What are your thoughts on DT12?

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

THE JAMMIN DUDE SHOW new episode focusing on the new Dream Theater album is up.    So you can hear all my thoughts on the new album.

Hope you all enjoy!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNYH0eBr94U

I've never been so thirsty after seeing you zipp that Black Russian. Had to solve that! 

[jammindude]

THE JAMMIN DUDE SHOW new episode focusing on the new Dream Theater album is up.    So you can hear all my thoughts on the new album.

Hope you all enjoy!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNYH0eBr94U

Thanks JD, enjoyed the show.  "Did I tell you that I cried"? 

My impression of Mike Nelson doing his impression of Morrissey. 

[erciccio]

I have to say that my initial reactions were pretty similiar to Noxon's..

My first listen was in my car at high volume, and my initial thought was...??( ) "what the hell is this?"
It all sounded too flat and "loud", with few highlights...
But I was not worried, I had Noxon's review in mind...

Second listen was in my house, headphones and booklet in my hand...and it was sooooooooo different..
Everything started to make sense, slowly...

Now, after a few listens,  I would say that is a pretty good work, even though not one of my favourites. Overall:
 - very fresh and innovative, different from what I was expecting
 - very well played
 - good sound quality (I didn' like the drums sound in AFTR, but in the reast of the songs the drums are ok)

Looking at the songs:
 - Surrender to reason is my favourite: very original, and I really love the main melody
 - IT is great, and it contains some of my favourites moments (5'-6'; 12'-18') . I don't like the Embracing circle section, unfortunately...in particular, I don't like the arrangements of the "Morricone" section- I would have preferred a single instrument (like a cello) playing the main melody, while the arrangement chosen here is too "symphonic". I don't like the easter egg as weel, sound like a Allievi song (an italian "pop" pianist)
 - BTV (metal??? , TBP and TEI are very good, and contais some nice sections. Need time to digest them fully.
 - I've listened to EM only once, I need more time for that
 - I don't like TLG and AFTR at all (I only like Petrucci's solo in TLG)
 - FAS makes sense only as a show opener....

Overall I would rate it 7+/10

My current ranking would be something like

I&W
SFAM
ADTOE
Awake
SDOIT (Disc 2 >> Disc 1)
Dream Theater
Octavarium
BC&SL
SC
ToT
WDADU
FII

For my tastes, Dream Theater lacks a nice ballad and a nice "short epic", like Breaking All Illusions + Beneath the surface.
But I'm satisfied. 

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

When ADTOE came out, after a while I had a feeling (like some others here) that there was something missing.
Great Music, but somehow it’s just not clicking.
After a dozen of listens the same thing happens with DT12. Great music overall but something is just not right.
And I finally realized that I’m missing excitement. Pure personal sentiment I think but true for me nevertheless.

I became a DT fan in the SC era. My favorite albums are I&W and Scenes.
Like I said, there’s very little wrong with DT’s last 2 albums but however often I put in I&W or Scenes I always am excited, e.g.:
-   excited for the unison in Take The Time
-   excited for the solo of Under A Glass Moon
-   excited for the F# in LTL
-   excited for the interlude and solo of Fatal Tragedy

And I can go on and on, and this goes for albums like Awake and SC as well.

I’ve heard I&W and Scenes so many times and I’m still excited with these albums. To me that’s what makes these albums so very good.
I’m sorry I can’t say the same about the last two DT albums.

[YtseJamittaja]

Now speaking of guitar tunings, is Illumination Theory played on baritone guitar? I swear I heard a low A somewhere...

7 string downtuned. Follow the qr code on the booklet 

Why my qr-code is taking me only to DT's official merch site?

[N4Player]

Now that the album is in hand I was hoping it would grow on me more. The community at large seems to be really digging it and that is great. A lot of positive energy flowing. Sadly I can't share in the enthusiasm. I hate the way the orchestra ruins the flow in many songs (especially in Illumination Theory) and how unmemorable most of the songs are. Orchestras can be so effective and great, but the compositions should sound original and not like something we have heard in movies a million times.  I don't even notice Mangini because of the passive drum sound and the album loses backbone as a result. The album begins to sound wimpy and sickly sweet at times. There are flashes of greatness all over the album, but they rarely come together to form a great song, and that kills it for me. TEI, BTV, and the guitar solo on TLG continue to rise above everything else. I have no reason to complain because this band has delivered such great music for me for such a long run, but this album doesn't provoke a desire in me to keep listening.

[erciccio]

I hate the way the orchestra ruins the flow in many songs (especially in Illumination Theory) and how unmemorable most of the songs are. Orchestras can be so effective and great, but the compositions should sound original and not like something we have heard in movies a million times.

I have overall a much more positive view on the album, but I agree with your point on the orchestra.
The orchestra section in IT is unorginal (sounds a lot like Morricone or Tschaikovsky), disconnected from the rest of the song and the orchestration itself is a bit "flat" (I think that was a legitimate choice, bu I don't like)

[Kotowboy]

Now speaking of guitar tunings, is Illumination Theory played on baritone guitar? I swear I heard a low A somewhere...

7 string downtuned. Follow the qr code on the booklet 

Why my qr-code is taking me only to DT's official merch site?

You have to go via your smartphone.

[Fiery Winds]

After a spin and a half, I can already tell that this album is something special.  The lyrics, the emotion, the atmosphere; everything comes together and massages my brain to the beat of my inner ear drum.  It sounds like they made this album for me, and that's the first time I've experienced that with any band.

 

[JediKnight1969]

Now that the album is in hand I was hoping it would grow on me more. The community at large seems to be really digging it and that is great. A lot of positive energy flowing. Sadly I can't share in the enthusiasm. I hate the way the orchestra ruins the flow in many songs (especially in Illumination Theory) and how unmemorable most of the songs are. Orchestras can be so effective and great, but the compositions should sound original and not like something we have heard in movies a million times.  I don't even notice Mangini because of the passive drum sound and the album loses backbone as a result. The album begins to sound wimpy and sickly sweet at times. There are flashes of greatness all over the album, but they rarely come together to form a great song, and that kills it for me. TEI, BTV, and the guitar solo on TLG continue to rise above everything else. I have no reason to complain because this band has delivered such great music for me for such a long run, but this album doesn't provoke a desire in me to keep listening.

This. Sadly.

[Ben_Jamin]

When I listen to this album, it makes me feel I'm sitting in a movie theater watching a movie, from the hard hitting opening scene of FAS to the nice credit roll of the Easter Egg. The albums sound is HUGE and really doesn't come across well on anything but stereo speakers, SS or car speakers, to me anyways.

Mangini is really great with following the instruments that he blends in and fits just right you forget theirs drums.

Overall its surpassed 6DOIT as my favorite DT album.

Bring on the live versions which are going to be amazing.

[Ruba]

You know, the abbreviation FAS is a bit disturbing, because it means Fetal Alcohol Syndrome too.

But nevermind, one of the songs by my band is abbreviated HIV.

[chwik]

BTW, the HD tracks sounds amazing!

[tarkusman]

I voted 'decent'. There are some great things on there. However, as I was first attracted to DT from Prog then it doesn't seem very progy to me. I think part of the problem for me is I had hoped Jordan would be to the forefront a bit more than he is. The band seem to get more into the prog mode when this happens. I think that's why I love Systematic Chaos a bit more than most fans. On the other hand, I have only played the album three times. So we shall see.

[Kotowboy]

If they included a DVD of them playing the entire album at the studio - that would have been amazing.

[Crow]

oh god listening through my headphones this time
that snare
is painful sounding
I don't remember it sounding that  on the stream, but I only used my laptop's cruddy speakers that time.

[Nearmyth]

I feel like this album lacks the nice "fleshing out" of previous DT releases. The compact and concise songs are nice, and they're good as they are, but Surrender To Reason and Behind The Veil both feel like they should be a few minutes longer. This is purely my opinion and thoughts, I like DT for their 10+ minute songs. This is the only DT album besides WDADU to not have a 10-19 minute song.

[eric42434224]

Best since Scenes.  This is what I have been waiting for from DT for a while.  Very strong.  Classic?  Maybe.....but Not yet.

[wasteland]

BTW, the HD tracks sounds amazing!

Great to hear! I'll be listening to them in the morning!

[krands85]

I feel like this album lacks the nice "fleshing out" of previous DT releases. The compact and concise songs are nice, and they're good as they are, but Surrender To Reason and Behind The Veil both feel like they should be a few minutes longer. This is purely my opinion and thoughts, I like DT for their 10+ minute songs. This is the only DT album besides WDADU to not have a 10-19 minute song.

I agree 

Another few minutes here or there on certain songs and I would probably have liked the album much more. They show too much restraint for my liking  Especially Jordan.

But this is different from what we're used to from DT, so I can see why most people have the opposite opinion.

[Dark Castle]

I feel like this album lacks the nice "fleshing out" of previous DT releases. The compact and concise songs are nice, and they're good as they are, but Surrender To Reason and Behind The Veil both feel like they should be a few minutes longer. This is purely my opinion and thoughts, I like DT for their 10+ minute songs. This is the only DT album besides WDADU to not have a 10-19 minute song.

Illumination Theory...

[predator13]

I've only listened to it once.  For me the first reaction is a bit underwhelming, a lot of the songs aren't memorable and blend.  It has its moments for sure, but just felt flat, like I was just going through the motions.  But it can always change as time goes on and I get more listens.

[Kotowboy]

After about 10 listens :

The most FUN i've had listening to a Dream Theater album since Scenes From A Memory.

Just really concise , tight songwriting and all around great performances.

Plus I really LOVE the in-your-face production.

8/10 so far.

[Nel]

So we start with an opening by Symphony X, follow that with an average song from the 2002-2009 era, and then... and then...

Okay, so a few months back in some random topic I mentioned that Blind Faith is the most unmemorable DT song to me. Even songs I don't like, I can remember them and why I don't like them. But Blind Faith. Even two minutes after hearing the song, I'll forget it. If you ask me to think of Blind Faith, I'll only remember Misunderstood.

I say that because the next 6 songs is like listening to Blind Faith six times in a row. It's not even bad music. It's just insanely unmemorable. Nothing in this run of songs sounds like an actual song, just a bunch of cobbled together Dream Theater signatures. Quirky keyboard here, soft section here, chunky riff there, cringe-worthy lyric in the back corner. And the soaring. There's so many times where LaBrie will just be singing in some uplifting, soaring way. And I can't remember what goes with which song. I'm so disappointed with this. Please, please be a grower, album. 

And finally, Illumination Theory. Starts off on a better note than the other songs, despite the awkward sounding vocal melodies, then devolves into the score for a Disney movie before the band suddenly says "fuck all that" and breaks into Campbell's chunky noodle riffage. Very clunky and disjointed. Then random piano and more riffage! And then a pretty cool guitar part before we enter another soaring vocals section and a pretty sweet outro. Easily my least favorite DT epic. The hidden track was pretty nice though. Hoping this one's a grower too.

I'm wildly disappointed with this release. I don't understand what happened. ADTOE sounded like a band that was reinvigorated with fresh ideas. Where that was a step forward, this album feels like a step sideways, into territory that I can't wrap my head around. Before the album, I was voicing my disappointment with The Enemy Inside. That turned out to be the song I like most on the album! 

Here's to hoping that Dream Theater will click with me down the road. I went into this wanting to like it, but it just wasn't meant to be, I guess.

[olddtfan51@gmail.com]

I really love all of DT's albums even when there are songs that don't grab me right away. I find over time that what I didn't like at first grows on me. And this album is no exception.   

[CrimsonE]

My response after one listen:  some interesting stuff, but nothing that truly grabs me on a consistent basis.  It doesn't have a truly classic moment like the instrumental section of Outcry, or all of This is the Life.  However, DT has often been hard to get a hold of one time out.  It will have to take several listens to really get into the album and grasp what the band was trying to do. 

[425]

From one listen, I already feel that this is a very strong Dream Theater album. I can never digest a DT album in one run, and this was no exception, but already I see signs that this will be a favorite.

This was my 4th listen to The Enemy Inside, and that song finally clicked with me this time. I initially found this song to be generic; I now think it is a superbly creative DT song. If the other songs on this album grow as much as it did, this will make it into my top 3.

Illumination Theory is enormously complex so I can't say that I totally get it, but I think it is fantastic. I like how, like Octavarium, it is a journey through a variety of moods. Actually, Illumination Theory is so complex that it crashed the Music app on my iPhone!

The one aspect I'm not too certain about is the fact that every track seems to have a lot of distorted guitar. Even the "ballads," like The Bigger Picture and Along for the Ride, have what seems to me like a lot of distorted guitar. To me, the fact that the album doesn't have a full acoustic or piano ballad is one strike against it.

Overall, aside from that one qualm, my first-listen view of the album is VERY positive. Time will tell, though, how high it makes it in my rankings.

[hefdaddy42]

I think it is, at the very least, their strongest album since SDOIT.

[Octawakeimages]

From my first and only listen so far,  I feel it's a very strong album.  I had shivers down my spine numerous times.  A few of the songs still need to grow on me since it's a lot to take in at once.  Even Images and Words had to grow on me too the first time I heard it, it's a lot to take in!

[gmillerdrake]

I think it is, at the very least, their strongest album since SDOIT.

Easily. And having finally had the chance to listen to the CD on a good sound system, I cannot understand the gripe about the mix being brick walled/compressed/ sandwiched/ionized/liquified, I'm just a simpleton who hears a band who is clearly functioning as one unit. I think they sound incredible.

[Lucien]

I think I'll download Audiosurf again just for it.

[Progmetty]

Enjoying the album, only track with instrumental "Wow" moments is IT and I don't mean the orchestra section.
On a shallower side this album lacks.. metal.

[BlobVanDam]

I think it is, at the very least, their strongest album since SDOIT.

I dsagree. For me all but BCASL are definitely stronger, although DT12's high points are easily just as high (or higher) as any other DT album.

[Tunnel Vision]

I think I'll download Audiosurf again just for it.

Good idea...hopefully my copy ships soon so I can play

Overall, I really enjoy this album. It's definitely a "grower" for me....I didn't even know what I listened to the first time. Each successive listen has gotten better and better. I just have to make sure I don't over-listen before I get my copy and listen to the the final mix (standard and 5.1 mixes).

[Zorander]

Not quite sure yet. Listened through the album on my AKG headset last night and halfway through in the car on the way to work this morning. There's definitely some good songs here, and also very good parts in songs that I don't think are the very best. But I am not very happy about the way the album sounds.. Im no sound engineer so I don't know what does it, but its just like every instrument is cranked to max.. it feels like i NEED to play it loud but at the same time, to play it at that required volume tires me quickly. Its just too much.

For the record, been a long time fan. Since before Scenes, and I&W, Awake, FII, SDOIT, Scenes are the 5 best albums for me. Both for sound and song quality.

Now, Illumination Theory was quite good - the best of the bunch, tbh - but still i think both Octavarium and ACoS tops it. ACoS is still the best epic in my eyes ears.

Have to say though that I haven't really liked any albums too much since SDOIT. Octavarium was decent+, but SC, ADToE, BC&SL and ToT are all just decent- and I don't listen much to them at all anymore. When I think about it, I fear DT12 falls into the decent- bracket, maybe along with Octavarium as decent+.