A Nightmare to Remember is better, but it's still pretty awful to me.

So am I...

 

Why do we have to try to convince people of liking whatever we like? Is it that we're insecure of our tastes or of the intelligence or quality of those tastes tyhat we desperately need more people to confirm our predilections?

 

Personally, we should better stopgiving a f**k about what people think of the music we like. 

 

Anyway, as with any other band with a 20+ year career, one just can't wait for revolutionary albums every single time... Awake little people! Your loved bands that put music so revolutionary right now will be doing the same sh*t if you give them enough time! Just wait to see if any of your bands lasts 20+ years and let's see then... If every damn album is revolutionary, well, we'll agree:

 

it was worth all your precious time.

 

I haven't heard the track released. I'm going to listen to the album in its entirety in june 23. I'll be going to their concert in prognation also. I'll have to endure Zappa plays Zappa but what the hell...

 

Oh... And I like Forsaken. There are other DT songs I don't like (I don't like them ALL) but Forsaken is quite appealing to me. Maybe I'm a pop-b*****d after all.  

 

Depressive club. Why don't you start something positive for a change? Like "The club of people who like Band X" instead of the "club of people who gave up on band Y"....

 

I'll take what they throw at me... Unless it is like 6DOIT's first disc, I will probably like it, if maybe not adore it.   

 

This 24 hours are enough. Some of the downloaders will upload it to illegal places and they could be downloaded for free. That's the way it goes these days, unfortunately.

I guess you are right. 

But listening to that song made me think that they are using the same formula over and over again on their latests releases. where's the innovation and spark  that made them the masters of prog metal way back in the 90's. I'm not saying I want another I&W  but they certainly can create something new and fresh...we'll see how the entire new album is

Why do we have to try to convince people of liking whatever we like? Is it that we're insecure of our tastes or of the intelligence or quality of those tastes tyhat we desperately need more people to confirm our predilections?"
That's why I'm not getting whether it's aimed at mine or Mike's.
I didn't like the track I heard anyway, well the 2 tracks I've heard, so I can hardly convince anyone of liking what I like if I didn't even like it
Wouldn't say I'm insecure about my tastes either.
I openly admitted at school to liking classical music and jazz a while back and as usual, got flamed for it. Most people in a school environment where you need to fit an image of "cool" and "popular", even if they were jazz or classical fans, would most likely keep it in the closet because of how insecure they would feel knowing their peers would beat down on them.
I'm a very f**king weird person with weird habits, behavioral patterns (borderline OCD and the list doess't stop there) etc and very open about it. Hardly insecure if you ask me.

And anyway, no where did I say any band has to release album upon album of revolutionary music, and that term is somewhat subjective anyway.
I just want to hear albums of a band improving upon themselves as musicians, and putting out great, inspiring music. Dream Theater hasn't done any of that for me in recent years and the latest clips have shown me nothing has changed, the band has reached a point of stagnation.
I can think of many bands where over the last 5 or 10 years, where the musicianship increased a lot and the song writing skill improved dramatically. And there are signs these bands are going to stop yet.
Frank Zappa released more than 2 and a half decades worth of music in the time that he was alive that was challenging and pushed him as a musician, with no compromise.
It can be done if an artist is willing to put in the effort.
Dream Theater are only content to release album after album of what is starting to get really samey prog metal.
As individuals, they are gifted musicians, I cannot argue with that.
But as a collective, their output is nowhere near as challenging for them as musicians, as what they could potentially do.
I'm not asking for the band to revolutionize prog metal once again, because that's a huge ask that's just too much for anyone.
I was just hoping the band was going to put out albums of stuff that shows they are inspired enough as musicians to push themselves to new heights, rather than leaving the bar for themselves at the same level it has been for years.

 

And of course, I understand all of what Harry says, since it's pretty logical. I think we all can agree DT's revolutionary phase is way behind them now...

 

it's actually when a band's career enters the not-revolutionary stage when those who will always be fans appear... those who will listen to their music even if it's just slightly different from time to time. That's what any fanbase of a music band is based upon. Everybody can be fan of the novelty thing... Those who stick for ever are fans in the real sense of the word. Not a qualifying term anyway, it's neither good nor band to be a fan, but it's an explanation of what it means.

 

Hell... AC/DC started repeating themselves in the second record.... And using just three chords! DT at least uses tons of them...

 

Yes, it's definitely a matter of inspiration. Dream Theater's recent music has not been backed by genuine feeling and inspiration. The thing is, if you're inspired, you're going to find a way to have your own sound, own identity, etc. It's not necessarily "experimentation" we're looking for, but rather an obviously creative, singular effort. Dream Theater's first few albums aren't what anyone would consider "experimental" music, but the band was definitely experimenting with new ideas for songwriting and performing constantly. This kept each album fresh and all the while DT never lost their identity. Now DT is just fooling around with styles for fun and such and it's not really from the heart. The songs on Systematic Chaos weren't bad songs; they were definitely written and performed by skilled musicians. They just weren't great songs. And with all the great music that exists out there, why would I want to settle of merely good music? 

 

These new songs don't have an identity, and they don't have any soul. That's the main problem. And unfortunately for DT, they're not the only muscians capable of playing what they play anymore. Nowdays, there are bands that can play just as fast and just as complex of rhythm patterns and so on. And many of them are doing something that still sounds fresh, not just modifying the DT formula.

 

There are still plenty of bands doing new things, but only the truly inspired, passionate ones are the ones that you'll find yourself listening to. I agree that many great bands start to lose inspiration after 10-20 years. It's the same thing that happened to the greats of the 70s. I'm not disappointed in the least in them. It's completely understandable. And it's not like I don't have enough new music to listen to that I actually find to be great. Dream Theater will always have a special place in my life, but their reign over the world of progressive metal is obviously over.

 

Well... I like it. The main riff is just OK... Sounds very Octavarium-meets-SChaos.... but the chorus is actually almost a return, in melody, to the times of SFAM.... I like it very much. Yes, the song doesn't brek any new barriers... Well... DT have been around for more than 20 years... They don't HAVE to break any barriers anymore... leave that to new bands who are in that experimenting stage of their lives... At least this song is a good indication that I will enjoy the record.

 

The video is quite cool too. I don't like music videos that much but it was nice. Like the dark atmosphere. In general, I don't care for videos. But it's kinda cool.

 

 

 

It's not that DT isn't breaking any new barriers, it's that they don't sound inspired.

 

The way the video was pulled off, plus the kind of poppy chorus made me think of Nightwish. I don't really know. They seem to be headed in that direction. Though the tempo change/more metallic riffing bridge in the middle of "A Rite of Passage" totally made me think of Trivium, so they're probably leaning towards more metal stuff too.

That is freaking hilarious. There's nothing more epic than playing in a fake snowstorm!

They probably planned the snowstorm beforehand and then wrote lyrics to fit it.

What the hell, everyone to his own.

I know that I'm going to enjoy the album, DT hasn't disappointed me yet.

There, I said it. Only now I can't go out anymore for fear of getting lynched in the marketplace.

At the very least I've just lost any prog-cred. Yo, Bitches! this honkey mofo gonna take HIT (or something).

Sorry, gotta go now and practise some handshakes.