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

[rab7]

I really didn't get anything out of that interview..   

I know, right?


Still, it's good to see them out there.

I got three things:

The epic might have the same structure as A Change of Seasons

They may have been subconsciously influenced by SFAM for some of the songs.

When James writes lyrics, he comes up with the vocal melody first, and then finds words to fit into it. I've always wondered how each of them do it.

[TAC]

Actually rab, you're correct.

[Mr.Mister]

I really didn't get anything out of that interview..   

I know, right?


Still, it's good to see them out there.

I got three things:

The epic might have the same structure as A Change of Seasons

They may have been subconsciously influenced by SFAM for some of the songs.

When James writes lyrics, he comes up with the vocal melody first, and then finds words to fit into it. I've always wondered how each of them do it.

This.

I think it's fun to understand their mindset going into this.

Also curious as to which album they had titled ahead of time. Maybe DT12?  IIRC SC was chosen from MP reading some of the lyrics and keying on the word chaos but other than that I can't recall.

[gzarruk]

Considering DT12 was almost titled Illumination Theory, I don't think it's one of them. I'd say The Astonishing could be one, though.

[Ben_Jamin]

I mean obviously the new album has 7 tracks.

Some people need to learn to read 


----

When Black Clouds was announced - I was deflated a bit at reading that it only had 6 tracks. I knew I'd get tired of it very quickly.

So you had a preconceived notion based on nothing related to the music or the band, but the amount of songs...

I feel most people's disappointment came from MP hyping up the album as all those Epic songs people love on one album. So people then had a preconceived notion that the songs would be similar to those Epics, or how they expected them to sound.

[bosk1]

So you had a preconceived notion based on nothing related to the music or the band, but the amount of songs...

Honestly, I can understand where he is coming from on that in that specific context.  We had gotten a single and were probably going to get another single before the album dropped (which we did).  And then there was going to be a 12SS song.  Some fans were burned out on the 12SS by then.  And even among those that weren't, among many, I think the excitement of getting the final installment was tempered with a feeling of being "ready" for it to be done with and the expectation that it would largely feel and sound very familiar, given what came before.  So I think it is easy to have gone in thinking, "man, with only six songs, that'll only be 3 that feel "new" and "fresh" once I get the album in my hands.  And if I don't like 1 of them, that's only 2 that I'll enjoy."  I'm a huge fan, and even I felt a little bit of that.  So, yeah, while it's silly to draw any firm conclusions from things like number of songs, song lengths, etc., I don't think what Kowtow is saying is off base.

[Mr.Mister]

I mean obviously the new album has 7 tracks.

Some people need to learn to read 


----

When Black Clouds was announced - I was deflated a bit at reading that it only had 6 tracks. I knew I'd get tired of it very quickly.

So you had a preconceived notion based on nothing related to the music or the band, but the amount of songs...

I feel most people's disappointment came from MP hyping up the album as all those Epic songs people love on one album. So people then had a preconceived notion that the songs would be similar to those Epics, or how they expected them to sound.

Oh Yeah MP missed the boat on this one. I remember the quote " "Imagine a DT album with "A Change of Seasons", "Octavarium", "Learning to Live", "Pull Me Under" and "The Glass Prison"....all on one album..." in his forum. I know what he was trying to say but he set up an expectation impossible to match.

This taught me not to read too much into things before getting to listen for myself 

[Ben_Jamin]

So you had a preconceived notion based on nothing related to the music or the band, but the amount of songs...

Honestly, I can understand where he is coming from on that in that specific context.  We had gotten a single and were probably going to get another single before the album dropped (which we did).  And then there was going to be a 12SS song.  Some fans were burned out on the 12SS by then.  And even among those that weren't, among many, I think the excitement of getting the final installment was tempered with a feeling of being "ready" for it to be done with and the expectation that it would largely feel and sound very familiar, given what came before.  So I think it is easy to have gone in thinking, "man, with only six songs, that'll only be 3 that feel "new" and "fresh" once I get the album in my hands.  And if I don't like 1 of them, that's only 2 that I'll enjoy."  I'm a huge fan, and even I felt a little bit of that.  So, yeah, while it's silly to draw any firm conclusions from things like number of songs, song lengths, etc., I don't think what Kowtow is saying is off base.

I get it.

Even if he didn't listen to the singles, who knows if he would've enjoyed the songs more once he has the album in his hands. 

Contrary to most, I actually like how The Shattered Fortress uses those call-backs, and repeated themes. I was also ready for it to be done, and wondered how it would end. My curiosity was eh, at first, but the more I listened to the music and the lyrics, and then listened to it in relation to the entire 12-Step Suite, the more I grew fond of the composition of The Shattered Fortress.

I could go on about The Shattered Fortress and it's themes in relation to the other 12-step songs. 


I think I am actually excited for the lyrics of this album. The Alien's lyrics are great, and even if they are by JLB, I still am interested in hearing how JP and JM lyrics are in relation to this grand theme the album seems to have by the way of the Artwork, Title, and the track-titles.

[bosk1]

Contrary to most, I actually like how The Shattered Fortress uses those call-backs, and repeated themes.

I wouldn't say "contrary to most."  I think most people did also.  I know I did, for the most part.  There were a few spots where I felt like it was a bit too much, or that a callback felt too shoehorned in an unnecessary (the "take all of me" callback is probably the biggest one).  But mostly, I felt that they were done well, and felt right for the concluding piece.  ...except for the fact that, again, it also kind of contributed to BCSL feeling less "fresh" overall.

[rab7]

I'm really glad I discovered DT after BCSL came out so I awas able to avoid the disappointment of "only 3 fresh songs"

[illusionist]

To Glasser,Bosk,Noxon etc.
Can you hear the new approach Jordan said he took composing his solos,in the new album?
He said that this time he took his time, influenced by the way JP's is composing his solos.
Can you hear any difference,any interesting sounds?
And,do we get to hear the annoying snarling pig sound again?

[gzarruk]

To Glasser,Bosk,Noxon etc.
Can you hear the new approach Jordan said he took composing his solos,in the new album?
He said that this time he took his time, influenced by the way JP's is composing his solos.
Can you hear any difference,any interesting sounds?
And,do we get to hear the annoying snarling pig sound again?

The snarling pig is in The Alien

[bosk1]

To Glasser,Bosk,Noxon etc.
Can you hear the new approach Jordan said he took composing his solos,in the new album?
He said that this time he took his time, influenced by the way JP's is composing his solos.
Can you hear any difference,any interesting sounds?
And,do we get to hear the annoying snarling pig sound again?

I hate answering specific questions at this stage because, no matter how innocent a question, it leads to another, and then to another...  But that said, I'll answer this one.  The answer is "yes" to both questions.  To the first question:  Jordan solos a certain way.  His playing has a certain style and personality, and that has not changed.  But that said, there are definitely times where I listened to his solos not knowing the above yet, and feeling like they were "different" for him.  And I like what I am hearing (not that I didn't already).  I can't say that I like it more.  But I don't like it less either.  It isn't about whether his solos are "better" or "worse," but there are some new and different things going on that sound cool.

[LordJordan]

Very poor setup for the interview:  the camera was too high and the perspective got a little distorted, no post-processing at least for a colour balance, very ugly chairs with wheels instead of majestic sofas... It seemed like a selfmade garage footage of friends chatting and pretending to be famous and important 

[Tony From Long Island]

I am posting on here for the first time in quite a while. Probably two years.  Been a DT fan since 1991.

Just heard "The Alien."   The first two minutes sound like a bunch of Generic DT riffs pulled out of a hat and thrown together.

Once the vocals enter, however, the song is Gold.  I am very excited for the album.  I will almost certainly go see them in Brooklyn.

Shout out to the OG Long Island Dream Theater fans!!!

[Glasser]

I am posting on here for the first time in quite a while. Probably two years.  Been a DT fan since 1991.

Just heard "The Alien."   The first two minutes sound like a bunch of Generic DT riffs pulled out of a hat and thrown together.

Once the vocals enter, however, the song is Gold.  I am very excited for the album.  I will almost certainly go see them in Brooklyn.

Shout out to the OG Long Island Dream Theater fans!!!

I miss shows at the Sundance!!!!

[IDontNotDoThings]

Can you even give us a hint as to which album it most resembles ?

In all seriousness, I don't want to do that because, although there are definitely things in the DT-family that it reminds me of, I don't want to color people's perceptions and feed potentially false preconceived notions.

But structurally already I cannot *not* think of Black Clouds. With the giant opener and the epic at the end, three songs living in the 10 minute range and only 7 tracks.

Have I been missing a bonus track all these years???

I'm aware you're joking, but Raw Dog exists

[TAC]

Raw Dog is awesome. Ask Hef, he'll tell you!

[Dream Team]

I mean obviously the new album has 7 tracks.

Some people need to learn to read 


----

When Black Clouds was announced - I was deflated a bit at reading that it only had 6 tracks. I knew I'd get tired of it very quickly.

Should have used the green font . . .

[Kotowboy]

Bosk is right.


Also I loved The Shattered Fortress and the only part I thought needed work was the literal half-step key change going into the "Take all of me". section.

That felt SO clumsy.

[hefdaddy42]

I'm aware you're joking, but Raw Dog exists

Yes, despite everything I've done.

Raw Dog is awesome. Ask Hef, he'll tell you!

[WilliamMunny]

Bosk is right.


Also I loved The Shattered Fortress and the only part I thought needed work was the literal half-step key change going into the "Take all of me". section.

That felt SO clumsy.

Man, you read my mind!

I recently gave Black Clouds a few spins, and I find myself really warming up to this record...funny, it only took about a decade, but I digress.

I consider "The Shattered Fortress" a bright spot on the album—James sounds great, the band sounds on fire, and the whole thing just slays from start to finish. But, and this is a big but, that goddamned modulation still makes me cringe. It's fine, it's five seconds, whatever, but there's always going to be a part of me that says, "there had to be a better way to do that."

[darkshade]

BC&SL is the last classic DT album, though Octavarium was the end of the classic era of the band for me.
On SC and BC&SL, the band were still trying to expand the core DT sound, even if this is when the band started sounding a little formulaic at times.
Every album since has been an attempt at reaching former glories with mixed results.

[dream75]

No single tomorrow  I think Wednesday or Friday next week

[Raise the Drum]

JLB commented this emoji: ⏳ (hourglass/sand clock), on IG when DT posted about the DTHQ interview.
Could be Trascending Time the next single?

[Trav]

JLB commented this emoji: ⏳ (hourglass/sand clock), on IG when DT posted about the DTHQ interview.
Could be Trascending Time the next single?

It probably just means, the album is coming soon. Like, counting down the time.

[devieira73]

So is anybody here already on 09/17/21? Any new single on spotify?

[Peter Mc]

BC&SL is the last classic DT album, though Octavarium was the end of the classic era of the band for me.
On SC and BC&SL, the band were still trying to expand the core DT sound, even if this is when the band started sounding a little formulaic at times.
Every album since has been an attempt at reaching former glories with mixed results.

SFAM is the last classic album for me and the band then went consistently downhill from there until the inclusion of Mangini gave them a bit of a shot in the arm, not to the point of any of the Mangini era albums being classics, just better than the period from SDOIT to BC&SL era where each album was worse than the last.  I don't dislike any of those albums, they're just my least favourite.

Put it this way, I don't think we'll be getting any more tours where they play any post SFAM album in full every night other than if they're playing their latest album in full on the tour for that album.  DT's two classic albums are I&W and SFAM, that's why they did the whole anniversary tour for them.  Can't see them doing that again.

[CirclesSquared]

BC&SL is the last classic DT album, though Octavarium was the end of the classic era of the band for me.
On SC and BC&SL, the band were still trying to expand the core DT sound, even if this is when the band started sounding a little formulaic at times.
Every album since has been an attempt at reaching former glories with mixed results.

SFAM is the last classic album for me and the band then went consistently downhill from there until the inclusion of Mangini gave them a bit of a shot in the arm, not to the point of any of the Mangini era albums being classics, just better than the period from SDOIT to BC&SL era where each album was worse than the last.

Agreed, word for word.

[DoctorAction]

I'll tell you what is good about BC&SL ... the title.

[RodrigoAltaf]

So is anybody here already on 09/17/21? Any new single on spotify?

Next week.

[hefdaddy42]

I'll tell you what is good about BC&SL ... the title.

I mean, I guess so.

I was never really enamored with that album, but it has fallen hard for me in the rankings over the last several years.  It has now fallen to the bottom of the pile, the only album I hold lower than WDADU.

[CirclesSquared]

I'll tell you what is good about BC&SL ... the title.

I mean, I guess so.

I was never really enamored with that album, but it has fallen hard for me in the rankings over the last several years.  It has now fallen to the bottom of the pile, the only album I hold lower than WDADU.

For me, SC is at my list's bottom, closely followed by BC&SL.

But yeah, good name though.

[lovethedrake]

I consider SDOIT the last classic DT album.

Complete shift in style, production, labrie etc... after that starting with TOT

[devieira73]

So is anybody here already on 09/17/21? Any new single on spotify?

Next week.

Thanks!