DreamSonic 2023

[crystalstars17]

Maybe it's a reminder for those who want JLB replaced that while there's plenty out there who can sing it, not everyone is going to sound right with DT besides JLB. (I'm not one of those people btw)

PREACH!

[Adami]

I also don't think those people wanting him replaced were hoping for Devin Townsend.

[DTiwbwMP]

Maybe it's a reminder for those who want JLB replaced that while there's plenty out there who can sing it, not everyone is going to sound right with DT besides JLB. (I'm not one of those people btw)

Matt Smith would be a fine replacement and MAJOR improvement over JLB in DT.

[TAC]

Maybe it's a reminder for those who want JLB replaced that while there's plenty out there who can sing it, not everyone is going to sound right with DT besides JLB. (I'm not one of those people btw)

Matt Smith would be a fine replacement and MAJOR improvement over JLB in DT.

Matt Smith is amazing.




I kind of feel bad for DT. James cannot sing anymore. He sounds fine on the albums, even great, but sounds like such an amateur live. It's weird. What other bands are dealing with this? I know Vince Neil can't sing, but Motley Crue is a joke. DT is no joke, but I really don't know what they do from here.

[cramx3]

I also don't think those people wanting him replaced were hoping for Devin Townsend.

No, I don't recall a single person ever stating him as someone to replace JLB, but the point remains.

[KevShmev]

I kind of feel bad for DT. James cannot sing anymore. He sounds fine on the albums, even great, but sounds like such an amateur live. It's weird. What other bands are dealing with this? I know Vince Neil can't sing, but Motley Crue is a joke. DT is no joke, but I really don't know what they do from here.

Agreed.  I cannot imagine anyone but James being the singer of Dream Theater, but like you said, it's just not good live anymore. In the studio, he has the benefit of many takes and some studio magic to make him sound good (while not all-worldly like he was on Images for example, he sounded good on A View... for the most part), but live is a different story.  I agree that they are in a tough spot.

[Architeuthis]

Maybe it's a reminder for those who want JLB replaced that while there's plenty out there who can sing it, not everyone is going to sound right with DT besides JLB. (I'm not one of those people btw)

Matt Smith would be a fine replacement and MAJOR improvement over JLB in DT.

Matt Smith is amazing.




I kind of feel bad for DT. James cannot sing anymore. He sounds fine on the albums, even great, but sounds like such an amateur live. It's weird. What other bands are dealing with this? I know Vince Neil can't sing, but Motley Crue is a joke. DT is no joke, but I really don't know what they do from here.

James sounds pretty good so far for dreamsonic.  I saw a great version of The Alien on YouTube.  A little pitchy at times,  but I know it won't bother me at the show this summer.  It always sounds much worse on cell phone recordings .

[MinistroRaven]

Just read this review a couple of minutes ago:

It is unjust that such comically advanced musicians as John Petrucci, Jordan Ruddess, John Myung, and Mike Mangini be fronted the way they've been fronted these past several years. While longtime singer James Labrie certainly delivers the goods in studio (he sounds particularly great on his Evergrey guest spot, and on his melodeath-inspired solo albums), his live performances are spotty at best. He usually sounds fine on more recent songs like opener "The Alien," or "Sleeping Giant." But by the time we reached "Caught in a Web," it was obvious that he and his bandmates need to reconsider their approach to older material. It's fine that he can't hit the notes at the second half of verse two. It's not fine that he now mumbles his way through that passage with such soporific tedium. We are in no position to instruct Labrie to do anything, but your audience pays good money to see you perform, good sir. Please respect that.

Klaus Meine compensated for his aging voice by asking his bandmates to tune down. James Hetfield learned how to sing rather than shout. And Ray Alder famously rewrote old melodies to fit his new, lower range. Scorpions, Metallica, and Fates Warning all benefited from these moves, and their longevity is testimony to that. There are ways to adapt to your newfound limits, but paper-thin screeches, thoughtless melissmas, and off-target scooping ain't cutting it, good sir. Your bandmates are absolute beasts in their respective crafts. Please do what you need to do to get back on their level, because if you don't, you risk becoming the Fish of progmetal, and none of us want that for you.

Despite Labrie's reluctance to adapt, wave his arms convincingly, or even deliver a good joke, Dream Theater as a unit still has it. And while it can't go unsaid that much of the fun left Dream Theater with Mike Portnoy, it must be noted that not only is this quintet still fire on stage,  Labrie  often sounds fine when he's within his new comfort zone. The graphics and animations on the Jumbotron Jr have gotten ridiculously good; the "enough injustice" graffitti and burning matches that accompanied "Answering the Call" were downright chilling.

https://www.sonicperspectives.com/concert-reviews/dreamsonic-june-2023/

[Ben_Jamin]

Maybe it's a reminder for those who want JLB replaced that while there's plenty out there who can sing it, not everyone is going to sound right with DT besides JLB. (I'm not one of those people btw)

Matt Smith would be a fine replacement and MAJOR improvement over JLB in DT.

Matt Smith is amazing.




I kind of feel bad for DT. James cannot sing anymore. He sounds fine on the albums, even great, but sounds like such an amateur live. It's weird. What other bands are dealing with this? I know Vince Neil can't sing, but Motley Crue is a joke. DT is no joke, but I really don't know what they do from here.

One other band I can think of right now is Mudvayne. Chad was a great vocalist, but now his voice sounds very shot. Regardless, I still went to see them and am going to see them at their headlining shows.

Maybe it's a reminder for those who want JLB replaced that while there's plenty out there who can sing it, not everyone is going to sound right with DT besides JLB. (I'm not one of those people btw)

Matt Smith would be a fine replacement and MAJOR improvement over JLB in DT.

Matt Smith is amazing.




I kind of feel bad for DT. James cannot sing anymore. He sounds fine on the albums, even great, but sounds like such an amateur live. It's weird. What other bands are dealing with this? I know Vince Neil can't sing, but Motley Crue is a joke. DT is no joke, but I really don't know what they do from here.

James sounds pretty good so far for dreamsonic.  I saw a great version of The Alien on YouTube.  A little pitchy at times,  but I know it won't bother me at the show this summer.  It always sounds much worse on cell phone recordings .

Same with me. JLB's voice won't and does not bother me at all. There's more to a live show I enjoy than just the vocals. It'll take a lot more than awful vocals for me not to see a show from a band whose music I vastly enjoy.

[HOF]

Did Mangini die his hair blonde and shrink his kit way down, or is that someone else drumming on TSCO? I guess Mike Keneally is playing with Townsend's band for this tour as well?

[gzarruk]

Did Mangini die his hair blonde and shrink his kit way down, or is that someone else drumming on TSCO? I guess Mike Keneally is playing with Townsend's band for this tour as well?

Darby Todd (from Devin's band) plays drums from the "move on, be brave" section up until the end of the guitar solo, and then MM finishes the song.

As for James' vocals... what else can we say, really? There's clearly something wrong going on and pretending otherwise is just naive. It is what it is, I guess, but it hurts me to see his performance affect the band to the point where some people are actively skipping shows because of it. Nothing but respect for this guy's history, but I think DT deserves a lot better than current day JLB. 

[DTiwbwMP]

As for James' vocals... what else can we say, really? There's clearly something wrong going on and pretending otherwise is just naive. It is what it is, I guess, but it hurts me to see his performance affect the band to the point where some people are actively skipping shows because of it. Nothing but respect for this guy's history, but I think DT deserves a lot better than current day JLB.

DING DING DING....give this man a prize! JP & JM should thank James for the history and simply move on for THEIR benefit & for OURS!

[Ben_Jamin]

As for James' vocals... what else can we say, really? There's clearly something wrong going on and pretending otherwise is just naive. It is what it is, I guess, but it hurts me to see his performance affect the band to the point where some people are actively skipping shows because of it. Nothing but respect for this guy's history, but I think DT deserves a lot better than current day JLB.

DING DING DING....give this man a prize! JP & JM should thank James for the history and simply move on for THEIR benefit & for OURS!

So they should just suddenly end a lifelong friendship so they can please you?

Listen, the band obviously does not see JLB's voice as an issue. Nor does it look like it concerns them.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Maybe it's a reminder for those who want JLB replaced that while there's plenty out there who can sing it, not everyone is going to sound right with DT besides JLB. (I'm not one of those people btw)

Matt Smith would be a fine replacement and MAJOR improvement over JLB in DT.

Matt Smith is amazing.




I kind of feel bad for DT. James cannot sing anymore. He sounds fine on the albums, even great, but sounds like such an amateur live. It's weird. What other bands are dealing with this? I know Vince Neil can't sing, but Motley Crue is a joke. DT is no joke, but I really don't know what they do from here.

Why would you feel bad for them? They're knowingly putting this product out every night and are totally cool with it. They're making records and touring the world still after 30 years and are probably well off. I feel bad for the fans who have spent years yearning for a better vocal performance and that includes me lol.

As for what they do from here? I think it's pretty obvious. They're going to keep doing what they've been doing and pretend like nothing is wrong. They'll sell tickets, signature gear, and merch regardless because this is a very loyal fan base. There is only a few more years to go. They've made their decision: this is about loyalty and friendship. True, it hurts the music but I respect their choice.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Regarding the Spirit thing at the end, I am going to defend James against the comparisons. He may not have nailed it but Devin sounds completely out of place singing that song. It's completely wrong stylistically...like if Taylor Swift tried to sing Lamb of God.

[KevShmev]

I agree that Devin's voice doesn't really fit the song at all, but I like the idea of ending the show in a communal way like that.  It's just that, even with Devin's voice not really fitting the song, it was still miles ahead of how James sounded.

That review that MinistroRaven posted might have been a bit harsh, but I think the key part is that people are paying good money to see them (or anyone these days). Concerts are not cheap these days. I suspect James is doing his best right now based on his capabilities; I just think his voice is shot.  There is no other way to explain the performances we have seen both earlier this year and from this weekend. 

[Lupton]

Maybe it's a reminder for those who want JLB replaced that while there's plenty out there who can sing it, not everyone is going to sound right with DT besides JLB. (I'm not one of those people btw)

Matt Smith would be a fine replacement and MAJOR improvement over JLB in DT.

Matt Smith is amazing.




I kind of feel bad for DT. James cannot sing anymore. He sounds fine on the albums, even great, but sounds like such an amateur live. It's weird. What other bands are dealing with this? I know Vince Neil can't sing, but Motley Crue is a joke. DT is no joke, but I really don't know what they do from here.

Why would you feel bad for them? They're knowingly putting this product out every night and are totally cool with it. They're making records and touring the world still after 30 years and are probably well off. I feel bad for the fans who have spent years yearning for a better vocal performance and that includes me lol.

As for what they do from here? I think it's pretty obvious. They're going to keep doing what they've been doing and pretend like nothing is wrong. They'll sell tickets, signature gear, and merch regardless because this is a very loyal fan base. There is only a few more years to go. They've made their decision: this is about loyalty and friendship. True, it hurts the music but I respect their choice.

This is exactly how I feel too! I was not even going to mention James because I couldn't find the words to summarize my feelings on the matter and thankfully you have done so.

[Ben_Jamin]

I agree that Devin's voice doesn't really fit the song at all, but I like the idea of ending the show in a communal way like that.  It's just that, even with Devin's voice not really fitting the song, it was still miles ahead of how James sounded.

That review that MinistroRaven posted might have been a bit harsh, but I think the key part is that people are paying good money to see them (or anyone these days). Concerts are not cheap these days. I suspect James is doing his best right now based on his capabilities; I just think his voice is shot.  There is no other way to explain the performances we have seen both earlier this year and from this weekend.

Hence why for all bands, it's becoming a no win situation. It's at that point where bands are discussing whether it's even worth touring. What is the point of touring if people are just going to complain and justify their excuses by using capitalist terminology of the product not being worth the price.

Economics is so fun when people don't understand what it means for The Music Industry. It's at that point where Touring and us fans getting to see live music is starting to diminish.

[KevShmev]

I agree that Devin's voice doesn't really fit the song at all, but I like the idea of ending the show in a communal way like that.  It's just that, even with Devin's voice not really fitting the song, it was still miles ahead of how James sounded.

That review that MinistroRaven posted might have been a bit harsh, but I think the key part is that people are paying good money to see them (or anyone these days). Concerts are not cheap these days. I suspect James is doing his best right now based on his capabilities; I just think his voice is shot.  There is no other way to explain the performances we have seen both earlier this year and from this weekend.

Hence why for all bands, it's becoming a no win situation. It's at that point where bands are discussing whether it's even worth touring. What is the point of touring if people are just going to complain and justify their excuses by using capitalist terminology of the product not being worth the price.

Economics is so fun when people don't understand what it means for The Music Industry. It's at that point where Touring and us fans getting to see live music is starting to diminish.

With all due respect, I (or any other fan) do not have justify to anyone what concerts I am going to spend money to see. 

In general, I do not go to as many concerts as I used to.  I skipped two concerts this year that 10 years ago I would have gone to see in a heartbeat (Muse back in the spring, Flaming Lips last week).  I have only gone to one show so far this year (Taylor Swift) and have one on the agenda for this summer (Tears for Fears, on a Thursday night).  I am not going to force myself to go to a bunch of shows just to try and single-handedly save the touring industry.

With regards to Dream Theater, with it being tougher to get fans to show these days, their refusal to even entertain the idea of rotating set lists anymore (even if it is just a few songs per night) seems really tone deaf.  That is the one thing that could probably get some fans to go to multiple shows and/or travel to see them, but they seem oblivious to it.  And I have been on record as saying that the band has done a good job post-Portnoy in mixing the set lists up from tour to tour, but it feels like they need to mix it up a bit.

[Nick]

Honestly, at this point one thing in DT land I'm very thankful for is that they DON'T rotate setlists currently. Back in the day I was thrilled with that as an added benefit to seeing them multiple times. Now I don't want one or two songs I might see be the reason that I am pulled to an additional show I otherwise likely don't want to put my time/money/travel into.

[Ben_Jamin]

I agree that Devin's voice doesn't really fit the song at all, but I like the idea of ending the show in a communal way like that.  It's just that, even with Devin's voice not really fitting the song, it was still miles ahead of how James sounded.

That review that MinistroRaven posted might have been a bit harsh, but I think the key part is that people are paying good money to see them (or anyone these days). Concerts are not cheap these days. I suspect James is doing his best right now based on his capabilities; I just think his voice is shot.  There is no other way to explain the performances we have seen both earlier this year and from this weekend.

Hence why for all bands, it's becoming a no win situation. It's at that point where bands are discussing whether it's even worth touring. What is the point of touring if people are just going to complain and justify their excuses by using capitalist terminology of the product not being worth the price.

Economics is so fun when people don't understand what it means for The Music Industry. It's at that point where Touring and us fans getting to see live music is starting to diminish.

With all due respect, I (or any other fan) do not have justify to anyone what concerts I am going to spend money to see. 

In general, I do not go to as many concerts as I used to.  I skipped two concerts this year that 10 years ago I would have gone to see in a heartbeat (Muse back in the spring, Flaming Lips last week).  I have only gone to one show so far this year (Taylor Swift) and have one on the agenda for this summer (Tears for Fears, on a Thursday night).  I am not going to force myself to go to a bunch of shows just to try and single-handedly save the touring industry.

With regards to Dream Theater, with it being tougher to get fans to show these days, their refusal to even entertain the idea of rotating set lists anymore (even if it is just a few songs per night) seems really tone deaf.  That is the one thing that could probably get some fans to go to multiple shows and/or travel to see them, but they seem oblivious to it.  And I have been on record as saying that the band has done a good job post-Portnoy in mixing the set lists up from tour to tour, but it feels like they need to mix it up a bit.

Well yeah, no one should justify what shows they spend their money on. I also do not go to as many shows as I want to, and am not going to what I want because of pricing. I wish I could go to all of them. It's why I say, the entire Music Touring industry is facing a strenuous situation.

Honestly, I have stated before how spoiled we DT fans have been in regards to setlists. That entire concept and execution was done by Portnoy. Him, alone, is why we all got to experience the mixture of setlists night after night. And this reason is apparent with how Portnoy was able to remember how to play those songs. This doesn't take into account if the other guys remember how to play the songs, have the sound/tone patches programmed into their pedal boards, if Jordan has those song patches programmed into his Keyboards, and so on.

The band also has a vast array to choose from now. And I am sure it's why bands have been touring and basing their setlists on their new albums and songs that please the  audience.

[DoctorAction]

I agree that Devin's voice doesn't really fit the song at all, but I like the idea of ending the show in a communal way like that.  It's just that, even with Devin's voice not really fitting the song, it was still miles ahead of how James sounded.

That review that MinistroRaven posted might have been a bit harsh, but I think the key part is that people are paying good money to see them (or anyone these days). Concerts are not cheap these days. I suspect James is doing his best right now based on his capabilities; I just think his voice is shot.  There is no other way to explain the performances we have seen both earlier this year and from this weekend.

Hence why for all bands, it's becoming a no win situation. It's at that point where bands are discussing whether it's even worth touring. What is the point of touring if people are just going to complain and justify their excuses by using capitalist terminology of the product not being worth the price.

Economics is so fun when people don't understand what it means for The Music Industry. It's at that point where Touring and us fans getting to see live music is starting to diminish.

This isn't about the economics of touring, imo. I read the comment along the lines of "people are paying good money for this" as "this isn't good enough", not as a remark on the current economic climate.

Regardless of the price, it's not good enough, imo.

[Stadler]

I agree that Devin's voice doesn't really fit the song at all, but I like the idea of ending the show in a communal way like that.  It's just that, even with Devin's voice not really fitting the song, it was still miles ahead of how James sounded.

That review that MinistroRaven posted might have been a bit harsh, but I think the key part is that people are paying good money to see them (or anyone these days). Concerts are not cheap these days. I suspect James is doing his best right now based on his capabilities; I just think his voice is shot.  There is no other way to explain the performances we have seen both earlier this year and from this weekend.

Hence why for all bands, it's becoming a no win situation. It's at that point where bands are discussing whether it's even worth touring. What is the point of touring if people are just going to complain and justify their excuses by using capitalist terminology of the product not being worth the price.

Economics is so fun when people don't understand what it means for The Music Industry. It's at that point where Touring and us fans getting to see live music is starting to diminish.

With all due respect, I (or any other fan) do not have justify to anyone what concerts I am going to spend money to see. 

In general, I do not go to as many concerts as I used to.  I skipped two concerts this year that 10 years ago I would have gone to see in a heartbeat (Muse back in the spring, Flaming Lips last week).  I have only gone to one show so far this year (Taylor Swift) and have one on the agenda for this summer (Tears for Fears, on a Thursday night).  I am not going to force myself to go to a bunch of shows just to try and single-handedly save the touring industry.

With regards to Dream Theater, with it being tougher to get fans to show these days, their refusal to even entertain the idea of rotating set lists anymore (even if it is just a few songs per night) seems really tone deaf.  That is the one thing that could probably get some fans to go to multiple shows and/or travel to see them, but they seem oblivious to it.  And I have been on record as saying that the band has done a good job post-Portnoy in mixing the set lists up from tour to tour, but it feels like they need to mix it up a bit.

This is closer to me.  I'm not "not going" because of James.  Honestly, when I'm there, it's not as noticeable as in the "cold light of day" cell phone analyses.  There are other reasons I'm deciding on whether to attend: cost of ticket (I saw the entire Lamb Lies Down On Broadway production put on by a quality band licensed by the real Genesis for about a third of the cost of what I've paid to see DT in two weeks; is DT THREE TIMES better?  I don't know, but it's a fair question), setlist, opening/companion bands.

I have on more than one occasion gone as far as Philadelphia - 4 hours from me one way - but also New York - 2 hours one way - and Boston - 1 1/2 hours one way - to see shows I want to see. I saw JP with Mike twice, once in CT and once in Boston (and I almost went to NY too). The Portnoy prog-is projects (Transatlantic, Neal Morse, Flying Colors, Sons Of Apollo) have gotten me to put that time in.  Wallingford, the long-time venue for DT is a half an hour, and it's not a given I'd go. Back in 2012, they LITERALLY played across the street from me (I lived in an apartment across the street from the Kimmel Center, where they played on the ADTOE tour) and I opted out.  I'm not sure "James" was ever a variable in that equation. I'm still a fan - I have every album, I have every live release, and I've seen them three times since Mike left - but it's not the obsession it was.  There are other things I haven't seen that I want to see; there's nothing "dangerous" or "adventurous" about seeing them now.

[DreamerTV]

While i do agree with some of the things i've read here, i think it's fair to remember that us here represent a very small fragment of DT fanbase, which itself is a small fragment of the general audience that goes to their concerts. I kinda have to remember this to myself to be able to put things in perspective.

That being said, i would like to say that:

- i don't think JLB was by any stretch awful in that TSCO video
- while i don't have the capacity to know what the man is actually going through, his body language sometimes is really frustrating
- this may be the only place on earth where a debate about wheter Devin is a better singer, or his voice is suited to a song thought with JLB voice in mind. Devin has a totally different body, a totally different voice, and he's also 9 years younger. As far as i'm concerned, he's a terrific artist, a force of nature. But the comparison doesn't really make sense.

[bosk1]

- i don't think JLB was by any stretch awful in that TSCO video
- while i don't have the capacity to know what the man is actually going through, his body language sometimes is really frustrating
- this may be the only place on earth where a debate about wheter Devin is a better singer, or his voice is suited to a song thought with JLB voice in mind. Devin has a totally different body, a totally different voice, and he's also 9 years younger. As far as i'm concerned, he's a terrific artist, a force of nature. But the comparison doesn't really make sense.

I agree with your first point, am not sure what the second one means, and as to the third one:  I don't think people are really making a "comparison" per se, but rather just stating that Devin's voice is not a good fit for the song in question.  I mean, when you have multiple singers trading leads in the same song, some level of comparison is natural.  But I don't think it's the focus.  Again, it's just more an observation about Devin's voice sounding out of place, notwithstanding that all the things you say about him are things most would agree with.

[lovethedrake]

James is 60 people.... its prog metal.   Its not like he's singing folk music.   What did you all expect?   

I'm just thrilled that he's still able to do it in the studio. 

Aging is a bummer but I would much rather hear a screeching James Labrie live than have some random guy up there.

John Petrucci is the main reason I love DT but if you took away Labrie my interest level of seeing a DT show would go down significantly.  Even if he couldn't hit one note.

[cramx3]

Maybe it's a reminder for those who want JLB replaced that while there's plenty out there who can sing it, not everyone is going to sound right with DT besides JLB. (I'm not one of those people btw)

Matt Smith would be a fine replacement and MAJOR improvement over JLB in DT.

Matt Smith is amazing.




I kind of feel bad for DT. James cannot sing anymore. He sounds fine on the albums, even great, but sounds like such an amateur live. It's weird. What other bands are dealing with this? I know Vince Neil can't sing, but Motley Crue is a joke. DT is no joke, but I really don't know what they do from here.

Why would you feel bad for them? They're knowingly putting this product out every night and are totally cool with it. They're making records and touring the world still after 30 years and are probably well off. I feel bad for the fans who have spent years yearning for a better vocal performance and that includes me lol.

As for what they do from here? I think it's pretty obvious. They're going to keep doing what they've been doing and pretend like nothing is wrong. They'll sell tickets, signature gear, and merch regardless because this is a very loyal fan base. There is only a few more years to go. They've made their decision: this is about loyalty and friendship. True, it hurts the music but I respect their choice.

You might have hit the nail on the head here.  Regardless of anyone's feelings on JLB, the band is on the sunset of their career.  There's 0 reason for them to rock the boat.

[Stadler]

I finally watched that video. Maybe I'm a kinder soul, but I didn't think it was THAT bad, either at James' level, or Devin being "out of place". 

I think the only thing that I would note is:
- the guy filming screaming "JOHN! JOHN!" into his own video is more annoying than either James or Devin ;
- James' pitchy-ness.  Whether it's prog-metal or folk, it's one thing to not sing with power, but it's another to not be able to hold the note you're going for. I think that's the one legit criticism, even though it doesn't happen all that much, IMO.
- Geddy Lee used to be criticized for "yodeling" in the latter years of Rush; I never really heard that, but James does resort to that voice more frequently here, a voice that I would characterize as "yodeling". That's just a choice, so I'm not really being "critical", but it's not my favorite stylization.

[cramx3]

JP and JR will be on Eddie Trunks youtube show That Rocks tomorrow

https://twitter.com/EddieTrunk/status/1671169484688871426



I'm assuming they'll be talking about the tour which is why I shared here

[DreamerTV]

- i don't think JLB was by any stretch awful in that TSCO video
- while i don't have the capacity to know what the man is actually going through, his body language sometimes is really frustrating
- this may be the only place on earth where a debate about wheter Devin is a better singer, or his voice is suited to a song thought with JLB voice in mind. Devin has a totally different body, a totally different voice, and he's also 9 years younger. As far as i'm concerned, he's a terrific artist, a force of nature. But the comparison doesn't really make sense.

I agree with your first point, am not sure what the second one means, and as to the third one:  I don't think people are really making a "comparison" per se, but rather just stating that Devin's voice is not a good fit for the song in question.  I mean, when you have multiple singers trading leads in the same song, some level of comparison is natural.  But I don't think it's the focus.  Again, it's just more an observation about Devin's voice sounding out of place, notwithstanding that all the things you say about him are things most would agree with.

The second point meant that at times it seems like either he has just given up or that he thinks that what he's doing is perfecly fine.
Again, this could be the farthest from the actual truth, it's just what his performances and his stage presence are telling me.

[Nick]

James is 60 people.

Like, a bunch of babies in a trench coat?

I assume they have to switch out the babies every tour?

I mean, obviously, otherwise he'd be 100ft tall by now.

[pg1067]

James is 60 people.

Like, a bunch of babies in a trench coat?

I assume they have to switch out the babies every tour?

I mean, obviously, otherwise he'd be 100ft tall by now.

[lovethedrake]

James is 60 people.

Like, a bunch of babies in a trench coat?

I assume they have to switch out the babies every tour?

I mean, obviously, otherwise he'd be 100ft tall by now.

Wonderful imagery,  well played haha.

[King Postwhore]

Nick, I'm blown away your math didn't involve kitties. 

[Skeever]

James is 60 people.... its prog metal.   Its not like he's singing folk music.   What did you all expect?   

People here do NOT get this, at all. It's ironic, because one reason people claim that they like DT and prog music is because it has "complex melodies", but sadly, most people can not really tell the difference in sophistication between what James is charged to do on, say, "The Alien", from what the other James has to sing on "Enter Sandman". Just an observation I've made during my time hear, seeing James negatively compared to all sorts of singers, without ever appreciating just how much more involved his parts typically are than those of, say, James Hetfield of Bruce Dickinson.