New Album “Distance Over Time’, First Set of 2019 Tour Dates announced!

[CDrice]

I listened to it only twice, but I think it was pretty good. Probably James best (or at least most interesting) performance out of the three singles in my opinion.

I can't wait to hear the full album now

[DP_Gumby]

I'm enjoying Paralyzed so far, getting a more straightforward metal kind of vibe from it.  And I'm sure I'll manage to pick it apart after a while, and listen to each little detail they crammed into the song.

The funny thing is this, immediately after the first playthrough I thought back to SC, and the Behind The Scenes footage they released alongside the album. Jordan made a joke about the difficulty of not playing, reffering to the challenge of not playing as fast as he usually does but rather more slowly. Or something in that manner. 

I'm sure someone else here remember what I'm talking about. 


That being said. I made the grave mistake of reading various Facebook comments from different pages where the song were being shared. And I can safely say one thing. Never Enough could very well be the unofficial anthem of the DT fanbase. Or at least for a certain demographic of the fanbase.

[As I Am]

Paralyzed is just another "ok" song. Very disappointed so far.

[Ruba]

Still probably the best single.

There is noooo way Paralyzed beats out FITL.

Exactly.

I like Fall into the Light too, hence the "probably".

But honestly, none of the singles have REALLY struck a chord with me. Untethered Angel is one of their weakest singles and now these two are pretty much in good-but-not-great territory. I will check out the album, but I doubt I'll enjoy it that much.

[Pettor]

Good song. It's a solid standard song kinda. Actually quite happy we got those before the album and have the lengthier and possibly crazier ones left. FITL is a bit of the exception ofc.

I guess my problem with these songs from DT is that other band kinda do those songs as well. It's better than the general standard songs but I am not into DT because of those, even if they don't hurt. What I am trying to say is that a song like this can only be good, not fantastic or great I guess.

FITL is by far the best single for me. But I am happy with all three singles. Awesome sound that I really want to hear more from! It sounds damn solid actually!

[Art]

Can't really put my finger on why, but i think Paralyzed is my favorite performance by Mangini in DT. The drums are "simple" (simple for him, that is), cool and they SOUND incredible, too.

It's a really solid performance by him, nothing super flashy, but his drumming just fits everything really nicely in the song. The production of the drums certainly helps, this record is the best his kit has sounded in the studio with DT yet.

I find all of that to be true, not only of this song, but of his drumming on the entire album (except for the "flashy" part--there is definitely enough flash elsewhere on the album, when it is appropriate and called for).

Very nice to hear that! I think MM and the band benefited A LOT by having him help writing the songs. I'm sure he talked about the drum sound, too. Looking forward to hearing the whole record!

[DeanTheater]

Paralyzed best release so far out of all 3.  However, the best clip is FITL interlude and solo, just the rest of the song is weaker, IMO.

[Peter Mc]

Probably the best vocal melodies of the three singles so far but, considering everyone is talking about this newfound energy in the material because they were all in the same room, I’m getting no energy at all in the vocals. They’re not bad or out of tune but almost like someone would sing a demo, not putting their all into it as it’s not the final version. Not saying James was not giving his all but it just sounds lacking in energy and excitement. If you look back at my posts, I am a huge admirer of JLB and always defend him but I’m not feeling him on these songs yet.

[lovethedrake]

Probably the best vocal melodies of the three singles so far but, considering everyone is talking about this newfound energy in the material because they were all in the same room, I’m getting no energy at all in the vocals. They’re not bad or out of tune but almost like someone would sing a demo, not putting their all into it as it’s not the final version. Not saying James was not giving his all but it just sounds lacking in energy and excitement. If you look back at my posts, I am a huge admirer of JLB and always defend him but I’m not feeling him on these songs yet.

Its hard to even hear JLB enough to access his vocals.   They just drown him in effects.    Why they do this I have no idea.    Nobody on this board seems to want those effects on his vocals. 

I agree they are the most interesting vocal melodies, I hope we can hear James more later in the album. 

I nit pick but I still actually do like all 3 songs. 

[senecadawg2]

Haven't had a chance to read through too many of the comments here, but my first thought was that it reminded me of some of JLB's solo material, which I enjoy. Not sure I find the song as interesting as the first two, given that it's a bit simpler in many ways, but I think it will grow on me.

[Max Kuehnau]

This is a new interview with JP: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8497269/a-retreat-with-gear-guitarist-john-petrucci-on-how-dream-theater?fbclid=IwAR0V9VF_odazhyLm-P2iV9a9BQlodJIiWeIBZkykGSos_BjAptKVS_79224

[Adami]

Did not dig this song either, but Mangini is sounding more lively and more energetic, which I enjoy.

[rab7]

This is a new interview with JP: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8497269/a-retreat-with-gear-guitarist-john-petrucci-on-how-dream-theater?fbclid=IwAR0V9VF_odazhyLm-P2iV9a9BQlodJIiWeIBZkykGSos_BjAptKVS_79224

Great find. The line about him saying no one had to leave really brought something up that I never considered. When I'm at work and am working on a big problem, I have to wrap it up by 5 pm so I can leave and then the next morning I forget what my train of thought was.

I imagine that they worked the same way. If they couldn't solve their musical idea by 5pm in a normal studio, they'd either stay later and be stressed out because they needed to get home to their family, or come back in the next day and forget what they wanted to do. But at the Yonderbarn, that stress is gone and they could stay up all night solving that problem.

[Max Kuehnau]

and I'm sure that looseness (as it were) permeates the entire album (which is a good thing I'm inclined to think)

[TL]

On Paralyzed;

I definitely agree with those who think it sounds like it could be from a JLB solo record. I generally enjoyed those, so that's not a good or bad thing so much as just a thing.
Performance wise, I liked what I heard. James' vocals stood out to me more, and I think he did a good job. Both with performance and interpretation.
The instruments all sounded good. I was quite a fan of the drums on this one, both the playing and the sound.

Overall, my first impression of this song is, it's fine. I don't know if I'm going to be rushing to listen to this one again. It didn't leave much of an impression with me. Not bad, but it just didn't really grab me.

I'm still really looking forward to the record.

[bill1971]

So far for me its
FITL
UA
P

I love the drums on P. Especially the beginning. Great stuff by Mangini.

[lovethedrake]

Agree with :

FITL
UA
P

Paralyzed is simply way too commercial for my tastes.  Could honestly be any metal band playing that.  Its not a bad song, but I expect WAY better from a band like DT.

[Ruba]

Wait, we're now abbreviating one-word song titles?

[KevShmev]

Its hard to even hear JLB enough to access his vocals.   They just drown him in effects.    Why they do this I have no idea.    Nobody on this board seems to want those effects on his vocals. 

I think it is obvious why.  I have always been a big fan of JLB's voice, and while his occasional live struggles were usually no big deal to me since he could always bring it in the studio, based on what I have heard from the three songs released, the days of JLB killing it on a regular basis in the studio are likely over. And to be fair, he is 55 now, and has abused the crap out of his voice for nearly three decades now (think of how many shows DT has done and how long their shows often are), so a decline was inevitable.  I know I will get push back on this, but it's what my ears are telling me.

Edit: I thought Paralyzed was a solid tune. No more, no less.

[The Letter M]

When I first heard it last night, I didn't really like it. It sounded very generic and tame to me. I later listened to it in between UA and FITL and it sounded better in sequence. I listened to all three again in order this morning, and it sounded even better, but it's definitely the weakest of the three, and in fact, having taken a couple weeks off from hearing the other two, they sound even better than "Paralyzed".

It definitely feels like the kind of song that "Forsaken" and "Build Me Up, Break Me Down" have tried to be - something about that second track spot after the opener feels like it needs to be a simpler song, and this fits it to a T. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

At any rate, I am really ready to hear the rest of the album, and I hope it just gets better and better. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the first 3/4 tracks on DT12 either, but it gets better as the album goes along, so I hope the same applies here with d/t.

-Marc.

[npiazza91]

This album so far feels like a mix between ADTOE and DT12

[lovethedrake]

Its hard to even hear JLB enough to access his vocals.   They just drown him in effects.    Why they do this I have no idea.    Nobody on this board seems to want those effects on his vocals. 

I think it is obvious why.  I have always been a big fan of JLB's voice, and while his occasional live struggles were usually no big deal to me since he could always bring it in the studio, based on what I have heard from the three songs released, the days of JLB killing it on a regular basis in the studio are likely over. And to be fair, he is 55 now, and has abused the crap out of his voice for nearly three decades now (think of how many shows DT has done and how long their shows often are), so a decline was inevitable.  I know I will get push back on this, but it's what my ears are telling me.

Edit: I thought Paralyzed was a solid tune. No more, no less.

See this is what I thought until I heard the BC&SL bonus CD.  James KILLS it on that CD and he never sings like that in DT anymore.   James on "Take your fingers from my hair" is amazing and sounds like the James of old.  He crushes it as he belts out on Stargazer.    While I know that album was 10 years ago, this seems more of a stylistic choice than a vocal limitation.  How about his vocals on Illumination Theory?   Also, we can hear him very clearly on several songs from the Astonishing as well and he sounds great.   It seems like on albums when they want him to sound more commercial they drown him in effects and thin out his voice to sound sinister.       Just my laymans music man way of trying describing this. 

The albums where I least enjoy James' vocals are TOT, Octavarium, Systematic Chaos and ADTOE

[rumborak]

Keep in mind, BCSL is 10 years ago.

EDIT: That said, I entirely agree that for whatever reason, the bonus CD featured a vocal sounds that was almost unheard of for DT. Not even on BCSL itself.

[evilasiojr]

How can someone not like that intro???

You may say Paralyzed as hole is not that great, but the intro just rocks 

And I found the song really cool!!

[lovethedrake]

shoot did it again... sorry, haven't posted in a while!      disregard this

[LCArenas]

DJEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENT
Well this sounds like straight out of JLB's Impermanent Resonance.

And I love the absolute shit out of that album, so I like this one too. 3 out of 3 so far

[bosk1]

Its hard to even hear JLB enough to access his vocals.   They just drown him in effects.    Why they do this I have no idea.    Nobody on this board seems to want those effects on his vocals. 

I think it is obvious why.  I have always been a big fan of JLB's voice, and while his occasional live struggles were usually no big deal to me since he could always bring it in the studio, based on what I have heard from the three songs released, the days of JLB killing it on a regular basis in the studio are likely over. And to be fair, he is 55 now, and has abused the crap out of his voice for nearly three decades now (think of how many shows DT has done and how long their shows often are), so a decline was inevitable.  I know I will get push back on this, but it's what my ears are telling me.

Edit: I thought Paralyzed was a solid tune. No more, no less.

...While I know that album was 10 years ago, this seems more of a stylistic choice than a vocal limitation...

Exactly.  The day may come when he cannot nail it in the studio anymore.  But that day is not yet come.  First off, I don't think the effects used would mask a poor vocal performance.  As said, it really seems to be a stylistic choice.  Second, there are PLENTY of awesome vocal moments on the album.  I would say the album, overall, is definitely more singer-friendly than past albums.  But it isn't a shoddy vocal performance by any stretch.

[Pound4aBrown]

Wait, we're now abbreviating one-word song titles?

Y

[Lonk]

Wait, we're now abbreviating one-word song titles?

Y

I Just listened to F, D, R, R and R in that order. (no kidding)

[rab7]

Wait, we're now abbreviating one-word song titles?

Y

I Just listened to F, D, R, R and R in that order. (no kidding)

Forsaken, Disappear, Repentance, Regression, and Ravenskill?

[The Letter M]

Wait, we're now abbreviating one-word song titles?

Y

I Just listened to F, D, R, R and R in that order. (no kidding)

Forsaken, Disappear, Repentance, and Ravenskill....what's the third R?!

(Used this as reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_recorded_by_Dream_Theater )

EDIT - ninja'd by rab above me - Regression, I guess it counts, since most folks don't use the "Scene ___: ______" way of denoting the SFAM songs.

-Marc.

[jonny108]

Wait, we're now abbreviating one-word song titles?

Y

I Just listened to F, D, R, R and R in that order. (no kidding)

Forsaken, Disappear, Repentance, and Ravenskill....what's the third R?!

(Used this as reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_recorded_by_Dream_Theater )

-Marc.

Regression? EDIT: Jesus, I can't read.

[As I Am]

Did not dig this song either, but Mangini is sounding more lively and more energetic, which I enjoy.

Agreed, drums are the best part of the song. Good job by MM.

[noxon]

Let's just squash that right away: The decision to have effects on James' voice is PURELY out of style. Not because they want to hide anything in it. It's something they did in the mixing/mastering phase because they liked the way it sounded - that's what JP wanted, basically.

[SeRoX]

 

Exactly.  The day may come when he cannot nail it in the studio anymore.  But that day is not yet come.  First off, I don't think the effects used would mask a poor vocal performance.  As said, it really seems to be a stylistic choice.  Second, there are PLENTY of awesome vocal moments on the album.  I would say the album, overall, is definitely more singer-friendly than past albums.  But it isn't a shoddy vocal performance by any stretch.

A friend of mine from Turkey who listens the album says At Wit's End, S2N and Out Of Reach have extremely satisfaying vocal melodies and James delivers them just perfect. He thinks it's like hearing SDOIT, SC and I&W in his style.

So I hope "the day" is not yet come too. Because, for me James is the main reason I love this band and what I seek first is the satisfaying vocal melodies.