The Drums Are Done!!!!

ORIGINAL: ganpondorodf

ORIGINAL: Smirnoff

Well, I am not holding my breath for anything cohesive songwriting-wise given the last several albums and what I feel is a downward slope for the band's creativity. However, I am certainly looking forward to checking out the record and I am hopeful that it's an improvement over the last few! You never know, I have seen bands do the seemingly impossible, such as the amazing turnaround that Machinehead showed following their all-time low with Supercharger.

It's a good thing in a way for the band to be so widely criticized for their latest album, because perhaps it would motivate the guys to think "Hey now! We actually DO have something to prove this time around!"

This.  SFaM was (imo) far and away their best album and they really, desperately, needed to prove something then; to the label, to the fans, and ultimately to themselves.

You know, I first always thought SFaM was a perfect album. But nowadays I think it's one of the most Cheesiest albums ever. There is Cheese every where!
I think Six Degrees is a much better CD (Well they should have left out disc 2) But still a lot less cheese.

Yeah, The Spirit Carries On is pretty cheesy, and the lyrics by and large are pretty cheesy.  But musically they haven't matched it before or since.

o my god
please god make it come out fast i cant wait

ORIGINAL: ganpondorodf

ORIGINAL: Smirnoff

Well, I am not holding my breath for anything cohesive songwriting-wise given the last several albums and what I feel is a downward slope for the band's creativity. However, I am certainly looking forward to checking out the record and I am hopeful that it's an improvement over the last few! You never know, I have seen bands do the seemingly impossible, such as the amazing turnaround that Machinehead showed following their all-time low with Supercharger.

It's a good thing in a way for the band to be so widely criticized for their latest album, because perhaps it would motivate the guys to think "Hey now! We actually DO have something to prove this time around!"

This. SFaM was (imo) far and away their best album and they really, desperately, needed to prove something then; to the label, to the fans, and ultimately to themselves.

I think you need to get over the fact that mike's hair is going grey. Give the dude a break, i mean after all, he's in his 40s and with stresses of juggling his job and his family. if you watch the chaos in progress DVD he's grey there aswell. That explains why he wears a cap so frequently. But honestly he is human believe it or not, despite his musicianship

ORIGINAL: Cammyron

I think you need to get over the fact that mike's hair is going grey. Give the dude a break, i mean after all, he's in his 40s and with stresses of juggling his job and his family. if you watch the chaos in progress DVD he's grey there aswell. That explains why he wears a cap so frequently. But honestly he is human believe it or not, despite his musicianship

I have no idea how ANY of this relates to anything we've been discussing, but thank you for a random observation.

and when should we expect this album ?

ORIGINAL: Cammyron

ORIGINAL: ganpondorodf

ORIGINAL: Smirnoff

Well, I am not holding my breath for anything cohesive songwriting-wise given the last several albums and what I feel is a downward slope for the band's creativity. However, I am certainly looking forward to checking out the record and I am hopeful that it's an improvement over the last few! You never know, I have seen bands do the seemingly impossible, such as the amazing turnaround that Machinehead showed following their all-time low with Supercharger.

It's a good thing in a way for the band to be so widely criticized for their latest album, because perhaps it would motivate the guys to think "Hey now! We actually DO have something to prove this time around!"

This. SFaM was (imo) far and away their best album and they really, desperately, needed to prove something then; to the label, to the fans, and ultimately to themselves.

I think you need to get over the fact that mike's hair is going grey. Give the dude a break, i mean after all, he's in his 40s and with stresses of juggling his job and his family. if you watch the chaos in progress DVD he's grey there aswell. That explains why he wears a cap so frequently. But honestly he is human believe it or not, despite his musicianship

 

SDoIT is a great progressive album for me. I never felt disappointed about that. I loved the sound of ToT. Octavarium is definitely crawling when you consider DT's creativity. Maybe I can select the Octavarium track, but just don't tell me DT wasted time to do that album. SC is like ToT Part II, and it's much more than "not bad, it's ok" to me. 
 
But there is still something i can't explain... Their work is always great. One highlight album that will shake us for the years ahead has yet to come.  

ORIGINAL: ganpondorodf

ORIGINAL: Cammyron

ORIGINAL: ganpondorodf

ORIGINAL: Smirnoff

Well, I am not holding my breath for anything cohesive songwriting-wise given the last several albums and what I feel is a downward slope for the band's creativity. However, I am certainly looking forward to checking out the record and I am hopeful that it's an improvement over the last few! You never know, I have seen bands do the seemingly impossible, such as the amazing turnaround that Machinehead showed following their all-time low with Supercharger.

It's a good thing in a way for the band to be so widely criticized for their latest album, because perhaps it would motivate the guys to think "Hey now! We actually DO have something to prove this time around!"

This. SFaM was (imo) far and away their best album and they really, desperately, needed to prove something then; to the label, to the fans, and ultimately to themselves.

I think you need to get over the fact that mike's hair is going grey. Give the dude a break, i mean after all, he's in his 40s and with stresses of juggling his job and his family. if you watch the chaos in progress DVD he's grey there aswell. That explains why he wears a cap so frequently. But honestly he is human believe it or not, despite his musicianship

Indeed lol
I highly doubt he is self conscious about his grey hair and wears a cap to cover it up... I think it looks awesome, considering its just at the front. Plus he colours it most of the time anyway (from what i can remember, it isnt there everytime you see him in an interview or whatever) like the majority of people, so who cares..

ORIGINAL: Cammyron

ORIGINAL: ganpondorodf

ORIGINAL: Smirnoff

Well, I am not holding my breath for anything cohesive songwriting-wise given the last several albums and what I feel is a downward slope for the band's creativity. However, I am certainly looking forward to checking out the record and I am hopeful that it's an improvement over the last few! You never know, I have seen bands do the seemingly impossible, such as the amazing turnaround that Machinehead showed following their all-time low with Supercharger.

It's a good thing in a way for the band to be so widely criticized for their latest album, because perhaps it would motivate the guys to think "Hey now! We actually DO have something to prove this time around!"

This. SFaM was (imo) far and away their best album and they really, desperately, needed to prove something then; to the label, to the fans, and ultimately to themselves.

I think you need to get over the fact that mike's hair is going grey. Give the dude a break, i mean after all, he's in his 40s and with stresses of juggling his job and his family. if you watch the chaos in progress DVD he's grey there aswell. That explains why he wears a cap so frequently. But honestly he is human believe it or not, despite his musicianship

I think what Cammyron was trying to say is that MP has earned the right to make the music he wants with the status he has because of how long it took mto get the band where it is.
It took MP a LONG time to make the band as famous as it is.

As for the "I feel is a downward slope for the band's creativity.", atleast you make it clear it is just your oppinion.
As for me, I don't love Dream Theater and all of their work because it's Dream Theater. I Love it becuase I feel they are still making incredible and inspiring music which always pushes the boundaries, all while the band is still able to kick back, have fun , and enjoy what they do.

Just the other day, I was listening to "Octavarium" all the way through while at work, and I started thinking back on quite a few people saying that DT doesn't make great songs anymore with catchy hooks, music that is as memorable as some of their classics from way back in the day, and it makes me wonder how people canpt hear all the catchy hooks and melodies they put in to their music while still having somthing for everyone to bite in to.

It doesn't matter if you are a music obsessive person, or one of the average listeners,  or a musician looking for music to inspire you to work harder at your own music, or someone who enjoys strange yet unique music...............DT has it all.


Funny thing, when I was thinking of all this, the song :"Never Enough" came on and I really listened to every word that was sung, and it hit me so hard thinking:"What if we didn't have DT?"
And that's what pisses me off about people sometimes:  they can easily criticize someones work and pass it off as "Crap" without really listening to what the song is offering. People are always so obsessed just to see the things they want to see, and hear the things they want to hear. Well, they don't know they are limiting their life so much from so much that the world could offer and ultimately, they live miserable lives because everything is:"Not what I thought it would be."
Well, almost everything will never be the way you thought it would be, but does that make it bad?

I am thankful we have a band as interesting and diverse as DT, and the more I think of it, the fact that people debate over DT's music so much, even if it's negative oppinions, should be somthing that s seen positive because it lets people debate over DT's choice of ideas, structures, songwriting, and playing.
Even if you don't like the ideas, atleast be thankful it's a band that has somthing that lets you talk about it and that in itself is a positive thing.

ORIGINAL: thefikry

o my god
please god make it come out fast i cant wait

That's what she said.
 
 
 
...Sorry, but you were asking for it.
 
But seriously. I can't wait either. BYAAAAHHH!!!

Not sure if I like the direction this is heading...

That's great!!
Been out for a quite time and returning with such a cool news.

It's been a while since I heard good news!!

Keep the good work Portnoy, LaBrie, Petrucci, Rudess, Myung you guys are awesome!
The root of a album done in less than 2 months!!

So I guess that drum duet with MP and I isn't going to happen this album...
 

 
 
Based on the description I am going to LOVE this album.

Damn.  This should be good.  Thanks for the info Mike!!!

I wonder if we'll get a 2-hour epic...

Given that it wouldn't physically fit on the CD, I wouldn't hold my breath.

ORIGINAL: ganpondorodf

Given that it wouldn't physically fit on the CD, I wouldn't hold my breath.

 
Well, they could cut it into two parts like they did with their last epic....

This is great to hear, and I thank Mike Portnoy for sharing that with his adoring fans! It's cool he set aside the time to tell us of this great news!
 
I'm not worried at all about this new album. I've truly loved every song written by DT (even, to an extent, "You Not Me" goddamnit!)  Haha, seriously, we're all in for a treat!

ORIGINAL: MPfan45

I'm not worried at all about this new album. I've truly loved every song written by DT (even, to an extent, "You Not Me" goddamnit!)

 
Same here. You Not Me is criminally underrated and unjustly derided. 

Criminally? Like if Mike says that Space-Dye Vest is nothing like Dream Theater?

To many people it is Dream Theater... and a damn good part of it too. Many people don't like "You Not Me"... including me. To me, it just doesn't sound good. But that's just my opinion. Mike might like it... I don't know. I'm not bashing him, if he does. Everyone's got a different taste.

But it's just funny how every now and them someone tries to make others feel guilty about not liking some songs that he likes. The fact is that many people don't like Rush's Red Lenses either. And it's not a mystery, why. Breeding hate doesn't help anyone... and I guess, hope, it doesn't make you feel better about yourself either.

Well, I think what he's saying, and that goes for SDV too, is that You Not Me (and all the FII album) often gets a bad rap because the band disapproves of it. But really, it's a great-sounding song on a great album. A lot of people bash it just because it was written by outside songwriters, but it IS a good song, in my opinion.

Hell, I didn't know about any of that. I listened FII when I basically knew nothing about DT and I didn't like the album. I only bought it because I had heard Hell's Kitchen before and it was awesome. But other than that... the ones I like are rare.

Hollow Years and Lines in the Sand... to some extent.

I guess it is unfortunate that FII and SDV and anything else would get a bad rap.  I love FII b/c I think it has a great sound to it, but I don't hold DT to a standard that everything has to be about insane virtuoso playing.  Of course I love DT's insane virtuso playing, don't get me wrong haha, but I also love great sounding songs.  So I really just regard FII as a great rock album in general. 
 
Though I can understand why the DT guys aren't so proud of it, they didn't have complete creative control and I know if they did, then everyone would be happy.  Either way, it's definitely nice to know that other people like FII aside from myself
 
Just a clarification, I have no favorite DT album b/c I absolutely LOVE everything they've released!  This is completely IMO haha

ORIGINAL: DefyingMortality

Well, I think what he's saying, and that goes for SDV too, is that You Not Me (and all the FII album) often gets a bad rap because the band disapproves of it. But really, it's a great-sounding song on a great album. A lot of people bash it just because it was written by outside songwriters, but it IS a good song, in my opinion.

well, even if the band doesn't like it, I feel the band did their best to put their unique Finger Print on most of the songs, and I enjoy listening to FII every summer because of it's classic rock vibe, it's somthing I enjoy listening to on hot summer nights.

The only songs I skip over is "Burning in my Soul" and "You Not Me", because I absoulutely DESPISE those songs.

"You Or Me"? NOW WE ARE TALKING!!! 

ORIGINAL: January

Criminally? Like if Mike says that Space-Dye Vest is nothing like Dream Theater?

To many people it is Dream Theater... and a damn good part of it too. Many people don't like "You Not Me"... including me. To me, it just doesn't sound good. But that's just my opinion. Mike might like it... I don't know. I'm not bashing him, if he does. Everyone's got a different taste.

But it's just funny how every now and them someone tries to make others feel guilty about not liking some songs that he likes. The fact is that many people don't like Rush's Red Lenses either. And it's not a mystery, why. Breeding hate doesn't help anyone... and I guess, hope, it doesn't make you feel better about yourself either.

 
We're talking about two different things, my friend. Of course, everyone's entitled to like or dislike whatever they wish. I was not referring simply to You Not Me being disliked, but rather the way people deride and bash and slam it and act like anyone who likes it is a moron. Believe me, I've seen people act like that, and that's not justified. In addition, don't take the term "criminally" too literally.
 
At any rate, perhaps I should have been clearer. Of course, you're more than welcome to not like it.
 
Apples and oranges....

Only ten pages of comment so far
 
We are slipping
 
 

ORIGINAL: thefunkygibbons

Only ten pages of comment so far

We are slipping

Did you mean "slipping" or "sleeping"? Otherwise it would be a "slip" of the tongue. Or is it a "sleep" of the tongue?

I think You not Me should be disliked as a general principle. DT wrote You or Me, a GREAT song. But that friggin label hired that friggin Desmond Child (who I love OUTSIDE of this), and they changed most of it and left what's on the record.

To me, basically, it's not a DT song, because they didn't write it. (Yes, the music they did, but it's like DT writes 75 minutes of music, and the label edits it the way they want and release it that way). It's not the song they wrote. Feel free to disagree.

The bit in You Not Me "seeing you run is making me lazaaaaaayyyy" makes me cringe myself into a seahorse.

ORIGINAL: citametsys soahc

I think You not Me should be disliked as a general principle. DT wrote You or Me, a GREAT song. But that friggin label hired that friggin Desmond Child (who I love OUTSIDE of this), and they changed most of it and left what's on the record.

To me, basically, it's not a DT song, because they didn't write it. (Yes, the music they did, but it's like DT writes 75 minutes of music, and the label edits it the way they want and release it that way). It's not the song they wrote. Feel free to disagree.

 
Well, I for one choose to like or dislike something based on how it sounds, not based on what author's name is in the credits.
 
Yes, it would have been nice if the label hadn't forced Petrucci to go down there and let Desmond rewrite his song. But, frankly, if you listen to You Or Me and You Not Me back to back, they're really not that much different, and to me You Not Me still sounds fine.
 
But, again, I don't care if someone doesn't like something that I like. What irritates me is when people get all huffy about it. It's all just a matter of personal taste, nothing more and nothing less.

You not me sucks, end of story.

^ Sorry, but that post was fairly pointless. Sure, you're entitled to your opinion, but that really was a bad way to put it. It didn't really contribute to the dicussion imo.

I didn't like FII for quite a while but now I've heard the demos, seen what was originally written and know the story behind it I can appreciate it more. Even if things didn't come out the way they would have liked, it is still DT and quite large amounts of the songs were untouched. And of course the production was quite good. Sure, it may not be absolutely epic but I think some of the criticism it cops is unjustified.

ORIGINAL: MustaineHead

You not me sucks, end of story.

I like the song. I mean, it's a GOOD SONG, people. Freakin' Desmond Child wrote it! It's not like he's some talentless hack or anything, he's a well-respected musician and songwriter with a number of hits to his name. Yes, You Or Me is more "progressive" and more "DT", but really, we got two great songs out of this. It's kind of how I view ACoS... both versions are phenomenal, and there's no reason to hate one arbitrarily over another.

There seems to have been an explosion of prog-snobbery on the Forum this week...

Let me just say that I understand the band was under a lot of pressure and it was probably the closest they ever came to dissolving.  But FII sounds like a lazy album... Their stuff up to then was so good, then FII was just so... ehhhh.  Completely underwhelming.  If it wasn't for Hell's Kitchen, I wouldn't even keep the album on my MP3 player.  And then the awesomeness of SFaM and 6DOIT (I know a fair few people here don't like ToT, 8V and SC) just makes FII look even worse.
 
The album definitely has some good ideas and I truly believe that most of its shortcomings aren't really the band's fault.  As MP has said in the past, at this stage he was thinking he may as well try the ideas that the big-shots were giving him.

ORIGINAL: MustaineHead

You not me sucks, end of story.

Rule 13

Saying "You Not Me sucks!" is not the same as "I don't like You Not Me. It's just not their best."
 
Open discussion and constructive criticism are welcome and encouraged.  We do not expect everyone here to love everything DT and its members have always done. Remember, it is not necessarily what you say, but how you say it.  And if you cannot say something in a way that doesn't come across as offensive or overly negative, you are better off not posting it at all so that you do not find yourself on the wrong end of a warning, temp ban, or perm ban for bashing the band or starting a flame war.  Even if what you say isn't "bashing" by your standards, please think about what you say and how it is likely to be taken by others who may have just as strong an opinion.

ORIGINAL: ganpondorodf

Let me just say that I understand the band was under a lot of pressure and it was probably the closest they ever came to dissolving.  But FII sounds like a lazy album... Their stuff up to then was so good, then FII was just so... ehhhh.  Completely underwhelming.  If it wasn't for Hell's Kitchen, I wouldn't even keep the album on my MP3 player.  And then the awesomeness of SFaM and 6DOIT (I know a fair few people here don't like ToT, 8V and SC) just makes FII look even worse.

The album definitely has some good ideas and I truly believe that most of its shortcomings aren't really the band's fault.  As MP has said in the past, at this stage he was thinking he may as well try the ideas that the big-shots were giving him.

 
I'd also like to add that I don't think of FII as "oh God, DT made a bad album"; I think of it as "DT were forced into making a compromised album".

My point was that I don't care if You not Me is the greatest song ever written, the simply fact that the label forced the band to change the original song, it makes me dislike it automatically.

ORIGINAL: Portnoy


Imagine a DT album with A Change Of Seasons, Octavarium, Learning To Live, Pull Me Under and The Glass Prison....all on one album....
 

 

I have been dying to hear Mike say for years that he would compare a new Dream Theater album to A Change of Seasons - which is still my favorite of all the concept songs they have done. I can't wait to hear this album.

Keep us posted Mike!  We love you guys!

ORIGINAL: ALxtreme
A Change of Seasons - which is still my favorite of all the concept songs they have done.

True dat. Amazing song.