Dream Theater - "A Dramatic Turn Of Events"

darkshade wrote: I consider this album as a transitional album, for obvious reasons, but also because Mangini wasn't involved in the writing sessions. I have great expectations for DT12 Anyway, as far as being able to hearrrrrrrr Myung, I would say BC&SL is the only allllbum where you literally can't hear him. Sure it's hard sometimes during SC or ToT, but he's there. He IS the msot audible on ADTOE since Octavarium, and maybe Train of Thought, but he hasn't had such prominent parts since at least SDOIT. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Maybe it's just because I have my bass turned way up as a bass player, but Myung's parts in ToT seem to stand out more than they do on any other album as a whole... He has killer lines in every song on the album and a lot of them are what hold the songs together.
I am digging the renewed Myung on ADTOE, though, and the fact that he's writing music again means great things for DT; some of their best songs are the ones he's written.

darkshade wrote: Well, it happened.......  shhh.... This album is going to be sick. Easily their best album since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, but I honestly think it will surpass both that and Scenes From A Memory. There is a lot going on and I'll be buying it the day it comes out. From what I'm hearing from others online, this album beats out every other Rudess-era album by a large margin. This album comes out in 8-9 days; depending on where you live. Anyone else excited?

I do agree it's their best since 6DoIT. Not sure about Scenes, but that's my favorite. Still, ADToE is pretty awesome. "Breaking All Illusions" is such a fine tune. Their best in a long time.

E

I think the album has some great moments, really some of the best in DT's recent history, but it also has lots some moments where the instrumental pyrotechnia/masturbation take away from the cohesion and integrity of the simpled-structured songs. In the end all songs are rather simple in form but expanded through instrumental sections that sometimes are brilliant and sometimes are a chore to listen to. The melodic segments in between sometimes fail to glue everything together. It would seem that that at times DT are trying too hard to be DT.

The drumming is good. Just as expected. The recording has more soul than previous recordings with a bass that can be heard much more clearly (though it was always there). I like the importance the keyboards have received this time around. Overall, the album dances between a 5/5 and a 3/5. That would make it a 4, wouldn't it? Let's see if it improves with time and after the concert I'll attend in one month.

This is easily the band's best album since "Train of Tought." Well, I'm suspect to talk about a Dream Theater album because I gave them all (with the exception of "When Dream and Day Unite") classificção of 5 stars, but ADToE pulled me an indescribableway. After hearing him insane in the last days I can say that there is no weak track (even"On the Backs of Angels" and "Lost Not Forgotten" sounds good to me now).

We must determine two things: a) Myung's bass is <i>a little</i> more prominent now (in BC it was inaudible and SL, which is a shame), but I think he deserved much morespace band, b) the overall sound of the album is more upbeat and less dark thanprevious albums - not that sound more brutal was a problem, but I just hate <i>growls of death</i> and they were mined my patience with the band's music.

The album sometimes sounds like a recap of everything the band ever made, but thesecliches are good, believe me! In addition, there are some interesting elements (I liked the techno beats).

This is the album of the year in my opinion and one of the best DT.

But Myung was never very prominent, I can barely hear any bass on a lot of DT's albums. Shame because he is good.

Also, while my favorite album was maybe their heaviest I do like the more keyboard, melodic prog driven style.

I wish I was a collab so that my 5 star rated review (when I eventually write it), will bump the rating even higher 

ADTOE is the first album since this site has been created where a new DT album has a 4.0+ rating after 150 ratings. I see this being their first 4.0+ album since SDoIT

Andyman1125 wrote: JJLehto wrote: Andyman1125 wrote: JJLehto wrote: CCVP wrote: JJLehto wrote: Sounds good Mike. Without doubt, this is different and IMO better than their last 3 albums. My opinion is still the same: There are good songs and really boring ones and right now sitting at 3 stars. Will give it time to grow on me but yeah, that's what I got. Better album then we've seen in a while but same DT problems: inconsistent and I really just do not like James' vocals. Speaking of which "Bridges in the Sky" pisses me off That's because I really like the concept of the intro, the drone singing (and overall intro) is cool as hell but it's executed poorly. Sounds like he's having a very prolonged belch. Bugs me because I like the idea a lot and that would've been ballin if done well.   IDK, from what I hear in YT, I didn't liked it that much. I still preffer Black Clouds and I still think it was one of the best albums they have put out, despite what some think. . . . . *cough* BRIAN *cough* Oh yeah, that one grew on me and it's up to 2.5 now Then change your review rating.  Eventually. I will make one for MMA then just move it to here (it'll probably be better written as well). Though you know we can't do half stars so I need to bump it to 2 I just want it to be bumped back up to 3.5 stars

I second that.

Andyman1125 wrote: JJLehto wrote: CCVP wrote: JJLehto wrote: Sounds good Mike. Without doubt, this is different and IMO better than their last 3 albums. My opinion is still the same: There are good songs and really boring ones and right now sitting at 3 stars. Will give it time to grow on me but yeah, that's what I got. Better album then we've seen in a while but same DT problems: inconsistent and I really just do not like James' vocals. Speaking of which "Bridges in the Sky" pisses me off That's because I really like the concept of the intro, the drone singing (and overall intro) is cool as hell but it's executed poorly. Sounds like he's having a very prolonged belch. Bugs me because I like the idea a lot and that would've been ballin if done well.   IDK, from what I hear in YT, I didn't liked it that much. I still preffer Black Clouds and I still think it was one of the best albums they have put out, despite what some think. . . . . *cough* BRIAN *cough* Oh yeah, that one grew on me and it's up to 2.5 now Then change your review rating.

Eventually. I will make one for MMA then just move it to here (it'll probably be better written as well). Though you know we can't do half stars so I need to bump it to 2

CCVP wrote: JJLehto wrote: Sounds good Mike. Without doubt, this is different and IMO better than their last 3 albums. My opinion is still the same: There are good songs and really boring ones and right now sitting at 3 stars. Will give it time to grow on me but yeah, that's what I got. Better album then we've seen in a while but same DT problems: inconsistent and I really just do not like James' vocals. Speaking of which "Bridges in the Sky" pisses me off That's because I really like the concept of the intro, the drone singing (and overall intro) is cool as hell but it's executed poorly. Sounds like he's having a very prolonged belch. Bugs me because I like the idea a lot and that would've been ballin if done well.   IDK, from what I hear in YT, I didn't liked it that much. I still preffer Black Clouds and I still think it was one of the best albums they have put out, despite what some think. . . . . *cough* BRIAN *cough*

Oh yeah, that one grew on me and it's up to 2.5 now