General Opinions on Dream Theater

DevZor wrote:

I'm listening to the "song" six degrees of inner turbulence and I can't help but think the song would be regarded as one of DT's seminal works if it was released as an album right after awake. This material is definetly some of there rush-iest stuff to date.  Looking at it as a separate album from disc 1, I think it is one of their most focused efforts balancing the bombast with quite a bit of restraint (for DT ).

What do you guys think of SDOIT disc 2?

Aside from the flat production (like everything else from SFAM on), that happens to be my favorite of the post-Awake material for the reasons you're stating. Very complex and no compromises. Disc 1 was meh, but the actual suite has a lot going for it.

I really don't like disc 1 with the exception of the crushing greatness of the glass prison. That is a beast of a track  

I also enjoy Misunderstood for a nice change of pace. Too bad they ripped it off for Rite of Passage on Black Clouds.

I enjoy progressive music in general and since I also enjoy heavy music, prog metal is kind of a no brainer for me. However, as others here have said, I have to be in the right mood, especially for Dream Theater. It takes time to listen to them, not only to "get" them, but the physical time it takes to listen to an album. I do have most of their stuff, but only listen occasionally. If I'm in a prog mood, I'm more likely to grab something from Steven Wilson!

I do appreciate the musicianship involved to play at the level that DT does. I've seen them live a couple of times and they always entertain musically. LaBrie's voice is starting to show signs of strain, but Petrucci and Myung are among the best at their respective instruments. John Myung is so much fun to watch live because he is so laid back. I think the venue could come down around him and he'd keep right on playing the groove!

Never really got into them, not sure why

So I've recently decided that 'Octavarium' is a top 3 DT album for me (with I&W and Awake). I revisited this pretty hard, and 'These Walls', 'Panic Attack', 'Sacrificed Sons' (despite clumsy sexism), and the title track especially are just great great songs. It's all very natural and flowing, not aping a bunch of bands really hard on purpose like the couple that were before this one, and the orchestration really works great where it is.

Yeah, 6DOIT is hit-and-miss on the first disc, but the suite is very good stuff.


Now I just need 'Score' on blu-ray.

They're the most mainstream prog-metal band, thus they have scores of haters. I think they're great. They're not been spot-on with every album, but there aren't any that I dislike.

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

So I've recently decided that 'Octavarium' is a top 3 DT album for me (with I&W and Awake). I revisited this pretty hard, and 'These Walls', 'Panic Attack', 'Sacrificed Sons' (despite clumsy sexism), and the title track especially are just great great songs. It's all very natural and flowing, not aping a bunch of bands really hard on purpose like the couple that were before this one, and the orchestration really works great where it is.

Yeah, 6DOIT is hit-and-miss on the first disc, but the suite is very good stuff.


Now I just need 'Score' on blu-ray.

Score was one of the most amazing concerts I've seen on film, and one of the best marriages of metal and orchestra (which I've never been a fan of). And yes, Octavarium was one of their high points. Great use of melody and heaviness, and the title song is epic.

I love James vocal delivery in the score version of octavarium. The scream he lets loose while chanting "trapped inside this otctavarium" is stellar. Instant throw up the horns whenever I hear that.

I wish they would release more instrumental mixes of their albums, I have that version of their last album it's the only way I listen to that record.

S.D. wrote:

I wish they would release more instrumental mixes of their albums, I have that version of their last album it's the only way I listen to that record.

While Devzor is right about Labrie's voice on score, it's been getting samey and grating for awhile. So yeah, instrumental mixes are even better.

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

Also, if people want more 'Images & Words' they NEED to listen to Pagan's Mind - Celestial Entrance. I don't mean just 'band trying to sound like Dream Theater', I mean at that stage they REALLY studied that record and it almost sounds like a direct sequel, but evolved and still fairly unique to PM.

This!! Pagans Mind is IMO what DT want to be LOL!!!  

As far as DT, i love them but they are more of a  MY GREATEST HITS kind of band besides Images, Falling into Infinity (My fav) and Train of Thought.  I own a ton of albums from them but maybe only like 3-4 songs from each.. There are many other bands in this genre that IMO do it a lot better than DT..

I've never understood all the hate for Falling Into Infinity. It's a damn heavy and catchy album with tons of proggy stretches. But the best thing about it is it's the one time they wrote a ballad that works. I'm sorry, but DT couldn't write a ballad to save their life after Awake. Hollow Years is the one exception. Beautiful song.

corplhicks wrote:

I've never understood all the hate for Falling Into Infinity. It's a damn heavy and catchy album with tons of proggy stretches. But the best thing about it is it's the one time they wrote a ballad that works. I'm sorry, but DT couldn't write a ballad to save their life after Awake. Hollow Years is the one exception. Beautiful song.

Peruvian Skies to this day is my fav Dream Theater song.  I don't like learning solo's but when I heard the solo in that song, I HAD TO LEARN IT!!!   Lines in the Sand is another epic track with one killer solo and jazzy breakdown!!  Petrucci doesnt shred on this album, his melodicness rly shows here...



5:37 is all that needs to be said here... WOW!!  Instant wet eyes from that guitar playing.. Being a guitar player and hearing that tone mixed with the Gilmour like feel WOW!!!

MetalRob331 wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

I've never understood all the hate for Falling Into Infinity. It's a damn heavy and catchy album with tons of proggy stretches. But the best thing about it is it's the one time they wrote a ballad that works. I'm sorry, but DT couldn't write a ballad to save their life after Awake. Hollow Years is the one exception. Beautiful song.

Peruvian Skies to this day is my fav Dream Theater song.  I don't like learning solo's but when I heard the solo in that song, I HAD TO LEARN IT!!!   Lines in the Sand is another epic track with one killer solo and jazzy breakdown!!  Petrucci doesnt shred on this album, his melodicness rly shows here...



5:37 is all that needs to be said here... WOW!!  Instant wet eyes from that guitar playing.. Being a guitar player and hearing that tone mixed with the Gilmour like feel WOW!!!

Exactly how I feel. I know they were rushed to get this album done and were never too happy about it, but to me it was just fine, every song had equal weight, there were no clunkers.

I love FII...

MetalRob331 wrote:

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

Also, if people want more 'Images & Words' they NEED to listen to Pagan's Mind - Celestial Entrance. I don't mean just 'band trying to sound like Dream Theater', I mean at that stage they REALLY studied that record and it almost sounds like a direct sequel, but evolved and still fairly unique to PM.

This!! Pagans Mind is IMO what DT want to be LOL!!!  

As far as DT, i love them but they are more of a  MY GREATEST HITS kind of band besides Images, Falling into Infinity (My fav) and Train of Thought.  I own a ton of albums from them but maybe only like 3-4 songs from each.. There are many other bands in this genre that IMO do it a lot better than DT..

Another couple that are like that which you might want to check out are:

Andromeda - Extension Of The Wish (Chimera would be a good one too, but start here)
Ice Age - The Great Divide

They both are also just full of that feel.


Also I think I must be the only one who doesn't like 'Train of Thought' much. Even the songs I do like, those are played better on the 'Budokan' recording.

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

MetalRob331 wrote:

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

Also, if people want more 'Images & Words' they NEED to listen to Pagan's Mind - Celestial Entrance. I don't mean just 'band trying to sound like Dream Theater', I mean at that stage they REALLY studied that record and it almost sounds like a direct sequel, but evolved and still fairly unique to PM.

This!! Pagans Mind is IMO what DT want to be LOL!!!  

As far as DT, i love them but they are more of a  MY GREATEST HITS kind of band besides Images, Falling into Infinity (My fav) and Train of Thought.  I own a ton of albums from them but maybe only like 3-4 songs from each.. There are many other bands in this genre that IMO do it a lot better than DT..

Another couple that are like that which you might want to check out are:

Andromeda - Extension Of The Wish (Chimera would be a good one too, but start here)
Ice Age - The Great Divide

They both are also just full of that feel.


Also I think I must be the only one who doesn't like 'Train of Thought' much. Even the songs I do like, those are played better on the 'Budokan' recording.

I enjoy Train of Thought to a fault. They just tried to be so heavy on that album and to me it came out muddy and forced.

We should do a thread in the discog forum on these guys.

corplhicks wrote:

I've never understood all the hate for Falling Into Infinity. It's a damn heavy and catchy album with tons of proggy stretches. But the best thing about it is it's the one time they wrote a ballad that works. I'm sorry, but DT couldn't write a ballad to save their life after Awake. Hollow Years is the one exception. Beautiful song.

I've always liked Falling Into Infinity as well.  People deride as being too commercial, but while it might be DT's most accessible album, how commercial really is an album where the only song under five minutes is an instrumental?

Having said that, it could have been better.  There where some good songs that never made it onto the album (e.g. Speak to Me and Raise the Knife), and Desmond Child added nothing to the original version of You Not Me - his contributions were to shorten the song a alter the lyrics a little.  So maybe some of the hate stems from what it could have been compared with how it turned out in the end.

Citanul wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

I've never understood all the hate for Falling Into Infinity. It's a damn heavy and catchy album with tons of proggy stretches. But the best thing about it is it's the one time they wrote a ballad that works. I'm sorry, but DT couldn't write a ballad to save their life after Awake. Hollow Years is the one exception. Beautiful song.

I've always liked Falling Into Infinity as well.  People deride as being too commercial, but while it might be DT's most accessible album, how commercial really is an album where the only song under five minutes is an instrumental?

Having said that, it could have been better.  There where some good songs that never made it onto the album (e.g. Speak to Me and Raise the Knife), and Desmond Child added nothing to the original version of You Not Me - his contributions were to shorten the song a alter the lyrics a little.  So maybe some of the hate stems from what it could have been compared with how it turned out in the end.

I like that album and Derek's keyboard sounds on it as well. I don't get the hate for it either.

Citanul wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

I've never understood all the hate for Falling Into Infinity. It's a damn heavy and catchy album with tons of proggy stretches. But the best thing about it is it's the one time they wrote a ballad that works. I'm sorry, but DT couldn't write a ballad to save their life after Awake. Hollow Years is the one exception. Beautiful song.

I've always liked Falling Into Infinity as well.  People deride as being too commercial, but while it might be DT's most accessible album, how commercial really is an album where the only song under five minutes is an instrumental?

Having said that, it could have been better.  There where some good songs that never made it onto the album (e.g. Speak to Me and Raise the Knife), and Desmond Child added nothing to the original version of You Not Me - his contributions were to shorten the song a alter the lyrics a little.  So maybe some of the hate stems from what it could have been compared with how it turned out in the end.

Totally forgot about Child's involvement with the album. Talk about an unnecessary collaboration. That's like bringing Phil Spector in to co-write a High On Fire album.

Well I'm as excited as a 5 year old who still believes in Father Christmas and its Xmas eve lol.

By some sheer fluke and a bit of luck after work this evening I will be in a recording studio in London with a select group of others along with James labrie and John petrucci for an advance listen of the new dream theater album released next month.

Only found out last night and work just can't go quick enough today lol.

I'll try and take some notes but if I'm not allowed I'll still pop back on here and leave an opinion on the album. Been a massive dream theater fan for what feels like forever now so this is like a dream come true.

Wayne wrote:

Well I'm as excited as a 5 year old who still believes in Father Christmas and its Xmas eve lol.

By some sheer fluke and a bit of luck after work this evening I will be in a recording studio in London with a select group of others along with James labrie and John petrucci for an advance listen of the new dream theater album released next month.

Only found out last night and work just can't go quick enough today lol.

I'll try and take some notes but if I'm not allowed I'll still pop back on here and leave an opinion on the album. Been a massive dream theater fan for what feels like forever now so this is like a dream come true.

Awesome man...  

Friggin cool!

Please do let us know. I'm looking forward to reading your impression.

Well last night was a total blast

I had to rush down straight from work and met one of my mates along the way as I had a +1 on the invite. We both turn up in suits looking totally out of place and more than once we were asked "are you fans of the band then" ha ha. I suppose we could have been mistaken for some corporate no bodies who just came along for a free booze session.

Anyway, to the album. I'll post a more detailed review later as I'm on my way to work but the first thing that popped into my head was that its the heaviest album since train of thought. Secondly the drumming, oh my god the drumming. It really is a case of portnoy who? Don't mean any disrespect to the man as I've loved his work over the years but during the chat the band had with the few people that turned up you could see that mike mangini had a massive creative influence on this album and it really shows.

Great night, can't wait to buy the album now. Definitely shouldn't have had so many beers last night, today is gonna be a long day