Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER will release their new, self-titled album — the band's 12th studio release overall, and fourth with Roadrunner Records — on September 24.
Says guitarist John Petrucci about "Dream Theater": "I see every new album as an opportunity to start over. To either build or improve upon a direction that has been evolving over time or to completely break new ground.
"This is the first self-titled album of our career and there is nothing I can think of that makes a statement of musical and creative identity stronger than that. We've fully explored all of the elements that make us unique, from the epic and intense to the atmospheric and cinematic.
"We're incredibly excited about 'Dream Theater' and can't wait for everyone to hear it."
The nine-track disc was recorded at Cove City Studio in Glen Cove, Long Island, with Petrucci producing and Richard Chycki engineering and mixing. It's the band's second album with drummer Mike Mangini, and the first one on which he was a part of the writing process from Day One.
In January, Petrucci said of Mangini's work: "When people hear the drumming on this album, they're gonna be pretty freaked out. On the last album, he did a great job, but he wasn't there for the writing process and he was interpreting drum parts that I had programmed. Even though he used his creativity, of course, to change them up and do his thing, I feel like now he's just Mike Mangini unleashed. It's all him. It's all his creativity, all his decisions and ideas and man, the guy's an animal."
"Dream Theater" track listing:
01. False Awakening Suite I. Sleep Paralysis II. Night Terrors III. Lucid Dream 02. The Enemy Inside 03. The Looking Glass 04. Enigma Machine 05. The Bigger Picture 06. Behind The Veil 07. Surrender To Reason 08. Along For The Ride 09. Illumination Theory I. Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire II. Live, Die, Kill III. The Embracing Circle IV. The Pursuit of Truth V. Surrender, Trust & Passion
"Dream Theater" will be available in a wide range of distinctive versions, including standard and special edition CDs, 180-gram double LP, and a limited-edition boxed set. Pre-orders are scheduled to launch in July at the Roadrunner Records webstore.
DREAM THEATER will be on tour in Europe in January and February 2014, and in North America in March 2014.
"Live At Luna Park", DREAM THEATER's live concert, which was previously scheduled for release in May via Eagle Rock Entertainment, will now drop in North America on November 5 as a Blu-ray, 2DVD, 2DVD + 3CD, Blu-ray + 3CD, deluxe edition with 40-page book, Blu-ray + 2DVD + 3CD, and digital video via iTunes.
"Live At Luna Park" was filmed over two nights in South America — home to one of DREAM THEATER's most ardent fanbases. The DVD was filmed August 19 and August 20, 2012 at Estadio Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina after a 15-month world tour, hitting 35 countries.
Huge fan of these guys but I've been bored with them recently. They blow me away with their ability to write crazy arrangements and mix styles but these guys are genius when they are writing riff oriented metal songs. That's what I miss about Portnoy, he seemed to bring a more aggressive approach to DT, but Mangini is an animal as well.
I'll give this album a spin and hope it's as edgy as older material and not sooo super out there like the last few releases.
Mangini was sick live, his drum solo was way more memorable and swingin' than Mike's was when I saw DT with him live. So I really look forward to this release with him fully integrated.
My only thing is, wtf is up with this self titled garbage, I really hate it when bands do this. It works for a debut, but 12 albums in it just says lazy. Hopefully he put that extra effort into some blazing solos.
Sounds like a marketing angle where they're fully "re-inventing" or rebooting the band. Thus the Space Odyssey cover, waaaay different than their usual cover art which is busy with bits of imagery (but not every album). I think this is because of Mangini's involvement with the writing. Either way, I'm curious.
Sounds like a marketing angle where they're fully "re-inventing" or rebooting the band.
If you think about it, they pretty much had to put out A Dramatic Turn of Events in order to show that there was life after Portnoy. But now that's now they no longer have his spectre looming over their heads (or at least not as much any more), so it is a bit of fresh start for them especially as it will be the first time Mangini will be involved in the writing process.
But I do agree with those who find it a lame title.
Tired of hearing about Mangini, we all know he can play the drums. This album will be a make or break with the songwriting, not the drums.
Absolute.
DevZor Metal graduate
Number of posts : 336 Age : 38
Subject: Re: Dream Theater - Self-Titled Sat Jul 13, 2013 1:33 am
The last album had some of the best songwriting DT has had in years. I thought the only thing it was missing was more flavor on the drums. The current songwriting team isn't going to change anything about the current DT sound (whether that's good or bad is a matter of opinion). But having the new drummer participate in the flavoring or the spice of the record could make a world of difference.
How many times do metalheads say that a good guitar solo can turn a good son into a grea one? The same reasoning can be applied to an inspiring drum performance. Hence, I'm specifically excited to see what the "genie" can contribute to the album
Hell Portnoy's fills and coloring to the first few minutes of "a nightmare to remember" made thst song for me. It drew me into the soundscape. Drummers make a huge impact in the effectiveness of songwriting.
Eyesore Metal is my Life
Number of posts : 12815 Age : 49
Subject: Re: Dream Theater - Self-Titled Sat Jul 13, 2013 2:24 am
Temple of Blood wrote:
All I wanna hear is the new drummer go off.
The name of the album and cover are lame.
Yeah, album covers with planets on it are retarded.
mc666 Master Sailboat
Number of posts : 9301 Age : 45
Subject: Re: Dream Theater - Self-Titled Sat Jul 13, 2013 2:30 am
I think giving it a self title, as well as the simplistic logo is telling. It could be their monster. I want this to be a monster!
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thejokeriv Metal is my Life
Number of posts : 12811 Age : 55
Subject: Re: Dream Theater - Self-Titled Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:20 am
mc666 wrote:
I think giving it a self title, as well as the simplistic logo is telling. It could be their monster. I want this to be a monster!
It could be.... and I hope so too - really looking forward to this one!
For the record, I like the cover and I don't have an issue with it being self titled. It worked for Queensryche, Metallica and Whitesnake.
The last album had some of the best songwriting DT has had in years. I thought the only thing it was missing was more flavor on the drums. The current songwriting team isn't going to change anything about the current DT sound (whether that's good or bad is a matter of opinion). But having the new drummer participate in the flavoring or the spice of the record could make a world of difference.
How many times do metalheads say that a good guitar solo can turn a good son into a grea one? The same reasoning can be applied to an inspiring drum performance. Hence, I'm specifically excited to see what the "genie" can contribute to the album
Hell Portnoy's fills and coloring to the first few minutes of "a nightmare to remember" made thst song for me. It drew me into the soundscape. Drummers make a huge impact in the effectiveness of songwriting.
When it comes to me, songwriting means MELODY and memorability, not the instruments. Again, Mangini isnt gonna make a difference on this album. Portnoy is a world class drummer and widely considered one of the best. That's why I dont understand the ppl saying they cant wait to hear Mangini on a DT record.
It's like Lars Ulrich quit Dream Theater hahaha!!!
It's weird how different I am from the pack, but my problem with DT for the past several albums is that they've been far too accessible. I'd listen to an album once, and it'd be stuck in my head. Some may see this as a good thing, but DT works best when they employ complex layers so, yeah, it takes some work but the end result is ultimately rewarding. This is where the songwriting is important. Are they going to be lazy (IMHO sorry) like their Roadrunner work? Or are they going to go for something more mindblowing like I&W through COS? As for memorable, those albums certainly were.
[Again, I have to stress I've not heard Turn of Events]
Mangani is a future-groove, fill, timeshift machine, I know I for one want to hear him all over a record like that.
I think the Roadrunner stuff is lazy too. The songs just don't sell me.
Although. Half the band is in their 50s, which is weird. So I won't be that hard on them at this point. I just hope they actually put more effort in this time. I've seen videos where they say they go into the studio, improvise something, and just throw it down on the record without a second thought. That makes a lot of sense.
Subject: Dream Theater - Self-Titled 
Tue Jul 09, 2013 7:51 pm
