A Broken Man - Out December 3rd

[TAC]

Very conflicted as always.

Right?

Ultimately we aren't in that much of a different position from when the first View singles dropped.

You had one in IM that many people were bummed by and another in TA that everyone thought was just by the books (I thought so too until I gave it more time). The full album is almost always better than the singles.

I can get on board with this pretty much.

These songs have a lot to digest right off the bat, and that's actually something I appreciate. The Alien is one of my favorite Mangini Era tracks, and I feel like I made a breakthrough with A Broken Man this morning. Lots to unpack for sure.

I can't feel the Portnoy style. It's all over Mangini. (Don't mean it is a bad thing.)

I actually feel the same thing. There's MPisms for sure, but I feel like I've never heard him so busy. That's great as far as I'm concerned. I wonder if he felt internally or subconsciously challenged for this album, because I feel like he's gone to another level.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Can't comment on Opeth, but DT is fighting for their life with this one. So like, you can't just go back to the well (boring), but now is not the time to take some esoteric risk that doesn't pan out.

The people are showing up to the concerts now, but you can't hit the Portnoy returns angle more than once. They either need to show they still got it or they will be relegated to nostalgia act.

This is actually in line with the point I was making. There's always a palpable aspect of "business decision" in what Dream Theater does, minus The Astonishing. I get it. They still generally make awesome music. I want them to do well.

But while it would be naïve for me to claim that Opeth, for example, don't care about the business side of things, Mikael tends to make way more choices that are genuinely fascinating and unpredictable. There's a stark contrast in approach that is kind of highlighted more for me because of the proximity of their new album releases.

[emtee]

Here's where I am with DT. Anything from here on out is a gift. Nobody in the band is seriously sick or passed on. We have a huge discography of amazing creativity. I'm just grateful to have 1 more album. Even if it doesn't land in the top 5, that's fine. There will be songs I enjoy hearing from the new album until I croak. I'm just going to soak it in and be thankful. Life is short...

[ReaPsTA]

This is actually in line with the point I was making. There's always a palpable aspect of "business decision" in what Dream Theater does, minus The Astonishing. I get it. They still generally make awesome music. I want them to do well.

But while it would be naïve for me to claim that Opeth, for example, don't care about the business side of things, Mikael tends to make way more choices that are genuinely fascinating and unpredictable. There's a stark contrast in approach that is kind of highlighted more for me because of the proximity of their new album releases.

Sometimes you need to make the album for handling business.

The problem is, even when DT doesn't need to make those albums, they tend to play it way too safe.

[Northern Lion]

Here's where I am with DT. Anything from here on out is a gift. Nobody in the band is seriously sick or passed on. We have a huge discography of amazing creativity. I'm just grateful to have 1 more album. Even if it doesn't land in the top 5, that's fine. There will be songs I enjoy hearing from the new album until I croak. I'm just going to soak it in and be thankful. Life is short...

100%!

[evilasiojr]

If they insist on doing these kind of videos, I'd prefer lyric videos. I enjoy following along with the lyrics as I'm listening to a song in general. 

Speaking of which, here are the lyrics.

Dream Theater – A Broken Man Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

So would you say the final remedy this guy found was... taking his own life? That was the impression I was left with.

[Stadler]

Couple thoughts:

- I also agree that judging the record off two digital-only singles is a fool's game.  I can't name a time I've LOVED the digital releases and later didn't like the album or didn't like it as much. It's been always the reverse to me; I hated Tattoo when VH first released it, and later the album was my album of the year and I actually dig Tattoo a lot now; I think it's a very creative song and a great Dave lyric.
- I am with Emtee that everything now is a sort of bonus. I love that the band is back together in the classic incarnation and I'm going to ride this as long as I can.
- I see a lot of "Iron Maiden" in this endeavor, when Bruce came back.  Brave New World had a couple moments of longer songs - a remnant from the Blaze era, in my view - but there wasn't a TON on BNW that you couldn't tie back to No Prayer/Fear Of The Dark, as opposed to them making "Number of the Beast Again".
- I think it's unfair a bit to say that DT is too focused on the commercial; they're not Opeth (and thank god for that).  I think this is reflective of their influences.  They are essentially a band that has it's roots in Rush, Maiden, Yes, Zeppelin, Floyd, Deep Purple, Metallica... except for Rush they are (or were) all STADIUM ACTS.  This is the music that informs them.  I think you get sprinkles of other things - growls, whatnot - but this isn't them selling out, this is them playing to their DNA.  It's one of the reasons I like them; I'm not going to DT to hear avant garde music vérité, I'm going to hear Steve Perry singing over Iron Maiden playing with Rick Wakeman, more or less. 

[Wukong]

I have my doubts that AI was used in the visualizer now.

[TAC]

Here's where I am with DT. Anything from here on out is a gift. Nobody in the band is seriously sick or passed on. We have a huge discography of amazing creativity. I'm just grateful to have 1 more album. Even if it doesn't land in the top 5, that's fine. There will be songs I enjoy hearing from the new album until I croak. I'm just going to soak it in and be thankful. Life is short...

I totally agree. I don't need to love every song. Hell, I never loved every song in their so called Classic Period.

[Awaken]

Here's where I am with DT. Anything from here on out is a gift. Nobody in the band is seriously sick or passed on. We have a huge discography of amazing creativity. I'm just grateful to have 1 more album. Even if it doesn't land in the top 5, that's fine. There will be songs I enjoy hearing from the new album until I croak. I'm just going to soak it in and be thankful. Life is short...

Perfectly stated

[Northern Lion]

I have my doubts that AI was used in the visualizer now.

How so?

Personally, I don't mind if they used AI in the video.  I think the video is really good and flows well with the song.  And even if it was partly/mostly/completely AI generated, it was still directed.

[TAC]

- I think it's unfair a bit to say that DT is too focused on the commercial; they're not Opeth (and thank god for that).  I think this is reflective of their influences.  They are essentially a band that has it's roots in Rush, Maiden, Yes, Zeppelin, Floyd, Deep Purple, Metallica... except for Rush they are (or were) all STADIUM ACTS.  This is the music that informs them.  I think you get sprinkles of other things - growls, whatnot - but this isn't them selling out, this is them playing to their DNA. It's one of the reasons I like them; I'm not going to DT to hear avant garde music vérité, I'm going to hear Steve Perry singing over Iron Maiden playing with Rick Wakeman, more or less.

I totally agree with this. I mean, these new songs are anything but commercial. I know MP talks about "the fans", but DT seems pretty selfish in the studio. And that's a good thing.

[mikeyd23]

Overall - I like the song, but I don't love it. Maybe it will grow with more listens. I think this and NT are clearly showing us what modern DT with MP sounds like.

*The mix is terrible.
*I like drum composition but don't like how it sounds. Again, maybe the mix problem.

This has been my biggest struggle with both singles. I really think highly of Andy Sneap, he's one of my favorite mixers, but the mix on these songs sound...unfinished. That's the best way I can describe what I'm hearing. Like someone threw a blanket over my speakers.

On a positive note, I do agree that JP's solo on this is outstanding, the whole instrumental section with the JR solo that builds through different sections is nice and James sounds good as well. This is a song that is focused more in his comfortable range, which is great.

[Wukong]

How so?

Personally, I don't mind if they used AI in the video.  I think the video is really good and flows well with the song.  And even if it was partly/mostly/completely AI generated, it was still directed.

People are pointing out that the faces and fingers look weird, but I think it's supposedly to be ghastly on purpose, just like the Opeth visualizer for S1. It goes with the vibe.

Still have not heard the song but will watch the visualizer a few more times to get a better feel for it before the album comes out.

[TAC]

Still have not heard the song but will watch the visualizer a few more times to get a better feel for it before the album comes out.

You you've watched the visualizer, but not heard the song? 

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

You you've watched the visualizer, but not heard the song? 

It's an evolution on how kids and millennials that are actually still children like to go rawdoggin' on the plane

[Zydar]

People just don't have the time for music anymore. Visualizers is the new shit, get with the program TAC!

[MoraWintersoul]

People are pointing out that the faces and fingers look weird, but I think it's supposedly to be ghastly on purpose, just like the Opeth visualizer for S1. It goes with the vibe.

This is an excuse. When we have an AI that is actually available of generating non-weird humans, suddenly you will stop getting these "ghastly on purpose" visuals. All artists want good visuals, but they don't want them enough to hire a human to do all of their visuals. The eerie vibe could easily be accomplished by a human artist by using shadow, color, perspective, and the humans in these images would have all their fingers and they would have normal proportions, because that's not what makes them "ghastly".

[Wukong]

You you've watched the visualizer, but not heard the song? 

Yeah so let me explain...

I've been watching the visualizer on mute, like a kind of meditation.

I sit in a quiet spot, just watching the colors and shapes move. There's this soldier that keeps appearing, from both World Wars. Sometimes he looks younger, sometimes older, and each version feels heavy in its own way... As I watch, I try to feel the rhythm of the visuals, imagining what the music might sound like...

When I go to bed, I keep thinking about the images. I try to remember them as I'm falling asleep, letting them play out in my mind. It's almost like meditating on them, focusing on the details—the soldier's expressions, the changes in his age, the way the colors shift. I let the visuals stir up whatever emotions they bring, and I just sit with it. It's strange, but it almost feels like I can hear the song in my head before it even plays. The music feels like it's already building up in my mind. It's this slow buildup, this quiet moment before everything comes together. I'm almost experiencing it before it happens.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Here's where I am with DT. Anything from here on out is a gift. Nobody in the band is seriously sick or passed on. We have a huge discography of amazing creativity. I'm just grateful to have 1 more album. Even if it doesn't land in the top 5, that's fine. There will be songs I enjoy hearing from the new album until I croak. I'm just going to soak it in and be thankful. Life is short...

Great post! I know I've sounded a bit critical over the past day or so, but I've enjoyed the two new songs so far and I'm so thankful to have these guys still around. Their music means a lot to me and there's always something special when this group comes together. I'm seriously jazzed to hear the new album in full.

[TAC]

Thing thin with the art is....what kind of shortcuts are the band taking, as a philosophical question.

They went from recording with tape to pro tools to whatever the hell they use now. Each one of the steps created a shortcut.

With the art, is it really a big deal to give the prompts to a human artist rather than a computer artist or AI guy? At the end of the day, the Band has to approve it to be representative of themselves.

I haven't watched the visualizer, but the thumbnail looks pretty cool.

Of course, I think all of the movie CGI effects look so fake. Give me the guy in a Godzilla suit walking across a toy train set anyday. It actually looked more real.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Yeah so let me explain...

I've been watching the visualizer on mute, like a kind of meditation.

I sit in a quiet spot, just watching the colors and shapes move. There's this soldier that keeps appearing, from both World Wars. Sometimes he looks younger, sometimes older, and each version feels heavy in its own way... As I watch, I try to feel the rhythm of the visuals, imagining what the music might sound like...

When I go to bed, I keep thinking about the images. I try to remember them as I'm falling asleep, letting them play out in my mind. It's almost like meditating on them, focusing on the details—the soldier's expressions, the changes in his age, the way the colors shift. I let the visuals stir up whatever emotions they bring, and I just sit with it. It's strange, but it almost feels like I can hear the song in my head before it even plays. The music feels like it's already building up in my mind. It's this slow buildup, this quiet moment before everything comes together. I'm almost experiencing it before it happens.

Do you see the honkey tonk blues part in your mind's eye as well?

[Dedalus]

I totally agree with this. I mean, these new songs are anything but commercial.

Of course, no one is saying that DT wants to reach the masses and be the most played song of the week on Spotify. That's not going to happen.

But just look back. When did DT reach their peak of popularity? Well, when JP, MP, JM, JLB and JR were making really heavy records with undeniable appeal to heavy metal fans who probably weren't as attracted to what they were doing before.

On A View they were already aiming for that direction again. There's not a single ballad, a lot of chugga riffs, heaviness, etc. And now they have MP back, which allows a whole segment of those who couldn't listen to DT to now be able to listen to it again.

We'll have to wait for the album to come out to find out what it's like in full. We already know that there's a power ballad, because noxon told us. What we also know is that the two singles again bet on the "we're DT heavy metal as hell... and now with MP back!" So I think the comments are along those lines, that they are placing their chips on the safest bet.

[genome]

I like it more overall than Night Terror, but the chorus is stronger in NT than ABM.

Great instrumental section. The jazzy solo caught me off guard and I love when Dream Theater do that. Reminds me of the first time I heard the ragtime section in TDOE.

[Shooters1221]

I actually like the visualizer as a whole, especially the middle bluesy section, which indicates taking your mind off the WAR when not fighting, like playing cards, drinking, dancing, it leans to the audio making more sense in the song. LOVE THIS TUNE!!

[Stadler]

Overall - I like the song, but I don't love it. Maybe it will grow with more listens. I think this and NT are clearly showing us what modern DT with MP sounds like.

This has been my biggest struggle with both singles. I really think highly of Andy Sneap, he's one of my favorite mixers, but the mix on these songs sound...unfinished. That's the best way I can describe what I'm hearing. Like someone threw a blanket over my speakers.

On a positive note, I do agree that JP's solo on this is outstanding, the whole instrumental section with the JR solo that builds through different sections is nice and James sounds good as well. This is a song that is focused more in his comfortable range, which is great.

Mikey, do you generally get good sound from these types of releases?  Honest question. 

I really avoid if I can judging the sounds and mixes from these YouTube videos. I don't know if it's me, or my systems, or what, but I've found that there is a MARKED difference between that and what I hear on my two "good" (let's say "trusted") systems in my house: the car (I have a high end BMW system) and my Denon home unit. 

[Stadler]

Of course, no one is saying that DT wants to reach the masses and be the most played song of the week on Spotify. That's not going to happen.

But just look back. When did DT reach their peak of popularity? Well, when JP, MP, JM, JLB and JR were making really heavy records with undeniable appeal to heavy metal fans who probably weren't as attracted to what they were doing before.

On A View they were already aiming for that direction again. There's not a single ballad, a lot of chugga riffs, heaviness, etc. And now they have MP back, which allows a whole segment of those who couldn't listen to DT to now be able to listen to it again.

We'll have to wait for the album to come out to find out what it's like in full. We already know that there's a power ballad, because noxon told us. What we also know is that the two singles again bet on the "we're DT heavy metal as hell... and now with MP back!" So I think the comments are along those lines, that they are placing their chips on the safest bet.

No criticism to you, but even as one of the people that tends to the lighter side of things - I send "Motorhead" in every roulette that asks for "extreme metal", haha! - even I'm not all in on "this is METAL!!!!     " angle.  I don't go to DT for "metal", and yet I like this.  It's uptempo, it's powerful, but I don't know that it's "metal".

[mikeyd23]

Mikey, do you generally get good sound from these types of releases?  Honest question. 

I really avoid if I can judging the sounds and mixes from these YouTube videos. I don't know if it's me, or my systems, or what, but I've found that there is a MARKED difference between that and what I hear on my two "good" (let's say "trusted") systems in my house: the car (I have a high end BMW system) and my Denon home unit.

No - I'm with you, usually the car is where I judge these things best, since I listen to so much music in it. My comments were based on streaming the song on Apple Music in the car a few times yesterday. Pretty familiar listening environmental for me, I agree though, never use YouTube as a source of truth in terms of production.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a terrible mix by any means, I just expected better coming from Sneap. Especially with the return of MP on drums, I historically like his drum sounds.

[Stadler]

Agreed on the latter part.  100%.

[genome]

No - I'm with you, usually the car is where I judge these things best, since I listen to so much music in it. My comments were based on streaming the song on Apple Music in the car a few times yesterday. Pretty familiar listening environmental for me, I agree though, never use YouTube as a source of truth in terms of production.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a terrible mix by any means, I just expected better coming from Sneap. Especially with the return of MP on drums, I historically like his drum sounds.

I quite like the drums, although they are very typically modern metal. It's actually the guitar tone for me that I'm not digging. Seems a bit woofy and doesn't lock in with the drums.

[mikeyd23]

I quite like the drums, although they are very typically modern metal. It's actually the guitar tone for me that I'm not digging. Seems a bit woofy and doesn't lock in with the drums.

I get that about the guitar. I disagree about the drums, most modern metal drum mixes either completely replace the kick and snare with samples, or at the very least, supplement with samples. These drums sound very raw in that regard, to my ear, they sound pretty natural, like what a drum mix sounds like before samples are layered in to add polish and consistency. I'm not saying one approach is better or worse, but I don't think these sound like typical modern metal drums, which for the record is fine with me. Something just seems muddy and off about the mix in general.

[Progmaniac1988]

Final thoughts on the song,
Musically I'm loving it, and I'd say the song is a 7ish out of 10 for me.

This is 100% because I feel vocally there is nothing memorable. It's not a bad performance by James. It just adds nothing to the song.

I'd say for me this was the main issue with VFTTOTW. The lack of memorable (for me) vocal melodies made an album that could have been a 9/10 a 7/10 for me. I feel like JP is starting to struggle to write musical sections that are fitting for catchy vocal melodies. DT is a band that always had amazing memorable vocal sections so it's just a tad disappointing for me.

But I have hope, because I believe JLB's vocals in night terror are MUCH better than broken man. So maybe the rest of the album will have better vocal parts in general. There's still hope! lol

I'm not worried about this album being musically awesome, I'm just hoping a subpar vocal performance/arrangement don't knock a 9/10 album down to a 7/10 or lower again...

[illusionist]

Haven't listened to either of the singles.
But for all those who heard them once or twice and say they are bad, awful, or a disgrace to the human kind.
Guys started writing February 8.
The album was handed to the label 7 months later.
All this time, the guys were in the studio, working, writing and rewriting some parts, trying to figure out how to make the best possible songs.
In this time period, they (especially JP as the producer) altered some parts and micro details and listened to the album probably hundreds of times.
Do you still think that what the guys created in 7 months time you were able to unravel in one listens or two, and have already a strong opinion about their new singles?

[cramx3]

You know what? When I look at this still image, their use of obvious AI makes a ton of sense.

Would anyone like to guess why I think the use of AI makes sense?

The same reason I used it to make my icon.  It's cheap, quick, and easy.

First off, the album is called Parasomnia, it's about nightmares and dreams. These dreams can feel very real, there's even moments where what may seem impossible or improbable occurs within the dream/nightmare. Things can be distorted, like faces, objects, and even slurred speech.

I actually thought that may be the case with the video, but compared to the rest of the images, it feels like a stretch (even the cups are distorted).  It's also weird that some of the images of the people are real and some are fake. 

If they insist on doing these kind of videos, I'd prefer lyric videos. I enjoy following along with the lyrics as I'm listening to a song in general. 

Yeah, if it's not going to be a traditional music video, then the visualizers are kind of pointless.  Might as well do a lyric video so you can sing along.  Sometimes the visualizers are nice and even this one really isn't that far off from just being a traditional music video though. I think if they labelled it as "Official video" vs. "official visualizer" I wouldn't of thought twice about it.

I listened to the song a few more times and it is slowly growing on me, but I think my initial thoughts still feel the same.

[Wukong]

Do you see the honkey tonk blues part in your mind's eye as well?

Be gentle with spoilers, but does that happen to be the part that corresponds to the section of the video where the soldiers are laughing and playing cards? As I meditate on the visual, that part always makes me think of the ragtime section of The Dance of Eternity, though sometimes I also think of "Back on my feet again" or the moaning section of Home.