Dream Theater self titled album discussion - [SPOILER FREE DISCUSSION ONLY]

[FrostbiteZ]

Have a feeling that the cover is a hoax and the real cover will be unveiled when we get closer to the album release. To me it looks more like a wallpaper than a albumcover

[Onno]

Holy shit blob, that's amazing.

[Zydar]

That's a lot better, Blob.

[YtseCullen]

At this point I still like the original better than Blob's, but when he's done I'll make my final choice on what option I chose for the album in my phone!

[BlackInk]

Love the album cover, except for the already pointed out cut-out mistake. But at least I love the idea.

Like the track list too. Might sound a bit unusual at first but just like always I'll accept them as legit DT titles after a while. Can't wait for Illumination Theory, sounds awesome. I'm also excited about getting tracks with movements again. Since ADToE has no songs like that and BC&SL only has The Shattered Fortress which is like 0% original music we haven't really had a song with movements since Systematic Chaos.

Also, I am now exactly one album-cycle into my presence here on this forum. My first post was just after the track listing for ADToE was released in which I said I got a strong FII vibe from the song titles. This time I can't really think of another DT album that these titles remind me of, which is good.

[Aefenwelg]

The only thing I think the original does better than Blob's right now is the bright spot in the upper left corner.

Blob's is a lens flare that cuts horizontally all the way across the cover.
I assume it's supposed to be the Sun or something, so I think the light should radiate concentrically.

But other than that, super awesome job.

[wolven74]

I don't see any problem with the original artwork. It is what it is. 

[TheGreatPretender]

And yet you don't see that earth cut off line that cuts through from the leftmost edge of the cover into the logo?
I don't usually care about album art, but I will say that, assuming the music is really good, listening to awesome music that you have been desperately waiting for, that came with poor quality cover art, is kind of like eating a gourmet piece of rich, layered chocolate cake with just the right amount of icing... on a paper plate using a plastic fork...

Well, to be fair, a paper plate and a plastic fork has never in my life prevented me from enjoying gourmet piece of rich, layered chocolate cake...

Dammit, now I want cake!

[Vlasto]

the original is def. more consistent and nicer to me ...

[serrano]

We don't have any info about the packaging, but if the artwork is presented in a matte background with a glossy logo, maybe embossed, then i have my favorite DT cover art. I like the concept, but i'm not so sure i will like the final result.

Track list looks very promising. I am really hyped now.

[sylvinception]

An ugliest artwork than ADTOE and SC ??

YES THEY DID!!

But if the artwork's "poverty" is inversely proportional to the quality of the music, this should be a fucking great album !!

[King Postwhore]

The artifacts are just compression artifacts from being a jpg file brightened up, not because of the stock image used.

I've just started my own quick mockup of my idea of a "better" cover. Only just started this, and keep in mind this is from scratch, not editing the existing image. Only an hour or two of work in this.

Lens Flare!  Blob, of course you did.

[wasteland]

JJ Blob 

[Nel]

On top of the Earth they need a clown riding a unicycle. 

[wolfking]

Those song titles are fucking amazing.

[Nefarius]

I really like the concept of the artwork, the execution is kinda sloppy though, with very little attention to detail. Except the reflection on the Majesty symbol, I love that, it's perfect

The tracklist ist just what it has been the last few times... it gets the speculative mind going - probably without ever getting close to what breed of song the track will eventually turn out to be. There are a few cool titles and I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun finding possible connections.

I'm slightly annoyed that BlobVanDam tackled an updated version of the cover preview before I could start working on one and pretty much did exactly what I would have tried to do, especially making the planet and the light more realistic and clean. But then again... saved some time and I don't need to do it anymore, so thx!

I guess I'll have Blob's planet with a slightly reduced lens flare and his original shaped Majesty logo but glistening with the chrome texture and reflection of the version DT gave us. Oh and I would also add the band's name in the same chrome texture. And some chocolate cake for dessert.

And then bug DT until they use it.
The cover of course.
Not the cake.
My cake!

Greetings...
Nef

[Lolzeez]

Those song titles are fucking amazing.

They aren't DTlike but they sound fucking epic.

[Kotowboy]

Meh - I still prefer the original album cover.

[Mister Gold]

I don't see any problem with the original artwork. It is what it is. 

The only thing I'd change from the original is the cut-off. I prefer the look of the new Majesty logo and the more subdued look for the whole thing.

Also, I cannot understand why anyone would want to add the band name onto the cover. It'd only take away from how great the cover looks IMO.

[Jaq]

Meh - I still prefer the original album cover.

I'm not getting the hate over a band daring to do a minor redesign of their symbol. As if it, or the band logo, or any aspect of their graphic design, has to remain static and eternal. I'm actually more amused that for a time people were threatening to call this the Purple Album because of that artwork on their FB page a few weeks ago. And redoing it to be better, then adding the hilarity of lens flare, just is the icing on this "prog nerds gotta nitpick" cake.

[wolfking]

The idea for the album cover is really good, but it is a little sloppy.

[BlobVanDam]

Meh - I still prefer the original album cover.

I'm not getting the hate over a band daring to do a minor redesign of their symbol. As if it, or the band logo, or any aspect of their graphic design, has to remain static and eternal. I'm actually more amused that for a time people were threatening to call this the Purple Album because of that artwork on their FB page a few weeks ago. And redoing it to be better, then adding the hilarity of lens flare, just is the icing on this "prog nerds gotta nitpick" cake.

It's not about the logo staying the same, it's about the new design looking bad. I actually redesigned the logo for my go at the cover, but it still retains the elements of the original design that make it look nice.
And nobody was "threatening" to call the album the purple album, people just wanted a more distinctive and cool name than...... well, none at all. Just like the black or white album.

I love how every criticism that someone doesn't agree with is suddenly nitpicking.

[TAC]

Those song titles are fucking amazing.

Yes, incredible.


OK, I was working yesterday and I'm not going back through 19 pages.

What exactly are the issues with the artwork? What's all this about the world being "cut"? How exactly is the Majesty symbol different?
I don't get it.

[Mister Gold]

Meh - I still prefer the original album cover.

I'm not getting the hate over a band daring to do a minor redesign of their symbol. As if it, or the band logo, or any aspect of their graphic design, has to remain static and eternal. I'm actually more amused that for a time people were threatening to call this the Purple Album because of that artwork on their FB page a few weeks ago. And redoing it to be better, then adding the hilarity of lens flare, just is the icing on this "prog nerds gotta nitpick" cake.

It's not about the logo staying the same, it's about the new design looking bad. I actually redesigned the logo for my go at the cover, but it still retains the elements of the original design that make it look nice.
And nobody was "threatening" to call the album the purple album, people just wanted a more distinctive and cool name than...... well, none at all. Just like the black or white album.

I love how every criticism that someone doesn't agree with is suddenly nitpicking.

Because it is nitpicking. I'm willing to admit I'm nitpicking too with my thoughts on others' recommendations to change the cover and with your take on it too. Having said that, I'm interested in seeing how yours turns up.

Still doesn't change the fact that we're all nitpicking here.

Those song titles are fucking amazing.

Yes, incredible.


OK, I was working yesterday and I'm not going back through 19 pages.

What exactly are the issues with the artwork? What's all this about the world being "cut"? How exactly is the Majesty symbol different?
I don't get it.

You don't want to know. Seriously. Get out and save yourself while you can, TAC!

[Dellers]

I totally wouldn't have noticed the difference between the logos if someone didn't point it out. I do think the one on the new album cover looks better than the old one though, so I'm more than happy with that. The logo has always been pretty cool, but the new version just makes it look "right".

[Bolsters]

Those song titles are fucking amazing.

Yes, incredible.


OK, I was working yesterday and I'm not going back through 19 pages.

What exactly are the issues with the artwork? What's all this about the world being "cut"? How exactly is the Majesty symbol different?
I don't get it.

There's an image posted 2-3 pages back outlining all of it, scan for that. I don't want to repost it.

[BlobVanDam]

Meh - I still prefer the original album cover.

I'm not getting the hate over a band daring to do a minor redesign of their symbol. As if it, or the band logo, or any aspect of their graphic design, has to remain static and eternal. I'm actually more amused that for a time people were threatening to call this the Purple Album because of that artwork on their FB page a few weeks ago. And redoing it to be better, then adding the hilarity of lens flare, just is the icing on this "prog nerds gotta nitpick" cake.

It's not about the logo staying the same, it's about the new design looking bad. I actually redesigned the logo for my go at the cover, but it still retains the elements of the original design that make it look nice.
And nobody was "threatening" to call the album the purple album, people just wanted a more distinctive and cool name than...... well, none at all. Just like the black or white album.

I love how every criticism that someone doesn't agree with is suddenly nitpicking.

Because it is nitpicking. I'm willing to admit I'm being nitpicky too with my thoughts on others' recommendations to change the cover and with your take on it too. Having said that, I'm interested in seeing how yours turns up.

Still doesn't change the fact that we're all nitpicking here.

While we are focusing on every tiny detail here, I don't agree that it's all nitpicking. Sure, maybe I'm making it sound like a bit of a bigger deal than it is, but nitpicking implies that it doesn't matter, but to me the presentation of the album matters as part of the whole package, and to me that Majesty logo is truly hideous, and instantly different compared to the old one, no matter how much I get used to it. I don't have a problem with them updating the logo, except that the new logo isn't an improvement imo.

Of course it doesn't affect the quality of the music (hell, IaW has an awful cover, but the album is still amazing), but to me it's still part of the identity of the album, and loving the band as much as I do, I care enough to want their releases to be as good as they can be, in every aspect.

[dodido253]

Nevermind ..

[serrano]

Bad idea to discuss about possible leaks and link to them.

[dodido253]

Bad idea to discuss about possible leaks and link to them.

Just asking if this is a fake ..

[Thematt202]

Someone's gonna get shouted at!

[wasteland]

For the sake of your permanence here, remove the link as fast as you can. 

[Thematt202]

Generally speaking, isn't it a rather large coincidence that files with track names on them only get leaked immediately after the official track list is revealed?  This would have been much more convincing had it been uploaded at any point prior to yesterday's announcement.

[therev]

Hi guys.
My very first impression about the tracklist and the cover album yesterday, was soon splitted to rush's "hemispheres"
the tracklist composition and the 35th anniversary of this album, gave me a road about the DT " inspiration corner"..I like the cover, I hoped in a simple coverart just with the DT font and a black background, and here it is!

[MoraWintersoul]

Generally speaking, isn't it a rather large coincidence that files with track names on them only get leaked immediately after the official track list is revealed?  This would have been much more convincing had it been uploaded at any point prior to yesterday's announcement.

Precisely, and the dude only joined youtube yesterday.