Between work and commuting, I must've listened to it 8-10 times. My hot takes are usually restrained and I just let the test of time do its work before ranking etc. But I do have many thoughts so far on each track, after also having listened to the singles many times since they were released. So here we go:
Untethered AngelIf I ranked the songs (excluding Viper King, which I haven't heard yet) it would probably be at the bottom or 2nd last. Not a bad song per se, just not my cup of tea, especially as far as singles go. I still find the 1st verse underwhelming but it gets better from that point on. I find "The Root of All Evil" has the exact same role in its respective record but just is a better track mainly because of the vocal melodies and the lyrics.
ParalyzedThis has been written elsewhere I think but the first part is so Breaking Benjamin huh? I happen to like that band so I don't mind at all. JLB picks it up on that one, although it's strange how what sounds like the bridge ends up almost being the chorus... interesting. To make a parallel with Octavarium again, just like a song such as "I Walk Beside You" doesn't exactly scream "Dream Theater", this one doesn't also, but ends up being a very good song. I like it!
Fall Into The LightThe 2nd riff in the beginning is like the simplest thing ever and still works so well with the production, it sounds so heavy. Can't wait to hear this live. The chorus is not catchy in the classical sense but it's still stuck with me. The changes between mellow and heavy are exactly what you'd expect from them and they still make them sound interesting. Good lyrics by JM as usual, well done overall.
Barstool WarriorYeah, I get that Six Degrees vibe from that one, in particular it reminds me of the About To Crash reprise. Overall I think the intention was to have a sense of nostalgia mixed with hopefulness and I think they achieved it. JM and MM kind of give way to the others to shine on this track...
Room 137Although the approach on this one is interesting and I find some parts fun (especially the solo section), it still doesn't sound like a strong track to me. In particular, I don't find the chorus very interesting. This and "Untethered Angel" probably end up in the "meh" tier for now. I kind of get the whole thing about the number itself and the concept but it doesn't help much.
S2NJM and MM do great at carrying this track doing great stuff rhythmically. In the beginning I found the structure strange the way the chorus popped up. Also notice how it grows between each repetition ("our wounds begin to heal")... that definitely seems intentional. I think it takes the crown as the best chorus in the album. The heavy riff at the end will be another great moment live without a doubt. In general they have some of the best heavy riffs they have had in a while in the record and although for the most part they are very simple - sometimes they're just single notes - they get a great boost by the production, they end up sounding huge.
At Wit's EndWell I think the final section must've been an instant hit for most people, as almost singlehandedly it makes this song an instant classic. Pretty much every album has a couple of songs that eventually become reference points and this is probably one of them. All sections from the very beginning serve their purpose well and JLB does great as he usually does in tracks where he writes the lyrics. But yeah, the final section is fantastic, you just don't want it to end.
Out of ReachMeant to serve as a breather track I suppose but this is unexpectedly good. Does what "Along For The Ride" was supposed to, only much better. Soothing and powerful at the same time. It's got its fair share of cheese but I like it.
Pale Blue DotI have a soft spot for anything space-related and I was a fan of Sagan's work before I ever listened to Dream Theater. So when I saw the title on the track listing for the first time I cracked a smile and naturally went into super-hyped mode, especially as reviews started coming out. I understand where people are coming from with thinking it's short or not really getting it or whatever but for me it's perfect the way it is. The way I see it, it is written from the perspective of an imaginary passenger on Voyager 1 and I'm wondering if they had this in mind when writing these crazy passages during the instrumental section, thinking about the insane speed (get it?
) at which it travels... at least compared to what we're used to in our everyday lives. To me, it captures the essence of Sagan's words very well. Bravo.
Overall I think the album is good with some great moments. So where it sits in their discography after all is said and done to me is for the most part irrelevant. The mere fact they're still capable of putting out quality work after almost 35 years of activity and 13 LPs speaks volumes.
Topic: Official Distance Over Time discussion thread (Read 189630 times)
