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

[Enigmachine]

Thank you.

I think the September release is a bit too far, considering the album could be already finished (mixed and mastered) by, let's say, the end of April.

There doesn't seem to be a tour anytime soon for them anyway, and Rock in Rio (their only announced date) has been canceled already, so why sit for a few months with the finished album when there's not gonna be an immediate support tour anyway?
TL;DR: I'm hoping it gets released earlier.

Don't get me wrong, it's my hope too that we'll see a release in about June time as was the case with Black Clouds, but given that MM has given a month and repeated it in interviews, I think they're going to hold off. While it's true that a tour is likely far away, I think they would still want to walk a balance between releasing it late enough for the touring to catch that momentum as well as still early enough to not be too frustrating to await. It's worth noting though that it isn't likely for them to release an album in the summer months too. That may be the roadblock to a July/August release in this case.

[Max Kuehnau]

me too. Well we'll see, yes we shall see. (G minor cadence)

*Suspended fourth to major third resolution*

oh of course. You're right, I'm sorry. (I know this piece so well, should have known better. I'm fairly sure it was in G minor though.)

[the_silent_man]

A lot of bands have sat upon complete (or almost complete) albums this year until they are nearing touring possibility and I can see DT doing the same. After all, the album creates the hype for the tour, but the tour is actually what earns the money.

I agree there's a fine line between releasing too early and the album effectively "disappearing"  and leaving it to late so that interest is lost.

Then again, it could be a mega double album or something hence the long production timeline. 

[Enigmachine]

A lot of bands have sat upon complete (or almost complete) albums this year until they are nearing touring possibility and I can see DT doing the same. After all, the album creates the hype for the tour, but the tour is actually what earns the money.

I agree there's a fine line between releasing too early and the album effectively "disappearing"  and leaving it to late so that interest is lost.

Then again, it could be a mega double album or something hence the long production timeline. 

I mean tbh it'll probably be around ADToE length, maybe DT12. The reason why I say this is that they've spent about as long as you'd expect them to for a singular album recording (5 months, just like DT12, ADToE and BC&SL). I do wonder though if there will be a sort of ARG like thing again to tide us over and engage the fanbase, especially given how they've been pretty light on info. The cycles for the last two albums were very exciting in their own way in how they built hype, so I'm looking forward to how they approach that this time, if they choose to go down that route.

[Setlist Scotty]

A lot of bands have sat upon complete (or almost complete) albums this year until they are nearing touring possibility and I can see DT doing the same. After all, the album creates the hype for the tour, but the tour is actually what earns the money.

I agree there's a fine line between releasing too early and the album effectively "disappearing"  and leaving it to late so that interest is lost.

That's my thought, too. One other thing I could envision them doing, although I doubt they will, is to have recorded extra material that could be released as an EP to satiate the fans and keep the interest up, and then when it looks like things will finally resume, to release a full album of separate material. When they go on tour, in essence they would be touring in support of 2 releases, but I don't see that being a problem.

[TAC]

A lot of bands have sat upon complete (or almost complete) albums this year until they are nearing touring possibility and I can see DT doing the same. After all, the album creates the hype for the tour, but the tour is actually what earns the money.

I agree there's a fine line between releasing too early and the album effectively "disappearing"  and leaving it to late so that interest is lost.

That's my thought, too. One other thing I could envision them doing, although I doubt they will, is to have recorded extra material that could be released as an EP to satiate the fans and keep the interest up, and then when it looks like things will finally resume, to release a full album of separate material. When they go on tour, in essence they would be touring in support of 2 releases, but I don't see that being a problem.

I would've been fine if they banged out 5 or 6 covers during the sessions like what they did with BC&SL to hold us over.

[Kotowboy]

me too. Well we'll see, yes we shall see. (G minor cadence)

*Suspended fourth to major third resolution*

oh of course. You're right, I'm sorry. (I know this piece so well, should have known better. I'm fairly sure it was in G minor though.)

Well I was only joking anyway As The Astonishing is full of them.

[Madman Shepherd]

I will never understand how a bunch of grown men care so much about what other grown men in a band look like.

Well, this sounds like something spoken by someone who ONLY CARES ABOUT THE MUSIC.  Which is, of course, fine.

But the guys in the band do not ONLY CARE ABOUT THE MUSIC.  They are professional musicians.  To be successful at their profession, the actual music is only one part of it. 

Another part is marketing.

Another part is, like it or not, image.

How they choose to present themselves, especially if that is anything other than their REAL look, is totally fair game to talk about, IMO.

Good point and I've brought this up before. As much as some people have very specific opinions on the the length and color of their hair, facial hair, clothing, and all the rest (which me calling out those fans obsession is also fair game), the band is somewhat bound by marketing. It's sad because I'm sure we would all like the music to be most important but their marketability would plummet if they all cut their hair, stopped dying it, and wore cargo shorts, with a wedding reception lighting rig providing a few colored lights during their performance.

So yeah, appearance matters but to the extent that some people here think it does is a little odd to me. That's all.

Hey, while we're talking fashion, JLB wore a duster like coat for the first few songs at several shows on their 2011 tour. Can we agree that he looked awesome and he should bring back the duster like coat?

See, I'm down with talking a little fashion!

[MirrorMask]

Yup, those coats look awesome on stage!

[Setlist Scotty]

Good point and I've brought this up before. As much as some people have very specific opinions on the the length and color of their hair, facial hair, clothing, and all the rest (which me calling out those fans obsession is also fair game), the band is somewhat bound by marketing. It's sad because I'm sure we would all like the music to be most important but their marketability would plummet if they all cut their hair, stopped dying it, and wore cargo shorts, with a wedding reception lighting rig providing a few colored lights during their performance.

I agree with this. But I think the problem is the way the guys are going about things. Around the time of their self-titled album, and before, I don't think there was any real concern/discussion about their appearance in comparison to now. And now, it's been focused just on JP and JL. I don't see anyone taking issue with JR shaving his head or continuing to grow his chin beard, MM growing his hair out or JM maintaining the same appearance he's had since day one. It's just that the appearances of JP and JL no longer look natural, and the fact that they're using jet black dye products and JP's mountain man beard age them rather than help them maintain a more youthful appearance. Not saying they shouldn't dye their hair, or have facial hair if they choose to, but maybe something a bit more moderate. Let's go by "What Would Rush Do?" Those 3 obviously dyed their hair, and Alex even ended up starting to wear a hair piece. But it all look natural (at least to me) and not out of place. I think the fact that the same is not true of JP and JL's recent appearance is why we're seeing this discussion.
 
 

Hey, while we're talking fashion, JLB wore a duster like coat for the first few songs at several shows on their 2011 tour. Can we agree that he looked awesome and he should bring back the duster like coat?

If you're talking about that super long coat, that definitely looked cool. Can only imagine how hot that thing must have been under the stage lights though!   

[jonny108]

James has finished recording vocals.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM8IAmlMtIb/

[Max Kuehnau]

James has finished recording vocals.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM8IAmlMtIb/

added in, thanks very much.

[Enigmachine]

magic confirmed for DT15, got it

[darkshade]

Thank you.

I think the September release is a bit too far, considering the album could be already finished (mixed and mastered) by, let's say, the end of April.

There doesn't seem to be a tour anytime soon for them anyway, and Rock in Rio (their only announced date) has been canceled already, so why sit for a few months with the finished album when there's not gonna be an immediate support tour anyway?
TL;DR: I'm hoping it gets released earlier.

Don't get me wrong, it's my hope too that we'll see a release in about June time as was the case with Black Clouds, but given that MM has given a month and repeated it in interviews, I think they're going to hold off. While it's true that a tour is likely far away, I think they would still want to walk a balance between releasing it late enough for the touring to catch that momentum as well as still early enough to not be too frustrating to await. It's worth noting though that it isn't likely for them to release an album in the summer months too. That may be the roadblock to a July/August release in this case.

They should just release DT15 as soon as possible, and start work on DT16 right away, and have THAT album ready for touring. They always say they're never out of ideas, anyway, and they're not getting any younger.

[MirrorMask]

Insight is 20/20 I guess, but I think that if more bands knew back in March 2020 that touring would not happen for two years, maybe they would have been more daring with their free time.

I know, everyone reacts differently to a pandemic, bands have plans, money is in touring anyway so there's not much commercial sense in releasing an album, etc etc.... but as I said, if given secure proof of "you'll be able to tour only in 2022" one year ago, maybe some bands could have come up with studio efforts or even different stuff.

I mean, for all of you not passing in the General music discussion, one of the hot threads is about Taylor Swift - while being a pop / country singer, in the pandemic she wrote not one, but two acoustic and minimal albums, to great critical acclaim.

I wish DT would have done something like that - "hey, since we can't tour, here's a different kind of album to pass time". Something weird and unusual, a collection of cover, an acoustic or more mellow one, a "we can't get out so here's something we needed to musically get off our chest". I would have loved a "pit-stop" album as a bridge to a regular album that would come out when touring will be possible again.

[darkshade]

Insight is 20/20 I guess, but I think that if more bands knew back in March 2020 that touring would not happen for two years, maybe they would have been more daring with their free time.

I know, everyone reacts differently to a pandemic, bands have plans, money is in touring anyway so there's not much commercial sense in releasing an album, etc etc.... but as I said, if given secure proof of "you'll be able to tour only in 2022" one year ago, maybe some bands could have come up with studio efforts or even different stuff.

I mean, for all of you not passing in the General music discussion, one of the hot threads is about Taylor Swift - while being a pop / country singer, in the pandemic she wrote not one, but two acoustic and minimal albums, to great critical acclaim.

I wish DT would have done something like that - "hey, since we can't tour, here's a different kind of album to pass time". Something weird and unusual, a collection of cover, an acoustic or more mellow one, a "we can't get out so here's something we needed to musically get off our chest". I would have loved a "pit-stop" album as a bridge to a regular album that would come out when touring will be possible again.

^ That's something Portnoy might have pushed for the band to do. The remaining members are quite content with generally keeping the status quo and not ruffling up feathers, especially after the release of The Catastrophe.

[KevShmev]

Insight is 20/20 I guess, but I think that if more bands knew back in March 2020 that touring would not happen for two years, maybe they would have been more daring with their free time.

I know, everyone reacts differently to a pandemic, bands have plans, money is in touring anyway so there's not much commercial sense in releasing an album, etc etc.... but as I said, if given secure proof of "you'll be able to tour only in 2022" one year ago, maybe some bands could have come up with studio efforts or even different stuff.

I mean, for all of you not passing in the General music discussion, one of the hot threads is about Taylor Swift - while being a pop / country singer, in the pandemic she wrote not one, but two acoustic and minimal albums, to great critical acclaim.

I wish DT would have done something like that - "hey, since we can't tour, here's a different kind of album to pass time". Something weird and unusual, a collection of cover, an acoustic or more mellow one, a "we can't get out so here's something we needed to musically get off our chest". I would have loved a "pit-stop" album as a bridge to a regular album that would come out when touring will be possible again.

Great post.

I will beat the Taylor Swift drum here like I have been in her thread in General Music: both of her 2020 albums, Folklore and Evermore, are fantastic.  I am sure many here, like I was until last December, are probably thinking, "Taylor Swift...ugh, no thanks," but to anyone considering checking them out, free of your mind of any preconceived notions about her and check them out.  Note: they are not pop or country at all.

 I would have loved for DT to have done something really different when in quarantine, like Taylor did, but alas it was not to be.

[NoFred]

Also JP got 3 studio and 1 live album(s?) done in the timeframe. Very productive.

[Enigmachine]

Also JP got 3 studio and 1 live album(s?) done in the timeframe. Very productive.

This. We're forgetting that most of the band are also working on side projects at a rate that they wouldn't have otherwise. We got:

Nick D'Virgillio's Invisible (with Jordan guesting)
Virtual Symmetry's Exoverse (with Jordan guesting)
Terminal Velocity
LTE3
James' upcoming acoustic solo album
Mike Mangini's upcoming solo album
DT15

Plus, not only are they being highly productive already, the freedom from the touring cycle also gives them more opportunity to refine their material. Having said that, it'd be very interesting to see how they pace the release of DT15. They could get it out of the way and immediately work on more of a wild card album. I could see something like a cover album or rerecordings of old tracks if they're still kind of twiddling their thumbs after its release without a certain timeframe for touring. With a September release however, which I still think is probably more likely given that MM's repeated that (I very much doubt that we'll see a May/June release), I think that becomes less likely.

As well as that, we actually don't know what DT15 really is yet. Sure, we can sort of assume what the album isn't, like it's probably not a concept album and... probably isn't going to be a double album (and if so, it'll probably be more of a borderline thing like how Tool's Fear Inoculum hangs at about 86 minutes, but I still don't think that's particularly likely). What I do suspect is that the album is going to be something of a crowdpleaser. I've made the comparison before, but I think it's going to be like a mix of ADToE and D/T, combining the elaborate structures of the former with the powerful sound and immediacy of the latter.

[gzarruk]

Also JP got 3 studio and 1 live album(s?) done in the timeframe. Very productive.

This. We're forgetting that most of the band are also working on side projects at a rate that they wouldn't have otherwise. We got:

Nick D'Virgillio's Invisible (with Jordan guesting)
Virtual Symmetry's Exoverse (with Jordan guesting)
Terminal Velocity
LTE3
James' upcoming acoustic solo album
Mike Mangini's upcoming solo album
DT15

Jordan also released a piano solo album and who knows what JM is up to, it's been a while since the last Jelly Jam album. MM has been very active doing Zoom classes and working on his online Rhythm Knowledge curriculum.

Also, let's not forget (pun intended) they're apparently working on the Lost Not Forgotten Archives and will, most likely, offer a bunch of stuff there.

[gzarruk]

I'm double posting because this deserves its own post. There's a new interview with Jordan where he said great things about DT15

Jordan generously shared an update on where Dream Theater currently is with their new album as well as his personal feelings toward the record at this time.

“I was in the studio, I was finishing up my keyboard tracks, now I’ve basically done all my keyboard tracks, and, first of all, I’m so happy with them. Because I feel like, you know, I gotta say, I laid down what I think, sonically speaking at least, are the best keyboard tracks of any Dream Theater album. And I say that for, I guess there are different factors that have influenced me and the reason that I’m expressing that. One is we learn so much from every album that we do and we take those lessons into serious consideration and so when we go to do the next album, and the next album there’s always something we feel we can do better.” Jordan went on to say  “Everything we went for, we took the time to make it a little more special. Instead of finding the usual Dream Theater pads sound or whatever I’d be like ‘You know what? Let’s find something a little bit cooler. Let’s get something a little more sonic, you know?‘ And so we would take the time and go ‘Yes, that’s it!‘ Or like you’re looking for a drone we’d be like ‘Let’s add some movement to the drone.’ Just something.”

Jordan concluded by sharing,

“The other part I wanted to share, I said to John one day after working and reviewing one of the tracks I said, ‘John,’ we were leaving, we were walking out to the parking lot and I was saying “You know John, this is crazy,” I said “but, here we are, I’m like sixty-four years old, you’re a little bit behind me but we’re getting older and, you know, people ask me nowadays ‘do you feel yourself slowing down?’ you know like, what’s going on? And I’m like, no. I don’t.” And I said to John, “When I listen to this album, it’s like we’re twenty years old or something. What is happening? What kind of vitamins are we eating?“. I’m really proud of us. Coz everybody, not one guy, everybody across the board in this group is vital as ever. Like when you hear this album you know exactly what I’m, you’ll be like oh my god, I see what he’s saying! I just listened to it coz James is doing vocals now and I was listening to something that he just put together and kind of the final, rough, you know, it’s not mixed but it’s just a rough mix if you will, I was like holy sh*t! People are gonna freak out” I can’t wait to share this album.”

Source: https://metalwani.com/2021/03/interview-jordan-rudess-on-liquid-tension-experiment-3-new-dream-theater-album.html?fbclid=IwAR1ibiYcNmW4PFO2XFxYo1o1GmN1O3nHv_aDvv6u1exOlpCues_f2tlWYP0

[illusionist]

I am really really excited about DT15!
Since SFAM which is my favorite album of them,they have released albums that i loved,that i liked,others that i didn't like that much,
and one i wish they had never released (Systematic Chaos)
And after 35 years since they formed,and 32 after their first album,with each new album it's becoming more and more difficult for them
to release something groundbreaking.
But all evidence lead to this new album being as -if not innovative- fresh sounding,fun and overall exciting as any album.
I don't want to raise my hopes too high,but this might be their new I&W and SFAM!

[Ben_Jamin]

All that gets me excited. Because JR is right in he had his specific patches that make the Dream Theater sound, and some of these patches were made into the Dream Theater sound with Kevin Moore, and his Dirty Organ Pig lead came from Derek's Organ patches from the Falling Into Infinity, which were then a part of the new Dream Theater sound they were trying to find again after Kevin Moore left.

So, knowing JR decided to use some different Patches. That has me way way way more excited now.

I have a feeling we may be getting something as energetic as D/T (Like how Viper King has that energy) but with more different sounds than we are used to hearing in Dream Theater.

[darkshade]

I don't want to raise my hopes too high,but this might be their new I&W and SFAM!

I think more realistically, this might be their new ADTOE, but with better production.

[MirrorMask]

I don't want to raise my hopes too high,but this might be their new I&W and SFAM!

I think more realistically, this might be their new ADTOE, but with better production.

I'd sign for that!

[fadetoblackdude7]

I don't want to raise my hopes too high,but this might be their new I&W and SFAM!

I think more realistically, this might be their new ADTOE, but with better production.

That’s what I’m hoping for at the very least - another ADTOE only with better production and stronger melodies.

[Architeuthis]

and one i wish they had never released (Systematic Chaos)

Dude!!!   

[IgnotusPerIgnotium]

The way I see it is exactly what I thought and they've officially said. It's an upgrade in their latest form of sound and writing.

But in the next album I won't just be looking for a new sonic presentation but the depth of their compositional evolution. So as they always take care the aspect of playing and their tone qualities, I'd like to see what they've learned from DoT and how they will approach the songs in this album structurally as well as the whole picture of the album's identity.

[Madman Shepherd]

Also JP got 3 studio and 1 live album(s?) done in the timeframe. Very productive.

This. We're forgetting that most of the band are also working on side projects at a rate that they wouldn't have otherwise. We got:

Nick D'Virgillio's Invisible (with Jordan guesting)
Virtual Symmetry's Exoverse (with Jordan guesting)
Terminal Velocity
LTE3
James' upcoming acoustic solo album
Mike Mangini's upcoming solo album
DT15

Jordan also released a piano solo album and who knows what JM is up to

Playing bass

[Lonk]

Jordan also released a piano solo album and who knows what JM is up to

Playing bass

Confirmed as of March 6

https://twitter.com/jmplaysbass?lang=en

[Dream Team]

Jordan’s uploaded a bunch of YouTube clips lately. Hopefully some of those sounds are on the album.

[hefdaddy42]

I will never understand how a bunch of grown men care so much about what other grown men in a band look like.

Well, this sounds like something spoken by someone who ONLY CARES ABOUT THE MUSIC.  Which is, of course, fine.

But the guys in the band do not ONLY CARE ABOUT THE MUSIC.  They are professional musicians.  To be successful at their profession, the actual music is only one part of it. 

Another part is marketing.

Another part is, like it or not, image.

How they choose to present themselves, especially if that is anything other than their REAL look, is totally fair game to talk about, IMO.

Good point and I've brought this up before. As much as some people have very specific opinions on the the length and color of their hair, facial hair, clothing, and all the rest (which me calling out those fans obsession is also fair game), the band is somewhat bound by marketing. It's sad because I'm sure we would all like the music to be most important but their marketability would plummet if they all cut their hair, stopped dying it, and wore cargo shorts, with a wedding reception lighting rig providing a few colored lights during their performance.

So yeah, appearance matters but to the extent that some people here think it does is a little odd to me. That's all.

Hey, while we're talking fashion, JLB wore a duster like coat for the first few songs at several shows on their 2011 tour. Can we agree that he looked awesome and he should bring back the duster like coat?

See, I'm down with talking a little fashion!

[Mladen]

I remember the coat. He should bring it back. 

[Kotowboy]

I agree that a band's look and image is part of their brand and marketing.

To not talk about it at all would be just as weird.

Put +1 for " I preferred Dream Theater when they looked like a band of normal guys and not a gothic synth band "

And I wish the whole " every single guy on the planet has to have a massive bushy beard " craze would fizzle out.

I saw a post somewhere that said in a few years the massive ultra-styled beard craze will be remembered as fondly as the mullet in the 80s

And I agree.

[Lax]

Hope they'll not use stock images for the cover this time, not epic