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

[Jamesman42]

There are highs on BC&SL? 🤔

Hell yeah there are.

-Beautiful Agony
-"I AM RESPONSIBLE"
-The Best of Times guitar solo
-The entire song called "The Count of Tuscany"

(Wither is also great and underrated)

[SeRoX]

Controversial opinion: the highs on BCSL are higher than the highs on Parasomnia by quite a bit.

To me, TCOT last section and ANTR's mellow part come to my mind as highs. But BTC as a song is a huge highlight. Not to mention TSMI and Dead Asleep have so many highs than BC&SL highs.

[Revenge319]

There are highs on BC&SL? 🤔

There's approximately 75 minutes of highs on that album!

[hefdaddy42]

There are highs on BC&SL? 🤔

I'm with you.  My least favorite album not named WDADU.

[TheCountOfNYC]

There are highs on BC&SL? 🤔

I mean, TCoT is stunning even if the lyrics are a bit silly, TBoT has one of JP's all time great solos, ANtR has the Beautiful Agony section, TSF has a super underrated guitar solo, so there's definitely some highlights on the album.

[skydivingninja]

I'm with you.  My least favorite album not named WDADU.

Now *that's* a spicy meatball

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Interesting.

I have given View and Parasomnia about the same number of listens (as I wasn't round for View). Both have about 4-5 listens, and Parasomnia is much more memorable. It could be recency bias and having known 3 of the singles, but I also don't find myself wanting to hear View but I am very interesting in PS. The only song I really remember off of View is Transcending Time and part of the title track.

Very interesting what a 180 that is especially when you look at what specifically the criticism was. View is unoriginal and unambitious but the album that by the band's own admission embraces nostalgia and even sounds old DT songs in specific places is undeserving of the same critical eye.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

There are highs on BC&SL? 🤔

Nightmare would be a top 20 DT song but for a few missteps. Count is very strong though I would have preferred a much shorter ambient section and different lyrics.

Best of Times is extremely solid and has one of JP's grandest solos.

I don't see any other highs but there are definitely a few!

The lows of the album are much worse than Parasomnia for sure as the band has just learned to be more consistent over the years.

[Revenge319]

Very interesting what a 180 that is especially when you look at what specifically the criticism was. View is unoriginal and unambitious but the album that by the band's own admission embraces nostalgia and even sounds old DT songs in specific places is undeserving of the same critical eye.

I have no idea why AVFTTOTW was/is criticized as being unoriginal or rehashing old ideas, anyway. I have a couple minor issues with the album but a lack of originality is not one of them. There is nothing quite like Sleeping Giant, Transcending Time, or the title track anywhere in their discography. And the other four songs feel distinct enough as well.

[Stadler]

I have no idea why AVFTTOTW was/is criticized as being unoriginal or rehashing old ideas, anyway. I have a couple minor issues with the album but a lack of originality is not one of them. There is nothing quite like Sleeping Giant, Transcending Time, or the title track anywhere in their discography. And the other four songs feel distinct enough as well.

To some degree or another, every album since Systematic Chaos - perhaps excluding The Astonishing - has received that same criticism. 

[javidt]

I'm not sure. Parasomnia and View are quite different from each other? Perhaps it's easier for me to follow because I agree with the original statement. View is undeniably a highly competent prog metal album, with technical sections that I'm probably not skilled enough to fully grasp. That said, it wasn't quite my thing, and some sections felt a bit tedious — though I understand that's subjective, especially if you enjoy that style. AVFFTOTW is the only epic live I haven't been fully excited to hear and honestly my not so hardcore DT friends couldn't easily follow that to even the same degree as IT. It's a piece that require you to like the technical aspects to a high degree and the melodic to a lesser I think.

Parasomnia, on the other hand, is a very different album. You might dislike it or feel it gets an unfair amount of recognition due to MP, but it's an engaging, fun album in its own way, and I think easier to digest than View. I get that it all comes down to personal taste, so if you prefer View over Parasomnia, that's completely fine. But the two albums are distinct, and I think Parasomnia might be more accessible to a wider audience, in contrast to the complex View. Honestly View is the most complicated album DT has created in my book.
...

Yeah, I agree. They're different and I can see why some people prefers one over the other.

What I don't understand about these reviews is that they criticise A View for the lack of originality but, now, praises Parasomnia which is far more predictable and have lots of passages that sounds very similar to their previous work.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Controversial opinion: the highs on BCSL are higher than the highs on Parasomnia by quite a bit.

Hm. I'd have to think about this. For me personally, BC&SL has some amazing highs, but I just love Bend the Clock so much. Honestly might be one of my top ten DT songs.

[Ben_Jamin]

It's funny, I've listened to this album many times, but have not really digested it fully.

I haven't noticed the similar melodies yet.

[lovethedrake]

I think the title track of AVFTTOTW is so underrated. I love it from start to finish.

I rarely listen to the rest of the album aside from the first half of awaken the master.

Parasomnia is a fun but highly derivative album, not an ounce of uniqueness but the band has energy and portnoys drumming brings more of a rock vibe.

BC&SL has some great stuff but is overall mediocre.

Just random thoughts based on the discussion.

It's all mediocrity in the world of Dream Theater though post SDOIT/TOT

[Northern Lion]

Nightmare would be a top 20 DT song but for a few missteps. Count is very strong though I would have preferred a much shorter ambient section and different lyrics.

Best of Times is extremely solid and has one of JP's grandest solos.

I don't see any other highs but there are definitely a few!

The lows of the album are much worse than Parasomnia for sure as the band has just learned to be more consistent over the years.

Yes, there are definitely highs on BC&SL. Personally, I really like ARoP, Wither and TCoT. ANtR I like OK but I need to be in the mood for it. The other two I only listen to if I'm listening to the album as a whole.

Contrast that with Parasomnia, and I love all the songs. Lots of highs for me. However, the highs on BC&SL that I mentioned are equal to some of the highs on Parasomnia.

[Northern Lion]

I think the title track of AVFTTOTW is so underrated. I love it from start to finish.

I agree with this. AVFTTOTW is a masterpiece.

[Glasser]

There are highs on BC&SL? 🤔

Count Of Tuscany is definitely a high for me. Nightmare to Remember too. Once again, the beauty of DT, ya like what ya like, or not...

[Evermind]

Whenever this debate comes up, I always think about the BC&SL release and the loud complaints. Someone complained so harshly against TBOT on the MP forums that MP himself answered in a pretty angry maner.

PetDICK!

[Mladen]

PetDICK!

That's gonna haunt that poor guy to the grave. Even I get chills just remembering the incident.

Having spent a week with the album, I think they absolutely nailed the closing epic. I don't know if they worked extra hard on it or that they were creatively warmed up by the time they got to it, but it surpasses every other song on the album. That chorus...

I also really like the opener, Dead asleep is pretty cool as well, and Night terror grew on me to an extent. The remaining songs didn't turn out to be my cup of tea. The album overall works better than AVFTTOTW for me, but I wouldn't call it great. It's solid, I guess, and it's probably a me thing.

[TAC]

If I'm ranking Parasomnia and BC&SL, I go:

The Count Of Tuscany
The Best Of Times
The Shadow Man Incident
A Broken Man
Bend The Clock
Night Terror
Dead Asleep
Midnight Messiah
Wither
A Nightmare To Remember
A Rite Of Passage
The Shattered Fortress

[Kyo]

To some degree or another, every album since Systematic Chaos - perhaps excluding The Astonishing - has received that same criticism. 

Oh, some complained about that when it came to The Astonishing, too. "It all sounds the same" and all that.

And hey, when DT liberally ripped off their own song structures for ADToE, I still saw a review that said "they don't write 'em like they used to anymore".

People are weird.

[Progmaniac1988]

Controversial opinion: the highs on BCSL are higher than the highs on Parasomnia by quite a bit.

This is MY Controversial opinion...

BCSL is actually a really great album! with some great songs!
ANTR, TSF, TBOT, and TCOT are all classics in my book.

The hate this album got irritated me to the point where I left the DT online forums basically until the Reunion announcement. Every album from six degrees on the toxic bs just got worse and worse.

Even now I gotta kind of learn to ignore a lot and just not let certain fans get under my skin lol

[Evermind]

That's gonna haunt that poor guy to the grave. Even I get chills just remembering the incident.

Thing is, I've got nothing but a huge respect for PetFish. I've done a deal with him here when he was selling his DT stuff, and he went all out (to the point where he didn't need to) to offer me a very low price (because I couldn't afford to bid higher) and to ensure the items would get to me, despite all the tribulations of shipping to the country I live in from abroad. Now I'm a happy owner of a LSFNY with an original cover thanks to PetFish.

But I still find the PetDICK thing outrageously hilarious.

[DTiwbwMP]

BCSL is actually a really great album! with some great songs!

ANTR, TSF, TBOT, and TCOT are all classics in my book.

Even now I gotta kind of learn to ignore a lot and just not let certain fans get under my skin lol

Totally agree

[DoctorAction]

Count Of Tuscany is definitely a high for me. Nightmare to Remember too. Once again, the beauty of DT, ya like what ya like, or not...

I actually love TCOT. Was being silly/obnoxious.

Like hef, BC&SL is at the bottom of my rankings with WDADU, though. Apart from TCOT (which is great because it's ridiculous) none of the other tracks work, imo.

I'm all about the album format. Not individual songs or parts so much. If you can't produce a set of consistently pleasing songs, I switch off a bit. And BCSL was a patchy mess. I was happy MP left afterwards because, after TOT and SC as well, the ship was sinking for me.

It's ok to hate an album by a favourite band though, people. Don't sweat it. I don't care if you don't like Parasomnia or Awake. I like em both. Be strong and happy in your individual preference.

One of DT's strength is that they cover a lot of stylistic ground within the prog metal framework. Some of those choices grate hard for some, but that's the way it goes. They've opened my mind to jazz and Zappa and a bunch of stuff I was nowhere close to exploring before I got into them. That's pretty huge.

[Pettor]

Controversial opinion: the highs on BCSL are higher than the highs on Parasomnia by quite a bit.

Well, the highs on BCSL are some of the best stuff DT ever written. TCOT and TBOT solo are amazing!

That album is a rollercoaster in quality 😁

[Pettor]

This is MY Controversial opinion...

BCSL is actually a really great album! with some great songs!
ANTR, TSF, TBOT, and TCOT are all classics in my book.

The hate this album got irritated me to the point where I left the DT online forums basically until the Reunion announcement. Every album from six degrees on the toxic bs just got worse and worse.

Even now I gotta kind of learn to ignore a lot and just not let certain fans get under my skin lol

I agree with all of this. Maybe it's just how I relate to things at certain times, but the BC&SL release was the worst for many reasons. It felt highly toxic, things escalated, and then MP left.

That said, BC&SL still has moments most prog metal bands would kill to have on a single album.

For me, Parasomnia is a much stronger album overall—more consistent and not far behind BC&SL in terms of its highest highs. The quality is excellent, and I find myself replaying it constantly. Plus, there are some fantastic sing-along moments. 🤘

Please keep going with the thematic concept album approach! I love when songs are connected, even if the story isn't connected. It makes the flow and overall album experience so much more engaging than just a collection of songs mixed the same way. 😁

[Progmaniac1988]

I agree with all of this. Maybe it's just how I relate to things at certain times, but the BC&SL release was the worst for many reasons. It felt highly toxic, things escalated, and then MP left.

That said, BC&SL still has moments most prog metal bands would kill to have on a single album.

For me, Parasomnia is a much stronger album overall—more consistent and not far behind BC&SL in terms of its highest highs. The quality is excellent, and I find myself replaying it constantly. Plus, there are some fantastic sing-along moments. 🤘

Please keep going with the thematic concept album approach! I love when songs are connected, even if the story isn't connected. It makes the flow and overall album experience so much more engaging than just a collection of songs mixed the same way. 😁

Yeah man I agree! I'd say Parasomnia as a whole flows better than BCSL. It's 71 mins and It just does not feel that way. When the album ends I want more. Black clouds I'd say feels it's length if that makes sense. Amazing albums on their own merits, but I'd say parasomnia is a better start to finish experience. At least to my ears! I love both these albums tho.

[MinistroRaven]

I just read this on FACEBOOK:

Having carefully reviewed Parasomnia one thing is abundantly clear to me: KEVIN MOORE AND MIKE MANGINI ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVER BEEN OR EVER WILL BE DREAM THEATER! Imagine if all the DT albums had only been keyboard parts by Kevin Moore with Mike Mangini doing all the drums! YOU CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT NOW CAN YOU???

We all know full well that this is the Dream Theater we the fans deserve. John, James, John, Jordan and Mike (P) need to admit that all their combined efforts cannot live up to this majestic awesomeness. In fact, I would be willing to bet that when they NAMED the band Majesty it was because they were dreaming of what this amazing duo would sound like.

Come on guys, you owe it to us. Take all your albums off of streaming, rip them from store shelves, and demand that fans destroy all their tangible copies. Have Moore and Mangini rerecord all the Dream Theater albums the way we were meant to hear it. Kevin will definitely do this if we keep bothering him about it.

In fact, Kevin Moore and Mike Mangini should also rerecord all of the Ruddess/Morgsnstein Project albums too... Hell, we should probably get their advice on how to resolve the drinking water crisis in Flint, MI while we're at it.

To give credit where credit is due, however, Petrucci did use many of the same frets that he used on "The Alien." I was hoping to hear more seventh fret and less thirteenth fret (that fret jumped the shark after Falling Into Infinity) but I guess he's just not putting as much thought into it in his old age. Still, it was nice to hear a throwback to the good old days. (The good old days of course being Distance Over Time.)

One thing that I think we as Dream Theater fans are entitled to (and I here formally introduce the measure as an agenda item for the Official List of Dream Theater Fan Entitlements alongside the still pending ballot proposal to name the first Dream Theater band member grandchild as "Metropolis pt. 3") is to have printed a special limited edition monoral vinyl release of the new album titled "Monosomnia." It only makes sense.

Anyway, it's Valentine's Day so let's celebrate with a poll about which band member's daughter turned out the hottest!

A. Melody Portnoy
B. Samantha Peteucci
C. Kayla Ruddess
D. Kiara Petrucci
E. Any Mike Mangini Daughter is Hotter than any Mike Portnoy daughter by virtue of the drum performance on "The Alien"

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Dtr2hMqH1/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[Metro]

Idea: let's not give people like that attention.

[Dream Team]

Idea: let's not give people like that attention.
[/quote

Idea: let's not give people like that attention.

Yeah no kidding. That last bit especially does NOT belong on DTF. 

[NoseofNicko]

That was pretty retarded.

[Metro]

Yeah no kidding. That last bit especially does NOT belong on DTF. 

Yeaaaah up to that point it was just a lame attempt at humor. But that last section is just plain creepy.

[Dedalus]

What a surprise that came from Facebook.

[genome]

The internet was a mistake