Official Parasomnia album discussion thread ***SPOILERS***

[Northern Lion]

Very cool news!  I missed the first pass, so I'll have to see if I can get to this one, especially since they will be playing Parasomnia in it's entirety.

[emtee]

Album of the year for me by a long way. Still many months to go though.

[foppa]

Parasomnia is probably a top 5 album, for me.

[Progmaniac1988]

I think I'll add three other thoughts about my ranking.  DA would have been ranked higher if it weren't for the lyrics.  But not for the same reason others have given here in the forums.  It's not because of whether or not the lyrics are written well or are cheesy.  It has to do with the content.  I find it just a little too unsettling.  Musically, I would have it tied with my number 1 and number 2.

My exact feelings about that song. I love it musically but the lyrics are just a downer in an already dark album lol. Hearing a true story about a man murdering his wife while sleeping is not exactly fun to hear, and does no favors on me listening to that song around my wife 😂

[Northern Lion]

My exact feelings about that song. I love it musically but the lyrics are just a downer in an already dark album lol. Hearing a true story about a man murdering his wife while sleeping is not exactly fun to hear, and does no favors on me listening to that song around my wife 😂

I agree, the lyrics are a tough listen for any married man.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Updated opinion: top 3 songs in order are BTC, ABM, TSMI

[geeeemo]

My exact feelings about that song. I love it musically but the lyrics are just a downer in an already dark album lol. Hearing a true story about a man murdering his wife while sleeping is not exactly fun to hear, and does no favors on me listening to that song around my wife 😂

I felt that way, then I got used to it. The funny thing is, I was on a loong 3 day road trip. After a while I would listen to the HlN channel. It's a narration of murder mysteries - 15 or 30 mins. One of them, was almost exactly this story. The guy turned out to be faking the parasomnia, though and was guilty. But the whole time I listened, I was like..They copied Dream Theater. lol!

[Northern Lion]

Updated opinion: top 3 songs in order are BTC, ABM, TSMI

Good top 3!  I might have a different order, but I'm right there with you.

[Misirlou]

Updated opinion: top 3 songs in order are BTC, ABM, TSMI

Agree with BTC as the standout. I´d put TSMI in 2nd and Dead Asleep in 3rd for that opening riff.

[Jamesman42]

Parasomnia is probably a top 5 album, for me.

For DT, for this year, or for all time?

[Kram]

Good top 3!  I might have a different order, but I'm right there with you.

I'm with you guys as well, but I'd go TSMI, ABM, BTC

[SanshoChimp]

Hi all - new to Forum. Fist post will be concerning the new album...

After giving it a few months and many listens, unfortunately for me I just cannot get into the album. There are things I like about it: I love Myung's bass tone and am very happy the band gave him space to be heard in the solo sections. I have been digging his tone on the past few albums a great deal; although his tone is not as good as dUg Pinnick's tone (my all-time favorite), it is still top-tier for me. I also enjoy LaBrie's vocals and the sound the album - LaBrie sounds great and the music is crisp and clear. And I like where the music itself is "original" (i.e. not trying to sound like previous riffs a la the nostalgia vibe).

There are also a few things I don't like about the album. I personally do not like the lyrical through theme content of the album - I felt the same way about Systematic Chaos (which is my lowest ranked DT album; I hardly ever listen to it). I also do not like the "nostalgia" lean to the album. I do not have nostalgia for the past - I enjoy past albums for what they were, but I don't particularly want to hear variations of previous riffs unless they make sense in the context of the song they are being used in (for example, using a Metropolis Part 1 theme/riff in SFAM). I also confess that I was very sad to see Mangini let go and Portnoy return to the band, so admittedly that might have something to do with rejecting the "nostalgia" vibe (I thoroughly enjoyed the Mangini years), though I am happy that DT is happy.

Maybe in a few years I will be able to listen to Parasomnia and enjoy it more, but for right now I rank this album low on the list.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Hi all - new to Forum. Fist post will be concerning the new album...

After giving it a few months and many listens, unfortunately for me I just cannot get into the album. There are things I like about it: I love Myung's bass tone and am very happy the band gave him space to be heard in the solo sections. I have been digging his tone on the past few albums a great deal; although his tone is not as good as dUg Pinnick's tone (my all-time favorite), it is still top-tier for me. I also enjoy LaBrie's vocals and the sound the album - LaBrie sounds great and the music is crisp and clear. And I like where the music itself is "original" (i.e. not trying to sound like previous riffs a la the nostalgia vibe).

There are also a few things I don't like about the album. I personally do not like the lyrical through theme content of the album - I felt the same way about Systematic Chaos (which is my lowest ranked DT album; I hardly ever listen to it). I also do not like the "nostalgia" lean to the album. I do not have nostalgia for the past - I enjoy past albums for what they were, but I don't particularly want to hear variations of previous riffs unless they make sense in the context of the song they are being used in (for example, using a Metropolis Part 1 theme/riff in SFAM). I also confess that I was very sad to see Mangini let go and Portnoy return to the band, so admittedly that might have something to do with rejecting the "nostalgia" vibe (I thoroughly enjoyed the Mangini years), though I am happy that DT is happy.

Maybe in a few years I will be able to listen to Parasomnia and enjoy it more, but for right now I rank this album low on the list.

I'm sorry to hear you haven't enjoyed the new album. I definitely get how you feel though because there have been times I have not been able to get into a band's new album either (such as the last Porcupine Tree album).

Welcome to the forums! Good to have you here

[TAC]

So, I am coming to the realization this this album will sit in the middle, or below the middle of my rankings.

[KevShmev]

Yep, it will have a hard time breaking into my top 10.  I have been revisiting it this week, and I am enjoying it quite a bit, but it doesn't have the crazy highs that most DT albums do (the best songs are very good, but there is no HOLY CRAP THIS IS SO GOOD song, IMO), and it has a skipper (Midnight Messiah).  With me removing MM from my playlist of it, it makes for a good and consistent listen, and there are plenty of great moments, but I just don't feel that any of the songs are great overall, and the album as a whole is merely good.  And there is nothing wrong with that.  Most bands would kill a) to get to 16 albums, and b) for said 16th album to be good.

[hefdaddy42]

So, I am coming to the realization this this album will sit in the middle, or below the middle of my rankings.

Yeah, I'm thinking somewhere in the middle as well.  Which is fine.

[TAC]

Yeah, I'm thinking somewhere in the middle as well.  Which is fine.

Oh yeah. I don't not like it.

[Dream Team]

Yeah it ranks around 8th for me which is pretty great 40 years in. It might rank higher if there was more variety. It sounds amazing.

[Glasser]

Honestly I'm loving it more and more. There's something that separates this one from every other release.

[Progmaniac1988]

So, months after release, yesterday I decided to give my parasomnia vinyl a listen from start to finish. Took a break from the album for a couple weeks. I found I enjoyed all the album start to finish more than ever! It moved past the fresh new DT album feel to the next stage. Now the next stage usually goes in one of 2 directions.

Either one - "this is good DT! Not super excited like I was during release but this is still good!"
Or two - "I'm still loving this just as much as release or more! this is now feeling like that classic DT album feeling!"

I'm happy to say for the first time since I'd say ADTOE I feel like this is becoming classic DT to me! Astonishing, DOT, and AVFTTOTW all came close, but astonishing I cannot listen to all 2 hours of that album straight in one sitting lol, and the other 2 I feel just lacked something I can't put my finger on to keep me feeling that "this is classic DT feeling"

So glad this album feels that good to me.

[Northern Lion]

So, months after release, yesterday I decided to give my parasomnia vinyl a listen from start to finish. Took a break from the album for a couple weeks. I found I enjoyed all the album start to finish more than ever! It moved past the fresh new DT album feel to the next stage. Now the next stage usually goes in one of 2 directions.

Either one - "this is good DT! Not super excited like I was during release but this is still good!"
Or two - "I'm still loving this just as much as release or more! this is now feeling like that classic DT album feeling!"

I'm happy to say for the first time since I'd say ADTOE I feel like this is becoming classic DT to me! Astonishing, DOT, and AVFTTOTW all came close, but astonishing I cannot listen to all 2 hours of that album straight in one sitting lol, and the other 2 I feel just lacked something I can't put my finger on to keep me feeling that "this is classic DT feeling"

So glad this album feels that good to me.

I totally agree.  No skips for me at all.  I really enjoy the listening experience from beginning to end.  This is top tier DT for me.  They don't have that many "perfect" albums (albums that have no songs I ever want to skip), but no band does.  But this album has made the list.  And AWD and BTC together have to be one the be best slow down periods in any album from any band ever (at least that I've heard anyway).

[Progmaniac1988]

I totally agree.  No skips for me at all.  I really enjoy the listening experience from beginning to end.  This is top tier DT for me.  They don't have that many "perfect" albums (albums that have no songs I ever want to skip), but no band does.  But this album has made the list.  And AWD and BTC together have to be one the be best slow down periods in any album from any band ever (at least that I've heard anyway).

Totally agree! The album I feel is sequenced perfectly, Morpheus into nigh terror is the perfect opening, then we get the amazing A Broken Man that has REALLY grown on me since it launched as a single. Dead asleep is the perfect epic translation from there. I love Midnight messiah, but after that song i feel I need a break from the intensity and the album delivers that perfectly with AWD and BTC... then we get slender man, my fav DT "big epic" since Count of Tuscany! The album does not disappoint!

[wolfking]

I still find myself spinning this album quite a lot, still every second day at least.  It's safe but dependable and easy to listen to.

[nobloodyname]

I agree with that last part unequivocally.

The only things I don't like about the album are the lyrics to Dead Asleep (the worst lyrics of their career, bar none; they literally pull me out of the song) and Midnight Messiah's self-referential element. I don't think it works and the lyrics again extract me from the tune.

Here's the thing: I still enjoy the album enormously. Very much enjoyed my listen to the vinyl through headphones on Monday.

[MinistroRaven]

I love it, from start to finish, even AWD has grown A LOT on me. 

[erciccio]

Well, I didn't like the album at first, but I have to confess that in the last weeks I've really come to love it!

It's a constant presence during my car drives, unlike AVFTTOTW and D/T...and that's a very good sign!

It's not going to break the top 5, but it is just a step below..

Looking forward to Pompei, after NYC!   

[rab7]

the worst lyrics of their career, bar none; they literally pull me out of the song

Clearly you've never had to call the police and say, "Someone's been killed, I am sorry!" before. If you did, you'd understand how much realism and thought that Petrucci put into this line.

[SeRoX]

After MP returning I didn't think we would get a thematic/conceptional album because it was kinda risky but it worked out pretty well.

After 40 years of their career I wouldn't ask much more. Parasomnia is damn good album. Easy to listen, some old school DT moments here and there. Finally good vocal melodies and not only that James sings with passion which was absent for a long time.

[TAC]

not only that James sings with passion which was absent for a long time.

I don't believe this for a second.

[SeRoX]

Sadly I believe this way. His singing on BTC and TSMI are passionate that I've not witness for a long time, especially after ADTOE. Of course there are some vocal phases here and there (The Astonishing excluding) that he sings with passion (for example: At Wit's End last phase) but as a whole song and album Parasomia has it more.

[TAC]

Sadly I believe this way. His singing on BTC and TSMI are passionate that I've not witness for a long time, especially after ADTOE. Of course there are some vocal phases here and there (The Astonishing excluding) that he sings with passion (for example: At Wit's End last phase) but as a whole song and album Parasomia has it more.

Why are we excluding The Astonishing?

[SeRoX]

Because The Astonishing is James' vocal peak, to me at least. Despite many other flaws James is the only one amazing here. And yes, he sings with so much passion.

[dparrott]

I totally agree.  No skips for me at all.  I really enjoy the listening experience from beginning to end.  This is top tier DT for me.  They don't have that many "perfect" albums (albums that have no songs I ever want to skip), but no band does.  But this album has made the list.  And AWD and BTC together have to be one the be best slow down periods in any album from any band ever (at least that I've heard anyway).

Yea it's still my 2nd favorite behind SFAM.

[wolfking]

Sadly I believe this way. His singing on BTC and TSMI are passionate that I've not witness for a long time, especially after ADTOE. Of course there are some vocal phases here and there (The Astonishing excluding) that he sings with passion (for example: At Wit's End last phase) but as a whole song and album Parasomia has it more.

Seems completely on par with any of his vocals over the last few albums IMO which of course is nothing short of excellent but to each their own.

[wolfking]

Clearly you've never had to call the police and say, "Someone's been killed, I am sorry!" before. If you did, you'd understand how much realism and thought that Petrucci put into this line.

This line certainly induces some cringe.  I didn't take much notice of the lyrics at first but once my ear caught this line it was a total forehead slap moment.