Official Parasomnia album discussion thread ***SPOILERS***

[NoFred]

Still loving the album, only critique is Night Terror/A Broken Man/Midnight Messiah all seem to fill the same spot for me and it gets monotonous. Would take Night Terror and rework the other two for a better start-to-end listen.

Dead Asleep's lyrics come across as they were written in crayon, as in they didn't even try to be good. Doesn't bother me though, is an awesome song.

The guitar tone in BTC really compliments JLB's warmth in a way the band hasn't leaned into before, and the astonishing-esque chorus in TSMI is pretty great. Agreed those two are vocal standouts.

[emtee]

Sometimes that solo in BTC just melts me. That whole song is top tier DT. I wish I could have been in the same room as the band while listening to the final mix-down...there HAD to be some shared emotion and gratitude when BTC came on. It's a powerful, emotional song!

[KevShmev]

Sometimes that solo in BTC just melts me. That whole song is top tier DT. I wish I could have been in the same room as the band while listening to the final mix-down...there HAD to be some shared emotion and gratitude when BTC came on. It's a powerful, emotional song!

I wish someone would have been there to tell JP to slow down in the spots where he shreds for seemingly no reason, but otherwise I agree that the solo in Bend the Clock is pretty great.  I am just worn out with the random shred spots in otherwise super emotional solos, but that is my cross to bear, I suppose.

[Progmaniac1988]

Still loving the album, only critique is Night Terror/A Broken Man/Midnight Messiah all seem to fill the same spot for me and it gets monotonous. Would take Night Terror and rework the other two for a better start-to-end listen.

Dead Asleep's lyrics come across as they were written in crayon, as in they didn't even try to be good. Doesn't bother me though, is an awesome song.

The guitar tone in BTC really compliments JLB's warmth in a way the band hasn't leaned into before, and the astonishing-esque chorus in TSMI is pretty great. Agreed those two are vocal standouts.

If I could change ANYTHING about the album I'd remove midnight messiah and have a more epic proggy song instead. I do love the song, but I'd say it's the weakest point. For the reasons you said, I think a more prog Rock/Metal song would have mixed things up nicely. Something like "the great debate" or "Home".

I still love the whole album, and luckily AWD, BTC, and TSMI all come at just the right time to keep my attention to finishing the whole album.

[Ben_Jamin]

Bend The Clock is officially a top 5 song for me.

Everything about it resonates with me and ironically I enjoy listening to it while im laying down.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Sometimes that solo in BTC just melts me. That whole song is top tier DT. I wish I could have been in the same room as the band while listening to the final mix-down...there HAD to be some shared emotion and gratitude when BTC came on. It's a powerful, emotional song!

It's a great solo. What I'm still not sure about is whether it actually fits with the song for me. For some reason, BTC feels like a two-parter: Phase one is an all-time great DT power ballad, and phase two is the solo. I don't feel the same way about Comfortably Numb, as an example. And I can't quite put a finger on why.

[nobloodyname]

The solo doesn't feel like it goes anywhere to me. Simple as that, really.

[wolfking]

I wish someone would have been there to tell JP to slow down in the spots where he shreds for seemingly no reason, but otherwise I agree that the solo in Bend the Clock is pretty great.  I am just worn out with the random shred spots in otherwise super emotional solos, but that is my cross to bear, I suppose.

I get it.  I think the solo is pretty good but not one of JP's best.  It has some nice recurring themes but seems a bit more random then a lot of his solos.  Personally, I hate the ascending shredding part at the end.  It bugs the shit out of me.

[wolfking]

The one thing that annoys me about the lyrics in Dead Asleep is that he goes to trial and gets found not guilty?  WTF?!  He confessed to murdering his wife but because he was sleepwalking or whatever when he did it he's not responsible at all and totally innocent?! 

[TAC]

The one thing that annoys me about the lyrics in Dead Asleep is that he goes to trial and gets found not guilty?  WTF?!  He confessed to murdering his wife but because he was sleepwalking or whatever when he did it he's not responsible at all and totally innocent?! 

For sure. I actually like the premise of the plot, but they definitely don't land the plane.

[wolfking]

For sure. I actually like the premise of the plot, but they definitely don't land the plane.

Agree.  With the theme of the album, I have no issue with the story on this one at all, but that ending is so dumb and comes out of nowhere.  Like the band were trying to come up with a happy ending for the sake of it.  So clunky and cringe.

[TAC]

Agree.  With the theme of the album, I have no issue with the story on this one at all, but that ending is so dumb and comes out of nowhere.  Like the band were trying to come up with a happy ending for the sake of it.  So clunky and cringe.

The should've just had him wake up and find his wife sound asleep.

[dualpalmpilots]

I have no problem with Dead Asleep or the lyrics. But I love this album blindly.

[wolfking]

The should've just had him wake up and find his wife sound asleep.

That's what I was thinking, make it either a dream or simply he descends into more of a downward spiral hoping it was a dream each night which would lead nicely into MM.

[TAC]

That's what I was thinking, make it either a dream or simply he descends into more of a downward spiral hoping it was a dream each night which would lead nicely into MM.

[Revenge319]

Agree.  With the theme of the album, I have no issue with the story on this one at all, but that ending is so dumb and comes out of nowhere.  Like the band were trying to come up with a happy ending for the sake of it.  So clunky and cringe.

I'd argue that having the man considered guilty and sentenced to prison/death would've made the story needlessly depressing. He unknowingly killed his wife in his sleep and obviously never wanted to do it, I think it's a logical conclusion that the authorities would determine that he had no murderous intent and let him go free (especially with how terrifying and traumatic the aftermath of it was for him).

[Schurftkut]

but the story is based on a RL event, and he was aquitted

[sfam2112]

but the story is based on a RL event, and he was aquitted

Wow. You're right. I just looked it up. 😳😮

[wolfking]

but the story is based on a RL event, and he was aquitted

Wait, really? 

[hefdaddy42]

but the story is based on a RL event, and he was aquitted

True, but that doesn't necessarily mean the song had to go that way.

I don't care either way, just saying.

[Northern Lion]

but the story is based on a RL event, and he was aquitted

I like how JP does that sometimes.  If I remember right, I believe Puruvian Skies was also based on a true story, as well as The Count of Tuscany and A Nightmare to Remember.  And maybe there are others that I'm not aware of.

[Schurftkut]

I like how JP does that sometimes.  If I remember right, I believe Puruvian Skies was also based on a true story, as well as The Count of Tuscany and A Nightmare to Remember.  And maybe there are others that I'm not aware of.

take away my pain, room 137, vacant, the best of times...

[bosk1]

I'm not sure what the supposed problem is with the lyrics.  I think they're great.  BUT...

The should've just had him wake up and find his wife sound asleep.

Now THAT would have been a fun and interesting twist.  Or to take it one step farther:  He wakes up and finds his wife sound asleep...as he lays there with a knife in his chest and slowly expires...

[TAC]

I'm not sure what the supposed problem is with the lyrics.  I think they're great.  BUT...
Now THAT would have been a fun and interesting twist.  Or to take it one step farther:  He wakes up and finds his wife sound asleep...as he lays there with a knife in his chest and slowly expires...

Yes, exactly.  Also thought of that as well.

[Kram]

I get it.  I think the solo is pretty good but not one of JP's best.  It has some nice recurring themes but seems a bit more random then a lot of his solos.  Personally, I hate the ascending shredding part at the end.  It bugs the shit out of me.

I actually like that part, and I've been critical of his "out of place shred" in the past (Transcending Time).

[Kram]

I like how JP does that sometimes.  If I remember right, I believe Puruvian Skies was also based on a true story, as well as The Count of Tuscany and A Nightmare to Remember.  And maybe there are others that I'm not aware of.

Aren't these based on JP own personal experiences?

[hefdaddy42]

Aren't these based on JP own personal experiences?

That's what he says.

[Dream Team]

I like how JP does that sometimes.  If I remember right, I believe Puruvian Skies was also based on a true story, as well as The Count of Tuscany and A Nightmare to Remember.  And maybe there are others that I'm not aware of.

JLB wrote the Peruvian Skies lyrics I believe. Vacant as well, but I forgot the real-life event that was based on.

[gzarruk]

JLB wrote the Peruvian Skies lyrics I believe. Vacant as well, but I forgot the real-life event that was based on.

PS lyrics were written by Petrucci.

[nobloodyname]

JLB wrote the Peruvian Skies lyrics I believe. Vacant as well, but I forgot the real-life event that was based on.

Vacant was based on James's daughter, wasn't it?

[wolfking]

I actually like that part, and I've been critical of his "out of place shred" in the past (Transcending Time).

I can't stand that part in TT either.  I'll give it to you though that the shredding part in BTC is much more palatable than TT.

[Cool Chris]

If I made four 4-album tiers, this might be in the lowest tier. Three of those slots are locked up well enough, but I am waffling on the 4th. At this stage of the release, it could be this one, as there just isn't much I feel compelled to come back to.

[Northern Lion]

Aren't these based on JP own personal experiences?

Yes, I believe you're right.  But they are still true stories, so I listed them.

[Northern Lion]

take away my pain, room 137, vacant, the best of times...

You're right about the first one, but Room 137 was written by Mangini and The Best of Times was written by Portnoy.

[Schurftkut]

You're right about the first one, but Room 137 was written by Mangini and The Best of Times was written by Portnoy.

they're based on true stories