My thoughts on 'Dream Theater' (***SPOILERS***)

[noxon]

There are certain sections that stick out as clear and absolute defining moments for me, absolutely. The solo for "The Looking Glass" is one example, bass driven backing section with some beautiful organs layered between, and a damn good emotional guitar solo from JP. Shivers.

The riff that leads "Surrender to Reason", with some absolutely insane drumming and again with those organs. Very much "Deep Purplish".

And "Illumination Theory" after the orchestra has played... There's this insane drum sticks and jazzy piano section that just brings the song to a whole 'nother level.


I don't think you should be afraid that there won't be any lasting "defining moments" on this album - but they'll most definitively be different from any other defining moments you've heard from this band.

[The Stray Seed]

You couldn't give me better news than these, thank you noxon!

[Bolsters]

There are certain sections that stick out as clear and absolute defining moments for me, absolutely. The solo for "The Looking Glass" is one example, bass driven backing section with some beautiful organs layered between, and a damn good emotional guitar solo from JP. Shivers.

The riff that leads "Surrender to Reason", with some absolutely insane drumming and again with those organs. Very much "Deep Purplish".

And "Illumination Theory" after the orchestra has played... There's this insane drum sticks and jazzy piano section that just brings the song to a whole 'nother level.


I don't think you should be afraid that there won't be any lasting "defining moments" on this album - but they'll most definitively be different from any other defining moments you've heard from this band.

[adastra]

There are certain sections that stick out as clear and absolute defining moments for me, absolutely. The solo for "The Looking Glass" is one example, bass driven backing section with some beautiful organs layered between, and a damn good emotional guitar solo from JP. Shivers.

The riff that leads "Surrender to Reason", with some absolutely insane drumming and again with those organs. Very much "Deep Purplish".

And "Illumination Theory" after the orchestra has played... There's this insane drum sticks and jazzy piano section that just brings the song to a whole 'nother level.


I don't think you should be afraid that there won't be any lasting "defining moments" on this album - but they'll most definitively be different from any other defining moments you've heard from this band.

This is just great!

[eviljust]

Thanks a lot to all of you guys, giving us so much details considering also all the points of view we have as hardcore DT fans.

[noxon]

There's a reason my review is over 7000 words long...

[eviljust]

There's a reason my review is over 7000 words long...

We all are looking forward to it

[ariich]

Seems to get longer each time you refer to it.

[Zydar]

Seems to get longer each time you refer to it.

[noxon]

Seems to get longer each time you refer to it.

That's what happens when you're given time to polish it all day long...

[ZirconBlue]

I thought the biggest anti-climax was in Bridges In The Sky. I mean, the way the final "hand" went down instead of up just sounded kind of... Ugly... IMO. And completely derails what's an otherwise near perfect song.

Really?  That's one of my favorite things about the song.  That one change of note gives it a completely different feel from the first time and creates a nice dissonance.

[ariich]

Seems to get longer each time you refer to it.

That's what happens when you're given time to polish it all day long...

[AngelBack]

Seems to get longer each time you refer to it.

That's what happens when you're given time to polish it all day long...

Mine seems to stay the same length even tho I polish it several times a day !  Must be doing something wrong....

[?]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Meatrose!

[Meatrose]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Meatrose!

No problem whatsoever. It's going to be interesting for me (and probably hilarious) to go back after having listened to the album for a while and read all this. 

[Flacracker]

POST THE REVIEWS! POST THE REVIEWS! I NEED SOME NOURISHMENT.

[noxon]

i wish i could! sept 9th.

[Pepe108]

"Deep" reviews are being retained until the second week of September.

Edit: Ninja'd by Noxon.

[m0hawk]

Wild prediction #6: This will be considered to be the most melodically driven album of Dream Theater's "Roadrunner era".

This, out of all the reviews we've had so far, makes me the happiest 

Thanks to everyone who's shared their thoughts on the album!

[Whatsername]

Wild prediction #6: This will be considered to be the most melodically driven album of Dream Theater's "Roadrunner era".

I second m0hawk here, this is the most exciting thing I've heard so far!

[faizoff]

Ugh I think I need to lay off reviews for a while. Every time I read one I get so excited and then realize I'm still so far away from actually listening to the album. 5 weeks now. le sigh.

[emtee]

It's been kind of hard to get a sense of this album from the comments. It sounds like cinematic is the key feature. It's going to be
interesting to see how we all absorb this. I've noticed that the ratings on Progarchives have gone steadily down to about 3.5 now.
I've always considered that site to be a decent sounding board for the "average" concensus. Oh well...nothing will block my ability
to listen with a completely open mind on 9/24.

[Meatrose]

It's been kind of hard to get a sense of this album from the comments. It sounds like cinematic is the key feature. It's going to be
interesting to see how we all absorb this. I've noticed that the ratings on Progarchives have gone steadily down to about 3.5 now.
I've always considered that site to be a decent sounding board for the "average" concensus. Oh well...nothing will block my ability
to listen with a completely open mind on 9/24.

30% of the "reviewers" gave it the lowest rating possible (1/5). I bet that most of those who have rated it haven't even heard it so I wouldn't pay too much attention to those numbers just yet.

[emtee]

Well it's usually a good indicator. You throw out the margins...the guys/gals who slag an album just for fun and on the other end
the uber fanbois who always give a 5 star and then you have the middle ground which is usually a pretty accurate gauge.
You probably are right though about not hearing it this early.

[wasteland]

It's been kind of hard to get a sense of this album from the comments. It sounds like cinematic is the key feature. It's going to be
interesting to see how we all absorb this. I've noticed that the ratings on Progarchives have gone steadily down to about 3.5 now.
I've always considered that site to be a decent sounding board for the "average" concensus. Oh well...nothing will block my ability
to listen with a completely open mind on 9/24.

Ratings before the release date are forfeit by default unless they come with an in-depth review and adequate credentials. Expect the count to be reset any day now.

[Meatrose]

Yeah, exactly. The haters and those who vote 5 out of 5 without having heard it usually balance each other out in the long run as their influence on the average rating is pretty much erased as soon as all the real reviews start flooding in. At this stage of the game however, before the album is released (or leaked I guess), the numbers won't be representative of the actual qualities of the album. I'm merely speculating but this how I think it is at least.

[KevShmev]

It's been kind of hard to get a sense of this album from the comments. It sounds like cinematic is the key feature. It's going to be
interesting to see how we all absorb this. I've noticed that the ratings on Progarchives have gone steadily down to about 3.5 now.
I've always considered that site to be a decent sounding board for the "average" concensus. Oh well...nothing will block my ability
to listen with a completely open mind on 9/24.

Eh, I would totally disagree with that.  Prog Archives' ratings focus on how progressive the music is, moreso than the quality of the music, not to mention that there are collaborators there with axes to grind, and since their ratings are way more heavily weighed towards the overall rating, it skews it all big time.  Not saying that site is not a useful tool or anything, but their ratings should be taken with a major grain of salt. 

[noxon]

I say this in my reviews- and i'm paraphrasing here; it's not my fav dt album, but it's not among my least favs either. I'd say it's above average, but the average being what it is means it's a pretty good one. But i doubt anything will reach as high for me as 90s dt, which is why i'm sticking with above average.

With regards to ratings... I think it'll end up as a 3,5 on progarchives even after release. Maybe up to 3.8.

[nikatapi]

Honestly I think that ratings don't matter at all, I prefer a well documented review that analyzes both the good and bad elements of an album.

These ratings (for me) are almost useless in many types of entertainment, music, movies, videogames, you name it.

And I think it is very early to judge even if someone has listened to the album many times, for example with BC&SL i considered it the best album since SDOIT for a while, but now I think it is DT's worst album by far. So the excitement of new material always plays a role in the perception of quality.

[Kotowboy]

I don't usually let reviews sway me. I always check something out anyway.

I've bought albums in the past that have had nothing but bad reviews - but i've gone on to enjoy them...

[ No it wasn't a Green Day album ].

[The Stray Seed]

Same. Remember when I read Ulver's Perdition City reviews. Many where just waaay negative, but I decided to give it a try anyway. Well, after many years, I still believe it's a real masterpiece.

[Lucien]

The Fountain of Lamneth is my mom's favorite Rush song, and one of my favorites, despite scathing reviews on its album Caress of Steel.

[wasteland]

Same. Remember when I read Ulver's Perdition City reviews. Many where just waaay negative, but I decided to give it a try anyway. Well, after many years, I still believe it's a real masterpiece.

This exactly. I don't understand why they didn't appreciate that album!

[mikeyd23]

Wow! Thanks Meatrose for all the info! Great additions to the topic! Its interesting to hear your take on the songs and some of the predictions you made. Can't wait to hear the album for myself!!

[Flacracker]

I say this in my reviews- and i'm paraphrasing here; it's not my fav dt album, but it's not among my least favs either. I'd say it's above average, but the average being what it is means it's a pretty good one. But i doubt anything will reach as high for me as 90s dt, which is why i'm sticking with above average.

With regards to ratings... I think it'll end up as a 3,5 on progarchives even after release. Maybe up to 3.8.

How do you rank ADToE?