Self Titled Album Discussion thread [Expect Spoilers]

[N4Player]

STR is really good. A grower for sure. John Petrucci is delivering the Betty Crocker factory and not just chocolate cake. The sound quality for a stream is quite good. Have to say that some of the vocal arrangements are odd sounding to me and I'm skipping AFTR as I just don't like it. I hope Illumination Theory blows me away on first pass.

[Ultimetalhead]

Another thought: Anyone who complains about a lack of bass on this album is broken.

[moof]

That was emotional. I'm pretty worn out now.

It's been a pleasure, guys.

[Super Dude]

Another thought: Anyone who complains about a lack of bass on this album is broken.

Might be my shit earbuds, but I can't hear it.

That was emotional. I'm pretty worn out now.

It's been a pleasure, guys.

Sorry if I was a little rough.

[Jaq]

Another thought: Anyone who complains about a lack of bass on this album is broken.

Might be my shit earbuds, but I can't hear it.

It's your shit earbuds. Perfectly audible on my shit computer speakers 

[JPX]

First reaction to the album: Worst DT record.

[aprilethereal]

First reaction to the album: Worst DT record.

No way

[RoeDent]

AAAAH!!!! DT, YOU COMPLETE AND UTTER LEGENDS! WOW! THEY'VE DONE IT AGAIN!

[lyfeternl]

First reaction to the album: Worst DT record.

Today is "Opposite Day" and I didn't get the memo....?

[BlobVanDam]

Another thought: Anyone who complains about a lack of bass on this album is broken.

I'd say the same about most DT albums people complain about lack of bass on. He's perfectly audible here.

[chwik]

John Petrucci upped his game AGAIN?

Yup! I am just amazed by his guitarplaying on this album. It is unmatched!

[cyberdrummer]

First reaction to the album: Worst DT record.

Not really sure how to respond to that. Closest I've come to saying an opinion is wrong

[Fnejk]

The frasing of the lyrics at the end of TBP is wonderfuly diffrent.

First reactions, really solid, Enigma Machine stands out so far. (At behind the veil atm)

[lyfeternl]

First reaction to the album: Worst DT record.

Not really sure how to respond to that. Closest I've come to saying an opinion is wrong

Haha, glad I wasn't the only one who thought this 

[Ultimetalhead]

Another thought: Anyone who complains about a lack of bass on this album is broken.

Might be my shit earbuds, but I can't hear it.

Yeah, I have reasonably solid earbuds (Cheap, but quite effective and they've been mentioned as a good option for people who want solid sound quality but without spending hundreds of dollars), and the bass sticks out very well.

[JPX]

First reaction to the album: Worst DT record.

Today is "Opposite Day" and I didn't get the memo....?

I'm not saying that my opinion won't change but barely anything impressed me first time through. Sorry guys, I don't relish saying that in any way. 

[SystematicThought]

There are a lot of great and memorable Myung moments and Mangini moments. The rhythm section is really a star on this album!

[Dark Castle]

First reaction to the album: Worst DT record.

Not really sure how to respond to that. Closest I've come to saying an opinion is wrong

[BlobVanDam]

First reaction to the album: Worst DT record.

There's no way this album is worse than WDADU!

I'd rank this in the lower half of their discography, but it's by no stretch their worst album.

Hopefully it grows on you after more listens.

[7StringedBeast]

My god.  The riffs in IT are fucking great.  Wow that was seriously one of the best songs they have done since Octavarium.  The groove was there!! Yessss.  And that drum and bass breakdown was incredible.

My first reaction to the album is pretty positive.  I'm going to have to listen to it a bunch more times because there was so much to take in.

I thought the singles felt really good inside the album though.  I enjoyed them a lot more within the context.

The tail end of IT is really awesome too.

[gentaishinigami]

The keyboard riff at 12:20ish in IT totally sounds like Legacy by Vince DiCola.  I love Vince's music so that's awesome! 

Legacy:
https://youtu.be/QS9m9aCsPxI?t=2m24s

Love the album, i can tell its going to be one that grows on me as well.

[maximumrocker]

So much diversity!

Another solid album 

[Hayden]

Well, it's not perfect, but it's a beautiful album. There's a lot more to say about it, but I'll leave it at that for now.

[Lolzeez]

OMG Illumination Theory is one of the greatest things they've EVER done!

It is my favorite 20+ minute song from DT.

[WildeSilas]

NM

[aXygnus]

After 5 listens, I can say Illumination Theory is probably a top 5 song, and Enigma Machine their best instrumental bar Hell's Kitchen and maybe Eve.

Maybe it's too soon to say that sorta stuff, but fuck, this is good. AND HOLY SHIT I CAN HEAR MYUNG EVEN BETTER THAN ON ADTOE

[lyfeternl]

First reaction to the album: Worst DT record.

There's no way this album is worse than WDADU.

I'd rank this in the lower half of their discography, but it's by no stretch their worst album.

This album is clearly better than SDOIT without even trying...    (but seriously...it might actually be...)

[Setebos]

Just completed my first listen. That was overall better than what I expected after hearing TEI und AFTR. Not feeling all of the songs yet, but there were certainly some standout moments here and there. And if I listen some more I think I will find some more.
But I think I'm going to wait with that until I've got the CD in my mailbox. The soundcloud quality was ok for that one listen, but still noticeably worse than CD quality.   

[Ultimetalhead]

Honestly, saying that this album is weak after one listen is pretty crazy. I can already tell this album has a lot of layers that need dissecting to fully appreciate everything. This is probably their most layered and varied album since SDOIT, so it's going to take some time to reveal itself. Even Noxon said he wasn't overly fond of the album at first, but it grew on him, IIRC.

[PixelDream]

After one listen I can only say: self-titling this was an excellent choice. Any gripes I may have with it are useless, because this record is totally 'Dream Theater', both old and new era. I couldn't possibly want more out of it. If I don't want to hear badass riffs, epic chord progressions, sick solos and soaring melodies, I'm gonna have to listen to something else.

[Viking of the Sagas]

In the end, IT reminded me a lot of Octavarium. Octavarium is, in my opinion, their most grandiose epic they have written thus far, and didn't find this particularly bad, but then the cliched progressions dragged it down for me.

And yeah, I don't really like this album that much. I actually liked ADTOE better. This doesn't give me any chills at all except in one place - in IT, at around 15:30, when the drums kick in.

[BlobVanDam]

The keyboard riff at 12:20ish in IT totally sounds like Legacy by Vince DiCola.  I love Vince's music so that's awesome! 

Legacy:
https://youtu.be/QS9m9aCsPxI?t=2m24s

Love the album, i can tell its going to be one that grows on me as well.

And yet you didn't mention the intro of BTV using basically the main melody of the Transformers soundtrack. Shame on you.
Which explains why I like that intro so much.

[SystematicThought]

That string section in IT.....


I'm in love. That was the coolest transition from metal to ambient to string.

[Jaq]

Thoughts thus far: better first impression than ADTOE. Liking the mostly shorter, more compact songwriting. JMX and MM are the stars, but everyone is awesome.

[faizoff]

Ill post my thoughts that I wrote on mp.com

"So something amazing happened at work, I was able to listen to the entire album without any interruption, no texts, or calls or coworkers needing anything. 
 
Just being able to work on my own with headphones on with the stream in the background. Something that never happens on a monday morning.
 
I honestly don't know what to say, after last night's Breaking Bad episode I didn't think I'd get another emotional shakedown so quickly. 
 
This album on just one listen has left me speechless. I don't think I felt the same way when I listened to ADTOE. 
 
Beautiful, grand, restrained, apt, focused, Rush, Black Sabbath's Paranoid, Dream Fuckin Theater....Just some thoughts that occurred to me while listening to this album. 
 
I can see what people are saying about the snare sound. The mix of the webstream is a lot better than I thought. Man I'll be listening to this incessantly now.
 
Wow. "