Octavarium!

[mesavox]

To be honest l don't really care how they try to justify reusing their own materal, l'm just starting to lose interest now, l was really looking forward to this album, and l'm really trying to get into it, but l don't know if l can.

But it just kind of accord to me, that ideas like "the glass prision/This Dying Soul/The Root Of All Evil" ideas have become more important than creating great music, it seems they focus more on that kind of "crap", l call it crap cause l find it tiring now.

Sorry if this sounds negative.

Scott.

Did you play in high school band? Think of this song as the fifth page of that big contest piece. lol These three songs are all part of one giant song that is just being put out over the years. A symphony isn't written in three months.

The point is, all symphonies coda back to other parts of the songs. Play all three of them back to back... the codas aren't even codas in the true sense. They don't repeat the same exact phrases. It's like they coda to a measure, then to another one. The point is to make it all part of one not to reuse lyrics because of a lack of ideas. It has to be melodically linked. It has to be. It's just a different song if it doesn't.

The 5th symphony is a perfect example. At the third part of the song the big main theme is revisited but it is quite different than the first times it is heard.

Just wanted to put a bit of a technical slant to it other than, "hey it's prog." It's actually musically correct what they are doing with it.

I love the album by the way. Especially These Walls... I can't get enough of that track. I love the prog, the Queen references (from Ogre Battle to Bijou to John using a very May's Vox type guitar sound on a solo), and the Styx nod...

The production is the best they've ever done with the possible exception to FII. I love the analog sound it has. The effects usage is superb and very musical. The keyboard patches are great, and OH MY GOSH YOU CAN HEAR JOHN MYUNG!!!!

Really, JM is very noticable throughout. He has a very nice tone happening that is middy enough to cut but not boingy. He's just a brilliant player.

This album goes back to Awake for me and the last song in particular is very Images and Words like. Not in sound and melody but in approach.

 

[cbpmmjp05]

I was a Fates Warning fan up until the album that followed "Parallels".. what was it called? Inside Out? When I bought that disc and brought it home, it seemed like all the songs sounded the same. So I haven't kept up with them since that time. I should probably give it another listen though, I don't thinik I played "Inside Out" more than one or two times. I also have two Matheos solo CD's, one of which I like. (The first one.)

Steve, I know what you're saying. I felt the same way when I heard that. It took quite awhile for "Inside Out" to grow on me. Even though I do like it, I still do not think that is one of Fates Warning's best efforts. Of course, you have to factor in that "Inside Out" had the misfortune of having to follow up "Paralells"...a fantastic album, in my opinion. I would definately suggest that you check out "Disconnected" or "FWX." While they are not the same type of FW albums that we came to know and love in the late 80's/early 90's, they are still great progressive metal albums with some fantastic songs.

 

[mesavox]

I love Inside Out. Very much. I never tried to hold it up to Parallels and I prefer it to it actually although I like them both.

Of course, anything after Ray Alder came aboard is superb and anything before is impossible to listen to because of that singer... whew.

 

[AxSport4me]

I love Inside Out. Very much. I never tried to hold it up to Parallels and I prefer it to it actually although I like them both.

Of course, anything after Ray Alder came aboard is superb and anything before is impossible to listen to because of that singer... whew.

Not a John Arch fan huh???? He influenced many,many singers! Those early Fates Warning albums set the standard for what was to become of the Prog Metal genre. Awaken The Gaurdian is genius....simply classic!

 

[mesavox]

lol... nope, not much of a John Arch fan. I much prefer Alder. In fact, I feel that Ray is one of the finest singers ever period. All that high end and technique but a lot of emotion as well. I put him up there with Geoff Tate in terms of Prog singing. Freddie is of course the best of all genres, but Ray and Geoff are both higher than often credited for IMO.

 

[ripley]

I know there's an unspoken "thou shall not speak ill of John Petrucci and co." edict here but I have to say on the whole, this album sounds a little more like "train of thought v. 1.5" than a progresson on their last 2 albums.

I'm not saying that it's bad. the album is well produced and the material is solid - but it's quite like a step sideways. Octavarium doesn't really stand up to repeat listenings for me... but I'm still looking forward to their next album.

 

[AxSport4me]

lol... nope, not much of a John Arch fan. I much prefer Alder. In fact, I feel that Ray is one of the finest singers ever period. All that high end and technique but a lot of emotion as well. I put him up there with Geoff Tate in terms of Prog singing. Freddie is of course the best of all genres, but Ray and Geoff are both higher than often credited for IMO.

I agree with ya there bro!

 

[cbpmmjp05]

lol... nope, not much of a John Arch fan. I much prefer Alder. In fact, I feel that Ray is one of the finest singers ever period. All that high end and technique but a lot of emotion as well. I put him up there with Geoff Tate in terms of Prog singing. Freddie is of course the best of all genres, but Ray and Geoff are both higher than often credited for IMO.

Hey mesa, have you ever caught Fates live? Ray Alder is unquestionably one of the most flawless vocalists I have seen live. I was simply blown away by that mans range, technique, and intonation.

I also have to agree with you on Arch. I though he was amazing during the 80's, because at that time there was nothing to measure him by really. However, after the first time I had heard No Exit, It was hard to go back and listen to the earlier stuff. Truthfully, I don't think the problem with Arch, wasn't so much his voice, as it was the length and number of words that he would try to fit into a verse. I still like that earlier stuff because it was a huge influence on me. However, I definately prefer Alder. BTW, has anyone heard the album John Arch did with Jim Matheos and Mike Portnoy a couple of years ago? There was some pretty cool stuff on there.

Back to Octavarium. I am loving this album more and more with each passing day. i believe someone else had already stated this, but I have to say/concur that the production on Octavarium is absolutely stellar!!!

 

[AxSport4me]

Yeah that John Arch cd was amazing!!!!! It was a LONG time coming!!!!!!

 

[Norrin Radd]

I have to say on the whole, this album sounds a little more like "train of thought v. 1.5" than a progresson on their last 2 albums.

What exactly do you mean by that? I don't think the albums are similar aurally at all. TOT is like a constant punch in the nose. Octavarium is a lot less aggressive in that sense. Please explain for those of us who are confused (i.e., me ).

 

[mesavox]

Yeah, I don't hear much similarity in TOT and 8V at all. There is nothing like the title track on TOT anywhere.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Did you play in high school band? Think of this song as the fifth page of that big contest piece. lol These three songs are all part of one giant song that is just being put out over the years. A symphony isn't written in three months.

The point is, all symphonies coda back to other parts of the songs. Play all three of them back to back... the codas aren't even codas in the true sense. They don't repeat the same exact phrases. It's like they coda to a measure, then to another one. The point is to make it all part of one not to reuse lyrics because of a lack of ideas. It has to be melodically linked. It has to be. It's just a different song if it doesn't.

....

Yep!
D/L This! WARNING about 26Mb ... 56k = Death!

The Glass Prison, This Dying Soul, The Root of All Evil - all back to back in one track

Courtesy of my buddy Nick Cutroneo from UHart, hosted by me

 

[cbpmmjp05]

Yep!
D/L This! WARNING about 40Mb ... 56k = Death!

The Glass Prison, This Dying Soul, The Root of All Evil - all back to back in one track

Courtesy of my buddy Nick Cutroneo from UHart, hosted by me

Nice!

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Yeah baby yeah!

 

[francric]

NICE!!!!!!!! Is there a way to save this?????

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Right-Click "save as"


I just resized it from about 40Mb to around 28Mb or so.....

 

[francric]

Thanks, bud!!!!!!!!!

 

[ripley]

What exactly do you mean by that? I don't think the albums are similar aurally at all. TOT is like a constant punch in the nose. Octavarium is a lot less aggressive in that sense. Please explain for those of us who are confused (i.e., me ).

to me TOT and Octavarium are both tighter sounding than their previous efforts. but since you MADE me say it: ..."tighter" in the "drop-D a la' CREED" sense.

yes! yes! bring your insults and jibes. I fully realize that at the end of the day my opinion means nothing because Jp and company have lots of money and signature instruments, and I'm just some balding chump who legally isn't allowed to work in the country I'm living in because of my "spousal" visa.

my friend who is a WAY bigger DT fan than I am emailed me today to proclaim that Octavarium is "corn ball" and "forgetable." - so before you get too mad at me, keep in my that at least my opinion wasn't that severe. TOT and Octvrm (in my warped opinion) really do have similar qualities. I frankly think the songwriting in TOT isn't as strong, though - BUT the blatant "riffing" on this new album sounds more mark tremonti than John petrucci... and WHAT'S up with john myung on this disc?? he's all over the place. yeah, yeah... have away at me... but at least I'm not proclaiming that I'm "right." I mean, maybe it's that 6 degrees was more of a concept driven album and TOT & Octvrm are slightly harder and less conceptual.

I'm not saying I don't like it... I just don't like it AS MUCH... eep!

 

[MingusBASS]

CREED?!?!

I don't know about you man...



To each his own...

Andrew

 

[mesavox]

I think it's called straining a knat and swallowing a camel... lol

A few riffs that remind you of something you don't like obscuring the wealth of other cool stuff.

I'm surprised no one has brought up the cocept... 5:8, song's following the alphabet in the relative minors to the keys in the booklet, the songs being in the key's as the key on the piano they are on top of, the end of the title song featuring the bits of all the other songs on the album during Jame's Mustaine impersonation while Mike states the scale degree they represent....