Dream Theater (New Single)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/08/04/dream-theater-enemy-inside-premiere/2613895/

First Impressions...I thought Dave Mustaine was singing at first haha... Killer song and love the atmosphere and hooks... Great groove and killer musicianship (which is always expected)

Thanks for posting this. I had heard it was going to be up today but I forgot where. Glad to see USA Today representing.

Just heard it, and I'm naturally gonna be picky with this, but..this is an extremely straight-forward song. Intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solos (short, too)-chorus-abrupt ending, all with very little variation or signature changes and some extremely melodic couplings. But that doesn't make it a bad thing--it just sounds really generic, and there's all sorts of self-cannibalization going on (is anyone else getting tired of Rudess getting down with his ragtime self?). There's just not a lot to it. It was very accessible, listenable, but not prog. Kind of weird.

I'm hoping it's the odd man out, being a radio single, which is where DT usually falters for me (Lie was the only track I didn't care for on the masterpiece Awake). Hopefully the other tracks are more prog-oriented and a little more inspired.

This band is starting to sound tired IMO. Except for Mike.

corplhicks wrote:

Thanks for posting this. I had heard it was going to be up today but I forgot where. Glad to see USA Today representing.

Just heard it, and I'm naturally gonna be picky with this, but..this is an extremely straight-forward song. Intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solos (short, too)-chorus-abrupt ending, all with very little variation or signature changes and some extremely melodic couplings. But that doesn't make it a bad thing--it just sounds really generic, and there's all sorts of self-cannibalization going on (is anyone else getting tired of Rudess getting down with his ragtime self?). There's just not a lot to it. It was very accessible, listenable, but not prog. Kind of weird.

I'm hoping it's the odd man out, being a radio single, which is where DT usually falters for me (Lie was the only track I didn't care for on the masterpiece Awake). Hopefully the other tracks are more prog-oriented and a little more inspired.

This band is starting to sound tired IMO. Except for Mike.

I thought it sounded like Dream Theater.... Prog isn't always about signature changes and doodling.. What makes DT so great is they have a more METAL edge to them.

MetalRob331 wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

Thanks for posting this. I had heard it was going to be up today but I forgot where. Glad to see USA Today representing.

Just heard it, and I'm naturally gonna be picky with this, but..this is an extremely straight-forward song. Intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solos (short, too)-chorus-abrupt ending, all with very little variation or signature changes and some extremely melodic couplings. But that doesn't make it a bad thing--it just sounds really generic, and there's all sorts of self-cannibalization going on (is anyone else getting tired of Rudess getting down with his ragtime self?). There's just not a lot to it. It was very accessible, listenable, but not prog. Kind of weird.

I'm hoping it's the odd man out, being a radio single, which is where DT usually falters for me (Lie was the only track I didn't care for on the masterpiece Awake). Hopefully the other tracks are more prog-oriented and a little more inspired.

This band is starting to sound tired IMO. Except for Mike.

I thought it sounded like Dream Theater.... Prog isn't always about signature changes and doodling.. What makes DT so great is they have a more METAL edge to them.

I never said it didn't sound like them. In fact I said there was a lot of self-cannibalization going on. As with Black Clouds and Silver Linings and Systematic Chaos, this song sounds like a bunch of Rudess-era DT riffs squished into one.

And I don't have a problem with the lack of complexity either. I just think they do better with a challenging song than a radio-friendly one.

corplhicks wrote:

MetalRob331 wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

Thanks for posting this. I had heard it was going to be up today but I forgot where. Glad to see USA Today representing.

Just heard it, and I'm naturally gonna be picky with this, but..this is an extremely straight-forward song. Intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solos (short, too)-chorus-abrupt ending, all with very little variation or signature changes and some extremely melodic couplings. But that doesn't make it a bad thing--it just sounds really generic, and there's all sorts of self-cannibalization going on (is anyone else getting tired of Rudess getting down with his ragtime self?). There's just not a lot to it. It was very accessible, listenable, but not prog. Kind of weird.

I'm hoping it's the odd man out, being a radio single, which is where DT usually falters for me (Lie was the only track I didn't care for on the masterpiece Awake). Hopefully the other tracks are more prog-oriented and a little more inspired.

This band is starting to sound tired IMO. Except for Mike.

I thought it sounded like Dream Theater.... Prog isn't always about signature changes and doodling.. What makes DT so great is they have a more METAL edge to them.

I never said it didn't sound like them. In fact I said there was a lot of self-cannibalization going on. As with Black Clouds and Silver Linings and Systematic Chaos, this song sounds like a bunch of Rudess-era DT riffs squished into one.

And I don't have a problem with the lack of complexity either. I just think they do better with a challenging song than a radio-friendly one.

Sure, I think being it's the first single they wanted a more accessible song.. I prefer the heavier more simpler side of Dt. Songs like As I Am, Endless Sacrifice, Forsaken, The Dark Eternal Night, This Dying Soul, Burning my Soul, Glass Prison, Pull Me Under, Peruvian Skies...

I love most of those too, but I wouldn't call all of them simple. All I'm saying is I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. It seems with every DT release there's one radio song and the rest NSFR  . The radio songs never sound very strong to me for various reasons. Has nothing to do with the lack of complexity. They just sound kind of...meh.

corplhicks wrote:

I love most of those too, but I wouldn't call all of them simple. All I'm saying is I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. It seems with every DT release there's one radio song and the rest NSFR  . The radio songs never sound very strong to me for various reasons. Has nothing to do with the lack of complexity. They just sound kind of...meh.

from 3 47 on IM IN HEAVEN!!!

MetalRob331 wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

I love most of those too, but I wouldn't call all of them simple. All I'm saying is I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. It seems with every DT release there's one radio song and the rest NSFR  . The radio songs never sound very strong to me for various reasons. Has nothing to do with the lack of complexity. They just sound kind of...meh.

 from 3 47 on IM IN HEAVEN!!!

Lord I love that track. My wife and I bust that one out together all the time. DT is the one time I can enjoy metal with my wife.

you guys need to get a room or something......

James B. wrote:

you guys need to get a room or something......

Lol I've been wondering why Rob and I are the only two discussing this.

corplhicks wrote:

James B. wrote:

you guys need to get a room or something......

Lol I've been wondering why Rob and I are the only two discussing this.

This is a band that I have really tried to get into. They are talented players but fail at something that I can't seem to put a finger on.

corplhicks wrote:

James B. wrote:

you guys need to get a room or something......

Lol I've been wondering why Rob and I are the only two discussing this.

Cuz we  

James B. wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

James B. wrote:

you guys need to get a room or something......

Lol I've been wondering why Rob and I are the only two discussing this.

This is a band that I have really tried to get into.  They are talented players but fail at something that I can't seem to put a finger on.

For a while they've been failing at originality. You should check out the recent thread on them, it's an interesting read.

Shold I try to listen to the single when I generally hate everything this band do, and like James Labrie solo work a lot? Soundcloud doesn't seem to work with my Firefox. I check their stuff from time to see if it finally sinks in and as a result their music annoys me even more. Will not give up though

BearOnUnicycle wrote:

Shold I try to listen to the single when I generally hate everything this band do, and like James Labrie solo work a lot? Soundcloud doesn't seem to work with my Firefox. I check their stuff from time to see if it finally sinks in and as a result their music annoys me even more. Will not give up though

I think if you like Labrie's stuff, this will appeal to you, but Petrucci is recycling riffs sooo...yeah. Scenes from a Memory is a good investment if you can spare the time for the entire album. It's transcendent, really. So is Awake, as I always say.

corplhicks wrote:

BearOnUnicycle wrote:

Shold I try to listen to the single when I generally hate everything this band do, and like James Labrie solo work a lot? Soundcloud doesn't seem to work with my Firefox. I check their stuff from time to see if it finally sinks in and as a result their music annoys me even more. Will not give up though

I think if you like Labrie's stuff, this will appeal to you, but Petrucci is recycling riffs sooo...yeah. Scenes from a Memory is a good investment if you can spare the time for the entire album. It's transcendent, really. So is Awake, as I always say.

So far I've tried first three and various other tracks youtube recommended me. And while WDaDU is a very enjoyable listen and IaW is sorta good, with other albums and songs, when the keyboards strike and that big, pompous, major sounds come in, this trademark prog approach which ruined the whole style for me basically, I start to hate them with passion. I love prog metal, but done in a different way. Still, thanks for the reccomendation, as I'll definitely check Scenes again

Sound sounds good to me - look forward to hearing the whole album. Sounds like they are picking up where they left off with the last album.....

Well, I like the jitter of the different signatures and times meshed up at the beginning and peppered throughout the song. Makes me think of something like WatchTower, or maybe Twisted Into Form, and that's never a bad thing, DT seems natural at it, moreso than the 'shred' stuff they typically pull.

This is a pretty good song. James is a little phoned in. Hearing Mangani's personality more which is good.

I agree Jordan doesn't know what to do with a patch.

I think the new song is surprisingly great. I wish it rocked more but this is one is one of the few post-Moore songs where I feel like the keys blend well with the rest of the band.

now this is real music i expect from DT !
man damn good... like it so much.

This new song is not straightforward..."Take Away My Pain" or "Another Day" or "You Not Me" are straightforward. This new song has plenty of acrobatics.

As for self-cannibalizing, DT has a sound...they do what they do.

That said, this is IMO the best new DT songs I have heard in a long time. IMO Rudess has always been a poor fit, but he blends in well on this one.

It's Dream Theater is the best comment I can come up with when listening to this song....

One of these days I'd like to hear Dream Theater write a song without the exact same "crunch crunch crunch" style metal riffs. For a band that can play all these amazingly technical things you'd think they'd be able to manage something else besides power chords for verse sections now and again.

S.D. wrote:

One of these days I'd like to hear Dream Theater write a song without the exact same "crunch crunch crunch" style metal riffs.  For a band that can play all these amazingly technical things you'd think they'd be able to manage something else besides power chords for verse sections now and again.

I think with most guitar players who write, it's hard to come up with a riff behind vocal melodies.. I have that same problem a lot of times. That's also why you see a lot of bands slow it down once the singing starts...

S.D. wrote:

One of these days I'd like to hear Dream Theater write a song without the exact same "crunch crunch crunch" style metal riffs.  For a band that can play all these amazingly technical things you'd think they'd be able to manage something else besides power chords for verse sections now and again.

Petrucci went to a Pantera concert one day and thought it was the future. I guess. Or something.

Of course there's a reason why I like literally every other progressive metal band on the planet more than Dream Theater, not taking away from the records of theirs I do like..