DT15: A View From The Top Of The World (Timeline for DT15)

[Imacer]

Jordan's keyboard playing seems a lot more tasteful on this album, a lot less arpeggio tornadoes, really digging it

[Architeuthis]

I like ADTOE, but the only songs I cherry pick with any regularity since ADTOE is:

Barstool Warrior
Viper King
Behind the Veil
At Wit's End

Those are all great songs!   

[Architeuthis]

Jordan's keyboard playing seems a lot more tasteful on this album, a lot less arpeggio tornadoes, really digging it

Lets not forget, his keyboard/piano playing is very classy and tasteful on The Astonishing.  💯

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

What’s the word for “Ive already heard them do this before?” 1 minute into a song?

[erwinrafael]

What’s the word for “Ive already heard them do this before?” 1 minute into a song?

what song?

[evilasiojr]

I think The Alien is one of the best songs they wrote in a while!

It has all the classic elements and still sounds fresh, new and exciting to me. Not to mention the over the top energy the song has all the way through, something I really missed since ADToE. And really dig the lyrics!!

[Laughingplace56]

Fall Into The Light is awesome!!


I'd take Invisible Monster over Room 137, Out Of Reach, and Paralyzed.

Definitely agree. Those 3 songs are among my least favorite of the Mangini-era (love the groove of 137 but the lyrics kill it for me).

I stopped listening to IM after 4 or 5 plays, but I still think it’s better than the worst song on each album since SC (OOR, the multiple really cheesy ballads on Astonishing like When Your Time Has Come, BMUBMD, AFTR, Wither, Repentance). I think it’s a very interesting song but not one that I’d listen to extensively. I haven’t stopped listening to The Alien almost daily since it came out. I think it’s their best song since DT12, and I seemingly love that album more than most do (I’d put it in my top 5).

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

What’s the word for “Ive already heard them do this before?” 1 minute into a song?

what song?

Alien - I like it and listen to it when I go to the gym but I have heard JP do a lot of this before.

[dtrocker25]

I’m curious...when  new DT music is dropped on Amazon Music  and I click and download it.. does the band even see a penny of that...some albums automatically download and some require payment but most just download automatically.. all of the Lost not Forgotten stuff has dropped straight to my phone no extra cost other than  Amazon prime cost

[Glasser]

I’m curious...when  new DT music is dropped on Amazon Music  and I click and download it.. does the band even see a penny of that...some albums automatically download and some require payment but most just download automatically.. all of the Lost not Forgotten stuff has dropped straight to my phone no extra cost other than  Amazon prime cost

Less than a penny per stream and not much more per download, but yes eventually they see a few pennies. I know a few relevant musicians that have I have had this conversation with. Bands need to tour to make real or any money for that matter. The albums are merely a vehicle to get people to shows. Sad but very true.

[darkshade]

The melodies are pretty haunting yet beautiful on Out of Reach. Most underrated song in the modern DT catalog. It definitely works well as a bridge from AWE to PBD. I think that 3 song stretch is the best sequence of songs DT has put out since ADTOE.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

^ I finally agreed with one thing (re: Out of Reach) that Darkshare said 

[Kotowboy]

Just saw a funny video on YouTube about the new album and it was " Every Song On The New Album "

And it was "Another Day" with a completely out of place over the top drum fill.

I laughed but I haven't heard the new album and I don't think Mangini would do that anyway.

[Pettor]

The melodies are pretty haunting yet beautiful on Out of Reach. Most underrated song in the modern DT catalog. It definitely works well as a bridge from AWE to PBD. I think that 3 song stretch is the best sequence of songs DT has put out since ADTOE.

Amen! Those three are perfect together!

[Wim Kruithof]

I’m curious...when  new DT music is dropped on Amazon Music  and I click and download it.. does the band even see a penny of that...some albums automatically download and some require payment but most just download automatically.. all of the Lost not Forgotten stuff has dropped straight to my phone no extra cost other than  Amazon prime cost

Less than a penny per stream and not much more per download, but yes eventually they see a few pennies. I know a few relevant musicians that have I have had this conversation with. Bands need to tour to make real money. The albums are merely a vehicle to get people to shows. Sad but very true.

Or / and buy content like vinyl, merch and artbooks. Next to the vinyl I also buy the specific albums on iTunes for the download while I’m away from home.

[Obsidian Pancake]

Fall Into The Light is awesome!!


I'd take Invisible Monster over Room 137, Out Of Reach, and Paralyzed.

Definitely agree. Those 3 songs are among my least favorite of the Mangini-era (love the groove of 137 but the lyrics kill it for me).

I stopped listening to IM after 4 or 5 plays, but I still think it’s better than the worst song on each album since SC (OOR, the multiple really cheesy ballads on Astonishing like When Your Time Has Come, BMUBMD, AFTR, Wither, Repentance). I think it’s a very interesting song but not one that I’d listen to extensively. I haven’t stopped listening to The Alien almost daily since it came out. I think it’s their best song since DT12, and I seemingly love that album more than most do (I’d put it in my top 5).

Pfft The Astonishing is my favorite album by them. The riff in "Build Me Up to Break Me Down" is sick. Impossible to resist singing along to "Wither". I haven't listened to "Repentance" in forever, probably as it's a bit slow. I might have to check it out again but I've been to busy blasting "The Alien" and "Invisible Monster"!

What's your favorite song on Dream Theater?

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Fall Into The Light is awesome!!


I'd take Invisible Monster over Room 137, Out Of Reach, and Paralyzed.

Definitely agree. Those 3 songs are among my least favorite of the Mangini-era (love the groove of 137 but the lyrics kill it for me).

I stopped listening to IM after 4 or 5 plays, but I still think it’s better than the worst song on each album since SC (OOR, the multiple really cheesy ballads on Astonishing like When Your Time Has Come, BMUBMD, AFTR, Wither, Repentance). I think it’s a very interesting song but not one that I’d listen to extensively. I haven’t stopped listening to The Alien almost daily since it came out. I think it’s their best song since DT12, and I seemingly love that album more than most do (I’d put it in my top 5).

Pfft The Astonishing is my favorite album by them. The riff in "Build Me Up to Break Me Down" is sick. Impossible to resist singing along to "Wither". I haven't listened to "Repentance" in forever, probably as it's a bit slow. I might have to check it out again but I've been to busy blasting "The Alien" and "Invisible Monster"!

What's your favorite song on Dream Theater?

I've resisted pretty easily for over 10 years. It's an OK song on mixed album. Build Me Up is one of the worst DT songs ever, which is somewhat ironic given its placement on an album that is chock full of standouts. The band was trying to make a radio-friendly song, which almost never works out well....Paralyzed being a recent exception.

[Obsidian Pancake]

Pfft The Astonishing is my favorite album by them. The riff in "Build Me Up to Break Me Down" is sick. Impossible to resist singing along to "Wither". I haven't listened to "Repentance" in forever, probably as it's a bit slow. I might have to check it out again but I've been to busy blasting "The Alien" and "Invisible Monster"!

What's your favorite song on Dream Theater?

I've resisted pretty easily for over 10 years. It's an OK song on mixed album. Build Me Up is one of the worst DT songs ever, which is somewhat ironic given its placement on an album that is chock full of standouts. The band was trying to make a radio-friendly song, which almost never works out well....Paralyzed being a recent exception.

Ha, you have stronger willpower than I! Interesting that you are not big on Black Clouds and Silver Linings, I thought all the songs were great. What other songs on that album are so-so for you?

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Pfft The Astonishing is my favorite album by them. The riff in "Build Me Up to Break Me Down" is sick. Impossible to resist singing along to "Wither". I haven't listened to "Repentance" in forever, probably as it's a bit slow. I might have to check it out again but I've been to busy blasting "The Alien" and "Invisible Monster"!

What's your favorite song on Dream Theater?

I've resisted pretty easily for over 10 years. It's an OK song on mixed album. Build Me Up is one of the worst DT songs ever, which is somewhat ironic given its placement on an album that is chock full of standouts. The band was trying to make a radio-friendly song, which almost never works out well....Paralyzed being a recent exception.

Ha, you have stronger willpower than I! Interesting that you are not big on Black Clouds and Silver Linings, I thought all the songs were great. What other songs on that album are so-so for you?

BCSL is such an up and down album for me but ultimately there were more down moments. Nightmare is an excellent song but for a few choices towards the end included unnecessary instrumental bloat, ROR, day-after-day etc. Rite of Passage was a snooze fest for me and also bloated. Best of Times has one of JP's most godly solos ever; the rest of the song is pretty good too. I have no impulse to listen to Shattered Fortress given how long we had to digest the prior songs in the suite. Count is decent but has a lot of problems. I loved the guitar work including the intro, outro but the black hole section is just entirely too long. Maybe it's meant to convey the part of the story when JP was asleep? The lyrics were weak despite the fact that I really like the idea of telling a story. Where does Wither fit in for me? Maybe I would listen to it over Rite of Passage but just because it's more concise.

BCSL does have a few standout moments and to be honest I think it has more upside than Octavarium-- an album I think is flat and has no standout moments-- but overall I categorize it in the 3 album slump that ended the MP era (arguably ToT belongs in there too).

[Obsidian Pancake]

Pfft The Astonishing is my favorite album by them. The riff in "Build Me Up to Break Me Down" is sick. Impossible to resist singing along to "Wither". I haven't listened to "Repentance" in forever, probably as it's a bit slow. I might have to check it out again but I've been to busy blasting "The Alien" and "Invisible Monster"!

What's your favorite song on Dream Theater?

I've resisted pretty easily for over 10 years. It's an OK song on mixed album. Build Me Up is one of the worst DT songs ever, which is somewhat ironic given its placement on an album that is chock full of standouts. The band was trying to make a radio-friendly song, which almost never works out well....Paralyzed being a recent exception.

Ha, you have stronger willpower than I! Interesting that you are not big on Black Clouds and Silver Linings, I thought all the songs were great. What other songs on that album are so-so for you?

BCSL is such an up and down album for me but ultimately there were more down moments. Nightmare is an excellent song but for a few choices towards the end included unnecessary instrumental bloat, ROR, day-after-day etc. Rite of Passage was a snooze fest for me and also bloated. Best of Times has one of JP's most godly solos ever; the rest of the song is pretty good too. I have no impulse to listen to Shattered Fortress given how long we had to digest the prior songs in the suite. Count is decent but has a lot of problems. I loved the guitar work including the intro, outro but the black hole section is just entirely too long. Maybe it's meant to convey the part of the story when JP was asleep? The lyrics were weak despite the fact that I really like the idea of telling a story. Where does Wither fit in for me? Maybe I would listen to it over Rite of Passage but just because it's more concise.

BCSL does have a few standout moments and to be honest I think it has more upside than Octavarium-- an album I think is flat and has no standout moments-- but overall I categorize it in the 3 album slump that ended the MP era (arguably ToT belongs in there too).

That's interesting! I agree that "The Best of Times" has an epic solo. I haven't heard the live version. Do they extend the solo like "Take the Time"? I never thought to look until now.

I have no qualms with "A Rite of Passage". I actually dig the instrumental section. I like when Jordan busts out the random video game sounds and spazzes out.

The ending of "The Shattered Fortress" I find to be pretty powerful. Transition from "Repentance" and "The Root of All Evil" callbacks into an epic guitar solo and Labrie wrapping up Portnoy's journey shouting "I am responsible! When anyone, anywhere... reaches out for help! I want my hand to be there!" Makes me feel like I need to be out somewhere helping somebody!

Love Octavarium also. It was interesting to hear your perspective - what are your favorite albums then?

[Glasser]

I have been listening to View for 2 months now and I can honestly say it’s easily the best Mangini era album which makes it my favorite album next to I&W and Awake.

[UndercoverMyung]

I have been listening to View for 2 months now and I can honestly say it’s easily the best Mangini era album which makes it my favorite album next to I&W and Awake.

This is great to hear

[Lax]

It's funny how we all have different points of view
I personnally prefer build me up break me down over paralysed and invisible monster.
It's sometimes in the details, sometimes it's because the song aside is so strong the other one sounds a little tateless, exemple fall into the light and untethered angel vs paralysed

[erwinrafael]

Invisible Monster really elevates when it reaches this part:

"The serpent inside
Wrapping its tail around my neck
I'm buried alive
Dying to take another breath"

[Logain Ablar]

Invisible Monster really elevates when it reaches this part:

"The serpent inside
Wrapping its tail around my neck
I'm buried alive
Dying to take another breath"

I love that part. It’s just a shame it doesn’t come back later on in the song.

[RoeDent]

What’s the word for “Ive already heard them do this before?” 1 minute into a song?

I think it's "they have a distinct sound and aren't going to change it now/don't have to change it now"

[Fritzinger]

Just saw a funny video on YouTube about the new album and it was " Every Song On The New Album "

And it was "Another Day" with a completely out of place over the top drum fill.

I laughed but I haven't heard the new album and I don't think Mangini would do that anyway.

Can you post a link of it?

[F1b0n4ch1]

I loved the epic "A View from the Top of the World". It is true that it is divided into several differential parts, but this has happened in many DT epics, and in this song the sound is better linked than in "illumination theory", in which its parts were more disorderly and harsh. It begins with a very movie-like intro that is followed by a sound very similar to "The Oddisey" by Symphony X. Then we get into the choruses of the song, they could be better, but they sound good, perhaps similar to the kind of chorus of "The Count of Tuscany ". The next part is the best of the song, it is spectacular, beautiful, perhaps the best 5 minutes of DT for many years, reminiscent of the start of Octavarium, A Change of Seasons, the most melodic part of A Nightmare to Remember. .. It is wonderful, with a very emotional solo by Petrucci. Then we move on to a part of instrumental virtuosity accompanied by notes of classical music and finally ... the closing. The only weak point of the song, it is not bad, it has a good melody, but it is a bit disappointing, DT is used to making spectacular closings and this one is not. From the comparisons that exist with "Illumination Theory", this seems to me the best song in everything except the ending. The only parts I like about Illumination Theory are the symphonic part and the closing, which is spectacular. To "A View from the Top of the World" has lacked to have a closing in style, but it is a very good epic. Excuse me for my english.

[Kotowboy]

Just saw a funny video on YouTube about the new album and it was " Every Song On The New Album "

And it was "Another Day" with a completely out of place over the top drum fill.

I laughed but I haven't heard the new album and I don't think Mangini would do that anyway.

Can you post a link of it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5ELqvDVDSw

I don't agree with it obviously but it is funny imo.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

What’s the word for “Ive already heard them do this before?” 1 minute into a song?

I think it's "they have a distinct sound and aren't going to change it now/don't have to change it now"

My issue isn’t with their distinct sound, it’s with riffs sounding very much like other riffs.

[nobloodyname]

Just saw a funny video on YouTube about the new album and it was " Every Song On The New Album "

And it was "Another Day" with a completely out of place over the top drum fill.

I laughed but I haven't heard the new album and I don't think Mangini would do that anyway.

Can you post a link of it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5ELqvDVDSw

I don't agree with it obviously but it is funny imo.

Chortled out loud

[Kotowboy]

Yeah I don't understand it either. In the description it says not even mangini can save this album.

Is he saying Mangini is overplaying or that his drum sound is bad or what ?

[nikatapi]

Here is my published review (in greek, so via google translate for you) for Rocking.gr
https://www-rocking-gr.translate.goog/reviews/album/Dream-Theater-A-View-From-The-Top-Of-The-World/10270?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=el&_x_tr_pto=nui

[LKap13]

I have been listening to View for 2 months now and I can honestly say it’s easily the best Mangini era album which makes it my favorite album next to I&W and Awake.

 

[Obsidian Pancake]

What’s the word for “Ive already heard them do this before?” 1 minute into a song?

I think it's "they have a distinct sound and aren't going to change it now/don't have to change it now"

My issue isn’t with their distinct sound, it’s with riffs sounding very much like other riffs.

Hi Barstool. Will you share some examples? Thanks.