, but he seems fine in the rest of the song.

-Marc.

[DoctorAction]

Love it. And I too would welcome more fun rock influence going forwards.

Edit: S2N also has some of that fun going on. I think of them in a similar-ish way.

[Volante99]

Not a fan. Doesn't "sound" like DT. There's some decent, but unremarkable soloing, but other than that, meh.

[Dream Team]

I disagree. There's a great straight-up rock/metal band in them dying to get out. I wouldn't mind a whole album of songs in 4/4 to what they could come up with. JP is an awesome rock player.

[Volante99]

I disagree. There's a great straight-up rock/metal band in them dying to get out. I wouldn't mind a whole album of songs in 4/4 to what they could come up with. JP is an awesome rock player.

Oh dear god, no, please no.

It's true, JP can do rock. The others? Ehhh...

At the very least, JLB's voice just doesnt lend itself to straight-up rock in my opinion.

[wolven74]

Ok... If we're comparing tracks, here's my take:

Viper King: Definite Deep Purple Vibe in the keys and guitar lines. It has a groove to it that DT has never had before. I'm gonna give Mangini credit for that. He and Myung are deep in the pocket on this track. Mangini has a fun swing beat going with a bluesy swing groove from Jordan and JP. The song sounds like the band is having fun together. Everybody is supporting each other and enjoying what they do. It's a blast to listen to. I can only imagine how fun it was to record. My only gripe is that because it's such a fun song, it ends too quickly.

Divine Addiction: Again with the obvious Deep Purple vibe through the whole track, but for me that's where the similarities end. The biggest difference between these tracks is the amount of joy Viper King gives while this does not (at least for me), and I think the reason for that is the tempo and key. I may be mistaken about the key here but I believe Viper King is in a major key and Divine Addiction is a minor one. There's a feel to Viper King that this lacks. I can't really put my finger on it.

Viper King feels fresh and new for DT, while Divine Addiction feels like something DT has done before. They're both good songs in their own right, but there really isn't anything other than the Deep Purple homage to tie them together. No real comparison,

[TAC]

Divine Addiction?

[The Letter M]

Divine Addiction?

Divine Addiction

-Marc.

[TAC]

Gotcha. I didn't notice the poll at the top of the page.

[TheGreatPretender]

Personally, I don't really hear the deep purple influence in Viper King, aside from the fact that Deep Purple used a lot of organs in their sound, and this song is very organ driven. I made the Highway Star comparison purely based on the subject matter, and what it represents for the band, in other words, being their driving song, and I'm quite sure that James LaBrie made the comparison for the very same reason, and not because of the general sound.

With Divine Addiction, I can definitely hear the Purple influence in the sound. But from what I'm hearing, it's not about driving a car, is it?

So yeah, it's kind of a moot comparison either way. The point is, Dream Theater now has a fun, bouncy, driving anthem that you could throw into a playlist with the likes of Radar Love and Born To Be Wild.

[ytserush]

The funny thing is I just listened to their version of Made In Japan over the weekend before the new one showed up.  So I just laughed when I hear Viper King for the first time.