Dream Theater announces 16th Studio Album - Parasomnia

[The Letter M]

You do see his amount of posts? 

You must be new here. Welcome to the forums!

/HoSoJo

-Marc.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Your post about goth vibes reminded me of a great music reviewer I used to read a lot of back in the day, Lady Obscura. Great content!

https://ladyobscure.com/category/album-reviews/

[Dream Team]

Just dropping in to say that it's not a coincidence that Hugh Syme and Hovering Sojourn have the same initials

If you were generated by AI, suddenly a lot of things make sense.

[King Postwhore]

I believe it's a running joke at this point.

Yup. Can't go by my post counts anymore. Hef did me rotten as a joke. LOL

[Kocak]

If I were to imagine a sequel track to Invisible Monster, this would be it.

[hunnus2000]

DT finally has new music and all we DTF can do is bitch about the artwork? 

[hunnus2000]

If I were to imagine a sequel track to Invisible Monster, this would be it.

Agreed.

[mrpmrpmrpmrp]

LET'S GOOOOOOO!!! What a gift.

Also: a concept record w a fresh approach. May we all remember this as a golden era for the band.

[XJDenton]

DT finally has new music and all we DTF can do is bitch about the artwork? 

Most of it has been reasonable critique, and there's been plenty of discussion of the music as well.

[Progmaniac1988]

All I know is this, I love the single, dig the vibe of the album and we got this album coming in Feb! So I'm excited and so should all you! Lol

Missed petrucci's riffage more like this single. Not a HUGE fan of all chugging riffs on the last couple albums. I've missed Portnoys drums so much! And I gotta say this is the catchiest Labrie has sounded in a DT chorus in I don't know how long lol

[hefdaddy42]

I watched the video clip but muted since i want to listen to the album as a whole when it does come out.
My first observation is that i don't like this dark/eerie/goth vibe by them.
There are many bands that play doom/black/goth rock/metal and it's their signature style.
I have always had DT in my mind connected to more bright colours, like the ACoS cover.
Their music is (or used to be, or I'm way more interested in) lyrical and poetic.
Ok they've done SFaM, which was a dark album but not gothic, they've done ToT which was balls to the wall, they've done ANTR, which was like a thriller soundtrack, in the last 15 years they have gone the heavier route, but still.
I want Dream Theater music to be (progressive and) beautiful and uplifting, more like Breaking all illusions, Barstool Warrior, Transcending Time, most of TA, etc.
I don't know why they chose this path again, did it come out of them organically or did they force it, I'm very curious to learn.
I also don't like the cover artwork, trying to like it but i find it difficult.
It seems like AI generated, like many of you have said, and it doesn't seem like someone really put the effort to make it special.
It may be fitting for the theme of the album, but it won't go down as one of their memorable ones, at first sight.
Of course my first impressions have nothing to do with the actual music, which i really hope to be more diverse than just heavy and dark.
I wanted them to have some emotional songs, passages, melodies and solos, but i don't know how they can be integrated into this parasomnia concept.

This is an awful lot to write about a band's new output without even listening to the new song.

Come on, man.

[lovethedrake]

I watched the video clip but muted since i want to listen to the album as a whole when it does come out.
My first observation is that i don't like this dark/eerie/goth vibe by them.
There are many bands that play doom/black/goth rock/metal and it's their signature style.
I have always had DT in my mind connected to more bright colours, like the ACoS cover.
Their music is (or used to be, or I'm way more interested in) lyrical and poetic.
Ok they've done SFaM, which was a dark album but not gothic, they've done ToT which was balls to the wall, they've done ANTR, which was like a thriller soundtrack, in the last 15 years they have gone the heavier route, but still.
I want Dream Theater music to be (progressive and) beautiful and uplifting, more like Breaking all illusions, Barstool Warrior, Transcending Time, most of TA, etc.
I don't know why they chose this path again, did it come out of them organically or did they force it, I'm very curious to learn.
I also don't like the cover artwork, trying to like it but i find it difficult.
It seems like AI generated, like many of you have said, and it doesn't seem like someone really put the effort to make it special.
It may be fitting for the theme of the album, but it won't go down as one of their memorable ones, at first sight.
Of course my first impressions have nothing to do with the actual music, which i really hope to be more diverse than just heavy and dark.
I wanted them to have some emotional songs, passages, melodies and solos, but i don't know how they can be integrated into this parasomnia concept.
Anyway, i hope we'll get a progressive album moreso than a dark one.
The feeling of DT announcing a new album is always special, and i can recall all their previous announcements from SFaM and how they impacted me mentally and emotionally.
On a lighter note, i really like the new Majesty logo in the middle of the guitar frets, and didn't anyone else notice the dark keys of JR??

I agree in the bright vibe, I was hoping for SDOIT type stuff. 

This single sounds like invisible monster pt 2 with more wanking.

It's not bad but I agree that I would have preferred DT avoid the gothic vibe route.  Oh well.

[Metro]

I do like the title, and I will say I'm glad it's not Metropolis Pt.3
That would have been the ultimate jumping the shark moment in DT history.

You've gotta at least photoshop a sloth into this album cover before you go!

Just as much effort as Hugh Syme

[lovethedrake]

If I were to imagine a sequel track to Invisible Monster, this would be it.

Haha I just posted this same thing without seeing your comment!

[lovethedrake]

This is an awful lot to write about a band's new output without even listening to the new song.

Come on, man.

You're right but the new song is exactly what you would expect from
 The gothic vibe, so his instincts are spot on

[hefdaddy42]

I do like the title, and I will say I'm glad it's not Metropolis Pt.3
That would have been the ultimate jumping the shark moment in DT history.



Just as much effort as Hugh Syme

[jayvee3]

Song is killer, and I'm really digging the vibe and the album artwork. Sounds like a really great energy and the song titles and track lengths look right up my ally. 

[twosuitsluke]

I do like the title, and I will say I'm glad it's not Metropolis Pt.3
That would have been the ultimate jumping the shark moment in DT history.



Just as much effort as Hugh Syme

You're hired.

[jayvee3]

Double post

[Kocak]

Haha I just posted this same thing without seeing your comment!

It's uncanny, really.

[fadetoblackdude7]

Did anyone notice that the album will come out almost a year to the day that they entered the studio? Interesting

[Max Kuehnau]

was the case with View too. The difference is that View is brilliant. This is not.

[The Letter M]

Anyone else think "Are We Dreaming?" is a bridging track or segue between the two songs around it? It would make for a solid suite of songs in Side 3 of the vinyl.

-Marc.

[CraftyCaleb2483]

Awesome! Listening to the track right now, reminds me a bit of DT12

[CraftyCaleb2483]

The difference is that View is brilliant. This is not.

It's already sounding better than View!

[SeRoX]

I don't get the dark vibe at all, it's just plain wanky and heavy sound. To me DT has only one dark sound in their album and that is Awake just because Moore's input.

[MirrorMask]

Now the dilemma begins: Are We Dreaming is the outro to Midnight Messiah, the intro to Bend the Clock, or a standalone short song like The Answer?

[The Letter M]

Now the dilemma begins: Are We Dreaming is the outro to Midnight Messiah, the intro to Bend the Clock, or a standalone short song like The Answer?

Or...

Anyone else think "Are We Dreaming?" is a bridging track or segue between the two songs around it? It would make for a solid suite of songs in Side 3 of the vinyl.

-Marc.

-Marc.

[jammindude]

Re: AI

Every time a new technology emerges, we get these exact same arguments. Anyone remember the NO SYNTHS movement of the late 70s/early 80s?

I'm forced to quote The Professor: "All this machinery making modern music can still be openhearted. Not so boldly charted, it's really just a question of your honesty."

I still view AI as a paintbrush. And the artwork is only as good as the mind that drives it. I do think that Hugh Syme has gotten lazy and feels like he's just patching things together haphazardly. But AI is a tool. A good artist who cares about his work can use AI to create a framework that he can mold into something incredible. The question is, when AI hands you a lump of clay, do you just turn in the lump of clay as a finished product? Or do you mold it into something credible?

I use AI to write most of my emails these days. But I do not just say, "Hey AI! Write me a letter." Instead I say, "Hey AI, I need a professional sounding letter that addresses such and such a subject, and here's the background information and all the different parameters I want to appear in this letter." Then I take the IDEA that it gives me, and I reshape it into something that feels more like me.

I believe AI can do the same with art.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

So excited for the new album. The new song rocks. MP is back home. All is well! 

[Stadler]

Hugh gonna Hugh

Now that's how you Hugh!

[Pebsie]

Re: AI

Every time a new technology emerges, we get these exact same arguments. Anyone remember the NO SYNTHS movement of the late 70s/early 80s?

If synths contributed to climate change and were destroying an entire industry then this would hold up. It's more akin to vinyl vs Spotify, if Spotify was entirely stolen music, consumed 400ml of water every time someone listened to a song and encouraged people to stop listening to music made by humans. 

[jammindude]

If you were generated by AI, suddenly a lot of things make sense.

 

[joevaicci]

So when do we vote for the new album's abbreviation?    I'd go with 'PS'

[ReaPsTA]

Re: AI

Every time a new technology emerges, we get these exact same arguments. Anyone remember the NO SYNTHS movement of the late 70s/early 80s?

I'm forced to quote The Professor: "All this machinery making modern music can still be openhearted. Not so boldly charted, it's really just a question of your honesty."

I still view AI as a paintbrush. And the artwork is only as good as the mind that drives it. I do think that Hugh Syme has gotten lazy and feels like he's just patching things together haphazardly. But AI is a tool. A good artist who cares about his work can use AI to create a framework that he can mold into something incredible. The question is, when AI hands you a lump of clay, do you just turn in the lump of clay as a finished product? Or do you mold it into something credible?

I use AI to write most of my emails these days. But I do not just say, "Hey AI! Write me a letter." Instead I say, "Hey AI, I need a professional sounding letter that addresses such and such a subject, and here's the background information and all the different parameters I want to appear in this letter." Then I take the IDEA that it gives me, and I reshape it into something that feels more like me.

I believe AI can do the same with art.

There's a line out there that goes something like, AI will do with intellectual work what industrialization did with physical work. It turns out that most silverware does not need to be artisinally made, nor does a stock photo for a LinkedIn essay.

I have more mixed feelings about AI being used as a tool to create "real art". But, really, what's the difference between using a brick texture and adjusting some settings on it vs. using an AI fill brush. I think over time it will land in a better place.

But then, of course...

Hugh gonna Hugh