Author Topic: Dream Theater self titled album discussion - [SPOILER FREE DISCUSSION ONLY]  (Read 905911 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Awake77

  • Posts: 22
  • Gender: Male

3. Why on earth does anyone think the titles imply that it's a concept album? I mean, I'm not saying it's definitely not, but the titles mostly have nothing to do with each other.


To me a title like "The bigger picture" seems odd unless it is the title of a chapter of a longer story.
Moreover some titles suggest that there is a story beyond them (the ride, the looking glass, the veil... could well be elements of a story.
Then you have titles connected to light/vision (looking glass, veil, illumination theory), and the contrast between "false" in the beginning and "truth" at the end.
But this is all speculation...!

Offline kirksnosehair

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 8521
  • Gender: Male
  • Bryce & Kylie's Grandpa
Band logos evolve over time.  Personally, I don't care much about what the album cover looks like.  I think this kind of fits with what Petrucci has been quoted as saying about the album.


Song titles are intriguing.


I'm looking forward to hearing it, and fortunately, I've managed to keep my expectations pretty low.


Fingers crossed for a nice, crisp sounding production.

Offline atmyne

  • Posts: 524
  • Dog Face no space
Unless I heard incorrectly, he also said that there was a 20 minute song.  :metal :metal :metal
I think you heard correctly.
>band is more focused and yet looser and "rockin it a bit harder"
>songwriting a little more concise, "except for the over 20 minute epic".
>some songs less than 5 minutes on this album
>"they're the best songs they have ever written".

Offline Zook

  • Evil Incarnate
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 14144
  • Gender: Male
  • Take My Hand
Also, I think with song titles like those, the album should have gotten a proper name.

OK, I'm done criticizing.

Offline Mister Gold

  • The Makers of Our Own Destiny
  • Posts: 2359
  • Gender: Male
  • Human
Looks like Syme to me, aside from not knowing why he'd up end with a different logo. Swap out the correct logo, and I think it's the best album cover since ToT. As it is though, it bugs me enough that I don't even like looking at it.

How is that not the correct logo?  It's the majesty logo embossed.  I'm looking at them side by side and they seem to be pretty much exactly the same only with silver and an emboss effect.

The existing Majesty logo is not that elipsoid or that flat, and the "tails" are not supposed to be that flat and sharp. And the existing logo is not symmetrical vertically.
Also, it just looks plain off.

I think this one actually looks better than the old one.  Maybe they just wanted an updated take on the logo?  Either way, this cover is way better than the last 3 for sure, I think.

Agreed. I like this take on the Majesty logo a lot. Sure, it's different, but that's not immediately a bad thing IMO. And yeah, this is definitely one of the best art covers for a DT album to date. :metal :tup
Beyond the limits of the mortal frame
To the farthest boundary of eternity
Where I, the Cosmic Sea
Watch the little ego floating in me.

Offline Labrie1984

  • Posts: 121
I thought DT would bring us a single this early to compensate Live at Luna Park delay. I was wrong hahahah!

Offline 7StringedBeast

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 2804
  • Gender: Male
Looks like Syme to me, aside from not knowing why he'd up end with a different logo. Swap out the correct logo, and I think it's the best album cover since ToT. As it is though, it bugs me enough that I don't even like looking at it.

How is that not the correct logo?  It's the majesty logo embossed.  I'm looking at them side by side and they seem to be pretty much exactly the same only with silver and an emboss effect.

The existing Majesty logo is not that elipsoid or that flat, and the "tails" are not supposed to be that flat and sharp. And the existing logo is not symmetrical vertically.
Also, it just looks plain off.

I think this one actually looks better than the old one.  Maybe they just wanted an updated take on the logo?  Either way, this cover is way better than the last 3 for sure, I think.

But a few minutes ago, you couldn't even tell the difference between the logos side by side. :lol

It looked nasty to me when it was the purple design, and it still looks nasty to me now. If you're using your logo as the only defining image on a self titled album cover, at least stick to the same one you've identified yourself by for your entire career. This logo design looks like fan art to me, and is a huge downer on an otherwise beautifully simple design. I'd love it if they fixed that, and would easily be one of their best covers but for that.

True but after you pointed it out I saw what you were saying.  I don't think it is different enough to say it is a different logo.  It's just reworked.  Also I think this album is probably a redefinition of Dream Theater in a way. 

I thought the last 3 album covers looked like fan art.  This cover looks like it has purpose.
If anyone in this thread judge him; heyy James WTF? about you in Awake In Japan? Then I will say; WTF about you silly?

Offline LCArenas

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2511
  • Gender: Male
Those song titles seem amazing man, and the artwork is nice, they decided to keep it nice and simple

MY BODY IS READY :2metal:

Offline jingle.boy

  • I'm so ronery; so sad and ronery
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 44555
  • Gender: Male
  • DTF's resident deceased dictator
Band logos evolve over time.  Personally, I don't care much about what the album cover looks like.  I think this kind of fits with what Petrucci has been quoted as saying about the album.


Song titles are intriguing.


I'm looking forward to hearing it, and fortunately, I've managed to keep my expectations pretty low.


Fingers crossed for a nice, crisp sounding production.

^This.


The Enemy Inside reminds me of The Enemy Within by Rush.

The Enemy Inside reminds me of The Enemy Inside



Boom.

Beat me to it.
That's a word salad - and take it from me, I know word salad
I fear for the day when something happens on the right that is SO nuts that even Stadler says "That's crazy".
Quote from: Puppies_On_Acid
Remember the mark of a great vocalist is if TAC hates them with a special passion

Online SeRoX

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2425
  • Gender: Male
  • The VoiceMaster
Don't care the cover, these titles make me excited. I even did not feel the same way when I saw ADTOE titles. These titles seem more proggier and darker. Hope the album will come out like we think.
Quote from: Plasmastrike
SeRoX is right!
Quote from: Nihil-Morari
SeRoX is DTF's JLB!
As usual, SeRoX is correct.

Offline SomeoneLikeHim

  • The flame is gone
  • Posts: 1603
  • Gender: Male
  • The fire remains
As long as they don't go full Wilson on us and don't include lyrics in the booklet I'm happy.:)
why no lyrics?
I mean I want the booklet to have lyrics. Some of my Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson CDs have booklets without lyrics and it's really annoying. :lol
"We can walk our road together, if our goals are all the same
We can run alone and free, if we pursue a different aim"

Offline Mosh

  • For I have dined on honeydew!
  • Posts: 3825
  • Gender: Male


First single then?
New Animal Soup scifi space opera for fans of Porcupine Tree, Mastodon, Iron Maiden: Chariots of the Gods

https://animalsoup.bandcamp.com/album/chariots-of-the-gods

Offline LCArenas

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2511
  • Gender: Male
That isn't official isn't it? It is?

Offline sueño

  • Posts: 1526
  • How Dare I Be So Beautiful?
Should this be my first Dream Theater album??   :justjen


And yes -- always lyrics in EVERY album, please.  :)
"We spend most of our lives convinced we’re the protagonist of the story, but we rarely realize that we’re just supporting characters in everybody else’s story. Nobody thinks about you as much as you do."

Offline JRuless

  • Posts: 166
it's the same reflection in the logo as the earlier purple one i think?

Offline BlobVanDam

  • Future Boy
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 38940
  • Gender: Male
  • Transform and rock out!
That isn't official isn't it? It is?

The tacked on Majesty logo (which doesn't match the one on the cover) says no.
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.

Offline Bolsters

  • Lost Boy
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 5487
  • Gender: Male
  • What a hell of a day to embrace disorder
If you're using your logo as the only defining image on a self titled album cover, at least stick to the same one you've identified yourself by for your entire career.
How is this new logo not still the same defining image associated with the band? When you look at it, do you not instantly know it's the Majesty Symbol? It's a little flat and the tails are a little different...so what? The way you describe it blow it out of proportion makes it sound like the logo is completely unrecognisable as the Majesty Symbol. It most certainly is not. It's the same logo no matter what tiny insignificant flaws you find with it.

Offline wasteland

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 8011
  • Gender: Male
  • Jay Beckenstein was in Spyro Gyra, right?
Had the logo been placed with a better perspective that would have been mistaken for the true art any day of the week!
:slayer: Somewhere, over the wasteland..... bootlegs fly :slayer:
MoraWintersoul is the BEST person.
- Marco

Offline unklejman

  • Posts: 715
  • Gender: Male
Please tell me that wonky picture is not the album cover. It looks like fan art, and that Majesty logo is so off shape.


Sure, it's not the original Magesty logo. But if you ask me, that one always looked "off shape", and sloppy. This looks like a much more balanced and polished version of it shape wise. HOWEVER, the bevel effect looks really bad, especially around concave corners... Oy.

The rest of the cover is pretty meh.  It's like they wanted to add a lens flare without really adding one.  And the earth looks really flat and not very dynamic. 

It's not a bad layout, but the details are really underwhelming.

Offline Moor

  • Posts: 404
  • The more the merrier
There is a tribute for IT people since Illumination Theory will be abbreviated through out the years by IT  :biggrin:

Offline Rattlehead

  • Posts: 2288
  • Gender: Male
I'm not too crazy about the cover, but it doesn't make me any less excited to hear the album  :tup

Offline obscure

  • Properly Silly
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 5484
  • Gender: Female
Damn.. I was keeping my cool.....

this looks pretty sweet.. the cover art and the titles.. all tell me that this will be a very very crazy ambitious album!!!!!!!

Offline Tom Bombadil

  • Posts: 1649
  • Gender: Male
  • We Do Not Sow
Love the album art, reminds me a little of Awake. Also love that they said "more concise songs". DT has a tendency to drag out really good songs (Endless Sacrifice, Outcry, etc.) so I'm glad to hear that it will be more short and to the point on this album. Tracklist also sounds pretty cool.

Couldn't be more excited right now!

Offline Ben_Jamin

  • Posts: 15690
  • Gender: Male
  • I'm just a man, thrown into existence by the gods
Anyone else find it a coincidence that their cover is outworldy especially the song titles, and comet ISON is supposed to arrive around that time.  Pretty awesome coincidence if I say so myself. I mean Enigma Machine, The Bigger Picture, Illumination Theory. Sounds like a 6DOIT type of concept.
I don't know how they can be so proud of winning with them odds. - Little Big Man
Follow my Spotify:BjamminD

Offline Tomislav95

  • Posts: 6308
  • Gender: Male
...the years just pass like trains
I wave but they don't slow down...

Offline TheGreatPretender

  • The Second Dancing Turtle
  • Posts: 6981
  • Gender: Male
  • You are reading these words.
I agree, the song titles are pretentious,

Remind me of Awake.
"How's that for a slice of fried gold?"

Offline BlobVanDam

  • Future Boy
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 38940
  • Gender: Male
  • Transform and rock out!
If you're using your logo as the only defining image on a self titled album cover, at least stick to the same one you've identified yourself by for your entire career.
How is this new logo not still the same defining image associated with the band? When you look at it, do you not instantly know it's the Majesty Symbol? It's a little flat and the tails are a little different...so what? The way you describe it blow it out of proportion makes it sound like the logo is completely unrecognisable as the Majesty Symbol. It most certainly is not. It's the same logo no matter what tiny insignificant flaws you find with it.

They're not tiny insignificant flaws to me. Considering graphics is what I do for a living, and that I've had to correct the incorrect font on official products, it's something I take seriously. I have an eye for detail, and these things matter to me.
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.

Offline Zook

  • Evil Incarnate
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 14144
  • Gender: Male
  • Take My Hand
That isn't official isn't it? It is?

The tacked on Majesty logo (which doesn't match the one on the cover) says no.

But it is the correct majesty logo!

Offline Perpetual Change

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 12264
I'm not sure how the logos are different.

Can anyone do a quick sideby side comparison?

Offline Setebos

  • Posts: 66
  • Gender: Male
Like the track titles very much. :metal
Like the concept of the cover art, but not the execution (earth looks kinda low-res and the transition from light to dark dark to light light to dark dark to light is rather awkward). But still better than ADTOE. ;D

Offline Rattlehead

  • Posts: 2288
  • Gender: Male
If you're using your logo as the only defining image on a self titled album cover, at least stick to the same one you've identified yourself by for your entire career.
How is this new logo not still the same defining image associated with the band? When you look at it, do you not instantly know it's the Majesty Symbol? It's a little flat and the tails are a little different...so what? The way you describe it blow it out of proportion makes it sound like the logo is completely unrecognisable as the Majesty Symbol. It most certainly is not. It's the same logo no matter what tiny insignificant flaws you find with it.

They're not tiny insignificant flaws to me. Considering graphics is what I do for a living, and that I've had to correct the incorrect font on official products, it's something I take seriously. I have an eye for detail, and these things matter to me.

I agree... I wouldn't exactly call the flaws insignificant either; it makes the logo look kind of corny in my opinion.

Offline BlobVanDam

  • Future Boy
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 38940
  • Gender: Male
  • Transform and rock out!
I'm not sure how the logos are different.

Can anyone do a quick sideby side comparison?



Also note that the planet image just cuts off. I brightened the image so you'd see the shape of the Majesty logo on the cover better and noticed that.
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.

Offline Kotowboy

  • Yes THAT Kotowboy.
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 28561
  • Gender: Male
Maybe "Dream Theater" will be on a sticker on the jewel case like with Death Magnetic

Offline TheGreatPretender

  • The Second Dancing Turtle
  • Posts: 6981
  • Gender: Male
  • You are reading these words.
Like the track titles very much. :metal
Like the concept of the cover art, but not the execution (earth looks kinda low-res and the transition from light to dark dark to light light to dark dark to light is rather awkward). But still better than ADTOE. ;D

:neverusethis:
"How's that for a slice of fried gold?"

Offline jdprsaga

  • Posts: 364
My first thought about the titles was exactly that.. Awake vibe.

now that I saw the majesty logo reflection with more attention it gave me a sensation like it was taken out from the lie music video (off course it's the brooklyn bridge, but my mind made the link)