Dream Theater sign with Roadrunner Records! "Systematic Chaos" due 07/06/2007!!!

[maddox]

Why?

Edit: since i'm a sucker for Second Editions and the fact that i already pre-ordered the regular version, i think i will probably buy them both. Cheesy

That's why. 

[maddox]

Let's share this with you. 

Click on the link below and you'll get a chance to listen to a song of the new album. The track is called Constant Motion and it sounds too good to be fake. 

Enjoy yourself. 

http://icanseethepixels.com/crap/DreamTheater-ConstantMotion.mp3

[maddox]

Man, let me tell you: I'm So happy with this new album.     

Unofficially of course. 

[PH]

Man, let me tell you: I'm So happy with this new album.     

Unofficially of course. 

Let's just say you've got a promo copy.

Haven't heard it yet.
But I have no doubt, it must be amazing, it's Dream Theater.

Oh, how I do sound like a fanboy right now!

[maddox]

Let's just say you've got a promo copy.

Of course i have. What else? 

[PH]

Of course i have. What else? 

Well... I have one too now, gonna listen to it right away!

[The Butterfly Man]

Hey guys, please don't discuss any of the album's content until it's officially released. There are people (like me) who like to read discussions on how the album may sound, not on how it does sound! I plan to buy it on the releasedate, and don't want to download it (or shall I call that 'obtaining a promo copy'? ) prior to that date, so everything will be new for me.

Thanks!

Tom

[PH]

Hey guys, please don't discuss any of the album's content until it's officially released. There are people (like me) who like to read discussions on how the album may sound, not on how it does sound! I plan to buy it on the releasedate, and don't want to download it (or shall I call that 'obtaining a promo copy'? ) prior to that date, so everything will be new for me.

Thanks!

Tom

Sure! Fair enough!

Just one thing I want to say:

Spoiler:
What is Dream Theater doing?? It seems as if they're turning into something religious. Ministry Of Souls anyone? Brilliant album by the way!
Spoiler ends here.

[Nicky007]

There seems to be lot of expertise on Dream Theater here in the Room. As I'm somewhat, but not very, familiar with DT, I'd like to tap some of that expertise. Therefore I'd like you guys to comment on the following three questions:

Why is Dream Theater widely considered to be the flagship of prog?
Where do you find the best of DT, and why?
In what ways has DT changed your life?

I had the same experience as Peter, that I just couldn't get gripped by LaBrie's vocals, until I heard Six Degrees, where he had really upped himself and gained a lot of expression. Six Degrees reawakened my passion for Dream Theater. So now I'm getting into the later stuff and looking very much forward to Systematic Chaos (and I've decided to get Score too, when I strike upon the much sought for goldmine).

Nicky.

[Nicky007]

> Though i must confess that i was a bit surprised that they signed with Roadrunner Records. Inside Out was my guess. BTW this is not a complaint. Motown would've been okay too. As long it's Dream Theater.   

Good joke, Maddox, and you're right: If you have so much talent, nothing can stop it. Even if you had Heintje on the vocals, Dream Theater would be great.

Nicky.

[maddox]

Hey guys, please don't discuss any of the album's content until it's officially released. There are people (like me) who like to read discussions on how the album may sound, not on how it does sound! I plan to buy it on the releasedate, and don't want to download it (or shall I call that 'obtaining a promo copy'? ) prior to that date, so everything will be new for me.

Thanks!

Tom

You know what, Tom? You're absolutely right and i apologies for that. It wasn't really thoughtful of me.  I remember some time ago just when Pain Of Salvation's Scarsick would be released, there were a lot of reviewers on the DPRP-forum who said how good or how bad the album was and there i was, sitting behind the screen and never heard a single note of that album. That made me...yes i must confess: a bit irritated. No offence to those guys, but i had to wait a whole month more to hear it. That's the fortunes of being a reviewer. You get to hear the albums way sooner that the mere mortal. 

I must add that having this 'promo' copy doesn't change a thing for me. I still have both editions on pre-order and am curious about the rest of the package too. You know, the artwork, the lyrics (which i always find very interesting since i write a few lines myself  ) etc etc.
I'm a bit of a fan, you know. 

So like i said earlier: My excuses. 

[maddox]

I had the same experience as Peter, that I just couldn't get gripped by LaBrie's vocals

I agree with you on that one, Nicky. After Awake and before Metropolis pt II: Scenes From A Memory, James' voice wasn't all to good. Especially live he was sometimes aweful, on Five Years In A Lifetime for instance. Dreadful i must say. I've got some official bootlegs from Ytsejam records and the ones that were recorded between the two albums i've mentioned earlier are really not so great. And with that i mean the vocals. It's extremely great how they control their instruments, very virtuosity to say the least but to me James was always the weakest link in the band. Until SFAM and further on. He gained a lot of power since then and his voice isn't 'tired' any more at the end of the tour.
I've seen Dream Theater six times until now and trust me, it's better than before.

Why is Dream Theater the flagship of prog? Well not entirely prog by it's definition. Personally i consider them prog/metal though they have there tender moments too. 
Maybe because of their musician skills. They never limit their self to any boundary and are constantly searching for new ideas and tunes. Yes, every musician does or should do that but the way they do it, makes my neck skin crawl and with that i mean on a positive way. 

The best of DT in my opinion can be found in tracks like A Mind Besides Itself, A Change Of Seasons and Octavarium. Yes, pretty long numbers but it suits them.
By the way, i consider Metropolis Pt I as their best song ever made. 

So, and now a cup of coffee. 

[Nicky007]

Yup, Maddox (and Englishmen), you're absolutely right about that one: > So, and now a cup of coffee.

I'm also on my way out into the kitchen (mine, not yours) to make a hot, steaming, damn good (quoting the Agent) cup of coffee. And after that a beer, huh?

Nicky.

[maddox]

Yup, Maddox (and Englishmen), you're absolutely right about that one: > So, and now a cup of coffee.

I'm also on my way out into the kitchen (mine, not yours) to make a hot, steaming, damn good (quoting the Agent) cup of coffee. And after that a beer, huh?

Nicky.

Hmm, that should be in the 'Now Eating/Drinking thread. 

[maddox]

I wasn't really done yet. You asked another question*. 

In what ways has DT changed your life?

Well it did change my perspective of music. When Images & Words was released back in '91 i heard it in the local recordstore, Staphorst in Utrecht btw  .
When i heard the first tunes of Pull Me Under i was literally blown from my chair. This was Amazing.  I was quite a metal head back then, listened to Marillion and PF too but the more guitars the better, but after that...

It really was my defining moment in music. 





*again a blatant attempt to raise my post count.  ]

[Nicky007]

OK, Maddox, now I got my hot steaming coffee (and it really is damn good), and I had the leisure to read your post on DT.

Thanks a lot for your comments. You seem to be the DT expert here. (I'm hoping to provoke some others into action.)

I'll keep your fave tracks in mind.

I think too that it was good that the DT fans were patient with LaBrie. Six Degrees is really growing on me, and LaBrie's vocals too. I think, for a lot of us today, DT wouldn't sound right without him.

So, I guess God has a purpose with all of us (although what his purpose is with me is still a mystery to me).

Nicky.

[Nicky007]

> Hmm, that should be in the 'Now Eating/Drinking thread.

I thought you meant that DT and a good cup of coffee belonged together.

Yeah, I forgot one too:

> Why is Dream Theater the flagship of prog? Well not entirely prog by it's definition. Personally i consider them prog/metal though they have there tender moments too.

It seems that we have different perceptions of "prog". I take the word literally, that a prog group is continually progressing, experimenting, including new genres, elements. So, in my use of the word, DT is very much prog, just as Arena, Zero Hour, Spock's Beard, and just as Fish-era Marillion were (today, they're more like: asleep. Sorry, Marillion fans).

Nicky.

[Nicky007]

I don't know what has become of me. I've had the first CD of Six Degrees on repeat the whole day. It just becomes better and better. This has only happened to me in recent times with Contagion and Fullness of Time. Six Degrees is an absurdly good album. I had also read in several reviews that it was a difficult album to get into, but once it took hold of you, it wouldn't let you go.

Nicky.

[The Butterfly Man]

I don't know what has become of me. I've had the first CD of Six Degrees on repeat the whole day. It just becomes better and better. This has only happened to me in recent times with Contagion and Fullness of Time. Six Degrees is an absurdly good album. I had also read in several reviews that it was a difficult album to get into, but once it took hold of you, it wouldn't let you go.

Nicky.

Yeah, bring on The Glass Prison! It ROCKS!!!
The instrumental middle part of Blind Faith is just breathtaking!
Misunderstood is a great tune. The only thing with it is, I'm still unsure what to think of the ending 'noises'.
The Great Debate might be my favourite of disc 1!
Disappear is so hauntingly beautiful!

I think I'll just have to listen to it.........NOW! 

Tom

[The Butterfly Man]

So like i said earlier: My excuses. 

You don't need to apologize, it's alright. I am so pumped for this album, and your comments on it so far make me feel very good about it, although I wish I didn't read them. But hey, you can't have 'em all, or can you? 

Tom

[Bupie]

Yeah, bring on The Glass Prison! It ROCKS!!!
The instrumental middle part of Blind Faith is just breathtaking!
Misunderstood is a great tune. The only thing with it is, I'm still unsure what to think of the ending 'noises'.
The Great Debate might be my favourite of disc 1!
Disappear is so hauntingly beautiful!

I think I'll just have to listen to it.........NOW! 

Tom

You just read in my mind, didn't you ?

I consider SDOIT as DT's second masterpiece besides I&W. Both are much better than SFAM for my taste (but I am not a metal fan so it could explain my choices). I really don't understand why people say that SDOIT is too metallic or to difficult to get into  Maybe it's because of the word turbulence in the title ? Or maybe they just listened to The Glass Prison (which is great metal song, anyway) ?

[Nicky007]

> I really don't understand why people say that SDOIT is too metallic or to difficult to get into.

Bupie, you may have had a special propensity for it, but I've heard from many sides that Six Degrees is a very difficult album to get into. And I think it's very deliberate on DT's side, taking their role as prog flagship seriously.

Six Degrees and Fullness of Time are the two albums in recent times that have taken most effort for me to get into. Only after about 5-6 listens, did I begin to really enjoy them. But then in both cases I also became a junkie.

Nicky.

[The Butterfly Man]

You just read in my mind, didn't you ?

I consider SDOIT as DT's second masterpiece besides I&W. Both are much better than SFAM for my taste (but I am not a metal fan so it could explain my choices). I really don't understand why people say that SDOIT is too metallic or to difficult to get into  Maybe it's because of the word turbulence in the title ? Or maybe they just listened to The Glass Prison (which is great metal song, anyway) ?

You're not a metalfan, so don't you enjoy disc 2 more than disc 1? Yeah I'm just curious, 'cause it seems that all the prog-lovers like disc 2 better, and the metalheads seem to prefer disc 1.

About SFAM, are you sure we listened to the same album? I think SFAM is much more symphonic than Six Degrees (well, especially disc 1). I'm a DT-fan since SFAM, and back in those days I wasn't really into metal, so it says a lot that I liked (and still like!) it so much. Over the last few years I developed a slight preference to the metal-element in prog, and I think that's because of DT...

Tom

[Bupie]

You're not a metalfan, so don't you enjoy disc 2 more than disc 1? Yeah I'm just curious, 'cause it seems that all the prog-lovers like disc 2 better, and the metalheads seem to prefer disc 1.

No, frankly I enjoy both discs equally and I think that the two metal songs on disc 2 (sorry but for me SDOIT, "the song", is not one song but a collection of different songs), WIMH and TTTSTA, are more heavy than TGP on disc 1. And disc 1 has Blind Faith that is an absolute favorite of mine.

About SFAM, are you sure we listened to the same album? I think SFAM is much more symphonic than Six Degrees (well, especially disc 1). I'm a DT-fan since SFAM, and back in those days I wasn't really into metal, so it says a lot that I liked (and still like!) it so much. Over the last few years I developed a slight preference to the metal-element in prog, and I think that's because of DT...

Tom

Yes I am sure. I like it very much too, of course, but I find some instrumental passages overlong. Home, for instance, could be four minutes shorter. And the metal intro of Beyond this Life is really not my cup of tea. This kind of unmelodic metal -at least to my ears- is the only thing that I dislike in DT. Examples in other albums are Scarred, Lie, The Mirror, Burning my Soul, Let me Breathe, Honor thy Father, This Dying Soul. And I find the 19' version of Beyond this Life on LAB almost unlistenable ...

On the other hand, I feel fine with TGP, TROAE, As I Am, Never Enough or SoC. I guess it is because, although those songs are heavy too, their melody hooks me (for SoC, I'm sure : I am addicted to it  ). But there is not a rational explanation to everything ...

[Nicky007]

To you post-Scenes DT fans, if you haven't yet listened to Thought Chamber's Angular Perceptions, you're missing something bigtime. The style is quite similar to that of the first CD of Six Degrees.

Nicky.