DT15: A View From The Top Of The World (Timeline for DT15)

[Peter Mc]

Was greedily hoping for more!  The cover looks nice but not sure it's striking enough to get someone's attention on a record store shelf, if those things still exist!

[Mladen]

That's one Hugh Syme artwork right there.

I am very happy about the confirmation that Andy Sneap was on board with the mixing and mastering. His work on Terminal velocity and Firepower is brilliant. I am also liking the song titles and lengths. Now, all we have to do is wait for three more months. 

[nikatapi]

Nice to have the cover finally, i'm not a huge fan of it but i don't really care 

Can't wait to listen to something from the album!

[chwik]

Anticlimatic, but great to have official information nonetheless

[DoctorAction]

Awesome. Going to be a long three months!

[rab7]

The cover is beautiful, but my only complaint (and a very tiny one) is that this is the 3rd out of the last 5 albums with a blue sky prominently in the background

[jayvee3]

I really like that album cover. Feels like a bit of a cross between some of their earlier montage-type covers, with more of their modern imagery. I think it's great. Song titles sound really cool and interesting too and definitely looking forward to yet some more great DT music 😊

[Zydar]

Now I'm interested to see who wrote the lyrics for each song. There's got to be a JLB and JM lyric there, maybe MM wrote one too.

[Wim Kruithof]

I really like that album cover. Feels like a bit of a cross between some of their earlier montage-type covers, with more of their modern imagery. I think it's great. Song titles sound really cool and interesting too and definitely looking forward to yet some more great DT music 😊

exactly this. Looking so much forward.

[YtseJamittaja]

Cool! Now we need a single, I think Invisible Monster has to be the first single.

[rab7]

Now I'm interested to see who wrote the lyrics for each song. There's got to be a JLB and JM lyric there, maybe MM wrote one too.

Pure speculation, but Invisible Monster sounds like it could be thematically related to At Wit's End, lyrics by JLB

And on the subject of thematic continuations, Answering The Call may have the same theme as Outcry

[devieira73]

I'm curious about some insight about who wrote the lyrics and if there's any instrumental. We made good guesses about the song titles. Also great to confirm Andy Sneap in the mixing/mastering.

[YouMakeMeSick]

I like all of it, especially the return of the "classic-style" Majesty logo, not featured since ADTOE, I think.

[Seppe76]

When the first single?
Can't wait!!!!

[Buddyhunter1]

I'd like to coin a concept known as "Syme's Scale" - Is the object too big or small on purpose, or is the perspective just nonexistant?

I'm interested to see how the longer songs will play out. It's also odd that there's no announcement of the first single...

[Zydar]

Apparently the cover is inspired by a boulder in the Norwegian mountains.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kjeragbolten

[emtee]

Love the cover!

Also, if this sounds as killer as Firepower, I will be a very happy camper!

Can't wait.

[The Letter M]

Alright. How can we match these -
👽🤙📞🕶🧟‍♂️💤💆🏻‍♂️🧍🏻‍♂️⌛️⏳⏰🚨🧛🏻‍♂️👁🧗‍♂️🌎
To these -
TA 09:32
ATC 07:35
IM 06:02
SG 10:05
TT 6:25
ATM 9:47
AVFTTOTW 20:24

-Marc.

👽 - TA - Terrestrial Aliens
🤙📞 - ATC - Answering The Call
🕶🧟‍♂️ - IM - Invisible Man
💤💆🏻‍♂️🧍🏻‍♂️- SG - Sleeping Giants
⌛️⏳⏰ - TT - Time Travelers
🚨🧛🏻‍♂️ - ATM - Alert The Master
👁🧗‍♂️🌎 - AVFTTOTW - A View From The Top Of The World

My guesses so far...

-Marc.

The track listing for A View From The Top Of The World is:
1) The Alien (9:32)
2) Answering The Call (7:35)
3) Invisible Monster (6:31)
4) Sleeping Giant (10:05)
5) Transcending Time (6:25)
6) Awaken The Master (9:47)
7) A View From The Top Of The World (20:24)

Hey, I got "Answering The Call" right! Also, got half of ATM right with "The Master". Those who guessed "Invisible Monster" and "Sleeping Giant" were apot on!

Also, nice cover!



I wonder if the tour promo image will be the back cover or an inside piece of artwork in the liner notes?

-Marc.

[rab7]

It's also odd that there's no announcement of the first single...

They usually don't announce the first single until later.

I remember DOT was revealed in November, and the first single came out in December. DT12 was revealed in May or June, and the first single came out in August.

[Raise the Drum]

I'm betting on The Alien to be the one with the 8-string guitar, and a lot of Jordan's Snarling pig

[JLa]

Apparently the cover is inspired by a boulder in the Norwegian mountains.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kjeragbolten

Yeah, Kjeragbolten is a very well known tourist attraction. Being Norwegian myself I found this kinda cool.

https://www.regionstavanger-ryfylke.com/see-and-do/hiking/find-your-hike/kjerag-p1799953

[Dublagent66]

Not really impressed with the title.  No points for originality.  And the view?  All I see is a bunch of rock and boots that are way too big. 

[Ben_Jamin]

One thing I noticed is that Jimmy T also has done additional production. I hope this means better drum sounds.

Hoping we get a song in 2 weeks.

Not really impressed with the title.  No points for originality.  And the view?  All I see is a bunch of rock and boots that are way too big. 

The boots are way too big, because the Sleeping Giant took his shoes off. 

[The Letter M]

Not really impressed with the title.  No points for originality.  And the view?  All I see is a bunch of rock and boots that are way too big. 

You could say DT have some... big shoes to fill!

I'll see myself out...

-Marc.

[Ayeegit]

I wonder if the tour promo image will be the back cover or an inside piece of artwork in the liner notes?

-Marc.

*Guessing* the back cover is the image on https://dreamtheater.net/, just below the image of the band (where the track listing is). Can't figure out how to link directly to it...

[hunnus2000]

Apparently the cover is inspired by a boulder in the Norwegian mountains.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kjeragbolten

Nice sleuthing dude. 

[JLa]

I wonder if the tour promo image will be the back cover or an inside piece of artwork in the liner notes?

-Marc.

*Guessing* the back cover is the image on https://dreamtheater.net/, just below the image of the band (where the track listing is). Can't figure out how to link directly to it...

This one?

https://dreamtheater.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/DT-2021-background6.jpg

[Ayeegit]

I wonder if the tour promo image will be the back cover or an inside piece of artwork in the liner notes?

-Marc.

*Guessing* the back cover is the image on https://dreamtheater.net/, just below the image of the band (where the track listing is). Can't figure out how to link directly to it...

This one?

https://dreamtheater.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/DT-2021-background6.jpg

Yeah - thanks for posting!

[jonny108]

Yeah tons of new art on there

[Architeuthis]

I noticed on the website that the scenery in the background changes. The UFO scene with the song titles perhaps the back cover?. the person getting beamed up reminds of that scene in the movie Fire In The Sky.  Maybe Setlist Scotty is the one beaming him up. 🤪
Also noticed the steampunk balloon reminiscent of Clockwork Angel's, which fits in with the WWRD mantra. 

As far as the album cover, I really like it. It's kind of like ADTOE meets TA meets Octavarium with a touch of Test for Echo.  Very cool!

[LordJordan]

Well, it seems pretty clear that the giant boots refer to the giant himself of the song, as other elements in covers like "BC&SL" referred to some of the songs inside the album.
I like the concept but I find too many elements in a little space... the viewfinder is almost pointless and we even know it is a viewfinder only because of the tour banner
Great vibes though

[jayvee3]

Well, it seems pretty clear that the giant boots refer to the giant himself of the song, as other elements in covers like "BC&SL" referred to some of the songs inside the album.
I like the concept but I find too many elements in a little space... the viewfinder is almost pointless and we even know it is a viewfinder only because of the tour banner
Great vibes though

Yet for me, this is exactly what I really like about it. It looks nice and open and has breathing space, yet the more you look, the more little elements you can find. With the city, the little boy, the twin moon, the bird, they could be referencing earlier albums, or more likely elements in the new songs themselves (the giants boots etc.) Regardless, it feels expansive but tells a story. Terrific cover 👍

[The Letter M]

Yeah tons of new art on there

There's even more!





-Marc.

[Ben_Jamin]

The Picture With the boy holding his head and ears, crouching down in the desolate room, looks like it could be the liner artwork for Invisible Monster.

I noticed too, the artwork has a lot of kids involved in the artwork.

They a sort of have a Black Clouds and Silver Linings, A Dramatic Tour of Events, and Images and Words vibe and atmosphere to them. And I am enjoying them. Once they announce pre-orders, I will guarantee get the boxset for this one, especially if they include a Dream Theater branded Viewfinder and the viewfinder picture disc with the album art, or better yet with in the studio photos.

[Freeze]

A couple of those new backgrounds are very similar to some of the artwork in Rush's "Clockwork Angels" album.