Dream Theater announces 16th Studio Album - Parasomnia

[Skeever]

Isn't this great?
When you first listen to a new DT album and nothing makes sense, no melody stays in mind and it's a blurr overall to the point where the first listen ends and you wonder, how on earth could this be written by my favorite band?
And then as you listen again and again, 'well that makes total sense now, and it might be the best thing they released since.... (you name the album)'
We all know that what seems like a fury of unrelated notes and sections will finally find its place in our minds and hearts for years to come.
I love that!

You put it perfectly! I can't wait to listen to it again. Too bad I can't take the vinyl to work!

[RoeDent]

It's exciting and fascinating to contemplate that right now, as I write this today, most of the album is unheard to me, a complete mystery. The band and review writers have given some details of the music but it's impossible to know and predict *exactly* how those passages will sound.

That will all change tomorrow. These tracks will gain flesh and meaning. The unheard will be heard.

[Schurftkut]

TSMI reeks of nostalgia, even going as far as WDADU

[emtee]

TSMI reeks of nostalgia, even going as far as WDADU

In a good or bad way based on your tastes?

[Pettor]

TSMI reeks of nostalgia, even going as far as WDADU

Let's hope you are not referring to the mix 😁

[Zydar]

TSMI reeks of nostalgia, even going as far as WDADU

Charlie is the Shadow Man? 

[faizoff]

TSMI reeks of nostalgia, even going as far as WDADU

I don't know if I'd say it reeks of it. I mean yeah there are references, some quite obvious but overall the song isn't a complete reference fest.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

TSMI does have moments where you think 'wait, they've done this before.'

[emtee]

TSMI does have moments where you think 'wait, they've done this before.'

To the degree that A Shattered Fortress recalls the songs from the AA saga or less obvious?

[Peter Mc]

I know it's stupid but I always like to give my thoughts after one listen, just to see how it changes in the coming days and weeks.  Obviously most of us have heard 3 of the songs and they are very familiar and enjoyable to me by now.  Absolutely love Bend The Clock instantly but struggled to find too many hooks in the other two which is strange as I've heard lots saying Dead Asleep is their favourite.  I'm sure they will reveal their gifts in time.

Overall, I liked the album but didn't love it on first listen.  Hopefully that changes with further listens.  In terms of comparing it to other records, I'd say it's more Black Clouds than Train of Thought.  Heavy and dark but not as relentless as TOT.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

To the degree that A Shattered Fortress recalls the songs from the AA saga or less obvious?

No, not to that degree. In my mind it's not as blatant as Midnight Messiah either.

There are just echos of other stuff and sections where you're like of course they did this.

It does have its own identity but it also sounds like it could have been on SC.

[Pettor]

TSMI does have moments where you think 'wait, they've done this before.'

In what way? Riffs and melody that are similar to previous? Or do you mean 'oh JP and JR are doing a unison again', because that is expected! 😀 Also I expect JR to go "waaaa woooo waaaa" with that synth lead sound at some point.

[Thierry]

The Shadow Man Incident is killer, not sold on a lot of the other tracks on the album. Listened to the full thing once. I agree about the 3 singles - being the 3 weaker tracks on the album.

[Schurftkut]

i'm still holding out hope that the next album will be something fresh, Parasomnia is DT by the numbers where the only good thing are some of the vocalmelodies, but then again there's parts where the vocals really sound like an afterthought. Like, oh yeah we need vocals, let's cram JLB in here and there.

[Stadler]

I don't mean this to be confrontational, it's a legitimate question: how exactly is this supposed to play out?    I mean, you get a Yes album, or a Genesis album... it's supposed to sound like Yes and Genesis.  When both those bands "did something fresh", the snob prog fanbase told them to go shit in their hats. Metallica and U2 are probably the biggest bands today that have evolved the most, and probably THE biggest complaint about both of them is "they haven't' put out a good album since ...And Justice For All/The Joshua Tree".  You want them to pull a Rush and just do 4:45 songs from here on out?  I don't see that being the answer given the way some people get all bent out of shape once a song goes over 8:00...

I dunno.  Maybe the band just isn't for you at this point. That's a YOU problem, not a BAND problem.

[faizoff]

i'm still holding out hope that the next album will be something fresh, Parasomnia is DT by the numbers where the only good thing are some of the vocalmelodies, but then again there's parts where the vocals really sound like an afterthought. Like, oh yeah we need vocals, let's cram JLB in here and there.

Shoot that DT by the numbers shit into my veins!

[gborland]

It's officially release day in Australia and New Zealand!

[Skeever]

I don't mean this to be confrontational, it's a legitimate question: how exactly is this supposed to play out?    I mean, you get a Yes album, or a Genesis album... it's supposed to sound like Yes and Genesis.  When both those bands "did something fresh", the snob prog fanbase told them to go shit in their hats. Metallica and U2 are probably the biggest bands today that have evolved the most, and probably THE biggest complaint about both of them is "they haven't' put out a good album since ...And Justice For All/The Joshua Tree".  You want them to pull a Rush and just do 4:45 songs from here on out?  I don't see that being the answer given the way some people get all bent out of shape once a song goes over 8:00...

I dunno.  Maybe the band just isn't for you at this point. That's a YOU problem, not a BAND problem.

I totally agree with this post.
And they basically did try the shorter songs thing on dt12, and it's one of their least well reviewed albums as far as I can tell.

[MinistroRaven]

I don't mean this to be confrontational, it's a legitimate question: how exactly is this supposed to play out?    I mean, you get a Yes album, or a Genesis album... it's supposed to sound like Yes and Genesis.  When both those bands "did something fresh", the snob prog fanbase told them to go shit in their hats. Metallica and U2 are probably the biggest bands today that have evolved the most, and probably THE biggest complaint about both of them is "they haven't' put out a good album since ...And Justice For All/The Joshua Tree".  You want them to pull a Rush and just do 4:45 songs from here on out?  I don't see that being the answer given the way some people get all bent out of shape once a song goes over 8:00...

I dunno.  Maybe the band just isn't for you at this point. That's a YOU problem, not a BAND problem.

I 100% agree.

JP said in a recent interview that they wrote the album to please THEM not to please the fans. (I am paraphrasing it)

[MirrorMask]

I don't mean this to be confrontational, it's a legitimate question: how exactly is this supposed to play out?    I mean, you get a Yes album, or a Genesis album... it's supposed to sound like Yes and Genesis.  When both those bands "did something fresh", the snob prog fanbase told them to go shit in their hats. Metallica and U2 are probably the biggest bands today that have evolved the most, and probably THE biggest complaint about both of them is "they haven't' put out a good album since ...And Justice For All/The Joshua Tree".  You want them to pull a Rush and just do 4:45 songs from here on out?  I don't see that being the answer given the way some people get all bent out of shape once a song goes over 8:00...

I dunno.  Maybe the band just isn't for you at this point. That's a YOU problem, not a BAND problem.

I still have to hear the album, but based on the latest two and the singles, I think that people expect some "variety for DT standards" for lack of a better explanation.

The ultimate super nugget was that line in Surrounded about "dark to light, light to dark, dark to light, light to dark", look at how the first few albums were all different - the positive and uplifting I&W, dark and heavier Awake, mellow FII, prog masterpiece SFAM, experimental Six Degrees, heavy TOT, more relaxed and proggy Octavarium... SC and Black Clouds were kinda in the same ballpark, and after eventually they dared to do something VERY different like The Astonishing with the results we all know, we're now at the third album in a row where they go all in with the metal.

I understand that MP coming back wants to let it all lose and doesn't care to do another I Walk Beside You or Disappear, but I would have liked, within the realistic frames of what DT are doing since 10-15 years, some more variety. Even the variety displayed on Dramatic would already be enough - epic songs, mid-sized songs, piano ballad, guitar ballad... View was "the 20 minutes epic, a lighter song and all heavy stuff", Parasomnia seems to be "the 20 minutes epic, a ballad and all heavy stuff". We'll get to hear some other songs in the As I Am, Panic Attack, Glass Prison ballpark, when will we (finally) get to hear again some other songs in the Trial of Tears, Finally Free, The Bigger Picture ballpark?

(Of course I'm ready to change my mind once I will have listened to the whole thing  )

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

In what way? Riffs and melody that are similar to previous? Or do you mean 'oh JP and JR are doing a unison again', because that is expected! 😀 Also I expect JR to go "waaaa woooo waaaa" with that synth lead sound at some point.

It's a bit of both but the singles preview the type of album this is.

Parasomnia is a record in which everyone is doing that thing they do for better or worse.

They've already spoken about embracing nostalgia in interviews so I think as long as fans have the appropriate expectations (which we're all over the place a year ago) it's going to be fine.

TSMI is solid enough. I prefer it to the singles. Did it blow my mind? No but it works. My biggest question about it is replay value.

[hefdaddy42]

I don't mean this to be confrontational, it's a legitimate question: how exactly is this supposed to play out?    I mean, you get a Yes album, or a Genesis album... it's supposed to sound like Yes and Genesis.  When both those bands "did something fresh", the snob prog fanbase told them to go shit in their hats. Metallica and U2 are probably the biggest bands today that have evolved the most, and probably THE biggest complaint about both of them is "they haven't' put out a good album since ...And Justice For All/The Joshua Tree".  You want them to pull a Rush and just do 4:45 songs from here on out?  I don't see that being the answer given the way some people get all bent out of shape once a song goes over 8:00...

I dunno.  Maybe the band just isn't for you at this point. That's a YOU problem, not a BAND problem.

I don't think it's that simple.

I want them to sound like THEM (this could be DT or any other band).  I just don't want them to sound EXACTLY like them, i.e. actually repeating riffs/motifs/licks/fills/lyrics (especially awful lyrics) from prior songs, unless there is an actual reason for it, like a sequel album or sequel song or something.

Thankfully, this doesn't happen very often.

[faizoff]

My biggest question about it is replay value

For me now with how music is experienced and all that, I listen to a new album by any band a few times when it comes out. If I really enjoy it I probably listen to it for a couple of weeks, I then park it and revisit a few weeks or even months later. It's that coming back to the album feeling which is how I judge the album if it's really good or not for me. Oddly enough listening to nothing but Parasomnia since Monday, I'm taking a semi break by listening to different DT songs before going back to the new album. I think it's really increasing my enjoyment of the new album.

[jammindude]

I mean, maybe Rush spoiled us because they literally said (and I am paraphrasing a quote from Alex) that as soon as they felt like they had perfected a sound, that meant it was time to do something else. That is the #1 reason that I respect them more than any other band that has ever existed. And also why I would spin any of their 19 albums on any given day.

[SwedishGoose]

My artbook has been shipped.
Hopefully it arrives tomorrow.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Charlie is the Shadow Man?

Charlie is the KILLING haaaaaand

[Stadler]

I mean, maybe Rush spoiled us because they literally said (and I am paraphrasing a quote from Alex) that as soon as they felt like they had perfected a sound, that meant it was time to do something else. That is the #1 reason that I respect them more than any other band that has ever existed. And also why I would spin any of their 19 albums on any given day.

But that's you. That's exactly what Yes said when they got in Rabin, and in fact, Anderson - who was out of the band at that point - heard it and said "that's FRESH!" and wanted back in. 90210 sold a boat load of records - I love it, myself - but the "YesWest" nomenclature is not meant as a complement.  That's very very similar to what Genesis did in the early 80s (the "myth" that it was Phil Collins pushing that angle, or that it was Tony yearning for the success that Mike and Phil had solo has, I hope, been pretty well debunked at this point).

Rush is a bad example, because while the band fanatics here refer to the early stuff, it was Side Two of 2112, and Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures that really catapulted them to wider recognition.  Meaning, they already had made - or started - the transition to "shorter songs" by the time they really established themselves and got on two feet. Contrast that with Yes that was doing stadiums as early as "Close To The Edge", the heart of their pure prog period.

[Awaken]

i'm still holding out hope that the next album will be something fresh, Parasomnia is DT by the numbers where the only good thing are some of the vocalmelodies, but then again there's parts where the vocals really sound like an afterthought. Like, oh yeah we need vocals, let's cram JLB in here and there.

Shoot that DT by the numbers shit into my veins!

Same boat - I have spun it a few times and still want to go back to listen again when TSMI ends.  That's all I've ever wanted from any band.  Most bands DO NOT deliver this - and I just chalk it up to being a 'me' issue.  If they created what they wanted, and it resonates w me - awesome.  Parasomnia isn't all great (IMO).  There are some things I wish weren't there.  Again, a 'me' problem. 

But the high points are just so, so good . . . . specifically the last two tracks.  My goodness do they deliver.  Really looking forward to seeing the whole thing live.

[jammindude]

But the quote that I just mentioned was indirect reference to the change of sound after moving pictures had catapulted them to fame. Once they hit the peak, they knew they had to NOT do Moving Pictures part 2. And they didn't. I respect them more for that.

[KevShmev]

I don't mean this to be confrontational, it's a legitimate question: how exactly is this supposed to play out?    I mean, you get a Yes album, or a Genesis album... it's supposed to sound like Yes and Genesis.  When both those bands "did something fresh", the snob prog fanbase told them to go shit in their hats. Metallica and U2 are probably the biggest bands today that have evolved the most, and probably THE biggest complaint about both of them is "they haven't' put out a good album since ...And Justice For All/The Joshua Tree".  You want them to pull a Rush and just do 4:45 songs from here on out?  I don't see that being the answer given the way some people get all bent out of shape once a song goes over 8:00...

I dunno.  Maybe the band just isn't for you at this point. That's a YOU problem, not a BAND problem.

While I agree that any issue with the sound of an album or song is on us the fans, not the band, it seems like you are suggesting that the band try as hard as possible to not deviate from the norm (see what I did there?) too much because doing just that didn't go over so well with portions of the fanbase for other bands in the past.  Or am I misreading that?

But the quote that I just mentioned was indirect reference to the change of sound after moving pictures had catapulted them to fame. Once they hit the peak, they knew they had to NOT do Moving Pictures part 2. And they didn't. I respect them more for that.

Totally agreed, but in all fairness, Rush is probably an unfair standard for any band to reach, since I cannot think of any other rock band that did that many albums and were constantly moving as much as they did.  Even their "return to form" albums of the later years sounded very little like the albums to which they were supposedly harkening back.

[jayvee3]

It's... good. As one of those Australian time travellers, it's released here, so have spun it twice while doing some work. Some of it, I really like, some of it makes me hear things I've heard before but done better. Bend the clock is really nice for the most part, TSMI has some good moments I'll definitely be exploring more.

Overall, it's a decent effort - but to be honest, the first album back with Portnoy, it's probably not the album I expected... that could just be me though...

[KevShmev]

Also, I have still only heard the first three "singles" 1-2 times each, so I am looking forward to a full listen of the whole record tomorrow once I get off work.   

[Ben_Jamin]

I can't find the emoticon for "soon"

[HOF]

Listened to the Prog Report interview with JP and MP, and JP says Bend the Clock started out as "more of a Journey thing," then he said he was channeling Gilmour on the solo. I don't have much excitement for this album, but I am interested in hearing that song at least.

[TAC]

Listened to the Prog Report interview with JP and MP, and JP says Bend the Clock started out as "more of a Journey thing," then he said he was channeling Gilmour on the solo. I don't have much excitement for this album, but I am interested in hearing that song at least.

It will definitely be your favorite song.