Dream Theater Poll

1) Somebody mentioned the fact that DT might scare people away from listening to Prog.  I would think that bands like Magma and Can would do the same if a mainstream music fan was listening to them for the first time.  Does this mean that we should stop giving attention to bands like those as well?

2) When DT "go metal" it does not automatically ruin the music.  Utilising the whole musical spectrum in terms of soft/heavy as bands like Opeth and DT do is nothing but beneficial.  It's great to have a band that can use both beautiful melodies and crushing heavy metal, especially within the same song.  The juxaposition is terrific!  If timed right, a metal riff can be just as moving as a quiet melody line.

3) I really wish people would stop referring to DT purely as "great musicians".  They are great musicians, some of the best I've ever seen, but this merely fuels the critisism that they are all about pointless never-ending solos rather than songs.  This is completely untrue.  Just listen to pieces like Learning To LIve, A Change Of Seasons and Beyond This Life.  In terms of song-writing alone, DT are a fantastic band.

There is, incidentally, not a doubt in my mind that DT are Prog.  Just because their roots are in metal rather than rock, folk or jazz doesn't make them any less so.

I've said my piece.

arcer wrote: To me it's just juvenile, teen angst-ridden, overbearing, overstated bellowing. And really, really takes itself way too seriously.

...and the problem with that is...?

Oh wait, bands should never take themselves seriously, should they - bands like Yes, ELP, Genesis, King Crimson...

FloydWright wrote: Hey, I'm a woman and I liked Train of Thought! Aaaaanyway...Valarius, how would you describe A Change of Seasons? What other albums of theirs does it compare best to, if any? I guess I'm kinda hesitant about purchasing DT albums I don't know something about in advance.

"Images And Words", "Awake"... any of them really. It's just one of those essential albums that you should get! Although "ACOS" (the song) is 20 minutes long, it's the only original on the album. Along with it are 4 covers recorded live. But that doesn't matter, because it's still an amazing album!

That's what I thought until I tracked down a copy of their debut album. Yes there's jazz inflections on it, but I also hear a lot of bits and pieces that remind me of some sections of "Words and Images".

Jazz does have a place in prog - consider many of the Canterbury bands - or even "21st Century Schizoid Man"

I've only listened to UK's debut once - I bought it on Saturday for 50p - but liked it instantly; It sounded like Colosseum II but without the bluff. Gary Moore may be a wonderful guitarist - and a helpful roadie (I'll tell you the story sometime ), but on the 2 Colosseum albums I own he bluffs his heart out. Holdsworth's style on UK's debut is almost proto-shredding - a joy to behold, you might say

Certif1ed wrote: [QUOTE=Azrael2112] Comparing Metallica to Dream Theater is ridiculous. Though Metallica in their early days did dabble in "prog-like" areas. They are by no means prog.

It's by no means a ridiculous comparison - there are riffs on "Images
and Words" that are almost directly lifted from "...And Justice for
All" - plus DT covered the entire "Master of Puppets"
album. The Metallica influence is VERY strong - Metallica
were well ahead of their time back in 1988, and I would consider both
"Master..." and "...And Justice..." to be at least proto prog
metal albums. Although maybe UK came closer, in 1978.

Reed Lover wrote: Ugghhh, I'd rather play a cherub at Netherland ranch, than listen to anymore DT!

Couldn't agree more, between James LaBrie's unlistenable screeching and the pointless post-Al DiMeola math-rock w**kery, I'll pass on these guys altogether.

Lunarscape wrote: Why in the first place label heavy metal bands as progressive metal ? Uriah Heep, Deep Purple were heavy metal bands with guitars in the straight blues lanes and backed by heavy Hammond organ tunes. Both Hensley and Lord got world wide recognition as hammond players. Why the prog label....DT is just another band , non prog, heavy metal...as Metallica. The band that comes closest to progressive rock is Queensryche... ________ Lunar

Agreed, as I have gathered from this thread and poll DT is a stepingstone band for metal fans to get into prog.  I will never see DT as a true prog group at all.  The best definition of prog I have ever seen is located here http://www.kinesiscd.com/philosophy.htm.  This is the Kinesis label's defintion and I do not think that DT embrases it.  I have probably opened up a whole new can of worms.  sorry

Ah now he could sing - his version of Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter kicked ass!!!

In response to my 'narrow-minded' view of metal, some asked how much I've listened to. Too much, I started out with Motorhead, took in all the classics along the way and sneaked off for a taste of Metallica et al - then I became an adult

sorry, it's just not my taste anymore - regardless of the 'intensity' 'superior musicianship' 'emotion' I just find it laughable Spinal Tap nonsense (not that certain aspects of classic prog aren't similarly Tap-ish - 'a flower?')

To me it's just juvenile, teen angst-ridden, overbearing, overstated bellowing. And really, really takes itself way too seriously.

Lighten up prog-matallers, adolescent acne does clear up!!!