What do you guys think of LaBrie´s performance in Train of Thought?

[Misirlou]

Considering that´s their most straightforward metal release, LaBrie had to bring a bit more grit to accompany the downtuned riffage present on the record.

I think he does good with the heavier material here, he sounds unrecognizable on certain parts (DON´T CROSS THE CROOKED STEP), and there´s also his most "out of the box" moments with almost straight up rapping on Honor Thy Father and This Dying Soul.

Also, this might be the album where he has the least amount of work to do, I feel. Lots of very extended instrumental sections on every song except Vacant, and Stream of Consciousness is their longest instrumental track clocking at more than 11 min.

[WilliamMunny]

Yeah, I think he nailed it.

As someone who prefers 'clean' singing, and generally favors dynamics over de-tuning as a means of 'heavyness,' I think the band did a really good job on that record. James was in the midst of what I feel were his best years. He'd lost a few miles on the ol' fastball, but man had he rounded out his tone. Songs like "As I Am" and "Endless Sacrifice" are just so good vocally.

Hell, even "This Dying Soul" and "In The Name of God" are showcases for all the different things he can do. "Vacant" is also a personal favorite, and one of my favorite DT lyrics period.

Yep, damn fine performance as far as I'm concerned.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Doesn't fit the music. It's nothing he did wrong, he's just the wrong vocal type for what they were trying to do.

[SeRoX]

Doesn't fit the music. It's nothing he did wrong, he's just the wrong vocal type for what they were trying to do.

I think exact opposite.

JLB's vocals are the most experimental thing in this album and surprisingly it worked out just fine.

To be honest DT was being Metallica on this one (not a bad thing) but LaBrie was LaBrie not Hetfield. And that's most interesting this about this album for me. People assume In The Name Of God would sound better with Hetfield and maybe that's true but it sounds completely different with LaBrie in a good way.

[WilliamMunny]

Doesn't fit the music. It's nothing he did wrong, he's just the wrong vocal type for what they were trying to do.

I obviously disagree, but I am genuinely curious if you'd care to elaborate?

Do you think someone with a more Hetfield-esque delivery would've worked better?

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I obviously disagree, but I am genuinely curious if you'd care to elaborate?

Do you think someone with a more Hetfield-esque delivery would've worked better?

Probably. I hear James as a decent progressive metal vocal type generally, but ToT is sort of a unique album being very overweight heavy metal so it just sounds like a bad fit to me. It would be like if the Cory Wong band had Jeff Soto as their singer...it's all preference at the end of the day but it just doesn't sound quite right.

Obviously James is the guy they selected when their music was quite different and they even wondered if he suited them any longer. I think ToT is just asking for a different delivery and sound that he could never do (though JH probably couldn't do the things JLB did best in his day either).

There are some really heavy records (the last 2) that I feel differently about. He's just fine on View or songs like Shadow Man, but you start off with a song like As I Am that's a real hit you in the face put your balls in a blender type song and when the vocals kick in I just feel like I heard a poodle bark at a tank.

[Cool Chris]

Yeah, I think he nailed it.

As someone who prefers 'clean' singing, and generally favors dynamics over de-tuning as a means of 'heavyness,' I think the band did a really good job on that record. James was in the midst of what I feel were his best years. He'd lost a few miles on the ol' fastball, but man had he rounded out his tone. Songs like "As I Am" and "Endless Sacrifice" are just so good vocally.

Hell, even "This Dying Soul" and "In The Name of God" are showcases for all the different things he can do. "Vacant" is also a personal favorite, and one of my favorite DT lyrics period.

Yep, damn fine performance as far as I'm concerned.

This is basically where I'm at, but I hate some of the stuff they asked him to do in TDS & HTF. It confounded me that they had  a top tier singer with a particular style and delivery, and made him go that far away from what he excelled at.

[Progmaniac1988]

I love James on TOT. I think songs like As I am, endless sacrifice, Vacant and In the name of god are some of his overall best. In the name of god is in my top 5 of all time fav DT choruses I'd say. I really hope they play it next time around! Been forever!

[wolfking]

My fav DT album and always loved everything about what James does on that album.  No issues from me.  Even his Dave Mustaine impression is badass. 

[TheCountOfNYC]

I think James sounds great on Train of Thought. Not my favorite of their albums, but James did a great job on it.

[nikatapi]

I think he sounds great.

[Animal]

Mixed bag for me. As much as I love James raspy vocals on Awake, I think he lost a couple of cylinders in his vocal engine after that album so post 1995, I prefer him sticking to his clean voice, without trying to add too much edge to it.

[TAC]

I think James always does what he does. He is an amazing vocalist, and their entire discography can attest to that. The issue that sometimes arises is what the vocal direction or underutilization. They're sitting on a vocal goldmine there, and rarely take advantage of it.

I hardly ever listen to Train Of Thought. I think the whole album sounds sterile. And I think there's James was robbed of some punch by this. The songs are great, and when I want to hear them, I generally go for the Budokan versions or a tour bootleg.

[jimgolf]

I don't think he developed that really good metal grit until around Systematic Chaos/Black Clouds (which was when he was working with Jamie Vendera I believe). It sounds really good in live releases like Luna Park and Breaking the Fourth Wall. I think if that James was working on Train of Thought, it would've sounded even more badass.

Overall I think he still sounds good though. I've always really liked his studio performance of Endless Sacrifice.

[bosk1]

Yeah, I think he nailed it.

As someone who prefers 'clean' singing, and generally favors dynamics over de-tuning as a means of 'heavyness,' I think the band did a really good job on that record. James was in the midst of what I feel were his best years. He'd lost a few miles on the ol' fastball, but man had he rounded out his tone. Songs like "As I Am" and "Endless Sacrifice" are just so good vocally.

Hell, even "This Dying Soul" and "In The Name of God" are showcases for all the different things he can do. "Vacant" is also a personal favorite, and one of my favorite DT lyrics period.

Yep, damn fine performance as far as I'm concerned.

Yeah, I pretty much agree with all of that.

[Northern Lion]

Personally, I like Labrie's performance on every album.  He may have good days and bad days when performing live, but his album performance has never disappointed me.

[DoctorAction]

I think James is the best thing on this album. It was a big stylistic mis-step for the band, imo, but he shows his character and delivery is outstanding, as usual.

[ReaperKK]

I think James is great on ToT. I think the only misstep is the Honor Thy Father rap. I like rap and I like DT but I don't like that part of the song, it doesn't work and I don't think JLB pulls it off.