DREAM THEATER - BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS - Coming June 23rd!

That's the greatest thing I've heard about the new album.  You cannot imagine how happy that made me. Thanks for posting it noxon and kudos fo DT if they've really done that.

YES!!!!!!

Oh. HELL. FREAKING. YEAH.

No idea how good that news is.

So. So. So. So. GOOD.

Really good news. #10 baby...t'will be the one. Epic.
 
Glad they decided to address the loudness issue. Damn I love this band.

Progemon

That's the greatest thing I've heard about the new album.  You cannot imagine how happy that made me. Thanks for posting it noxon and kudos fo DT if they've really done that.

+1

... and...

absolutezero


YES!!!!!!

... This.

DT's work-rate is absolutely amazing. Only a month back I was wondering if they'll keep the bi-annual(?) momentum and a few days later I was all :D
Seriously though, we are all loved. 5 studio albums in the last 7 years (SDOIT to the upcoming one) is just awesome     .

noxon


We did an interview with JR today for our podcast, where the production was discussed a bit. Here's an excerpt (not 100% transcribed, but close enough):

"The sound of the instruments - all the instruments sound even better than they ever have, like the drums sound really really good, and the guitars are really dialed in, as well as it could be, the keyboards sound great, and the bass sounds better than, i think, it ever has on a dream theater album and the vocals sound awesome
[...]
even down to the mastering of the album, the mastering was much more effective, and the dynamics are still left in the music in a big way, more so than a lot of albums these days - that whole loudness war that i'm sure you've heard about
[...]
where people are trying to make it so their music is louder than other music [...] this time around we said we're not going to play this game, that's ridiculous - we left the dynamics really in the music. I think it makes a big difference to the listening experience..."

Sweet jesus that's the greatest news ever... please be true

cellardoor

noxon


We did an interview with JR today for our podcast, where the production was discussed a bit. Here's an excerpt (not 100% transcribed, but close enough):

"The sound of the instruments - all the instruments sound even better than they ever have, like the drums sound really really good, and the guitars are really dialed in, as well as it could be, the keyboards sound great, and the bass sounds better than, i think, it ever has on a dream theater album and the vocals sound awesome
[...]
even down to the mastering of the album, the mastering was much more effective, and the dynamics are still left in the music in a big way, more so than a lot of albums these days - that whole loudness war that i'm sure you've heard about
[...]
where people are trying to make it so their music is louder than other music [...] this time around we said we're not going to play this game, that's ridiculous - we left the dynamics really in the music. I think it makes a big difference to the listening experience..."

Sweet jesus that's the greatest news ever... please be true

 
If that does indeed end up being true, than HUGE kudos to MP and JP as the producers, for taking a stand for sound quality.

nikatapi


Why do we have to wait almost 3 months to get this album in our hands???????
I CANT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!

because it is going to be shaite, and they want fans to buy tickets without knowing that ;)

And to be honest, I think it is because now they want to rest a bit, the whole production has to start, promotion and all that crap. 
Tour has to be prepared, and that's an massive effort. And obviously, they have to learn that material - so it is ready for prime scene-time :)

At least that's my idea, if anyone knows any inside stories about it - I would be glad to hear em.

^^^Pretty much what he said. And also the CDs have to be produced. Artwork has to be printed and the CDs itself have to be made. For the CD to sell you have to build up the hype, so some promotion might not hurt. That's probably the two main reasons.

CD and artwork printing really doesn't take too long.

The design of the actual artwork itself would be a little speed bump.

But yeah, they do need to leave some room for promotion.

It does annoy me, though, just how long it takes once the album's been announced. Oh well. Well worth the wait, I'm sure.

the wait will be worth it. but damn. im goin dry.

Brakkum


the wait will be worth it. but damn. im goin dry.

Oh the 23rd will be a glorious day.  The day Systematic Chaos was a great day..driving around trying to find a place to buy it then my friend calls and says he got his in the mail and I sped over and we had our first listen through.  Great times

I am so excited for this cd...i just cant fucking wait!!!

That's awesome.  DT is kicking the loudness war in the ass.  From what Jordan said it is clear that they understand the problem and are revolting from it. 

If only they could remaster SC.  My guess is that Repentance would sound very different with the dynamics restored.  Has anyone heard it live and noticed any difference? One can always hope.  I'm just relieved that DT is changing course.

That's awesome news. Can't wait to hear this.

I'm glad they've abandoned the loudness wars!  This album should sound awesome...

Amazon finally has Black Clouds and Silver Linings up..except they are imports, going to be released June 30th, and are around 55 dollars for the special ed and 33 for the regular edition.  But this must mean we are close to being able to pre order!

I agree with whoever said that JR's production comments are the best thing released so far on the new album. Progressive music is meant to be heard, not just loud metal noise. Metallica is simply not a good proxy, they are a corporate band more or less that needs to deliberately try and sound like themselves (rather than just be themselves).

I hope MP will release octavarium and systematic chaos remastered, in the same fashion in future.
I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of many you hear, to ask him for it please :)

I don't think anything about 8VM needs to be changed. SC, though, for sure.

I would like to hear Octavarium and SC remastered. Thank you very much! 

This news still makes me smile.  

Seems that our rants about the sound quality weren't for nothing afterall. 

From Dave Ling's (UK Journo) Dairy:

...“Your post is over there”, I opened a mailer that contained… ulp… a watermarked promo of Dream Theater’s newie, ‘Black Clouds And Silver Linings’. Drummer and mouthpiece Mike Portnoy had already whetted the appetite of the band’s fans with his quote of: “Imagine if ‘A Change Of Seasons’, ‘Octavarium’, ‘Learning To Live’, ‘Pull Me Under’ and ‘The Glass Prison’ were all [contained] on one Dream Theater album”, but a simple glance at the song timings – 16 mins and 10 seconds, 8.35, 5.25, 12.49, 13.07 and 19.16 – almost had me drooling. 75 minutes later and the oafish ineptitude of R Booth (Nottinghamshire) is a long-distant irrelevance. ‘A Rite Of Passage’ and the soaring ‘Wither’ are destined to thrill those that prefer DT in more succinct form, but… the rest of the album… Christ! Apart from pointing out that the band has cut back on the growled vocals of the last album and **really** played to its long-established strengths, it’s hard to know where to begin. So instead I’ll leave it till the official unveiling date of June 22 for you to add your own personal choice of superlative...

oh dear...

aw fuck

fighting the loudness war and "

yes.

rwessel


From Dave Ling's (UK Journo) Dairy:

...the band has cut back on the growled vocals of the last album

This is great news to me. My only complaint about James' voice over the years has been when he tries to sound heavier than he has the capacity to. His real strength is in melodic singing, so hopefully this quote means that the new album will be more melodic overall. Can't wait to hear it....

this is my second time that i am exited about their new album.first whit sistematyc chaos now whit this black clouds and silver linings.i have 17 years and when i  finish my school year album is going to be relased and then i am going to listen it to whole summer because they wont come to serbia to play live.  Sorry about my english bye

 

shonedt


this is my second time that i am exited about their new album.first whit sistematyc chaos now whit this black clouds and silver linings.i have 17 years and when i  finish my school year album is going to be relased and then i am going to listen it to whole summer because they wont come to serbia to play live.  Sorry about my english bye

E jebiga, bili su u Zagrebu na SC turneji  ;).  Pozdrav iz Sarajeva...


BTW, love the song timing info, 15 minutes is perfect DT song length for me  :D

chenga

E jebiga, bili su u Zagrebu na SC turneji  ;).  Pozdrav iz Sarajeva...

BTW, love the song timing info, 15 minutes is perfect DT song length for me  :D

I bilo je predobro, ako ne racunamo par budala s pivom na kraju, ono mi nikad nece bit jasno!!??

Looks like the reviewer is really impressed by the album. One thing that bugs me though, the sentence: "band **really** played to its long-established strengths". What's that supposed to mean? I wouldn't want a rehash of previous albums, that's what compilations are for.
Or maybe I just misunderstood it?

In any case, looking forward to it!!!

This is all looking so so promising, I hope it rings true since DT haven't been my cup of tea (with regards to new material) since '05.

So great, everything sounds so promising!
Skip the loudness war and growl was terrific news! Can´t wait!

Donno if this have been mentioned before. But in the interview with JR he said that Best Of Times is about mike´s relation with his dad and that A Rite Of Passage is about the Freemason.

not even one, but freemasons  ;)
Hence the eye, on canvas.

All in all, this can be one of a hell good album!

Everything seems so perfect. 6 songs at 75 minutes with 4 of them beeing around 10-20 minutes is just awsome. Skipping the loudness war is just awsome! The very nice artwork! The limited edition with 6 covers! The very nice "review"! Iam one very happy fan right now :)!

Not that i never ever thought anything else. Maybe SC wasen't as superb as the ones before, but still very good.

For any UK forumers, amazon UK has the standard and special edition CDs up now, but you can only sign up to be notified when they can be pre-ordered.  Dunno why they don't just let you pre-order right away.

Good news on the loudness war thing!

Didn't Jordan also mention clip for RoP to be out this month ?
I hope it wasn't just me trying to hear that, gotta relisten the interview.

I'm just curious as to if Mike will be revealing anything on his birthday. maybe we've been naughty children this year. although last time I checked Mike wasn't Santa...

Come out already. :[