Off Topic A Rite Of Passage - New DT song!

[Slingy]

"I sense, the new world order. Played, upon our fears. Spreading accusations, of radical ideas."

I think it is great they are tackling the issues of the current presidency.

 

[bkrumme]

I really hope they're not getting pushed around by their new label. Mike

It's funny you would mention that. Roadrunner is kinda known for pushing their artists around. I don't think MP or JP would want to deal with that, though.

Remember...we haven't heard the entire album. And be a little forgiving with Dream Theater. They've even mentioned in videos that there are things they do that fans aren't happy with.

I like listening to the progression of their music. Listen to the albums in chronological order...you'll get what I'm saying. Each of them has it's own feel. Asking them to write the same way they did 15 years ago is like asking a painter to paint the same picture over and over again...

 

[bkrumme]

love the 2 new songs get ya hands on " a nightmare to remember" amazing

Where'd you pick that one up?

 

[MikeVt]

It's funny you would mention that. Roadrunner is kinda known for pushing their artists around. I don't think MP or JP would want to deal with that, though.

Remember...we haven't heard the entire album. And be a little forgiving with Dream Theater. They've even mentioned in videos that there are things they do that fans aren't happy with.

I like listening to the progression of their music. Listen to the albums in chronological order...you'll get what I'm saying. Each of them has it's own feel. Asking them to write the same way they did 15 years ago is like asking a painter to paint the same picture over and over again...

Of course. I still plan to buy it and give it a very fair shake. They are still one of the most talented bands around, and they are entitled to evolve and grow. Although I'm not likely to have a temper tantrum and stomp around saying they suck like the 13 year olds on the JP forum, I will be disappointed if they have decided to permanently take this new 'modern' direction...

Mike

 

[ScoobySteve]

I don't feel we can really substantively deduce anything by listening to one song. Though as I said earlier, from this example alone we can tell that the CD is taking a significantly heavier more guitar driven sound.

 

[the24thfret]

It's funny you would mention that. Roadrunner is kinda known for pushing their artists around. I don't think MP or JP would want to deal with that, though.

Remember...we haven't heard the entire album. And be a little forgiving with Dream Theater. They've even mentioned in videos that there are things they do that fans aren't happy with.

I like listening to the progression of their music. Listen to the albums in chronological order...you'll get what I'm saying. Each of them has it's own feel. Asking them to write the same way they did 15 years ago is like asking a painter to paint the same picture over and over again...

About Roadrunner, it's mostly metal bands. And we've seen since 'The Glass Prison' and especially Train of Thought they are turning more and more metal metal metal. I think the move to Roadrunner is coinciding with the heaviness pretty obviously. I'm unsure whose influence it is though.

Re: unhappiness, no one is asking them to remake IAW. But I remain disappointed by their last few attempts. As a fan I'm allowed to say that. I wish they moved in a different direction.

I don't feel we can really substantively deduce anything by listening to one song. Though as I said earlier, from this example alone we can tell that the CD is taking a significantly heavier more guitar driven sound.

Yeah. It's all guitar now. JM has no input it sounds like. JR's creativity has also been muted a bit. And JL never had any input.

Rant over, forgive me!

 

[ScoobySteve]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I do not mind change and evolution WHAT SO EVER. But I think it's clear the production, musicianship, and driving creative force was stronger in IAW and SFAM. It's not a knock, rather I feel a valid criticism from something DT fans have come to expect.

JL is a wonderful vocalist, would love to hear him more often. JR is I think the most expressive prog. keyboardist like.... ever (ELP and YES fans please don't kill me) and I can't hear JM much either.

I think with the newer albums we hear more of Petrucci and POrtnoy and less of the others, and I think the fans are noticing. My impression of it anyhows.

 

[bkrumme]

I'm waiting to hear this on CD. mp3 is a horrible format for music. It's lossy as hell and compresses horribly. I don't care what the bitrate is...still sounds like crap in comparison to a CD pressed from a master that hasn't been recompressed over and over again...plus I got the collector's edition that comes with the audiophile LPs...gonna fire those up on the hi-fi system...

I can hear JR in there in places and it sounds cool...but the definition in the sound just isn't there...not like I'm used to hearing from DT...

 

[the24thfret]

I'm waiting to hear this on CD. mp3 is a horrible format for music. It's lossy as hell and compresses horribly. I don't care what the bitrate is...still sounds like crap in comparison to a CD pressed from a master that hasn't been recompressed over and over again...plus I got the collector's edition that comes with the audiophile LPs...gonna fire those up on the hi-fi system...

I was saying this doesnt sound like a final mix although it appears to be! I disagree on the compression though, 320kb is fantastic for a free released and super near CD quality... though I'm jealous of your hifi system. I use ipod/itunes with lossless encoding for my monitor speakers.

 

[MikeVt]

I'm waiting to hear this on CD. mp3 is a horrible format for music. It's lossy as hell and compresses horribly. I don't care what the bitrate is...still sounds like crap in comparison to a CD pressed from a master that hasn't been recompressed over and over again...plus I got the collector's edition that comes with the audiophile LPs...gonna fire those up on the hi-fi system...

I can hear JR in there in places and it sounds cool...but the definition in the sound just isn't there...not like I'm used to hearing from DT...

Hmmm....the version I downloaded is at 662kbs (the first link they sent out)....it doesn't get much better than that from an MP3 perspective. I'm not expecting it to sound any 'better' when I get the CD...

Mike

 

[mightypudge]

My two cents, which is all it's worth...

I like the song... a lot. I can't get the guitar parts or vocal melodies out of my head.

DT continues to evolve as musicians, writers, and producers. I'm glad the records all don't sound the same.

I respect anyone who can string together as many records as DT and continue to be relevant in this fickle-minded world. Not many bands last this long, let along a "fringe" band like DT that survives on a cult following.

To paraphrase a great movie line, "in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than the criticism designating it so."

 

[balance]

For many bands, it's damned if you do, damned if you don't. Take Metallica for instance...people bashed them for changing their musical direction from RTL and MOP. However, if they put the same material out as those, people would say it all sounds the same.

Dream Theater is no different in that respect either. I for one enjoy a band taking chances and not making each album a carbon-copy of the last...that's for the pop charts. Oh, and I like new the song.

 

[MikeVt]

For many bands, it's damned if you do, damned if you don't. Take Metallica for instance...people bashed them for changing their musical direction from RTL and MOP. However, if they put the same material out as those, people would say it all sounds the same.

Dream Theater is no different in that respect either. I for one enjoy a band taking chances and not making each album a carbon-copy of the last...that's for the pop charts. Oh, and I like new the song.

You have to have at least 100 posts to have a valid opinion here.






Just kidding...
Mike

 

[ScoobySteve]

For many bands, it's damned if you do, damned if you don't. Take Metallica for instance...people bashed them for changing their musical direction from RTL and MOP. However, if they put the same material out as those, people would say it all sounds the same.

Dream Theater is no different in that respect either. I for one enjoy a band taking chances and not making each album a carbon-copy of the last...that's for the pop charts. Oh, and I like new the song.

Personally for me, the assertion is not that I wish the newer albums to be carbon copies, or tonal clones of previous albums, rather my criticism rested on the evidence that the scope and sound of the band is not "up to par" (for a lack of a better phrase) with previous releases.

We don't get to see the particular nuances of the band as pronounced before, and that can be readily identified by WHAT and WHO is playing. Lately there is a ton of Portnoy and Petrucci. Not so much Rudess, Myung and Labrie.

And by the way, I like the new song.

 

[bkrumme]

I was saying this doesnt sound like a final mix although it appears to be! I disagree on the compression though, 320kb is fantastic for a free released and super near CD quality... though I'm jealous of your hifi system. I use ipod/itunes with lossless encoding for my monitor speakers.

I'm in the business of producing music (independently) so my ears are an important asset to me. For the average listener, mp3 will sound no different than a cd. Either way, it's all personal preference just like it is with our guitars.

For some reason, though, I don't think this is a final mix...it just doesn't have the clarity that I've come to expect of Dream Theater. Perhaps they rushed this track prior to final master? I know for a fact Roadrunner has done that before.

 

[bkrumme]

We don't get to see the particular nuances of the band as pronounced before, and that can be readily identified by WHAT and WHO is playing. Lately there is a ton of Portnoy and Petrucci. Not so much Rudess, Myung and Labrie.

This is exactly what I'm hearing in this track. I can *hear* the parts, but they're mixed in a way that really emphasizes MP and JP. There are LOTS of guitar overdubs.

 

[buckethead777]

You know, i agreee that DT continues to evolve at musiciand, producers,writers, but i can't say this was shown in this song. Of course, i can't judge the album before hearing it in complete; all i'm saying is , i hope the rest of the album is stronger.

I guess what i miss is the feeling i had while listening to "Falling into Infinity", and then "Scenes From a Memory" came out. BANG! now that was a change! Wow, goose bumps just thinkin about it.
Couple of years later, "Six Degrees"..Again, DT showing that they're evolving!!!!
I realllyyyyyyyyyyyy hope they deliver that intensity and excitement for m again.

And yes, i agree with 24thFret that this can't be a final mix.....It's a little under- produced.

 

[mightypudge]

A lot of comments about how the song doesn't seem finished from a mix or production perspective. I think it's a case of the opposite.

Every record I've heard over the past 10 years has sounded "over-produced." Tons of compression and limiting, and way too many effects. Our ears have become accustomed to this and I think it's coloring how we hear everything.

I found Systematic Chaos to be pleasantly devoid of overproduction and I liked it. With this new song I feel like I'm in the studio.

Of course I could be wrong and maybe this isn't the final mix. However it's hard to believe that with a release date of 6/23 this hasn't gone off for final pressing.

 

[slukather]

I kinda lost interest in Dream Theater after Train Of Thought, not really a fan of their (current) song writing, l just think they need to bring in an outside producer, yes l'm one of those DT fans haha, l love Images and Words and Scenes from a memory but the last couple of albums haven't grabbed me what so ever. Sorry guys.

Scott.

 

[buckethead777]

I kinda lost interest in Dream Theater after Train Of Thought

You do realise that is acording to some psalms in the Bible a sin!!!!
Thou shall never lose interest in Dream Theater!!!!!!

MightyPudge, i must disagree...I found "Systematic Chaos" just as compressed and full-bodied as their 2 previous albums.
But then again, this close to the release date, why would they release a pre-master(let's call it that) version instead of final version.Maybe this is it?
Hmmmm....Ah well, time will tell