What does everyone think about the new DT album?

[somebody456]

I bought it at a record store recently and it was very disappointing to me. Mangini's drumming is good, the John Myung song was good, but Petrucci has really declined as both a guitarist and lyrical writer. Jordan still makes you long for Kevin in vein. But this is my opinion, was wondering what you all thought.

[Mebert78]

I actually feel the complete opposite. Personally, I think it's a sensational album from start to finish and their best complete album since the I&W and Awake days. I had the opportunity to see Petrucci last month at the local screening of DT's Live in Luna Park DVD on Long Island, NY. When it was my turn to talk to him, I told him I can look him in the eye as a longtime fan and without hesitation say that the new album is easily one of the greatest things he's done -- if not THE greatest thing he's done considering the pressures and expectations of pleasing an established fanbase. (Yes, I rank it that highly. I&W broke own the door for the genre, so it can never rank as high as I&W -- but it's close, for me). I said it was incredibly gutsy of the band to go the self-titled route, because they are basically saying they feel like this is their best album -- and if it falls flat they could look pretty silly. It was a big risk, but they pulled it off, in my opinion. I love the lyrics, the lyrics, the artwork. Everything. It's brilliant.

[vivace]

wow....mebert thats pretty high praise!

Initially i kinda liked it...then i got more into it....and then after about a 2 week period it fizzled. Now ...compared to octovarium where this whole process took about a day thats pretty darn good! I go through most of their albums since Awake in about a day or less so...The previous Breaking all Illusions album was kind of a home run for me.

I am still fond of that album and so I guess compared to that I am indeed disappointed with the new one. On the other hand i am glad to have something i can enjoy on some level.

[virtueorvice]

Dream Theater is overworking! They lack fresh and creative ideas! Mike Portnoy was doing a good job with Dream Theater and DT guys should have listened to him and stopped releasing their boring and cliched material.

I only enjoyed great John Petrucci solos.

I don't expect very much from Jordan Rudess. He's a respectable personality and a great musician; but what Kevin Moore does/did with 3 notes, Jordan Rudess cannot/couldn't do with anything.

I just wonder why Jordan Rudess doesn't even try to copy Kevin Moore or inhale inspirations from so many other good musicians out there!

[Mebert78]

I'm surprised you guys are so down on it! But everyone has their own opinion. I really like the direction that DT has been going in. To me, the two albums with Mangini (ADTOE and the self-titled disc) are far superior to the band's last two albums with Portnoy (SC and BC&SL). I trust Petrucci at the helm. Love his lyrics too, and love seeing the band so happy.

[virtueorvice]

I know that "Systematic Chaos" and "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" have their weak songs, but in my opinion they have their rightful place in Dream Theater's Discography as every band becomes weak after a long time.

On the other hand i think "A Dramatic Turn of Events" is a better work than the recent self-titled album. And again, i maintain that if Dream Theater waited and combined their ideas and furnished their ideas further and released another work (of course with Mike Portnoy) in 2014, that would have been much better, at least for me; and i can hope that i am not alone.

It's not only that it's good to let the fans wait a few years for a new album (after a long successful career!), but also the artists will have more time to consider things in a new and different light.

Fates Warning didn't work for a long time and meanwhile they could work on some other special materials: OSI, Redemption (with Ray Alder) and Arch/Matheos.

Disregarding his weaknesses and personality holes, I believe Mike Portnoy was suggesting the right things to Dream Theater.

But it's all my personal opinion and I really can feel your point of view. I want to defend Mike Portnoy's stance regardless of what Dream Theater offers.

[vivace]

Nov 5, 2013 21:14:56 GMT -5 Mebert78 said:

I'm surprised you guys are so down on it! But everyone has their own opinion. I really like the direction that DT has been going in. To me, the two albums with Mangini (ADTOE and the self-titled disc) are far superior to the band's last two albums with Portnoy (SC and BC&SL). I trust Petrucci at the helm. Love his lyrics too, and love seeing the band so happy.

I am not down on it. Maybe i was in a bad mood when i wrote that but what i was trying to say is that i love the direction, i appreciate the effort, i actually do enjoy the album but not as much as ADTOE. Light years ahead of the portnoy era.

[JD]

Nov 5, 2013 21:14:56 GMT -5 Mebert78 said:

I'm surprised you guys are so down on it! But everyone has their own opinion. I really like the direction that DT has been going in. To me, the two albums with Mangini (ADTOE and the self-titled disc) are far superior to the band's last two albums with Portnoy (SC and BC&SL). I trust Petrucci at the helm. Love his lyrics too, and love seeing the band so happy.

It's been a long time. Dream Theater took a really stupid turn around Octavarium. Dream Theater leaned on Rudess and this is a mistake. I like a few things Rudess has done with my favorite band versus loving everything Moore ever did with them. I feel John has relied far too much on Rudess musically. A good meeting in the middle is " Illumination Theory", even though that is still overkill on the cinematic.

people are going to get tired of this stuff really soon. "Count of Tuscany" totally outdoes "illumination Theory" IMO. You think they hit a home run. They have managed to stay above water, but not in style.

moore brought life to this band, where Rudess brings sections.