Dream Theater - Black Clouds and Silver Linings

I know these guys can be a typical whipping band for Close-minded thrashmetal noobs, metalcore faggots, and many other musically un-inclined critics (with no preference for anything better). However, that should be put aside, because in truth, Dream Theater is amazing no matter what, and their new album is bound for release!

The amazing album art is revealed already:


And the tracks have been announced!
1. "A Nightmare to Remember"
2. "A Rite of Passage"
3. "Wither"
4. "The Shattered Fortress"
5. "The Best of Times"
6. "The Count of Tuscany"

To support this tour, they will be performing in the ProgNation 2009 tour, Mike Portnoy's brainchild, alongside bands such as Zappa Plays Zappa, Beardfish, and Pain of Salvation (Opeth was also announced to follow the tour for the European leg).

hmmm, Dream Theater.....i bought their 'Greatest Hits' album....i was astounded by the pretentiousness of their booklet introduction....but decided to give them a try anyway - gave both CD's a couple spins each and i wasn't particularly impressed.

perhaps their 'greatest hits' that they chose themselves isn't a good place to start with them i'm guessing, otherwise....well....id rather not give them another shot

Vggamegod wrote:

hmmm, Dream Theater.....i bought their 'Greatest Hits' album....i was astounded by the pretentiousness of their booklet introduction....but decided to give them a try anyway - gave both CD's a couple spins each and i wasn't particularly impressed.

perhaps their 'greatest hits' that they chose themselves isn't a good place to start with them i'm guessing, otherwise....well....id rather not give them another shot

Sadly that album...was not great at all.
I'd recommend trying their full length releases like "Awake", "Images and Words", and "Octavarium"
Bloody hell, the greatest hits album included only like 3-4 favorites of mine.

Try these songs
-Under a Glass Moon
-The Glass Prison
-Home
-Panic Attack
-6:00
-The Mirror
-In the Presence of Enemies Part 2

Besides, they're a band that likes to tool with their audience.
The Greatest Hit and 21 other pretty cool songs album was a great way to do that, as well as some of their official bootlegs, and the fact they never play the same setlist each concert.

to be perfectly honest, i have a hard time with music that is too progressive, i enjoy consistent, catchy melodies. Dream Theater has some good melodies, but sadly they fade quickly for another chance to choose complexity over melody....

Dream Theater has awesome musicians and complex songwriting....perhaps i'm too simple-minded for them, must have catchy, consistent melodies!

Vggamegod wrote:

to be perfectly honest, i have a hard time with music that is too progressive, i enjoy consistent, catchy melodies. Dream Theater has some good melodies, but sadly they fade quickly for another chance to choose complexity over melody....

Dream Theater has awesome musicians and complex songwriting....perhaps i'm too simple-minded for them, must have catchy, consistent melodies!

That's up to you.
I'm a big fan of super technical and overt time signatures.

i'll probably give them a few listens on youtube after that new album releases just to see if they'll grow on me, hehe - as i do with many bands i didnt like before.

never know, could grow on me

I think this album is going to be very nice, as I may believe the album cover.

looking forward to this one for sure

Petrucci is your God

I have a lot of Gods.
Ashmedi is the nicest though

lol wtf band is he in? looks like a badass

Vggamegod wrote:

lol wtf band is he in? looks like a badass

Melechesh, black/oriental/thrash from Israel

Dream Theater is one of my favourites bands but I'm not sure I'm gonna but the album... I think I will not listening to the whole songs...

BuzzPhil wrote:

Dream Theater is one of my favourites bands but I'm not sure I'm gonna but the album... I think I will not listening to the whole songs...

Too bad, it's their best album ever.
It beats Images and Words, yes, I said it.
It is the best Prog Metal album (next to Watershed and Still Life )

This doesn't seem as impressive as some of their older stuff, from the little I've heard myself.
I'm looking forward to it, though.

mine should be in tomorrow

AJ190 wrote:

This doesn't seem as impressive as some of their older stuff, from the little I've heard myself.
I'm looking forward to it, though.

It's a bit of a darker sound.
For me, I like darker in progressive metal.

I still like it, just not as much.

I'd put it after:
#1 - Awake
#2 - Images and Words (Or turds?)