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Dream Theater - Parasomnia: released! |
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MikeEnRegalia 
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 Topic: Dream Theater - Parasomnia: released!Posted: February 07 2025 at 00:40 |
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Well, sort of released, still not available on Bandcamp. The wonderful people at InsideOut are apparently sleeping in
 Listening to it on Spotify instead, where it became available at 0:00, as it should be. So far I'm liking it. Thoughts?
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Enchant X
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Joined: July 31 2014 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 872 |
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 02:43 |
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If you have Spotify it is there now, I've listened to it a couple of times today, good to hear Portnoy back!
A fair bit to digest might take me a few more plays before I know how good it is, sounds pretty decent though so far. Edited by Enchant X - February 07 2025 at 02:50 |
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A Crimson Mellotron
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Joined: September 10 2020 Location: Sofia, Bulgaria Status: Offline Points: 5554 |
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 03:27 |
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About to give it a spin today or tomorrow! On a side note: How did you like those BTBAM records, Mike? The two parts of Automata that come up in your "Listened to" signature from AP. I think collectively there's some great stuff on both parts but most people tend to be more negative towards the albums, never understood why.
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meAsoi
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 04:14 |
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Parasomnia is, in my opinion, a prog metal masterpiece. It displays once again Dream Theater's complex musical compositions, technical perfection, and thematic seriousness. And, on top of that, the triumphant return of founding drummer Mike Portnoy!
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Grumpyprogfan
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 05:30 |
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First listen, it's a big MEH. "The Shadow Man Incident" is the best song. Portnoy's drums are mixed way too loud, causing ear fatigue, the cymbals sound awful, and it's a struggle to hear Myung. "Dead Asleep" and "Bend the Clock" are horrid. I will stream several more times but will not purchase this. 3 stars at best.
Of note, I stream on the Zon and the band picture still shows Mangini. Edited by Grumpyprogfan - February 07 2025 at 05:39 |
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Gentle and Giant
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 05:57 |
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First listen earlier today. Some of it is great, but other bits leave me cold. Obviously more listens are required but first impressions are good.
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Oh, for the wings of any bird, other than a battery hen
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essexboyinwales
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 06:06 |
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On my first listen, liking it but needs a good few listens!
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Heaven is waiting but waiting is Hell
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MikeEnRegalia
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 06:29 |
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Liking it more after repeated listens. It's groove metal with a nod to Symphony X at times in terms of harmonies and mood. Really like The Shadow Man, although they could have left out the spoken "voice" parts. So far the whole album is solid A-tier for me. Not S-tier though.
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moshkito
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 08:19 |
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Hi,
Considering the many years and albums by this band, there are some thoughts, and ideas of things that we would like to hear from the band ... and in many ways this album is not exactly the greatest of their work, it's still good, but it has some really poor choices in my book. The mix ... continues to keep the bass and keyboards in the background, buried by a guitar that doesn't need to be so loud and so far up top. The drumming, all things considered, is not as good as Mike is supposed to be and is grossly repeated and sometimes adding things that are not necessary, and I'm not sure that Mike has added that much to DT since he left ... he's still just an over blown time keeper. In a band that supposedly has superior musicianship it's still just about keeping time? I'll listen to it again, although I doubt it will add to the experience. It's not a bad album and it is good in parts, but I think the band has no idea how to color the parts in between, and always goes back to the metal-guitar at the top. Lyric wise, I did not pay as much attention to it, as I thought that they were also a bit on the background, as dreams and those kinds of thoughts usually are ... but all in all, I can't say that I heard anything special in them ... I'll recheck though. I think that for the ProgRock fans this album will be very good, but for the Progressive fans, this will not exactly be that great an album. I don't live in those definitions at all ... thus the album gets a B from me. It's not great and it's not bad ... it's just another DT album! Edited by moshkito - February 07 2025 at 08:21 |
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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MikeEnRegalia
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 08:47 |
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^ Nice, it's been a while since I've seen you rating releases. It's an A from me, but not an S. As you said, the guitar is very dominant throughout, and on the groove/thrash metal side of things, so of course this release is less appealing to those who are not that into aggressive metal styles.
Edit: And I think it's a little insulting to call Portnoy a mere "timekeeper", considering that he is very involved with the writing. And considering the back catalog of the band, I think it is obvious that they know how to compose less heavy tracks (or parts of tracks), it's just that on this occasion they chose not to. If you don't like it, fine, but deducing that they're incapable of doing what you want them to just shows your immaturity as a reviewer.
Edited by MikeEnRegalia - February 07 2025 at 08:55 |
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moshkito
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 09:16 |
Hi, It was said, not as something bad ... there are good timekeepers and bad timekeepers, and the good ones? You don't even notice the drumming at all ... but I was brought up with John Bonham, Keith Moon and Nick Mason, and later Bill Bruford, and while Mike's work is nice in a lot of things, in the end, I felt that after all that, his work here was not as special as has been in the past. And you could easily say that Bonzo and Moonie, even got better on the last album they played ... and we enjoyed it senselessly! And still do when the majority of drummers these days can only use the snare drum, and fill in between the chord changes ... that's high school drumming Mike! Reminds me of a moment in the film about KC ... when the three drummers are together discussing a moment in the music ... and you knew right away it was not about time keeping ... it was about making sure that the touches were right and proper, that made what they did impressive and far out. And later RF explains that it is not exactly about the timing at all ... it's about being attentive enough that you automatically follow the others and together you create something special ... that is a rarity in music, and the most details you can get on this psychic attitude is, certainly, not in rock music in general. But, often, these are the far out moments that we go ... wow!!! I'm thinking that Mike did not have enough time with the new material to be able to help make it better, and as such he sounds "average" in most of the album, complete with the double drumming thing (don't know what it is called) ... and the same details used in so much metal music ... which Mike may have been one of the folks that helped develop it, but the use is still in the same place and part in the music, thus not necessarily making it better ... reminds me of Hollywood, in close up shots ... make it better ... get the camera closer!!!! CLOSER ... not 5 feet out!
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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Mellotron Storm
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 10:11 |
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I have their first ten but got off the bus when Portnoy did. I just haven't read any opinions that made me want to check out any of the five albums that followed, until this one. The idea of DT going dark and haunting really appeals to me. I haven't heard any of the music yet from this new one. Hearing criticisms of Portnoy's drumming surprises me, I'm such a fan. I may check this one out, and get back on the bus.
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"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"
"Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN |
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ThyroidGlands
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 10:40 |
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I’m going to be honest. The album surprised me (in a good way), but the mix sounds awful. The keyboards and bass are way too low, and LaBrie’s voice sounds terrible. I’m not sure if it’s filters, autotune, or the production (probably all three).
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Bloody bloody racket and rumpus
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IncogNeato
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Posted: February 07 2025 at 10:49 |
IMO, this is because we can hear him coming a mile away. I am not discounting his talent and skill level at all. But after 30 years of hearing him play in many different bands, he has several key "moves" and "licks" that repeat themselves across many different albums. You can always tell it's him playing and I can always tell where he's going and can usually anticipate the kind of fill or lick he's about to play. IMO, again, I think that the band as a whole lost a significant amount of "magic" when Moore left. His creative choices created distinct moods and, I believe, challenged them all more.
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richardh
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Posted: February 08 2025 at 01:41 |
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Only one listen. I am happy with it considering I had quite low expectations. It's remarkably solid, no problems with the mix for me. I started off not liking the drum sound but then after a while just forgot about it and enjoyed the music. Jordan seems like a guest on this, not quite why he is even regarded as a full time member. Didn't bother me that much though as I don't listen to this stuff for keyboards (there is plenty of other prog that does that and in spades). Mostly I reckon it's about a 8/10 album but no higher but that's fine. Mainly it just shows that DT are still alive and kicking.
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Catcher10
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Posted: February 10 2025 at 18:06 |
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I've spun it a few times (as u all know I am an LP guy), I've also listened on Qobuz. The normal for me with DT and Petrucci's production.....It's mediocre. He continues to chose mix engineer who does a mediocre job, Myung is NEVER heard in the mix, especially in areas of songs where he should be.
Rudess, for whatever reason on this record is also low in the mix, I'm not complaining too much as I have grown tired of his synth w**king all over previous records. Portnoy's drums are mixed a bit weird in places, I agree the cymbals don't sound good. Also too much volume on his octobans, and of course Petrucci's guitar is high in the mix, ala Eddie Van Halen. I wish they would use the same mix/mastering engineers that Riverside use (Serakos Studio), as their records always sound excellent. As far as the songs, they are growing on me more and more. But that is from a very low level. I actually like Deep Asleep, even though I don't like the topic, a husband killing his wife is beyond dark. Shadow Man Incident has grown on me as well......I've read some are comparing the album to ToT due to its dark tone, that's fine but ToT is a much better album by far. I would not call Parasomnia a master piece, very good yes. The production is really standing in the way of it being better than very good IMO. |
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richardh
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Posted: February 10 2025 at 21:57 |
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^ I swapped ToT for Tool -Lateralus back then and never regretted it. I've recently been streaming ToT just so I can understand the comparison. Thematically I think there is a definite connection with stress and mental illness/issues at the forefront. I find ToT a bit unrelenting and harsh on the whole (intended I guess) although, like Parasomnia, it finishes with the longest and best track on the album imo.
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Catcher10
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Posted: February 11 2025 at 09:51 |
ToT for me was welcomed, as at that time more metal DT was very good DT. I needed that break from the traditional prog symphonic laid back material from like TFK, love TFK, but I do like metal as well. For sure, ToT is a blood pressure raising listen. I remember one car ride many years ago with my wife and This Dying Soul came on and her comment was "wow Mike is tearing up the drums"....then after the song was over she was like "I feel stressed and hyper..." We listened to Nora Jones the rest of the day......LOL
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moshkito
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Posted: Yesterday at 07:42 |
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Hi,
There is on the toob, a special i which Mike talks about DT and the new album, and by the time, they were through at the end of an hour, I came to the conclusion that I do not think that Mike is a good drummer ... he looks good because he has so much stuff around him that it makes it look like he is better than most, but he is still way too time conscious and mechanical to be considered a good drummer, and he does not really know how to get off the snare drum that is his metronome. Some of the fills and changes are nice, only to return to the same thing ... is really disappointing. Not a sign of a master drummer, but in this case just a sign of a famous goon with all the equipment that makes it look like he is better than everyone else ... and I'm not really sure that he made the new album look and sound, better ... I kinda think that the only thing he did is bring back the old sound and touch to the band, that helped them sell millions of albums ... DT is good, not great. I think we would want a lot more than just "the same old ... " all over again, with different lyrics. And the worst part ... the production of the whole thing is really poor and I'm not sure that they know how to downplay the guitar and add a keyboard or bass to the whole thing ... I kinda think that they are convinced that the guitar is what makes them great ... ! |
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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IncogNeato
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Posted: Yesterday at 08:18 |
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IMO, Mike is a very skilled drummer and knows a lot of stuff. But he has settled into a place of basically just doing what he does with no attempt to maybe, possibly, sometimes, try and think of something just a little bit different than you've already done on 14 albums.
His las "amazing" drum album, IMO, was 'Awake'.
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MikeEnRegalia wrote: