This might be dillusional on my part but did anyone else detect a little black metal rif****e at the begining of Panic Attack?

Not sure if there's any significance to this at all, but the 8-ball appears to float over the felt of the table since the shadow is not touching the ball.  Why?

ORIGINAL: Consub

Nope... Its not released here, and I don't think it will anytime soon, so I just imported a copy, and downloaded it for the time being (Since I couldn't wait!).

Of course, I haven't received the actual CD yet, so can you please enlighten me? I hear the booklet is amazing, so I'm looking forward to it.

"The Root of All Evil" is steps 6 and 7 of the AA trilogy thingy...

"Searching for something, to lash out at..."

Wii # - 3582-1392-3791-2521

ORIGINAL: ReaPsTA

KERMITthePROG it was an entire chord not just a single note, turn up the volume on ITNOG and listen closer. The same chord that ends ITNOG begins TROAE. A chord is fairly flexible acctually O_O.

It's an F. A tone. not a chord. In fact, if the track on the album is the one Jordan recorded on the extra footage of the cd, he played it with his nose. One note. Not a chord.

ORIGINAL: Eddie the Terminator

This might be dillusional on my part but did anyone else detect a little black metal rif****e at the begining of Panic Attack?

I posted about it. It's a Tourniquette riff exactly. I forget which song but it's on the "Pathogenic Occular Dissonance" album.

Kevin Wale
Look ma... I'm playin guitar on the interent!
Bipolar Echo
enduvus

Octavarium it's because the songs rolls from F -> to F ???  8 Tones... ( o scales or whatever)

I was looking at the "Images And Words" booklet and I found a strange coincidence: part of the copyrights are owned by Octa Music, inc.
 
Anyone knows who owns Octa Music, inc.? Is it Kevin?

"To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer." -Farmer's Almanac, 1978

Towards the end of SS, the melody is that of a kids nursery rhyme, Teddy Bears Picnic.

OMG!! THE BALLS REPRESENT 'LICK MY ASS AND BALLS'!!!
 
 
OMGOMG!!!111 ROFLCOPTER! I WAS 8 YEARS OLD ONCE!!!!!!!111oneoneone

ORIGINAL: njjdevil

OMG!! THE BALLS REPRESENT 'LICK MY ASS AND BALLS'!!!


OMGOMG!!!111 ROFLCOPTER! I WAS 8 YEARS OLD ONCE!!!!!!!111oneoneone

LOLZ! I'm 17! 1+7=8!!!! TEH NUGGETZ! with sweetnsour sauce pls kthxbye

"It's not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it" Lucius Seneca

Thanks for contributing njjdevil...great stuff there...
 

ORIGINAL: gazinwales

Towards the end of SS, the melody is that of a kids nursery rhyme, Teddy Bears Picnic.

 
I have a 2 year old kid (avatar) and definitely picked up on the teddy bears picnic melody. The actualy teddy bear song is kinda evil sounding to be a kids song.

ORIGINAL: Idrumbad
P.S. With all of this talk of numbers, 5 points to anyone who can place this reference:
"That's it! 25 is the highest number! If anyone says anything else about it, I'll shoot him."

MR. SHOW!

(sorry if anyone else already pointed this out)

A few weeks ago James Labrie had an interview somewhere.
One of the things he talked about was about their plans after 8V. (since their current label deal ended)
He soundes like there were huge ideas but he couldn't tell us more about it.
 
Since SDOIT the ending of the album is the beginning of the next album.
Though I think the next album after 8V will not start with the ending of 8V.
After 8V the balls goes back. The last note of 8V is the first note of 8V is the last note of TOT.
Then it goes back till the end of SFAM.
 
When making SDOIT I think they started to ponder about what to do after (the in those days unknown) 8V.
That's why 2 out of 8 parts of the circle on the SDOIT cover are blacked out.
Since then the albums flowing over in each other started. Untill the end of 8V, now it goes back again.
 
What if Never Enough is a hard hit at the label as well? Perhaps most at Magna Cartna and the WDADU
label. What if I walk away.......... from the labels. Never enough.....
 
They made SDOIT, TOT and 8V in a very short time.
Almost like they wanted to end their current label deal as soon as possible.
 
WDADU - TOT = Dream Theater's first octave
 
I would say that it's their last album were it not for the fact that I can't see Mike stopping with
music all together, so a "what if I would walk away" could not be directed to the fans.
And not so long ago Mike said in an interview they expected to make many more albums.
 
8V is the end of the 1st Dream Theater Era. That's what it's all about.
What will the next era bring us? I think something totally different. They have their ideas.......

That was a really good analysis CyberShy

I was wondering some of those things -the end of an era- but you explained it very well, probably better than I would have.

I wanna know what the hell "diem's ready" means. I know every reference in those two verses except for that one.

Do the TOT / SDOIT albums give new insights now?
The booklets of these albums?
 
what are new possibilities for a 9th / P2-1st album?
5.1?
DVD release?
or am I sounding like someone's who's having never enough now

I think I just made a pretty major discovery... unless someone has already pointed this out a while ago (I'll feel really stupid).

In the Intervals section of Octavarium, each stanza (or whatever it is) corresponds to each song on the album.

1. The Root of All Evil - "Our deadly sins feel his mortal wrath, remove all obstacles from our path"

2. The Answer Lies Within - "Asking questions, search for clues, the answer's been right in front of you"

3. These Walls - "Try to break through, long to connect, fall on deaf ears and failed muted breath"

4. I Walk Beside You - "Loyalty, trust, faith and desire, carries love through each darkest fire"

5. Panic Attack - "Tortured insanity, a smothering hell, try to escape but to no avail"

6. Never Enough - "The calls of admirers, who claim they adore, drain all your lifeblood while begging for more"

7. Sacrificed Sons - "Innocent victims of merciless crimes, fall prey to some madmen's impulsive designs"

8. Octavarium - "Step after step, we try controlling our fate, when we finally start living it has become too late"

MetalliTool: ye olde news
Nice to see you too here :)

Space Station One: your first step in an Odyssey that will take you to the Moon, the planets and the distant stars.

ORIGINAL: Timmutin
MetalliTool: ye olde news

Eh, I figured. It was too obvious.

Perhaps it is DM's ready which could be a D&D reference since the game was created in the late 70s.
 
That section seems to be a bunch of pop culture/music references from the late 60s/70s.
 
Mean Gene the Dance Machine lol

ORIGINAL: faustusmedea

Perhaps it is DM's ready which could be a D&D reference since the game was created in the late 70s.

That section seems to be a bunch of pop culture/music references from the late 60s/70s.

In the second part of the song (MEDICATE (Awakening)) we get to know that the "I" of the song has been in coma for 30 years...

So, we haven't yet come to a conclusion of WHAT exactly is going on in 8v the song, I mean we're talking about how it relates to all the other songs in teh album, and the artwork, and the symbolism that's all over the place, but WHAT EXACTLY is Octavarium (the song) really about? Yes, we have a tidbit from the interval's section mention, but aside from that...? What is going on? Who is this "I" in the song, the doctor, who thinks he's cured something from him, how does that relate to "Someone like Him", and how does that connect to the Intervals section and "Full Circle" section? What's the story in this song?  

"It's not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it" Lucius Seneca

ORIGINAL: Luchitos

So, we haven't yet come to a conclusion of WHAT exactly is going on in 8v the song, I mean we're talking about how it relates to all the other songs in teh album, and the artwork, and the symbolism that's all over the place, but WHAT EXACTLY is Octavarium (the song) really about? Yes, we have a tidbit from the interval's section mention, but aside from that...? What is going on? Who is this "I" in the song, the doctor, who thinks he's cured something from him, how does that relate to "Someone like Him", and how does that connect to the Intervals section and "Full Circle" section? What's the story in this song?  

My 0.02 euros: it's just a prog suite. It's just telling a story... maybe some simbolism about their lives... but not too much IMO. Nuggets are intended to be funny little things, not deep meanings - why would someone hide something if he thinks it's the main message to convey?

ORIGINAL: AraGosT

ORIGINAL: Luchitos

So, we haven't yet come to a conclusion of WHAT exactly is going on in 8v the song, I mean we're talking about how it relates to all the other songs in teh album, and the artwork, and the symbolism that's all over the place, but WHAT EXACTLY is Octavarium (the song) really about? Yes, we have a tidbit from the interval's section mention, but aside from that...? What is going on? Who is this "I" in the song, the doctor, who thinks he's cured something from him, how does that relate to "Someone like Him", and how does that connect to the Intervals section and "Full Circle" section? What's the story in this song?  

My 0.02 euros: it's just a prog suite. It's just telling a story... maybe some simbolism about their lives... but not too much IMO. Nuggets are intended to be funny little things, not deep meanings - why would someone hide something if he thinks it's the main message to convey?

Exactly, but we still don't know what is going on, and I for one would like to know a bit better the situation, what's going on. In ACOS for example, we know it's about Mike and all, and it's quite clear, but here it appears to be deeper than this. I don't know, I like to find deeper meaning in things. Besides, the song in itself is not giving any clues as to what is going on with whomever it's about. Been 30 years where? Be like whom?

Because, as much as it can be about themselves and the band, the song itself, aside from its relation to the band, tells a particular story in its lyrics and music, a trip, if you will, through that particular reality, and I'd like to know the circumstances of this song's story.

"It's not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it" Lucius Seneca

First let me say I love Octavarium.  Now, I think I've noticed something in the music/audio that no one else has mentioned in this thread.
 
At the end of "These Walls," in the transitional track between it and "I Walk Beside You," we have the heartbeat.  Immediately after the third heart beat I can hear a tiny pop out of the left speaker channel.  You may have to crank your volume a bit to hear this.
 
So I'm wondering, could it be a nugget or simple mastering glitch?  It could simply be a spot between two audio splices that didn't get smoothed down perfectly.  Or is our beating heart about to pop or something...?
 
Anyone else hear the "pop" ?
 

The train has left the station ...

ORIGINAL: Luchitos

Exactly, but we still don't know what is going on, and I for one would like to know a bit better the situation, what's going on. In ACOS for example, we know it's about Mike and all, and it's quite clear, but here it appears to be deeper than this. I don't know, I like to find deeper meaning in things. Besides, the song in itself is not giving any clues as to what is going on with whomever it's about. Been 30 years where? Be like whom?

Because, as much as it can be about themselves and the band, the song itself, aside from its relation to the band, tells a particular story in its lyrics and music, a trip, if you will, through that particular reality, and I'd like to know the circumstances of this song's story.

I completely Agree. We'll have to wait for MP for some explanation ... this story IS greatly PROG (yes, all CAPS), and to be precise the kind of PROG I like the most :D

(gee, we could fill dtfaq.com with just this thread...)

Octavarium is good.

(\__/)
(O.o )
(> < ) This is Bunny. Copy Bunny into your signature to help him on his way to world domination.

The arpeggio that the strings play near the very end of Octavarium is an 8-note arpeggio.

OK i know someone asked what the 5:8 relationship was about and i dont know if anyone has said this though. Maybe the 5:8 relationship has to do with the perfect chord progression. In tonal harmony the first thing that someone learns is that the V is the perfect setup chord for 1...which is the same as 8. if the V to I chord resembles the perfect chord progression, then maybe its symbolic of the circle...which many can view as the perfect shape. its perfect in both ways. just a thought...

I'm still wondering what the deal is w/ those "footstep" sounds at the beginning of TROAE.
Any ideas??

I'm too lazy to look through this whole thread to see if it's been said yet or not.

Probably, because it seemed pretty obvious to me.

Jingle Bells during the title track, around 17:50

Maybe it's already been mentioned

"If you ever fall off a tall building like the Sears Tower, go real limp, and maybe someone will think you're a dummy and catch you, because hey, free dummy"

ORIGINAL: Luchitos

So, we haven't yet come to a conclusion of WHAT exactly is going on in 8v the song, I mean we're talking about how it relates to all the other songs in teh album, and the artwork, and the symbolism that's all over the place, but WHAT EXACTLY is Octavarium (the song) really about? Yes, we have a tidbit from the interval's section mention, but aside from that...? What is going on? Who is this "I" in the song, the doctor, who thinks he's cured something from him, how does that relate to "Someone like Him", and how does that connect to the Intervals section and "Full Circle" section? What's the story in this song?  

+1

Any idea what the vocals and noises are during Part IV Intervals on the title track?

ORIGINAL: Twist

OK i know someone asked what the 5:8 relationship was about and i dont know if anyone has said this though. Maybe the 5:8 relationship has to do with the perfect chord progression. In tonal harmony the first thing that someone learns is that the V is the perfect setup chord for 1...which is the same as 8. if the V to I chord resembles the perfect chord progression, then maybe its symbolic of the circle...which many can view as the perfect shape. its perfect in both ways. just a thought...

 
In functional harmony, a V -> I progression is called a "Circle Progression". Thus, the circular theme has surfaced once again in the 5 and 8 theme of this album.

never herad it called that...but sweet! anyone think maybe thats what the 5:8 relationship is about?

We'll meet again my friend, some day soon.

this wouldnt suprise me coming from mike portnoy
 
listen to octavarium, at exactly 18:54 you can hear what sounds like mike portnoy burping (from the video preview he released of the octavarium drums)
 
funny!!

PEE POOP

a couple things about that section
 
thats actually MP saying Third in a very low voice as many people have already mentioned
also right before that the whole craziness was so D.O.E
When Jlb is screaming you can hear what sound like lyrics to another song on this album
& its just like that section in that one TOT song that has this Demonic sort of distorted JLB singing (i know you can be 1 w/ god & man).
 

yeah it does loL!

Speaking of 5:8 being like a V:I progression, maybe this is also a reference to the CIRCLE of FIFTHS. The story comes full circle to where it begins. And 'fifths' is another reference to the 5 band members.
 
Maybe I need some sleep.

ORIGINAL: BigDrahma

OH NOS! I founded anuthr NUGGGETT!

8+5 = 13 = How many fingers Jordan Rudess has!!! WOW!!!

LOL!!!!!!!!!! Good one man! I laughed... loud! hehehe
 

ORIGINAL: Arkhayne

Was wondering if anyone can make out what the voice in the background says at the 14:00 point during Octavarium?

 
Yeah dude.... I can make out, really well actually.
It's been mentioned a few times in the thread already.
It's the whole "This is were we came in" thing : http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/fb.aspx?m=884285
 

ORIGINAL: silentman

Not sure if there's any significance to this at all, but the 8-ball appears to float over the felt of the table since the shadow is not touching the ball.  Why?

Cause it's sexier that way yo!
 
 
 
 
Okay so, here's some ideas behind the actual "Octavarium" concept.
 
It has been said that 8V is the new ACOS. In such thinking, one might expect 8V to have some 'life lesson' type message. ( ACOS is renound for having a "Seize the Day" message, hence it also(in a more general way) has a very 'reflect on your life' type message too.) So, just to say, I think that's basically the idea behind it: It's giving a 'life lesson' message kinda thing (I think that makes sense, it does to me) The message this time, instead of being "Seize the day" is about how history repeats itself. It's about how there's nothing truely NEW in life and everything is just recycled. It's about how so much is passed on from one generation to the next, from father to son. And about how it will always be this way.
 
Quick over view of the lyrics yo:
 
SOMEONE LIKE HIM: appears to be the classic story of a son who doesn't want to be like his father. Then he ends up becoming like him anyway. (even more, he realises at the end of this section that he DOES want to be like him.)
 
next MEDICATE (Awakening) hehehe I must admit remains quite mysterious to me. The fact that Doctor is capitalized bafflz me.  It makes me think that perhaps the whole section is a metaphore.
At any rate, the general gist of this 2nd section seems clear: he feels he's been missing out on life. (for 30 years where have I been). He's obviously understood something now though.
The last stanza states "I feel the relaps" It's like he's backsliding. Like he can't help but stay in his ways notwithstanding his revelation.
As I said, I don't know about this one.
The other possiblility is that HE had an accident that changed his life. Dono.
 
Next FULL CIRCLE Mike here cleaverly puts forth the idea that everything is recycled. (I think it's obvious enough how..... no?! Pfffffffff)
 
INTERVALS retraces the steps of the actual album, but also paints a beautiful and painfully accurate picture of the human race's story since the dawn of time.
 
"Step after step
We try controlling our fate
When we finally start living it has become too late"
 
This, the same feeling that birthed Carpe Diem has been around for as long as man kind. And it will never leave us, we're trapped inside this OC TA VA RI UM!
 
RAZOR'S EDGE simply clarifies the concept: We move in circles - This story ends where it began
 
 
Granted details lack, but this must be the general message behind the song.
 
Fuckin brilliant.
 
 
 
 
 
okay here's some other shit.
It was mentioned in one of the first pages that the maze has 8 openings. It also has 8 blocking walls (the ones pointing inwards to the center of the maze)
 
It's been mentioned (more than once) that the boy talking a listening may represent us and that kinda stuff. I think it's a simple message (to us or whoever) that we should always listen before we talk.
 
I can't believe we have no clue who the freakin chick is! WTF is up with that??!?!?! hahahaha!!!
 
okay, I might be smoking something on this one: the whole front cover (and the back side of it where the chick is) seems to have something more to it. I don't mean something small. I mean something that covers the whole thing.
I was thinking mayeb it's one of the 3d things. Last night I was on a bus and pretty tired. But I blurred my eyes the way you do to look at one of those 3d pic things. and I swear it worked.... but this was after I stared at it upside down for half an hour. oh btw, it works better if your try the 3d thing looking at it upside down. hahaha
 
and I have another nugget, that I'm REALLY suprised noone has noticed, but I'm not going to share it until I'm really sure..... which I hope will be very soon now. Sorry.
 
okay enough of this madness for now yo. PEace!