ADTOE And BC&SL v. First Impressions

[Tick]

Ok, so I am the official annoying fanboi on The Rush Forum that praises Dream Theater at every turn. I rarely say a bad thing and I am the author of the highly controversial Official Dream Theater thread that has been stirring up trouble since 2005.
The album is being met with different reactions. Some love it, some hate it.
For me, when comparing in to my early reaction to BC&SL, its really no comparison for me. I am loving this album a lot more than that right out of the gate.
Not saying I didn't like BC&SL initially  but this album is so progressive and cohesive from start to finish. I like every song.
What were your first impressions? Which one sounded best to you out of the blocks?

Sorry if this is already a topic, but I didn't see one.

[Perpetual Change]

First impressions of this one is much better. With Black Clouds, I also had a good impression but there were a lot of moments I found awkward but ignored, like all of Mike's vocals, because the good points were just so good that it was easy to forget the bad. There were also songs on BC that just did not interest me, yet I kept listening on. With this album, it's not like that at all. I like everything!

[Tick]

First impressions of this one is much better. With Black Clouds, I also had a good impression but there were a lot of moments I found awkward but ignored, like all of Mike's vocals, because the good points were just so good that it was easy to forget the bad. There were also songs on BC that just did not interest me, yet I kept listening on. With this album, it's not like that at all. I like everything!

Well said. I agree 100%

[BlobVanDam]

BCASL easily grabbed me on first listen beginning to end. ADTOE was completely forgettable to me on the first several listens and took a while to grow on me. The only other albums that took as long to grow on me were FII and Octavarium. First impressions don't mean much to me when it comes to DT.

[Kotowboy]

BC&SL instantly made me think of Six Degrees and Octavarium with regards to production and varied styles.

I thought BC was much better than Systematic Chaos and could quite easily listen from start to finish in one go.

Now I find A Nightmare to Remember a bit too long ( too many solos ) and mainly listen to The Best Of Times or Count Of Tuscany

A Dramatic Turn Of Events didn't instantly hit me first time around in such a way but I knew that it would reveal itself a lot more slowly.

This bodes well for the long run as albums you don't get into the first time around generally end up being the ones that last.

After a few more listens from start to finish, I think ADTOE is fantastic and feels a lot more relaxed and effortless than the last couple.

Also, as people have mentioned, all the "problems" as people saw them that were present on the previous two or threee albums have been fixed.

[Phoenix87x]

I would describe my first impression of ADTOE as serene, and triumphant bliss. For 77 minutes I was in heaven, on a roller coaster ride of emotional intensity. I was exponentially captivated as I felt all my love and passion for Dream Theater rejuvenating, after a few years in hibernation.

Now on the other hand,

In regard to BC&SL, The first minute it started, I immediately felt pretty uncomfortable with the dark tone of A Nightmare to Remember, but when I first heard the growling, I honestly turned the album off and didn't come back to it for a day or two. I would have never expected anything like that and I wasn't ready to hear something like that from Dream Theater. When I did come back to it, the rest of the album really wasn't doing much for me. That is, until I reached Count of Tuscany. The first time I heard that song, it truly brought me to tears. The opening 2 minutes are so beautiful, I still get emotionally overwhelmed while listening to it. This was the first and only Dream Theater song to bring me to tears. Many give me shivers and goosebumbs, but the TCOT really owned me and still does.

[Dellers]

BC&SL first impression was ok (I enjoyed it, but not a lot). ADTOE first impression was fantastic. Every song on ADTOE is better with the exception of TBOT IMO (nope, TCOT unfortunately isn't doing much for me).

[Cruithne]

BC&SL is the DT album I gave least time to on release. From the first run through the flaws of the album were over-powering and I felt little-to-no inclination to give it any quality listening time. I'm not even sure that I've listened to that album from start-to-finish more than twice, which is a tragedy as far as DT is concerned 'cos it usually takes at least 6 listens to just make some kind of sense of the material.

ADTOE didn't blow me away for the first few listens, but I'm now up to my 16th listen (according to iTunes) and am enjoying it more and more. Which is pretty much what happened with OTBOA by itself - I wasn't unilaterally bowled over by it on the first listen, but I kept wanting to listen to it just once more time...

[Sketchy]

I have to admit, I liked BCSL on first listen, although some sections were a little dissapointing, but within three to five months, I was back listening mainly to SFAM.

I have not found any of ADTOE dissapointing, infact the sections I would single out, I consider exciting and unexpected rather than dissapointing.

However, only time will tell, but it has been played a lot more recently than I&W, SFAM and Awake, so that's a good sign.

[skydivingninja]

My first impressions are overall kinda the same for both albums, I think.  Both have some low points that bring down the album (ANTR, LNF) but both also have some incredible highs (TSF, TBOT, TCOT, BAI, FFH, BitS, Outcry).  Overall though, both don't come close to the holy trinity of I&W, 6DoiT, and Scenes.  And I still enjoy the BC&SL songs I like, and I can see ADTOE being the same way.

[wasteland]

Same reaction of mild interest at the first listen. From the second onward, though, I started enjoying ADTOE like I have never ever enjoyed BCSL (which is still my favourite post SDOIT album as of 2010).

[Priest of Syrinx]

Ok, so I am the official annoying fanboi on The Rush Forum that praises Dream Theater at every turn. I rarely say a bad thing and I am the author of the highly controversial Official Dream Theater thread that has been stirring up trouble since 2005.
The album is being met with different reactions. Some love it, some hate it.
For me, when comparing in to my early reaction to BC&SL, its really no comparison for me. I am loving this album a lot more than that right out of the gate.
Not saying I didn't like BC&SL initially  but this album is so progressive and cohesive from start to finish. I like every song.
What were your first impressions? Which one sounded best to you out of the blocks?

Sorry if this is already a topic, but I didn't see one.

Heh, and I've posted in your thread "over there". 

What impressed me most about BC&SL was.... the covers.   

What impressed me most about ADTOE was... everything! 

[ResultsMayVary]

My first impression with ADTOE was one that was MUCH better than BC&SL. I loved BC&SL, but my love for ADTOE just reaches a whole entire new level. 

[Orthogonal]

BC&SL is a good album, but just felt like minor changes to the formula since Octavarium.

ADTOE is a breath of fresh air, lots of new idea's and changes. It grabbed me immediately, which is something a DT album hasn't done since SFAM. For some people, this one is a grower, but for me it's an instant classic. 

[Ħ]

BCSL felt like the first concrete DT album that built off their previous styles.  Before it, every album was really unique, but BCSL really instituted their modern sound.

I actually quite like a few songs off BCSL.  Namely ANTR, TCOT, and TSF.  Which is a pretty good ratio for an album.

Can't say for sure, but this new album has about the same ratio.

[orcus116]

Black Clouds was pretty forgettable the first go around. A Dramatic Turn Of Events had more interesting moments I want to go back to and overall sounded like a more well thought out album.

[ResultsMayVary]

Black Clouds was pretty forgettable the first go around. A Dramatic Turn Of Events had more interesting moments I want to go back to and overall sounded like a more well thought out album.

Very much this.

I kind of had to force listen to BC&SL a couple of times before I really started to enjoy it. With ADTOE, I want to listen to it all the time. 

[N4Player]

I know I am in the minority when I say that BC&SL is my favourite DT album, but on first listen I disliked it. 3 months later and hearing the songs live, it was the album that made me a fanatic of the band. It was the benchmark for ADTOE. TCOT especially.  First listen on the new album and I was slightly disappointed as I had high hopes. A couple of listens later and I am blown away with ADTOE. It stands shoulder to shoulder with BC&SL and only time will tell how I feel about this release in comparison to the rest of the band's catalogue. I know that it has reeled me in faster than any other release from DT that preceded it. The joy that is apparent in the music is like an infectious disease to the listener. It really is a stunning album in my book.

[senecadawg2]

This definitely wins over BC&SL. I also have faith that this album will continue to grow and get better, while BC&SL sort of died away after a couple months. I'm definitely more excited about this album than I have been since SFAM.

[Jamesman42]

My first listen to BC&SL was immediate gratification. Though I was still in diehard fanboy mode back then. Now I don't like it nearly as much, even though I absolutely love TSF and TCOT, with some Wither on the side.

ADTOE took some time. A lot of time, really, to determine. And it has clicked and aged very well since I first heard it, and has grown on me. That is hopefully a sign that it will remain a great album IMO.

[Cool Chris]

With BC&SL (and SC) after the first listen I pretty much knew what the album had to offer me. I knew which songs I loved, liked, disliked, and hated. I knew my feelings on those wouldn't change, and they haven't.

I've listened to ADToE all the way through once, and have no idea what to make of it, other than that I can't wait to listen to it again to figure out what I can make of it. I know I like it, but I don't know why, and don't feel it has reached the level of greatness in my head that it eventually will. I haven't felt that way about a DT album since the first disc of SDoiT.

[Cable]

BC&SL is ADTOE's toilet.

[JPX]

My first impressions are overall kinda the same for both albums, I think.  Both have some low points that bring down the album (ANTR, LNF)

If you count A Nightmare to Remember and Lost Not Forgotten as low points in Dream Theater's recent discography then I'm not sure how you enjoy them as a band.

[Priest of Syrinx]

If you count A Nightmare to Remember and Lost Not Forgotten as low points in Dream Theater's recent discography then I'm not sure how you enjoy them as a band.

Easy, just enjoy the good Dream theater tunes!  There's plenty of 'em.

[manticore999]

I've only had a chance to listen to ADTOE once, so far. I'll definitely be giving it some more spins.  BC&SL was so bad that I pretty much gave up after one listen. There was never a reason to go back a 2nd time.

[dongringo]

I was initially impressed with BC&SL, but after about 4 or 5 spins it fizzled and I kept going back mostly to TCOT with a little Wither thrown in and only occasionally would I listen to the whole thing after that, while never getting sick of TCOT.

Upon first listen of ADTOE, I was immediately hooked, and it hasn't let up one bit after about 25+ spins. In fact, I love it even more now and continue to listen to it from start to finish savoring every moment. This is a very rare album in my opinion. To me it is none other than a masterpiece.

[energythief]

Controversial opinion of the night #2:


Every track on ADTOE is better than every track on BC&SL.

[ResultsMayVary]

Controversial opinion of the night #2:


Every track on ADTOE is better than every track on BC&SL.

That's not controversial to me, mostly because I share the same opinion. 

[InertSolo]

I feel the high points on BC&SL are better than the high points on ADTOE but ADTOE is more consistent in its quality.

[BlobVanDam]

Controversial opinion of the night #2:


Every track on ADTOE is better than every track on BC&SL.

Get out of my forum.

[j]

I was not too impressed with BC&SL at first, and my opinion of it has declined since it was released.  However, two factors inflated my initial opinion I think:

1) I WANTED to like it, as it was the first new DT album since I had become a fan of the band, and...
2) TCoT--which basically blew me away on first listen--being the final song, greatly affected the impression I came away with (I remember being unimpressed thus far by the album prior to hearing it).

I now think BC&SL is about on par with ToT, SC, and Octavarium, which is not that good.  It has a few awesome highlights, but a whole lot of stuff I'm not crazy about.

ADToE has really surpassed my expectations so far, and it continues to get better the more I listen to it.  I look forward to seeing how it stands the test of time!

-J

[tri.ad]

Most songs on BCASL grabbed me on first listen (and I really liked most of the stuff), while I had some trouble getting completely into several songs on ADTOE. However, there's much more stuff on BCASL of which I have thought "meh, that doesn't sound too good to me" right from the start than on ADTOE.

[italianoman]

Yep, I'm in the same boat as most of you it seems; quite enjoyed BC&SL for a few weeks in my car and honestly, haven't listened to any tracks aside from TCOT and ANTR more than a handful of times since then (Maybe once more for TSF and TBOT). ADTOE, on the other hand, WOO! There are parts to every single song that arouse...er *thesaurus* excite me immensely. That and I've been pumping it three days straight and it still feels fresh every time.

[energythief]

Controversial opinion of the night #2:


Every track on ADTOE is better than every track on BC&SL.

Get out of my forum.

 

[Pols Voice]

Most of BC&SL doesn't have too much replay value for me. A few listens and I didn't really want to hear it for a while. ADTOE seems to have a lot more depth, complexity, and nuances, and the songs take more time to fully appreciate. It encourages repeated listenings. I thought Black Clouds was alright, but ADTOE is the band's best album since SDOIT or SFAM.