The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Discuss any band that's not called Alter Bridge.
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JaredWard
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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by JaredWard »

Had no idea about the new DVD! The last one was really good. My only concern is the mix.. I'm sure whatever is in the video is just a rough mix. Also, it seems James has gone a bit downhill vocally.. I can tell they did a lot of overdubbing with the vocals but that's usually the norm in most live dvds.

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by anguyen92 »

I've been hearing words from the Dream Theater Forums that's been to their shows this year that James has been singing really well as of late.

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by JaredWard »

I hope so.. I'd really love to see them live. You can just tell they've done a lot of tuning & editing on the vocals. Here's Strange Deja Vu..

[youtube]http://youtu.be/-8ncb21mbJE[/youtube]

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by anguyen92 »

I don't know if buying this, beforehand, has anything to do with it, but I am really enjoying this new DVD better than Score and Live At Luna Park. Fantastic stuff.

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by antiwal »

Sooo....anyone looking forward to their new concept album in January (The Astonishing). I know I am! They've just released a single (on youtube) called "The Gift of Music". Rather apt for this time of year! Can't wait for the album - sounds immense!

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by Electricladyland »

Here's the song



It's got a really nice Rush/Shadow Gallery feel to it too. Very reminiscent of SDOIT

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by antiwal »

It’s astonishing as there isn’t one single track over 10 mins! The longest is like 7 mins – most average around the 4 minute mark. I’m guessing they’ll all probably flow into each other anyway 

Unless Wikipedia has it wrong….
Act I
No. Title Length
1. "Descent of the NOMACS" 1:11
2. "Dystopian Overture" 4:51
3. "The Gift of Music" 4:08
4. "The Answer" 1:53
5. "A Better Life" 4:39
6. "Lord Nafaryus" 3:28
7. "A Savior in the Square" 4:14
8. "When Your Time Has Come" 4:19
9. "Act of Faythe" 5:01
10. "Three Days" 3:44
11. "The Hovering Sojourn" 0:28
12. "Brother, Can You Hear Me?" 5:11
13. "A Life Left Behind" 5:49
14. "Ravenskill" 6:01
15. "Chosen" 4:32
16. "A Tempting Offer" 4:20
17. "Digital Discord" 0:48
18. "The X Aspect" 4:13
19. "A New Beginning" 7:41
20. "The Road to Revolution" 3:35
Total length: 79:58
Act II
No. Title Length
1. "2285 Entr'acte" 2:20
2. "Moment of Betrayal" 6:01
3. "Heaven's Cove" 4:20
4. "Begin Again" 3:54
5. "The Path That Divides" 5:10
6. "Machine Chatter" 1:03
7. "The Walking Shadow" 2:58
8. "My Last Farewell" 3:44
9. "Losing Faythe" 4:13
10. "Whispers on the Wind" 1:37
11. "Hymn of a Thousand Voices" 3:39
12. "Our New World" 4:12
13. "Power Down" 1:25
14. "Astonishing" 5:51
Total length: 50:20

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by Andy92 »

Need to take a vacation to listen to this one lol.
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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by anguyen92 »

Man, a 130 min. album that has a huge grand scheme story in it and I was already thinking about buying this DT album before they announced the full details of it. This will probably be the longest album that I have listened to in one go (the longest is actually probably Ayreon's The Human Equation).

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by BSC »

I used to really love Dream Theater, I bought all of their albums and they were my favourite band for about a year. I remember being gutted when Mike Portnoy left. Although one day I was listening to them, and I think it was during one of their long 'instrumental wankery' sessions that I just thought 'this is shit', and now I can't really listen to them. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is a great album though.

I've listened to their new songs and I'm just reminded why I don't like them, their sound just doesn't appeal to me. Maybe it's because I've delved further into progressive rock since getting into them, the instrumental sections that are so crucial to their sound just don't do anything for me any more. I gave their last album a listen and I thought it was good in spots but overall a bit bland, the thought of a 130 minute album from them just sounds like a chore to get through, although I admire their ambition.

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

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BSC wrote:I gave their last album a listen and I thought it was good in spots but overall a bit bland, the thought of a 130 minute album from them just sounds like a chore to get through, although I admire their ambition.
That's a nice summary of how I feel about them at the moment. I really like the concept behind the new one though, so I'm definitely gonna give it a listen.
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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

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BSC wrote:I gave their last album a listen and I thought it was good in spots but overall a bit bland, the thought of a 130 minute album from them just sounds like a chore to get through, although I admire their ambition.
I was thinking the same exact thing. I really like their 1999-2009 albums but the post-Portnoy era stuff sounds just a bit blunt, there is something I dislike about Mangini's drumming which makes the whole experience worse. Petrucci's riffing also used to be quite original back in the day but since A Dramatic Turn of Events he's been overusing chugga-chugga seven string stuff.
I feel that DT sound more creative in the progressive rock-oriented enviroment than the metal one. Their medium-tempo songs were very cool, but as soon as they want to make things heavier, it all starts to be a bit cliche.
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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by anguyen92 »

Honestly, I found the self-titled album to be the most enjoyable album out of the bunch I've heard with some lyrical content that I can get behind.

That stated, it's interesting that The Astonishing will be a huge departure from DT12 with the whole grand scheme concept story and world and all of that, and away from the "relates to life" aspects, and I still look forward to that.

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by Dolo »

Heard the album today. Not really impressed. I'm glad I managed to sit through all 129 minutes of it. There are some cool riffs hear and there, I was surprised by how Labrie managed to imitate different sorts of voices inside the story and I appreciate writing such a long, complex, concept record but there is something missing. I can't really put my finger on it, but the record doesn't move me as much as some of their previous work.
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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by antiwal »

Got my CD today, so looking forward to giving it a (very long) spin later! :peace

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by VigilantSteve »

I only got about 10-11 songs into the new album on my way to work this morning. Really enjoying it a lot so far, but there's still a ton of music left for me to change my mind. I'm definitely going to have to sit down and listen to it with the lyrics in front of me at some point though so that I can get a better feel for all of the characters that James is singing...it's just so hard for me to find time to do that these days.

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by antiwal »

VigilantSteve wrote:I only got about 10-11 songs into the new album on my way to work this morning. Really enjoying it a lot so far, but there's still a ton of music left for me to change my mind. I'm definitely going to have to sit down and listen to it with the lyrics in front of me at some point though so that I can get a better feel for all of the characters that James is singing...it's just so hard for me to find time to do that these days.
I'm really enjoying it too. I've listed about 4 or 5 times now and I discover something new every listen. Its really unique. There's no real "go to" tracks (save for a few) that you wanna go to, its more of a journey. That makes it sound like a bad album - but its not! Haha.

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

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antiwal wrote:
VigilantSteve wrote:I only got about 10-11 songs into the new album on my way to work this morning. Really enjoying it a lot so far, but there's still a ton of music left for me to change my mind. I'm definitely going to have to sit down and listen to it with the lyrics in front of me at some point though so that I can get a better feel for all of the characters that James is singing...it's just so hard for me to find time to do that these days.
I'm really enjoying it too. I've listed about 4 or 5 times now and I discover something new every listen. Its really unique. There's no real "go to" tracks (save for a few) that you wanna go to, its more of a journey. That makes it sound like a bad album - but its not! Haha.
Amazingly, despite driving to work, back home, and back to work again, I still have 2 and a half more songs to finish up. I will definitely say that musically this album is excellent and that James is especially impressive with how much it showcases him. It's an album that really must be listened to from beginning to end. I don't see myself picking and choosing too many individual songs, but what is there in its entirety is excellent. Definitely looking forward to at some point actually sitting down and listening to the album front to back, with the lyrics, and without stopping so that I can really appreciate the story along with the music.

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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by Timotheus »

Finally found the time to listen to the entire thing. It's kinda what you'd expect from it. Great musicianship, but I often feel like there's no energy. I liked it better than the last two albums though. I loved the theme and the ambition, the orchestrations, the choirs, all the extra instruments. There was a really cool bagpipes part somewhere which I really liked. Labrie's vocals didn't bother me as much as they often do, so that helped a lot as well.

But yea, it's a very long album, and even though there's a lot of variation, it all kinda starts too sound alike after a while.
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Re: The Official DREAM THEATER Thread

Post by JaredWard »

I've only had time to listen to it once all the way through but from what I've heard only a few songs stand out and grab me. I'm going to try and get through it again one day soon to give my full opinion.. it's hard to judge it right now. I really liked several songs from the past 2 albums, the only gripe I had was the awful drum tones and questionable production but this album I think Mike's drums sound a ton better, especially the snare.

Favorites so far would be.. The Gift Of Music & The Path That Divides.

Regardless if I like the entire album or not I can appreciate the effort that went into it. Production/Orchestration sounds great.. the band sounds great.. and James' vocals are pretty close to top notch.

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