BCSL: One Year Later

[bosk1]

   Only on the Internet can you find real people who legitimately think that section of lyrics is somehow uplifting.

[Adami]

  Only on the Internet can you find real people who legitimately think that section of lyrics is somehow uplifting.

Miracles and graces of god is uplifting enough.

[Dr. SeaWolf]

I don't understand why they didn't put something a bit darker in that part, like Mike could've growled about how traumatic the experience was, or something about being to close to death.  "BY THE GRACE OF GOD ABOVE, EVERYONE SURVIVED, GRRRRRRRRRRR" just doesn't work.

[Seventh Son]

Meh, I'll review it since everyone else is.

A Nightmare to Remember: Great idea, meh execution. This song had a lot more potential than it shows, for reasons already listed above. The Peaceful Sedation section is really cool though. The metal riffs are alright, but just aren't really memorable. Decent song overall though.

A Rite of Passage: Didn't care for this one, the riffs bore me and its a few minutes longer than needed.

Wither: The better of the two singles, in my opinion. Perfect length for what it does.

The Shattered Fortress: Yes, its basically a rehash of the rest of the suite, but I really like the suite so I don't mind. I'd like it more if it was original, but  I still really like it.

The Best of Times: Dream Theater should probably use a violin (At least I think that's what it is >.>) more often, because it sounds awesome here. The rest of the song is really cool, but is it just me or does part of this song sound like The Ministry of Lost Souls? I really like that song, so that doesn't bother me though. Petrucci has an awesome guitar solo too.

The Count of Tuscany: Not as amazing as everyone says, but really good nonetheless. Obviously the synth section is amazing, no doubt about it, but the song isn't really consistent enough. There are mind-blowing sections, and sections that are meh. Overall though, there's more good than bad to be had and a top 25 song for sure, but I wouldn't put it anywhere near Octavarium.

Overall: Pretty good, 8/10 worthy. But still, I think this album had potential to be a lot better, but I'll take it over Systematic Chaos any day of the week.

[Adami]

I wasn't expecting you to an 8/10 based on your review, maybe 6?


Also, it's a Cello.

[ariich]

No it's definitely a violin.

And yeah, I wasn't expecting an 8/10 either, especially after you somewhat slagged off every song.

[hefdaddy42]

Yeah, it's a violin.

[Seventh Son]

I wasn't expecting you to an 8/10 based on your review, maybe 6?


Also, it's a Cello.

No it's definitely a violin.

And yeah, I wasn't expecting an 8/10 either, especially after you somewhat slagged off every song.

Eh, I rate it based on how I "feel" after the album is over, rather than averaging each song out. Plus it was a lot better than SC so that's probably why I gave it an 8. Plus, the second half of Black Clouds is far superior to the first half. And I'm a cynic, so I'm probably going to point out the bad parts more than I am the good parts

[nightmare_cinema]

*throws in her 2 cents* I really don't think it's a violin... sounds more like a viola or cello. Probably a cello, but definitely not a violin.

The whole opening part of TBOT actually kinda bores me, the first time I heard the guitar enter at 2:45 gave me proper chills though. Not one of my favourite DT songs, but it's good and the solo is utterly epic and one of my top DT solos... reminds me of Sonic music for some reason though, which is no bad thing.

[hefdaddy42]

It definitely IS a violin.  It is Jerry Goodman, a legendary violinist who has played in rock/fusion groups such as Mahavishnu Orchestra and the Dixie Dregs.  He played on The Best of Times, as well as on two songs from the covers disc (Odyssey and Lark's Tongues in Aspic Pt. 2).

[Seventh Son]

Whatever it is, more of it needs to be used. Hell, more metal could use violins.

[PlaysLikeMyung]

DT should get Jean-Luc Ponty to do some guest spots on their next album

[contest_sanity]

DT should get Jean-Luc Ponty to do some guest spots on their next album

HELLA-YES!!!

[hefdaddy42]

DT should get Jean-Luc Ponty to do some guest spots on their next album

[ariich]

It definitely IS a violin.  It is Jerry Goodman, a legendary violinist who has played in rock/fusion groups such as Mahavishnu Orchestra and the Dixie Dregs.  He played on The Best of Times, as well as on two songs from the covers disc (Odyssey and Lark's Tongues in Aspic Pt. 2).

All of this.

[Samsara]

I like the record a little bit more. Just recently, I was converted on "THe Count of Tuscany." I love that song now. I like Rite of Passage (although I prefer the edit). Overall, given my new enjoyment of Count, I like the record BETTER, but I still don't think very highly of it.

It's better than Systematic Chaos, but that's about it and that doesn't say much.

[bosk1]

I can't believe we've had this album for over a year now and I just now realized it is a concept album.  Not sure why the theme is not made more obvious, but I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that BCSL is about cannibalism.  The hints and nuggets abound.  Here is a short summary:

A Nightmare to Remember:  The opening lyrics give us a hint that the song is about something funny that soon turned to tragedy.  Let's face it, every time cannibalism is brought up in this day and age, it is treated as a joke.  But what began as laughter so soon would turn to pain...as the flesh was being gnawed from their very bones!    The guests quickly left the wedding as the uninvited stranger began consuming the bride right before the wedding guests' very eyes!  (so we said goodbye to the glowing (probably because she was just freshly over broiled and was glowing from the heat) bride)  Then the song's protagonist finds himself lying on a table, obviously as the next meal.  Why else would he be on the table?  Duh.  We next hear about a faceless man.  Obviously, this refers to Hannibal Lechter wearing his safety mask so his face cannot be seen.  Anyhow, this one should be fairly obvious now, so no point beating it into the ground.

A Right of Passage:  General information about the secret rituals practiced by those secretive cannibals.

Wither:  This was what clinched it for me.  Now we know we aren't dealing with a single cannibal as discussed in TCOT, but a female member of royalty who also engaged in such practices.  I think the lyric, "But this Baroness consumes me" says it all.

The Shattered Fortress:  The cannibals regret what they have become and try to make amends, only to realize that to deny their true urge to be a cannibal is impossible.  The song ends with an unexpected twist as they reach out to the hungry and try to make them into cannibals by cutting off their own hands and feeding them to these hungry people:  "I am responsible when anyone anywhere reaches out for help.  I want my hand to be there."

The Best of Times:  This one is a little bit more of a challenge to figure out how it fits in.  I haven't completely figured it out yet, but I think it's just meant to show how cannibalism is passed down through the generations as a son reflects back fondly on how his father brought him up to embrace the cannibalistic lifestyle (and perhaps the boy now thinks ahead to how he will marinate and devour his dad after his dad's passing).

The Count of Tuscany:  "Cannibal curator," drinking the wine made from the dead soldiers, etc.  This is obviously about Hannibal's family, bringing the album full circle back to Hannibal eating the bride in the first song and him wanting JP to tell the world about him, which DT obviously dedicated the entire album to.

There you have it.  Please feel free to add in any nuggest I missed.  I have to say, while this is perhaps one of the most bizarre album concepts DT have come up with to date, knowing and understanding the underlying concept has made the album even more enjoyable to me.

[PlaysLikeMyung]

I love you bosk

[Orbert]

Every album is a concept album.  You just have to overanalyze it enough.

[Zook]

Bosk wins the thread. I came in here to correct the violin confusion but alas, I'm too late. But it does say so it the booklet.

[LKap13]

The album def has some good stuff on it. It also has some mediocre stuff, and most of all some unfulfilled potential.

ANRT: My impression of this song has been constantly changing. At first I really dug it, then I got bored with it, and now I'm back to really liking it. The section right after the opening heavy section is gold. There are def things to look forward to when I turn on this track. I've mentioned that I don't really like new-age production, but for this song it really works! If this song were produced in 1992, it would be not nearly as good.

AROP: Purely mediocre. Cool instrumental section, but not much else going for it. "Turn the key..." sounds so cheesy and out of place. Also, the transition into the very last chorus after the instrumental section is the most abrupt transition in DT history.

Wither: The drums really punch in this track. It's simple, to the point, and melodic. It works.

The Shattered Fortress: Not quite as good as Glass Prison or This Dying Soul, but def a great track. The Root of All Evil riff is improved by a different drum pattern and a slightly diff guitar tone and the solo of that part is JP's best in a long while. Also, the "I am responsible..." part at the end is very good.

The Best of Times: The tone of this track is what gets me every time. It's as close to the sound/style of Images and Words as the band has come since 2002. Hell, Portnoy even throws in a pseudo- Under a Glass Moon drum pattern. JP goes with a higher pitched sound reminiscent of his early days, and doesn't stick to power chords as has been his tendency of late. A highlight of the album.

Count of Tuscany: When I listened to the first three minutes of this track for the first time, I thought TCOT would be the best DT song ever. Literally. Little did I know that they would abandon the melodic, progressive sound of the first three minutes and turn the song into an uninteresting power chord fest, lacking melody and any other sort of inspiration. To this day I imagine would could have been, had the track progressed in a more favorable (to me) direction. Also, the long JR/JP interlude is boring and lacks any sort of development. Nevertheless, the first three minutes tell me that DT still has the ability to make amazing stuff.

Overall: 7.5/10  where Awake is 10/10 and Systematic Chaos is 7/10

[Rafael Guerra]

I have to say that I am really impressed with Black Clouds. I loved it for a long while and then naturally gave it some time. But since I started to listen to it again, I find it that I still love many of the tracks I initially did and I started to love some others. I must say I like all the tracks in there, great album to hear as a whole, at the same time, i can just play ANTR or TCOT by themselves and it will still be great. I don't really like rating, but the album would probably rank in the top 6 albums.

[ariich]

Off-topic guys, this thread is about the cannibalism concept.

[toro]

*concept*

[Dream Team]

Whatever it is, more of it needs to be used. Hell, more metal could use violins.

You must love the early work of At The Gates then . . .

[emindead]

The best thing this album has is The Count of Tuscany











SUCKING ON HIS PIPE!!!

[Dr. DTVT]

Let me introduce...

MY BRUTHA!

[zxlkho]

The ending section to The Count of Tuscany still blows my mind every time.


and dtvt

[Zook]

I'VE BEEN A GENTLEMEN

[TL]

[Jarlaxle]

When I first popped this CD in my car after buying it I almost smileed during the intro to ANTR, the middle section almost made me do round #2. AROP was instantly a "I don't like this" for me, and Wither and TSF were instant classics. I was OK with TBOT, I knew what it was about, but something struck me as odd. But TCOT really disappointed me because it was so hyped as being the new "epic" to rival their others.

Between then and now, I still like everything in ANTR up to when they break out the solos, I just don't like the wankery. I am a large fan of AROP and listen to it regularly, and Wither and TSF are still amazing songs to listen to. I now find TBOT to be an extrodinary song, it is beautiful yet powerful. But the biggest change is over TCOT. I LOVE this song. It is a top 8 song for me for sure, and could be anywhere between 3-8 on any given day. The start is so wonderful and sends shivers down my spine, the middle section is amazing, heck, I don't even mind the lyrics. Then the "atmosperic section" kicks in and this is where I start to drool. And the acoustic ending is some of the best stuff DT has ever written in my opinion, and if I am in a rush and want to listen to the ending I will skip ahead just to listen to that epic ending.

All in all, this album is better for me than when I first bought it, and I will now rate it a 8.5/10

[Jamesman42]

I can't believe we've had this album for over a year now and I just now realized it is a concept album.  Not sure why the theme is not made more obvious, but I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that BCSL is about cannibalism.  The hints and nuggets abound.  Here is a short summary:

A Nightmare to Remember:  The opening lyrics give us a hint that the song is about something funny that soon turned to tragedy.  Let's face it, every time cannibalism is brought up in this day and age, it is treated as a joke.  But what began as laughter so soon would turn to pain...as the flesh was being gnawed from their very bones!    The guests quickly left the wedding as the uninvited stranger began consuming the bride right before the wedding guests' very eyes!  (so we said goodbye to the glowing (probably because she was just freshly over broiled and was glowing from the heat) bride)  Then the song's protagonist finds himself lying on a table, obviously as the next meal.  Why else would he be on the table?  Duh.  We next hear about a faceless man.  Obviously, this refers to Hannibal Lechter wearing his safety mask so his face cannot be seen.  Anyhow, this one should be fairly obvious now, so no point beating it into the ground.

A Right of Passage:  General information about the secret rituals practiced by those secretive cannibals.

Wither:  This was what clinched it for me.  Now we know we aren't dealing with a single cannibal as discussed in TCOT, but a female member of royalty who also engaged in such practices.  I think the lyric, "But this Baroness consumes me" says it all.

The Shattered Fortress:  The cannibals regret what they have become and try to make amends, only to realize that to deny their true urge to be a cannibal is impossible.  The song ends with an unexpected twist as they reach out to the hungry and try to make them into cannibals by cutting off their own hands and feeding them to these hungry people:  "I am responsible when anyone anywhere reaches out for help.  I want my hand to be there."

The Best of Times:  This one is a little bit more of a challenge to figure out how it fits in.  I haven't completely figured it out yet, but I think it's just meant to show how cannibalism is passed down through the generations as a son reflects back fondly on how his father brought him up to embrace the cannibalistic lifestyle (and perhaps the boy now thinks ahead to how he will marinate and devour his dad after his dad's passing).

The Count of Tuscany:  "Cannibal curator," drinking the wine made from the dead soldiers, etc.  This is obviously about Hannibal's family, bringing the album full circle back to Hannibal eating the bride in the first song and him wanting JP to tell the world about him, which DT obviously dedicated the entire album to.

There you have it.  Please feel free to add in any nuggest I missed.  I have to say, while this is perhaps one of the most bizarre album concepts DT have come up with to date, knowing and understanding the underlying concept has made the album even more enjoyable to me.

POTY

[fadetoblackdude7]

It's up there with the 'classic' DT records......unlike SC, it has aged quite well....TCOT is still the best off the album though!

[RoeDent]

I don't understand why they didn't put something a bit darker in that part, like Mike could've growled about how traumatic the experience was, or something about being to close to death.  "BY THE GRACE OF GOD ABOVE, EVERYONE SURVIVED, GRRRRRRRRRRR" just doesn't work.

John Petrucci wrote the lyrics. Maybe he didn't have such a good relationship with his relatives, and he is angry that they survived the crash.

[erik16]

I'm really surprised at the fact that nobody remembers (to mention) the beginning of TSF. The way it gets louder and when the keys come in and the triple unison going on. I absolutely love the keys on TSF and on the album. Especially the strings (is it correct?) in the background, I wish they were louder though.