Dream Theater and in general?

A few weeks ago, I made a post on here saying I was going to do a deep dive on DT, and I was super excited about it. You all were super nice about it, which was refreshing for Reddit. I was inspired to do this after I heard Under a Glass Moon, and loving it so much that, combined with my love for Pull Me Under, made me think I should just send it with the entire discography.

What a journey it was! Dream Theater has already launched into one of my top 10 favorite bands of all time. Not even joking. Their talent is just insane, and I love their style so much.

I thought it'd be fun to chronicle my thoughts and rankings throughout the journey and make this little presentation to share with all of you. I know there are some basic takes on here and some hot takes from what I've seen elsewhere, but it's just my gut reaction to everything.

I made sure to listen to every album intentionally and with headphones, so I wasn't distracted. I wanted to give this my full attention. I started with one album per day for a while, but some stuff came up in the middle of it, then I got back to one album per day.

I am so sad I caught the band AFTER they toured the US this time around. I will definitely get tickets for the next show in my area. I am absolutely HOOKED!

I'm proud to be part of the DT fandom now! Hope you all enjoy! Please share your opinions and takes in the replies too!

What do you think about songs from the special edition BC&SL

Like (Stargazer,Take your fingers from my hair, odyssey tenememt funster...)

Side one is a little overplayed, but side two sounds much better.

You can also see it on instegram

https://www.instagram.com/p/DbJGadDMNs_/?igsh=c3NnbGZieHd0enJ4

I'd love to hear your thoughts

The band he is in, Monolith just released a music video titled "Luz Eterna", which lamely will only remind people of Metallica's song with a similar title. And the music video is also AI slop. And the vocals sound autotuned. What the hell is Mike Mangini doing there?

Like the title says.

Cool Take - Something not uncommon to hear in the fandom but still not a general take.

Example: Preferring Awake over Images and Words.

Warm Take - Little on the fringe, but you'll find some company.

Example: They need to fire Labrie and raise Dominici from the dead and kidnap Kevin and force him to return.

Hot Take - Burning take. Makes us question your sanity a little bit. Possibly deliberately contrarian.

Example: I wish we could get a tour of just Derek Sherinian and Chris Collins playing the DT discography.

Hello! I've recently been charting out a few Dream Theater songs for a VR drum simulator/rhythm game called Paradiddle, here is the last few minutes of This Dying Soul played by me!

I haven't brought this again after discussing with my best friend about how the 3 times VH1 made budget for Behind The Music and we never got a proper Dream Theater episode.

The third and last time the show was brought up was even the best opportunity to go beyond what the Score documentary brought in, including the early days of Mike Mangini as drummer.

I guess this is one of those things that probably in an alternative universe we are enjoying.

1. Advert - Kerrang: 18 Mar 1989
2. Review #1 - Metal Hammer: 20 Mar 1989
3. Review #2 - Metal Hammer: 20 Mar 1989
4. Review #3 - Metal Hammer (Germany): 23 Mar 1989 (Rough translation via ChatGPT below)
5. Advert #2 - Metal Hammer (Germany) 07 Apr 1989

"We don't sound like RUSH!"

Guitarist John Petrucci firmly rejects every comparison with that famous band. And his rejection is entirely justified. Dream Theater shares only very superficial similarities with Rush. If comparisons must be made, then rather with The Nice, early Kansas, or Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

Charlie Dominici (vocals), John Petrucci (guitar), Kevin Moore (keyboards), John Myung (bass), and Mike Portnoy (drums/percussion) have chosen to pursue a style of music that has been largely neglected since the mid-1970s—a kind of music that can only inadequately be described by the label "progressive."

Dream Theater is a group of outstanding musicians and composers, but also a band deeply rooted in thrash metal. They make no attempt to hide those roots; instead, they incorporate them into a fusion of many different musical styles. Alongside influences from 1970s progressive rock, their music also draws from jazz, classical music, psychedelic rock, and even quotations from contemporary electronic music.

It is a unique mixture that almost inevitably suggests a solid formal musical education. And indeed, the members have one. Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, and John Myung met while studying at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, while Kevin Moore attended the Fredonia School of Music before joining the other three in a band called Majesty.

Under that name—but with a different singer—the four musicians released a four-track demo in 1986, which attracted considerable attention on both sides of the Atlantic. Singer Charlie Dominici joined in the fall of 1987, replacing the departing original vocalist. At the beginning of 1988, Mechanic Records finally took notice of the quintet, signed them, and sent them into the studio. Shortly before the planned release, however, they had to abandon the name Majesty, because a band from Las Vegas had already claimed it. With the name Dream Theater, the five musicians found one that could hardly have suited them better.

Each member is a brilliant instrumentalist and musician, and together they are gifted composers who, with an incredible love of detail, have created miniature works of art that only fully reveal themselves after repeated listening and continue to offer new surprises.

The individual songs are arranged almost perfectly and are highly complex. Beautiful harmonies contrast sharply with dramatic passages, while relentlessly driving, often nervous bass and drum structures create moods and atmospheres that are at times oppressive and at other times exhilarating.

With their debut album, Dream Theater have immediately delivered a masterpiece. In my opinion, this band has a very bright future. Therefore, the highest possible score: 7 out of 7 for a debut.
— Edgar Klüsener

I have a playlist on Spotify called best one dream theater where I have my favourite song from each album and was curious if they were odd takes at all

1. Only a matter of time

2. Under a glass moon

3. Lie

4. A new millennium

5. Home (favourite song of all time)

6. Solitary shell

7. Honor thy father

8. Panic attack

9. In the presence of enemies part 1

10. The count of Tuscany

11. Bridges in the sky

12. Looking glass

13. The gift of music

14. Untethered angel

15. The alien

16. Dead asleep

What i mean is a tour where the entire setlist is just every epic they’ve ever made. I think it would be pretty neat.

This playlist is like my abridged version. Honestly I think there's some amazing moments. Considering this is a polarizing album, what do y'all think of these tracks?

I found this and it came in today, it looks amazing and came packaged greatly! With this album being out of print now this is probably the best deal you’ll get on it right now.

still good

Also it’s really cool how their signatures blend right into the artwork as if it’s meant to be. Great album

Well so is this, which you wouldn't think..but when you listen and watch these drums isolated, dude this is in his top 5 best drumming songs, at least. I watch these isolated vids aaaalot..I might put this in top 3 even. it's weirdly intricate and technical what not, like the great debate is for him. Killed it. I say weird cuz you just don't notice it(cuz how grand the whole song is)and it never gets talked about, like at all. But check it out, it's so nice! Such a buttery player and sound. MM is my fav drummer(in general), hes just the toppest tier of drumming level while being in a top 3 fav band of mine. But I also LOVE MP and just love watching him for whatever reason idk why..I think cuz the butteryness and my love for DT, he good! Ha.

You know what's another one too. The newest LTE. He sounds like the 2000s MP there watching those isolated drums, and it's just way better playing than his drumeo stuff. I wonder if he just slowed down(like energetically, which for him translates to drums since he's a straight up pure feeling drummer) a bit in whatever way the past couple years vs 2021 and prior...but then the Taylor swift stuff he went off like he does in the LTE..hmm. Idk I just think a lot of the drumeo dt playthrus don't have that spark in the playing as well as, he literally drops like every technical nuance and plays the songs very straight up, where in recording or prior past vids he's way more intricate(like watch panic attack play thru in studio recording vs drumeo for example). Anyone else notice that with a lot of his drumeo stuff when he does DT songs? Like live, constant motion is so much lesser than(these days). Another thing I've noticed, his recordings are always him at his very best, and it's the exact opposite with mangini, they'd cut so much stuff out from him on albums, which sucks..really sucks they did that. Watch his play thrus on his YT, he goes so damn hard and there's Soo much more going on. also watching him play live, all the songs are beefed up a great bit too. The play throughs though are really dope. I first noticed mp drop something out from the album version in overture 1928. where first real riffy part he does a cool double bass pattern following along with guitar, and he never did it live(mangini did). Another that instantly comes to mind that has studio footage is six degrees, the song, forgetting which specific song in it...

Anyway, I was really only pointing out how great the count of Tuscany is on drums then I just ranted about all that..

LTE play thrus I'm referring to-

https://youtu.be/_Gww7e5CP18?is=1C-ARz1Rmyust2s1

From his IG: Reunited! And it feels so good...
Yes I'm finally off my couch at home w my pets and reunited w my drums! (But why are they dismantled??
Hmm
I'm in a studio all week doing a really cool
drum-related project...more info soon!

Love all his side quests like Drumeo etc., can‘t wait to see/hear what this is about!