I listen to progressive music often, but i also like "basic" song structures. I play/sing in a sort of modern melodic- metal band, so a song doesn't have to have a section with crazy instrumentation to be good for me. Besides i really like FII and Octavarium, and prog bands that have a "slightly" simpler edge to them also sound good to me.
But i personally feel that, by not including songs like Metropolis 1 or maybe something like Panic attack they are throwing away some of that charm that made me a DT fan in the first place. Yes they have the Enigma Machine on this album, but it feels like a obligatory instrumental to me. Maybe i m just a fan of JP and JR shredding their instruments, i dont know.
Maybe i just need to look at this album in a different light, but i feel slightly alienated by this new style they have on this album.
This is something that has really interested me.. I have heard a few people who really like Octavarium, but cant get into the new album. Each to his own, and I admit, I personally feel 8V is pretty ho-hum; but I feel this album and 8V can actually be compared quite well. While they certainly have a different sound, they do also share a similar album structure of a big epic, and then 7 or 8 other fairly concise songs. The thing is, I feel DT's songs beat out 8V's handily, when we look at similar-ish tracks. Now, of course we have the two epics. With Octavarium being many's favourite, I have no problem with that - But I actually prefer Illumination Theory. I will definitely admit to probably being in the minority there, but 8V has always just taken too darn long for anything major to happen with me, where as IT has just really clicked with me completely. At the end of the day, they are easily my two favourite epics, and two wonderful pieces of music. But the rest of the tracks on DT, completely win me over when compared to 8V..
TROAE starts nice, but I feel it loses momentum fairly quickly. Behind the Veil in comparison, is every bit as good as it - I far prefer it, but it is at the very least, on par. TALW if compared to DT's main ballad AFTR, gets toasted. These walls is definitely one of the better, and more loved tracks from 8V, but I would take Surrender to Reason over it any day. The more pop tracks - IWBY vs The Looking Glass - TLG is one of my faves from the new album, and crushes IWBY in my opinion.. Panic attack is cool, but for metal tracks, I easily prefer The Enemy Inside. Something about the Muse references just never sat as well with me in PI.. Never Enough is one of my most disliked songs, and I feel just doesn't work - I have no problem taking the instrumental Enigma Machine over that. And The Bigger Picture is awesome, while Sacrificed Sons is pretty mid tier. Throw in the excellent FAS album opener, and the very pretty easter egg music, and DT is miles ahead to my mind..
Of course, these are only my opinions, and totally open to others. Just an example of - as a lover of the new album - where it comes from, when compared to other material I find a bit lacklustre, but others enjoy. Peace