Official Distance Over Time discussion thread

[LTE777]

I haven't really been keeping up with news on the album; is the digipak version with the bonus track being sold in stores, or is that a website only thing?

I’d like to know as well.

and by stores I mean actual stores not online stores.

Bought the digipak (w/bonus) and the 4-disc special edition artbook in-store today (Australia) so Yes!

[Train of Naught]

The vocals have become too much of an obstacle for me to enjoy the album in its entirety, but musically it's a big step up from TA (and maybe even better than DT12). Still only first listen though so I can't say for sure, but I'm sure I like it better than TA at least. Out of Reach on the other hand is a great vocal performance by James, happy to hear he can still manage to complement DT's music if the songs are written well for it. I don't think there has been a track on any of the Mangini albums that I've disliked more than Barstool Warrior, but most of the album is quite good and I'll probably give it a couple more spins!

[metrojam]

Have only listened to the first three songs (those that were already released) and as I had resisted listening to all but a 30 second clip of each of them before the official release, then they are virtually brand new to me, and so far I can say that it has already almost does the impossible and erased all memory of the "unspeakable album" from my mind.
LOVE IT so far. Will listen to the next three songs tomorrow as I want to savour this record over 3 days rather than in one hour

[genome]

I must say I've never heard such a lovely ballad played on a baritone guitar tuned to Bb before 

[Sycsa]

First impressions:

- Love the abundance of Hammond sounds used by Jordan. This direction is right up my street.
- The drums still don't sound good. The toms and snare sound way too processed and flat, lacking clarity. Wish the toms had a more defined tone and ring. It all sounds dead and fake. Listening to those toms at 6:05 in S2N, it's like Turbo Lover. Pale Blue Dot at 1:10 sounds like Blue Monday. Compare that to how MP's kit sounds at the beginning of In the Presence of Enemies.
- The songwriting and melodies seem really interesting and adventurous. There's a lot to be unpacked and absorbed here. I have a feeling I'll be listening to this one a lot. 

[Progmetty]

The short bit at the end of At Wit's End is live off the floor.

You mean it actually wasn't multi-tracked?

[SeRoX]

After first day listen (I listened many times), my song ranking:

1- At Wit's End
2- Barstool Warrior
3- S2N
4- Out Of Reach
5- Paralyzed
6- Room 137
7- Viper King
8- Fall Into The Light
9- Pale Blue Dot (I didn't expect it to be that bad for my taste)
10- Untehered Angel

[genome]

The short bit at the end of At Wit's End is live off the floor.

You mean it actually wasn't multi-tracked?

It's probably from the writing sessions.

[LTE777]

The short bit at the end of At Wit's End is live off the floor.

You mean it actually wasn't multi-tracked?

It's probably from the writing sessions.

Can anyone hear a click track for 5-6 seconds at 5:57 or is it just me?

[faizoff]

The sound quality on Amazon music is surprisingly good. What an album, so much to digest. Some legitimate riffs and instrumental sections on here.

[Luoto]

The short bit at the end of At Wit's End is live off the floor.

You mean it actually wasn't multi-tracked?

It sounds like there was just a simple recording device somewhere in the room they were playing it in.

[erwinrafael]

The short bit at the end of At Wit's End is live off the floor.

You mean it actually wasn't multi-tracked?

It's probably from the writing sessions.

Can anyone hear a click track for 5-6 seconds at 5:57 or is it just me?

Isn't that Mangini's cymbals?


On another note, still some bitching about the drum sound? Sheesh

[Zydar]

A giant step up from TA for me, this is the DT I enjoy. Highlights so far are Fall Into The Light, Barstool Warrior, S2N, and At Wit's End. Viper King is cool as well.

As usual, it's the ballads that doesn't do much for me. Out Of Reach is nice but unremarkable. I feel like I should really like Pale Blue Dot, but it hasn't clicked yet. I'm sure it will, with time.

[MirrorMask]

It's lunch break time, off to eat and then buy the album!  wish me luck, the other week the same chain store didn't have the new Avantasia but DT are more famous and they actually had DT CDs on the shelf, so I'm confident they will have the new album just like three years ago they had The Astonishing.

[genome]

It took me about 7/8 listens for Pale Blue Dot to click with me. Boy, has it clicked now!

[LTE777]

The short bit at the end of At Wit's End is live off the floor.

You mean it actually wasn't multi-tracked?

It's probably from the writing sessions.

Can anyone hear a click track for 5-6 seconds at 5:57 or is it just me?

Isn't that Mangini's cymbals?


On another note, still some bitching about the drum sound? Sheesh

No, I think its definitely a click track sound (like tapping two pieces of bamboo together lightly).  Hope I'm wrong....was listening to the DVD HD version when I noticed it. 

If anyone has a problem with MM after this, the problem is with them.  Im pretty sure there is no question of MM's role in the band now....

[Bertielee]

It's lunch break time, off to eat and then buy the album!  wish me luck, the other week the same chain store didn't have the new Avantasia but DT are more famous and they actually had DT CDs on the shelf, so I'm confident they will have the new album just like three years ago they had The Astonishing.

Good luck, my "I haven't heard anything from the new album until release" fellow. Be prepared for a great ride!

B.Lee

[Bertielee]

It took me about 7/8 listens for Pale Blue Dot to click with me. Boy, has it clicked now!

I hope it will for me, because as of now, it hasn't clicked at all. The instrumental passage is out of this world and very Metropolis-like. Yet, the song fails where Metrpolis succeeds : the change in mood. PBD is too samey for me - I have listened to it 3 times. Will see what happens with more listens.
All in all, I picture myself listening to the album A LOT.

B.Lee

[erwinrafael]

The problem with Pale Blue Dot is that it did not end gloriously like the FITL - AWE run of songs.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I blasted Barstool Warrior > Out of Reach on my way to work this morning. Will finish the album off later on the way home and then start over. I've really enjoyed what I've heard. The production quality on this thing is off the charts.

[devieira73]

Anybody here already heard the instrumental versions? I hope the instrumental version of AWE don’t have that fadeout.

[erwinrafael]

The fadeout for me serves a purpose the way Take The Time's does. It gives an open ending that gives a lot of leeway on how this would play out in a live setting.

[SeRoX]

I guess Pale Blue Dot ends up bottom at song ranking for the most despite the hype about it before the release.

[Tomasoares]

Hearing at the first time, Pale Blue Dot also left me quite unimpressed lol
The song has grown on me, though.

[rumborak]

I guess Pale Blue Dot ends up bottom at song ranking for the most despite the hype about it before the release.

I was also surprised after reading all the hype for the tune, to not really like it all that much. I also don't think I get how the subject matter relates to the tune. I get a very ITPOE vibe from the tune, not a "look at how small and insignificant Earth is when seen from far away".

[GandL]

After my first spin, what a fun album, I'm really digging it, yeah, way to go DT 

[Phoenix87x]

I was really looking forward to Pale blue dot, but after a few listens, I don't really like it. Oh well

But to the album itself, I've had two full listens at this point. I definitely like it better than TA, but I don't love DoT. Its a decent album, but not something I feel is incredible. 

Still really like Fall into the Light and paralyzed

At wits end is great and I like S2N as well

Viper King is very cool, very catchy and a lot of fun. I can see myself listening to this song for years to come.

[erwinrafael]

Rumbo, have you read Pale Blue Dot? Here is an excerpt:

"Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves."

Is that not what the song is about?

[erciccio]

I guess Pale Blue Dot ends up bottom at song ranking for the most despite the hype about it before the release.

I was also surprised after reading all the hype for the tune, to not really like it all that much. I also don't think I get how the subject matter relates to the tune. I get a very ITPOE vibe from the tune, not a "look at how small and insignificant Earth is when seen from far away".

Well, the vibe I got is "drifting in the space inside a damaged spaceship under attack from the Empire Forces"
I also was expecting something more..."epic".
PBD is mainly crazy and sinister.
Not bad, but not outstanding.

[MirrorMask]

It's lunch break time, off to eat and then buy the album!  wish me luck, the other week the same chain store didn't have the new Avantasia but DT are more famous and they actually had DT CDs on the shelf, so I'm confident they will have the new album just like three years ago they had The Astonishing.

Good luck, my "I haven't heard anything from the new album until release" fellow. Be prepared for a great ride!

Thanks! and, mission accomplished, whoohoooo!!! 

I enter the store, go to the CD section, see the old DT albums and go FFFFFFUUUUUUUU, then I check out the "NEWS" zone.... and there it is! only one copy! needless to say, they no longer have any copies left 

This evening I have a friday night date with this! 

[Gromit1710]

My first listen through is complete.

This album already has a spot higher than ADToE, DT and TA in my list of albums I prefer, not that I dislike those... it's just, you know...

DoT feels organic, creative and more collaborative than the last 3 releases. Even the tracks that didn't initially grab me on this first listen still felt different than what I've listened to over the last few years, like this really IS a new Dream Theater album rather than variations of the same progressions, formula and structure which has been my only way to describe the way the last few albums have made me feel.

I know some people are still mentioning MM's drum sound, but you know what? I think MM is playing and sounding SO much more creative and involved on this album, as if he's finally been plugged into the emotive feel of the band instead of just playing the role of the drum machine. That has been my biggest gripe since post MP, that the drums were no longer part of the emotion of the songs and felt restrained. This album doesn't feel that way anymore and I couldn't be happier. MM finally sounds "free" to me.

There's a lot to unpack here, and unlike how I've felt after first listens of the last 3 or 4 albums, I don't have that "I'm sure it will grow on me 'cause it's Dream Theater and that's just how you have to do it.." feeling. I like it already. It's like some rut has finally been broken.

Cheers.

[Pettor]

PBD is fantastic! Just needs a couple of spins and was a very hyped. That is always hard since you try to understand what it was and then maybe it ended up being different.

Remember when Pain of Salvation - In The Passing Day of Light came the reviews talked about the 15 min song and said fantastic etc. I ofc expected a strong heavy metal prog piece and then it was .... SLOW?! Didn't like it at all after first spin. But after listening a couple of time my mind accepted what it was and I began to fully appreciate it for what it was.

Personally I have longed soooooo long for a song like PBD. It's DT going full mad house crazy and it's just insane. Chaos like no other band can do it.

[TAC]

The weakest aspect of the album for me are the vocals, which often don't add much to the song.

To me, the thing that keeps this album good instead of great is the vocals. And I don't mean James.

So much is made of the vibe of their barn studio. You can hear the fun and comradery through the music. So why were the vocals recorded in Canada?
To me, the vocals are so far separated from the rest of the music. They are lower in the mix than they should be. James is kind of what sets DT apart from the rest of the genre in terms of melody and emotion. The way the vocals were recorded and mixed totally impeded this connection.

Which is a shame because I LOVE some of the things they did vocally. An example would be the psychedelic part in Room 137. I think that's great.

[SeRoX]

I get The Glass Prison feeling from Pale Blue Dot with some forced vocal melodies and disjointed  passages. It's simplier than TGP and it lacks some proper guitar solo to end it.

[erciccio]

The weakest aspect of the album for me are the vocals, which often don't add much to the song.

To me, the thing that keeps this album good instead of great is the vocals. And I don't mean James.

So much is made of the vibe of their barn studio. You can hear the fun and comradery through the music. So why were the vocals recorded in Canada?
To me, the vocals are so far separated from the rest of the music. They are lower in the mix than they should be. James is kind of what sets DT apart from the rest of the genre in terms of melody and emotion. They way the vocals were recorded and mixed totally impeded this connection.

Which is a shame because I LOVE some of the things they did vocally. An example would be the psychedelic part in Room 137. I think that's great.

100% agree.
Fantastic album for all the instruments but the vocals are clearly one level below, and keep the album from flying to "magic" status.
I think they only song where they really work it's Paralyzed.

It's a pity, and I agree that probably the recording process had an impact on this.

Anyway, great album.