Author Topic: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread  (Read 5508 times)

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Offline Dublagent66

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #35 on: August 30, 2018, 10:58:40 AM »
I didn’t think this song needed an appreciation thread. Considering how well it’s done in the DT League and Survivors, as well as polls on the DT side of the forum, I thought it was pretty well known how beloved this song is. However, since the thread exists, I’ll put in my two cents.

Breaking All Illusion is a well crafted song that shows how amazing Dream Theater can be when they put more focus on melody and structure instead of on showing off (looking at you ANtR). This song is a masterclass in progressive songwriting and is far and away the best song of the Mangini era. It currently sits at number four in my own personal ranking, and when you consider that Octavarium, The Count of Tuscany, and A Change of Seasons are the songs in front of it, I would say it’s in good company. This is the band at their very best, perfectly blending melody, harmony, rhythm, virtuosity, technically, and emotion into a twelve and a half minute masterpiece. Hearing this for the first time told me that they would be perfectly fine without Portnoy, and to this day I get chills whenever I listen to it. I cannot say enough good things about this song. It’s the perfect Dream Theater mini-epic, and one of the best songs in their entire discography.

Wow!  I could not have said it better.   :tup
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Offline Drinktheater

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #36 on: August 30, 2018, 11:47:57 AM »
My favorite Dream Theater song. When I first heard that majestic intro, I knew it would be something special.
And that JP Solo! was so sublime one of his best solos and like what others have said its like a throwback to Images and Words' Learning to live without actually sounding like learning to live. 

When I saw him play that live in Manila last year I was speechless during the Solo. 
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Offline PMA

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #37 on: August 31, 2018, 11:47:36 AM »
I didn’t think this song needed an appreciation thread. Considering how well it’s done in the DT League and Survivors, as well as polls on the DT side of the forum, I thought it was pretty well known how beloved this song is. However, since the thread exists, I’ll put in my two cents.

Breaking All Illusion is a well crafted song that shows how amazing Dream Theater can be when they put more focus on melody and structure instead of on showing off (looking at you ANtR). This song is a masterclass in progressive songwriting and is far and away the best song of the Mangini era. It currently sits at number four in my own personal ranking, and when you consider that Octavarium, The Count of Tuscany, and A Change of Seasons are the songs in front of it, I would say it’s in good company. This is the band at their very best, perfectly blending melody, harmony, rhythm, virtuosity, technically, and emotion into a twelve and a half minute masterpiece. Hearing this for the first time told me that they would be perfectly fine without Portnoy, and to this day I get chills whenever I listen to it. I cannot say enough good things about this song. It’s the perfect Dream Theater mini-epic, and one of the best songs in their entire discography.

I completely agree.  I can listen to this over and over again.  My top 5 varies from yours but this is one of them.

Offline Dreamer

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #38 on: September 03, 2018, 11:21:03 AM »
Possibly my fave ever DT track - awesome!

Offline TheOutlawXanadu

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #39 on: September 09, 2018, 07:53:31 AM »
I am not sure if we have ever done a formal "Best Mangini-Era Song" thread, but I am assuming that this song would win that vote. I am not sure if it my personal favorite, but it seems to be the one track that everyone agrees is awesome.
« Last Edit: October 01, 2018, 08:49:38 AM by TheOutlawXanadu »
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Offline Dublagent66

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #40 on: September 28, 2018, 02:26:54 PM »
It's not only the best Mangini era song.  It's the best post SDOIT song.
"Two things are infinite; the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." -Albert Einstein
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #41 on: September 28, 2018, 02:34:13 PM »
It's not only the best Mangini era song.  It's the best post SDOIT song.
No
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Offline Volante99

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #42 on: September 28, 2018, 02:36:11 PM »
It’s a real bitch to play that opening riff on guitar, I’ll say that much.

Offline Dublagent66

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #43 on: September 28, 2018, 03:19:41 PM »
It's not only the best Mangini era song.  It's the best post SDOIT song.
No

 :lol No surprise there since you're probably the only person on the planet who considers BAI their least favorite song on the album.  Sorry Bosk, just messin' with ya a little :p
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #44 on: September 28, 2018, 03:22:00 PM »
It's okay.  Given your avatar, I can't criticize your taste in music too much.
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Offline Dublagent66

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #45 on: September 28, 2018, 10:45:36 PM »
 :lol :2metal:  :tup
"Two things are infinite; the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." -Albert Einstein
"There's not a pill you can take.  There's not a class you can go to.  Stupid is foreva."  -Ron White

Offline DoctorAction

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #46 on: September 29, 2018, 01:20:08 AM »
I listened to ADTOE the other day for the first time in a while. Neither of the other recent albums ever get played so i was interested to see how I'd react to it. In short, really rather well, i was happy to see. TITL, BITS, FFH BAI, BTS are all premium level DT, in my book. The rest isn't bad but doesn't really make the grade.

BAI for me too is up there with all time DT greats. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Just watched the BTFW performance on YouTube and that's great too. James nails it. Cracking.
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #47 on: September 29, 2018, 07:07:25 AM »
It's not only the best Mangini era song.  It's the best post SDOIT song.

I can't say it's better than In the Name of God (my pick for best DT song post-2002), and there are still many days where I prefer Bridges in the Sky, but it's up there.  :coolio

Offline Cool Chris

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #48 on: September 29, 2018, 11:28:03 AM »
This a wonderful song (on a wonderful album). At the risk of setting myself up, (because I feel I got slammed for it in another thread here), I really dislike the spoken word part. It doesn't drag the song down or lessen how I feel about it, but it is wholly unnecessary and in a lesser song would approach the border of annoyance. For the simple reason that I cannot understand a word of it. I was informed elsewhere that this is my issue, so whatever. Had the same argument over PF's Sheep. Is my hearing that bad?   
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Offline erwinrafael

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #49 on: September 30, 2018, 12:28:34 AM »
What spoken word part?

Offline Volante99

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #50 on: September 30, 2018, 10:04:53 AM »
I listened to ADTOE the other day for the first time in a while. Neither of the other recent albums ever get played so i was interested to see how I'd react to it. In short, really rather well, i was happy to see. TITL, BITS, FFH BAI, BTS are all premium level DT, in my book. The rest isn't bad but doesn't really make the grade.

BAI for me too is up there with all time DT greats. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Just watched the BTFW performance on YouTube and that's great too. James nails it. Cracking.

I did the same recently. The album is actually better than I remember, and it may be their most consistent since ToT.

Online MirrorMask

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #51 on: September 30, 2018, 10:40:57 AM »
What spoken word part?

There are some samples in the background at the beginning, when it all quiets down before James comes in (or during the first or second verse, can't remember at the moment, but it's there in the first part of the sung section of the song)
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Offline Cool Chris

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #52 on: September 30, 2018, 12:07:14 PM »
It's not a sample though, I thought it was specifically recorded for the album. Can someone clarify?
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Offline Max Kuehnau

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #53 on: September 30, 2018, 01:20:17 PM »
Paul Northfield (the engineer) voiced the section you're talking about and yes it was concieved for the piece. I don't know exactly what he says. Some wise words I'm sure (to tie in with the general Yoda subject of the piece. We can thank JM for that. And I'm serious about that.)
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Offline Drinktheater

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Re: Breaking All Illusions appreciation thread
« Reply #54 on: May 10, 2019, 12:06:36 AM »
Just listened to this song intensely again and it really is a masterpiece I love it first time I heard it back in 2012 after a long haitus listening to DT I would say its the song that got me listening to DT again. And now I love it more.


The song is just flowing its a Prog Metal song but feels so relatable it just flows and its placing in the album is perfect.
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