Dream Theater

[VOLTS]

Dream theater's awesome concert!
W O W

[SteveO]

Enlighten us Volts! Did you go, what were the highlights?

[MAG2NYC]

I've been listening to DT's new album for a few months, and was kind of sitting on the fence about it, but for some reason this week something kicked in and I'm really liking it a lot. (it could be that I've reached my maximum density of ambient pop... *laughs*)

Some critics have labeled it a disappointment. I think the best article about why this is came from Dan Lawrence on Invisible Oranges http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2013/11/31671/ who said that there wasn't anything *new* about this album, and while that might be true (I'm not arguing with music critics about what constitutes "new" for a progressive metal band that has set the standard for over two decades), I think the real reason a lot of people found the album disappointing is because the last album was so amazing! What struck me as salient about this album is that it's almost as if they turned course and headed back to whence they came (e.g. Rush). Listening to The Looking Glass immediately made me think of Rush - with a DT twist.

I think the other reason fans were disappointed by this album is because Mike Portnoy's absence is really being felt. Not because Mike Mangini isn't good enough (goodness gracious, the guy can drum like no other person on the planet!), but because fans long for a united DT and a golden past that seems so much more...DT. What they forget is that it came at a price, and that Portnoy made a choice to leave (whether of his own volition or because he was pushed) and the choice *is* the catalyst for new sound. The exciting thing is that DT has survived...and THRIVED. The guys are all exploring new avenues, and Jordan Rudess' technological creations have opened new windows for musicians and there's a whole new generation of Petrucci-ites out there (if you haven't listened to Sean Ashe and his guitar piece Hemispheres...well, take 4 minutes out of your day https://soundcloud.com/seanashe/hemisphe...ean-ashe-1).

I like the new album. Not as much as I like Awake or Dramatic Turn of Events, but I'm not disappointed in them because they're doing what they - and I - love!

[SteveO]

Not a huge DT fan, Mary! A lot of people are! I respect their excellent musicianship and originality but after awhile I found that their music became too predictable for me! Maybe I should digress and revisit them starting with heir new album. Do you have a few favourites by them Mag?

[MAG2NYC]

Watch out, SteveO...you just opened a HUGE can of (prog metal) worms! *laughs* I can understand why you aren't thrilled by DT, but maybe listening to a few of my favorites will help. It might help listen to them in this order, but then again, I tend to surf around when I'm listening, so that might improve the experience, too. Who knows!

Pull Me Under (Images & Words) http://youtu.be/ZZvE69jBPgE
Classic DT. Their theme song, really.

Lie (Awake) http://youtu.be/VD7OdyY1js4
This is my all time favorite DT song for several reasons. First, the kick ass opening guitar line. Second, the kick ass opening guitar line. Third, ...yep...the kick ass opening guitar line and Petrucci's bridge shredding. Finally, I like how LaBrie's voice sounds on this track - alternating between menacing seduction and metal-infused command. I have a very very funny story about shocking an youngster with this song, if you want to hear it, let me know.

The Spirit Carries On (Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory)http://youtu.be/-J6PPkKBXoU
This album is a rock-operaesque album, and really needs to be listened to in its entirety, but this song is good on it's own. It's one of those songs that feels really uplifting, and deviates a bit from the "DT sound" and almost sounds like a country song!

The Answer Lies Within (Octavarium) http://youtu.be/72xn8O1vJb0
I Walk Beside You (Octavarium) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFiOta2J9wM
I love both of these songs for the lyrics, and Jordan Rudess has said that these two songs are the most radio friendly of the bunch (they're the shortest on the album). A lot of the songs on this album were Mike Portnoy's tribute to the AA Twelve Step program he felt he owed his life to.

Forsaken (Systemic Chaos) [video=youtube_share;dRBP1rpE5y8]http://youtu.be/dRBP1rpE5y8[/video]
This video is what turned me on to DT, and I still think it's the best videos they've ever done (and had to stop and watch it again as I wrote this! *laughs*).

Wither (Black Clouds and Silver Linings) http://youtu.be/-boKk8uhmcY This one dealt with the Portnoy's struggle with writer's block, and the following lyrics might have foreshadowed his departure from the band:
I drown in hesitation/My words come crashing down/And all my best creations/Burning to the ground/The thought of starting over/Leaves me paralyzed

IMO, the best tracks from this disc are the covers.
Take Your Fingers from My Hair - Zebra http://youtu.be/79rJYXtauo4
To Tame a Land - Iron Maiden http://youtu.be/Y6Th5bqR8_c

It's hard for me to choose a couple of tracks from Dramatic Turn of Events because I love the entire cd. All of it.
Build Me Up, Break Me Down http://youtu.be/o8u7CM8VEOo I think this is one of the sexiest metal songs ever.
Outcry http://youtu.be/zy0pHO7hVuM This one is an EPIC cry for justice, brotherhood, and FREEDOM!
This is the Life http://youtu.be/afZ6pDRPV5o I love the message of this song. I saw them live during this tour, and they did an acoustic set of this and Silent Man (Awake), and it moved me to tears.

Raw Dog (God of War III: Blood & Metal) http://youtu.be/hJ3_7NtIJT0 This is a video game hit, and I had to ban it from my car because it made me put the pedal to the metal. My students loved that I was up at 5 am the day it came out ready to download it.

Okay, there's my *brief* run through of my favorite songs from DT. I have left out entire albums, just FYI, and I'm not sure I picked the most "metal worthy" tracks, but these are the ones that I love best! I hope you find something you can enjoy here! Thanks for asking me to share, SteveO! This was a labor of (prog metal) LOVE!

Cheers!
Mary

[metalife]

From discovering the band after the release of Scenes From A Memory to Systematic Chaos Dream Theater were an obsession for me. From Black Clouds and Silvery Linings onwards, there's been something missing and my fanatical interest has sadly waned. I'm now obsessed with Nightwish.

It's not that DT aren't any good anymore. They're still awesome. They write great music, still perform well live and release good albums,... there's just something missing and I can't put my finger on it. It was missing before Portnoy left BTW.

[metalife]

Watch out, SteveO...you just opened a HUGE can of (prog metal) worms! *laughs* I can understand why you aren't thrilled by DT, but maybe listening to a few of my favorites will help. It might help listen to them in this order, but then again, I tend to surf around when I'm listening, so that might improve the experience, too. Who knows!

Pull Me Under (Images & Words) http://youtu.be/ZZvE69jBPgE
Classic DT. Their theme song, really.

Lie (Awake) http://youtu.be/VD7OdyY1js4
This is my all time favorite DT song for several reasons. First, the kick ass opening guitar line. Second, the kick ass opening guitar line. Third, ...yep...the kick ass opening guitar line and Petrucci's bridge shredding. Finally, I like how LaBrie's voice sounds on this track - alternating between menacing seduction and metal-infused command. I have a very very funny story about shocking an youngster with this song, if you want to hear it, let me know.

The Spirit Carries On (Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory)http://youtu.be/-J6PPkKBXoU
This album is a rock-operaesque album, and really needs to be listened to in its entirety, but this song is good on it's own. It's one of those songs that feels really uplifting, and deviates a bit from the "DT sound" and almost sounds like a country song!

The Answer Lies Within (Octavarium) http://youtu.be/72xn8O1vJb0
I Walk Beside You (Octavarium) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFiOta2J9wM
I love both of these songs for the lyrics, and Jordan Rudess has said that these two songs are the most radio friendly of the bunch (they're the shortest on the album). A lot of the songs on this album were Mike Portnoy's tribute to the AA Twelve Step program he felt he owed his life to.

Forsaken (Systemic Chaos) [video=youtube_share;dRBP1rpE5y8]http://youtu.be/dRBP1rpE5y8[/video]
This video is what turned me on to DT, and I still think it's the best videos they've ever done (and had to stop and watch it again as I wrote this! *laughs*).

Wither (Black Clouds and Silver Linings) http://youtu.be/-boKk8uhmcY This one dealt with the Portnoy's struggle with writer's block, and the following lyrics might have foreshadowed his departure from the band:
I drown in hesitation/My words come crashing down/And all my best creations/Burning to the ground/The thought of starting over/Leaves me paralyzed

IMO, the best tracks from this disc are the covers.
Take Your Fingers from My Hair - Zebra http://youtu.be/79rJYXtauo4
To Tame a Land - Iron Maiden http://youtu.be/Y6Th5bqR8_c

It's hard for me to choose a couple of tracks from Dramatic Turn of Events because I love the entire cd. All of it.
Build Me Up, Break Me Down http://youtu.be/o8u7CM8VEOo I think this is one of the sexiest metal songs ever.
Outcry http://youtu.be/zy0pHO7hVuM This one is an EPIC cry for justice, brotherhood, and FREEDOM!
This is the Life http://youtu.be/afZ6pDRPV5o I love the message of this song. I saw them live during this tour, and they did an acoustic set of this and Silent Man (Awake), and it moved me to tears.

Raw Dog (God of War III: Blood & Metal) http://youtu.be/hJ3_7NtIJT0 This is a video game hit, and I had to ban it from my car because it made me put the pedal to the metal. My students loved that I was up at 5 am the day it came out ready to download it.

Okay, there's my *brief* run through of my favorite songs from DT. I have left out entire albums, just FYI, and I'm not sure I picked the most "metal worthy" tracks, but these are the ones that I love best! I hope you find something you can enjoy here! Thanks for asking me to share, SteveO! This was a labor of (prog metal) LOVE!

Cheers!
Mary

MMM... no Metropolis? No Dance of Eternity?

[MAG2NYC]

Metalife, I was compiling a list of my favorites, but I recognized that I'd left out a lot of things that others might find worthy. I find it interesting that the guys I know who listen to metal said the same thing that you did. I love Metropolis as a whole, but "Dance of Eternity" on its own doesn't move me the way other DT songs do.

[SteveO]

Awesome tracks !!! Thanks Mag !!! I know they are a very good powerhouse band !!! I just have to move on to other "sounds"...lol...time is getting short...lol

Watch out, SteveO...you just opened a HUGE can of (prog metal) worms! *laughs* I can understand why you aren't thrilled by DT, but maybe listening to a few of my favorites will help. It might help listen to them in this order, but then again, I tend to surf around when I'm listening, so that might improve the experience, too. Who knows!

Pull Me Under (Images & Words) http://youtu.be/ZZvE69jBPgE
Classic DT. Their theme song, really.

Lie (Awake) http://youtu.be/VD7OdyY1js4
This is my all time favorite DT song for several reasons. First, the kick ass opening guitar line. Second, the kick ass opening guitar line. Third, ...yep...the kick ass opening guitar line and Petrucci's bridge shredding. Finally, I like how LaBrie's voice sounds on this track - alternating between menacing seduction and metal-infused command. I have a very very funny story about shocking an youngster with this song, if you want to hear it, let me know.

The Spirit Carries On (Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory)http://youtu.be/-J6PPkKBXoU
This album is a rock-operaesque album, and really needs to be listened to in its entirety, but this song is good on it's own. It's one of those songs that feels really uplifting, and deviates a bit from the "DT sound" and almost sounds like a country song!

The Answer Lies Within (Octavarium) http://youtu.be/72xn8O1vJb0
I Walk Beside You (Octavarium) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFiOta2J9wM
I love both of these songs for the lyrics, and Jordan Rudess has said that these two songs are the most radio friendly of the bunch (they're the shortest on the album). A lot of the songs on this album were Mike Portnoy's tribute to the AA Twelve Step program he felt he owed his life to.

Forsaken (Systemic Chaos) [video=youtube_share;dRBP1rpE5y8]http://youtu.be/dRBP1rpE5y8[/video]
This video is what turned me on to DT, and I still think it's the best videos they've ever done (and had to stop and watch it again as I wrote this! *laughs*).

Wither (Black Clouds and Silver Linings) http://youtu.be/-boKk8uhmcY This one dealt with the Portnoy's struggle with writer's block, and the following lyrics might have foreshadowed his departure from the band:
I drown in hesitation/My words come crashing down/And all my best creations/Burning to the ground/The thought of starting over/Leaves me paralyzed

IMO, the best tracks from this disc are the covers.
Take Your Fingers from My Hair - Zebra http://youtu.be/79rJYXtauo4
To Tame a Land - Iron Maiden http://youtu.be/Y6Th5bqR8_c

It's hard for me to choose a couple of tracks from Dramatic Turn of Events because I love the entire cd. All of it.
Build Me Up, Break Me Down http://youtu.be/o8u7CM8VEOo I think this is one of the sexiest metal songs ever.
Outcry http://youtu.be/zy0pHO7hVuM This one is an EPIC cry for justice, brotherhood, and FREEDOM!
This is the Life http://youtu.be/afZ6pDRPV5o I love the message of this song. I saw them live during this tour, and they did an acoustic set of this and Silent Man (Awake), and it moved me to tears.

Raw Dog (God of War III: Blood & Metal) http://youtu.be/hJ3_7NtIJT0 This is a video game hit, and I had to ban it from my car because it made me put the pedal to the metal. My students loved that I was up at 5 am the day it came out ready to download it.

Okay, there's my *brief* run through of my favorite songs from DT. I have left out entire albums, just FYI, and I'm not sure I picked the most "metal worthy" tracks, but these are the ones that I love best! I hope you find something you can enjoy here! Thanks for asking me to share, SteveO! This was a labor of (prog metal) LOVE!

Cheers!
Mary

[Nick Dilley]

I've been listening to DT's new album for a few months, and was kind of sitting on the fence about it, but for some reason this week something kicked in and I'm really liking it a lot. (it could be that I've reached my maximum density of ambient pop... *laughs*)

Some critics have labeled it a disappointment. I think the best article about why this is came from Dan Lawrence on Invisible Oranges http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2013/11/31671/ who said that there wasn't anything *new* about this album, and while that might be true (I'm not arguing with music critics about what constitutes "new" for a progressive metal band that has set the standard for over two decades), I think the real reason a lot of people found the album disappointing is because the last album was so amazing! What struck me as salient about this album is that it's almost as if they turned course and headed back to whence they came (e.g. Rush). Listening to The Looking Glass immediately made me think of Rush - with a DT twist.

I think the other reason fans were disappointed by this album is because Mike Portnoy's absence is really being felt. Not because Mike Mangini isn't good enough (goodness gracious, the guy can drum like no other person on the planet!), but because fans long for a united DT and a golden past that seems so much more...DT. What they forget is that it came at a price, and that Portnoy made a choice to leave (whether of his own volition or because he was pushed) and the choice *is* the catalyst for new sound. The exciting thing is that DT has survived...and THRIVED. The guys are all exploring new avenues, and Jordan Rudess' technological creations have opened new windows for musicians and there's a whole new generation of Petrucci-ites out there (if you haven't listened to Sean Ashe and his guitar piece Hemispheres...well, take 4 minutes out of your day https://soundcloud.com/seanashe/hemisphe...ean-ashe-1).

I like the new album. Not as much as I like Awake or Dramatic Turn of Events, but I'm not disappointed in them because they're doing what they - and I - love!

Okay, I guess I need to listen to it now. Portnoy being gone definitely rubs a lot of people the wrong way--like Burton or Newsted not being in Metallica (not a great analogy, but yeah...). I'm not really one of those people.

Scenes from a Memory Pt. 2 is definitely my favorite album by DT. Just thought I'd throw that in there.