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

[chwik]

I dunno, MP is pretty darned musical on the guitar

Is he?

I have no doubt that he could put out an album where he wrote and played on all of the instruments.

There's a difference between 'playing an instrument' (the thing that people do when they copy others) and, you know, playing an instrument.

I would like to see evidence of MP being pretty darned musical on the guitar as well. I am not aware of any sources of MP rockin the guitar, except maybe nightmare cinema (but I wouldnt call that pretty darn musical).

[gzarruk]

which IIRC, is a first for any DT album to not feature any full on ballads

I'd say WDADU fits this description too but, yeah, 2 out of 15

I think this has been discussed before, but weren't we just recently talking about how this lineup has now existed for a longer period of time than the SFAM lineup? That just blows my mind.

SFAM lineup: 1999-2010 - 11 years

MM lineup: 2010 - 2021 - 11 years

Just a few more months and the current lineup will be the longest running DT lineup ever. Wow.

For JP's solo album MP said that JP pushed him in certain areas out of his comfort zone and I can't remember the song but I do remember thinking, hey that's an MM riff. 16th notes on the ride I think but some of the players can correct me.

TV has some of the most refreshing drum parts MP's done in a long long long time. Why? Because of the bolded part on your post. JP made Mike play outside of his usual bag of tricks and also let's remember a couple of those tracks were played live with MM years before, so that sort of style got printed into the song arrangements anyway.

Then they went straight to LTE3 with MP as one of the writers/arrangers/collaborators instead of just a session drummer (like for TV) and what do we get? The same old bag of tricks. Same year, same studio, same player, and the differences are quite noticeable (IMO, of course).

[hunnus2000]

I dunno, MP is pretty darned musical on the guitar

Is he?

I have no doubt that he could put out an album where he wrote and played on all of the instruments.

I'm not saying it's great but he IS capable.

He also has an anti-Trump song he posted during the election cycle. I'll let you all find that one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvIJIRCypGE

There's a difference between 'playing an instrument' (the thing that people do when they copy others) and, you know, playing an instrument.

I would like to see evidence of MP being pretty darned musical on the guitar as well. I am not aware of any sources of MP rockin the guitar, except maybe nightmare cinema (but I wouldnt call that pretty darn musical).

[Kotowboy]

Watching as a guitarist myself - MP doesn't look very comfy on the guitar. From that video he's better at bass than guitar. He's doing that tight wrist up and down strumming

that all new guitarists do.

[chwik]

I dunno, MP is pretty darned musical on the guitar

Is he?

I have no doubt that he could put out an album where he wrote and played on all of the instruments.

I'm not saying it's great but he IS capable.

He also has an anti-Trump song he posted during the election cycle. I'll let you all find that one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvIJIRCypGE

There's a difference between 'playing an instrument' (the thing that people do when they copy others) and, you know, playing an instrument.

I would like to see evidence of MP being pretty darned musical on the guitar as well. I am not aware of any sources of MP rockin the guitar, except maybe nightmare cinema (but I wouldnt call that pretty darn musical).

That was more in line with nightmare cinema than world class progressive metal, but it's a start so I'll give you that

[hunnus2000]

I dunno, MP is pretty darned musical on the guitar

Is he?

I have no doubt that he could put out an album where he wrote and played on all of the instruments.

I'm not saying it's great but he IS capable.

He also has an anti-Trump song he posted during the election cycle. I'll let you all find that one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvIJIRCypGE

There's a difference between 'playing an instrument' (the thing that people do when they copy others) and, you know, playing an instrument.

I would like to see evidence of MP being pretty darned musical on the guitar as well. I am not aware of any sources of MP rockin the guitar, except maybe nightmare cinema (but I wouldnt call that pretty darn musical).

That was more in line with nightmare cinema than world class progressive metal, but it's a start so I'll give you that

Thanks man. I'm just looking for a modicum of validation. Sniff...

[Glasser]

Bottom line. DT15 is outstanding and I hope it brings them new fans as well as living up to the hopes of  their existing fan base.   

[Dream Team]

Whatever. Everything I've seen him in lately (interviews, etc) he's been super cool.

By the way, this thread is about DT15.

[Glasser]

Whatever. Everything I've seen him in lately (interviews, etc) he's been super cool.

By the way, this thread is about DT15.

You're right, my bad on rambling off topic. Deleted.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Bottom line. DT15 is outstanding and I hope it brings them new fans as well as living up to the hopes of  their existing fan base.   

How is the 8-string track? Does it sound like JP is just dipping his toe into the waters and is using the extra string sparingly ?

[Dedalus]

Exactly. MP for the DT was, in addition to a great drummer, a driving force, a leader, lyricist, producer. A position worthy of respect, but it doesn't seem to be enough. He has to be made the great songwriter of the band. If not possible, in the master arranger.

The problem is that there is a portion of the fans who likes the MP so much that they want him to be a sort of Steven Wilson, Neal Morse, Gildenlöw. He isn't.

So what if they do?   Is anyone hurt by that?  In any event, not everyone is like that, but to generalize across anyone who likes Mike P's playing is no more valid or valuable than generalizing across Mike Mangini's "no groove" idea.   It's useless.    You either like him (either one) or you don't and I can't understand why that's not enough.  I can't understand why those that prefer Portnoy over Mangini - for any reasons:  groove, arranging, writing, because it's Sunday - can't just be "their opinion" and left alone.   And likewise to Mangini.  There are plenty of people here that gush over Mangini, and that's fine (he's a very talented drummer, anyone can see that) but as soon as someone gushes over Portnoy, as I sometimes do, they're labeled "apologists" and the very personal, subjective reasons why they gush are picked apart like facts on a trigonometry test when at the end of the day it really just boils down to "what do I like".  And I can't speak for anyone else, but "what I like" is not science.  I can see patterns in it, but honestly, I hear something/someone and I either like it or I don't.  It's really that simple.

As for the first part of your post, no, no one is hurt by anyone thinking that Portnoy is a Neal Morse or Steven Wilson, but it's not reality.  That is where I push back, on the extra credit he seems to get in regards to songwriting.  As I said before, collaboration, where he seems to excel, is great, and is the hallmark of popular music, just don't tell me he is a Neal Morse or John Lennon or Steven Wilson or Paul McCartney, because he is not. And there is nothing wrong with that.  Songwriters like those guys are a rare breed.

[Elite]

Bottom line. DT15 is outstanding and I hope it brings them new fans as well as living up to the hopes of  their existing fan base.   

How is the 8-string track? Does it sound like JP is just dipping his toe into the waters and is using the extra string sparingly ?

Djent Theater

[BeatriceNB]

Bottom line. DT15 is outstanding and I hope it brings them new fans as well as living up to the hopes of  their existing fan base.   

How is the 8-string track? Does it sound like JP is just dipping his toe into the waters and is using the extra string sparingly ?

Djent Theater

Dream Thallter

[DreamerTV]

If everything is going to work as usual, we should have something about the new single in about 37 minutes from now...

[Kotowboy]

Weirdly I read that post at 13:37

[geeeemo]

If everything is going to work as usual, we should have something about the new single in about 37 minutes from now...

I thought new music came out on Friday's..?

[WilliamMunny]

If everything is going to work as usual, we should have something about the new single in about 37 minutes from now...

I thought new music came out on Friday's..?

Yes, I'm pretty sure it will be on a Friday if/when it drops.

[DreamerTV]

If everything is going to work as usual, we should have something about the new single in about 37 minutes from now...

I thought new music came out on Friday's..?

Yes, I'm pretty sure it will be on a Friday if/when it drops.

Yeah, but is on monday when a teaser usually comes out.
And of course i was wrong

[Kotowboy]

I'd be fine with no new single before the album. But of course if one comes out i'll listen to it.

[WilliamMunny]

If everything is going to work as usual, we should have something about the new single in about 37 minutes from now...

I thought new music came out on Friday's..?

Yes, I'm pretty sure it will be on a Friday if/when it drops.

Yeah, but is on monday when a teaser usually comes out.
And of course i was wrong

You are correct there—I hope this doesn't mean we gotta wait another week

[LordJordan]

It sounds strange to me if they planned to release only one song 9 weeks before the whole album...
The waiting is painful, there are still 5 weeks to go   

[Enigmachine]

I'm not sure why there's the assumption that there'd be a teaser for each song. If I remember correctly, both Fall Into the Light and Paralyzed were released without any sort of teasers. Pretty sure we got a teaser for The Alien just because it was the first bit of music to be released from the album, so it seemed appropriate to build up hype. I think a single on Friday is still fairly likely. Maybe it being 7 tracks means that we'll only get two singles that are further apart, but I'm not really sure about that because Haken's Vector had a 3 song build-up to its release when it also has 7 tracks (with only 6 of those being full songs in Vector's case).

[hefdaddy42]

Sure is a lot of Portnoy talk in this thread about the new DT album.

Has Portnoy become the new Moore?

[erwinrafael]

You should see the posts on the band's official Facebook page. 

[dream75]

At this point I think there will be the announcement on Wednesday but without the teaser

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Does anyone know if the DT15 tour will have a second US leg? Looking at the dates now and the one show in my city is not from the list of usual venues and is on a terrible night of the week for me.

If the album is as good as some say, I'll want to see them live but would make sense if there aren't going to be more dates given the uncertainty around the virus.

[TAC]

Does anyone know if the DT15 tour will have a second US leg? Looking at the dates now and the one show in my city is not from the list of usual venues and is on a terrible night of the week for me.

I know the feeling. The Boston show is the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving. I am already dreading the ride in.

[Glasser]

 I was told by a Sony/Inside Out rep they were not sure when or if a new single was being released.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I was told by a Sony/Inside Out rep they were not sure when or if a new single was being released.

So we are going to have to wait the last 5 weeks with no more music? 

anyone else find it odd how little the band has said about the album and the songwriting process? Feels like there is little PR or interviewing happening vs. the last 4 albums.

[ReaPsTA]

I was told by a Sony/Inside Out rep they were not sure when or if a new single was being released.

So we are going to have to wait the last 5 weeks with no more music? 

anyone else find it odd how little the band has said about the album and the songwriting process? Feels like there is little PR or interviewing happening vs. the last 4 albums.

My guess is more will come out closer to release.

They started the hype cycle too far in advance. No one's going to get on a three month hype train too much else going on. Should have been two months max.

[Glasser]

I was told by a Sony/Inside Out rep they were not sure when or if a new single was being released.

So we are going to have to wait the last 5 weeks with no more music? 

anyone else find it odd how little the band has said about the album and the songwriting process? Feels like there is little PR or interviewing happening vs. the last 4 albums.

I would be a little surprised if they didn't release something until October 22.

[bosk1]

I was told by a Sony/Inside Out rep they were not sure when or if a new single was being released.

So we are going to have to wait the last 5 weeks with no more music? 

anyone else find it odd how little the band has said about the album and the songwriting process? Feels like there is little PR or interviewing happening vs. the last 4 albums.

My guess is more will come out closer to release.

They started the hype cycle too far in advance. No one's going to get on a three month hype train too much else going on. Should have been two months max.

10 weeks is the standard industry promo cycle.

[Glasser]

I was told by a Sony/Inside Out rep they were not sure when or if a new single was being released.

So we are going to have to wait the last 5 weeks with no more music? 

anyone else find it odd how little the band has said about the album and the songwriting process? Feels like there is little PR or interviewing happening vs. the last 4 albums.

My guess is more will come out closer to release.

They started the hype cycle too far in advance. No one's going to get on a three month hype train too much else going on. Should have been two months max.

10 weeks is the standard industry promo cycle.

It depends on the label. Nuclear Blast does not release promos until a week before release. Frontiers Music about 3 weeks. I had Haken "Virus" 3 months ahead of the release date and LTE3 almost 2 months early. It varies for sure.

[LKap13]

Glasser may I ask how you have inside access to this stuff?

[Glasser]

Glasser may I ask how you have inside access to this stuff?

I have friends in the industry.