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Swinton MCR View Drop Down
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Points: 848 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: What are Dream Theatre Like?
    Posted: September 02 2004 at 07:45

Most accessible album on first listening, style etc. Much info as possible - these may be my next purchases, since I've been on permanent O/T I've got so much disposable income at the mo.....

My current fave is "Dark Matter" by IQ - If you haven't got it - BUY IT NOW!
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Dick Heath View Drop Down
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Points: 12818 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2004 at 08:05

One of the earlier instigators of metal prog and a band of good to great musicians (as witness the huge number of spin-off albums they've made as individuals, teaming up with musicians from other bands, Kings X to Krimson). However, their vocalists have never been the best - James LaBrie (cheese by name and voice) has been treated as a joke in many other places. So to start, avoid  the later albums and so LaBrie. Go for their 3rd, 4th, 5th albums, for instance   Images and Words - all of which are midpriced and also often found cheaper secondhand (e.g. Images & Words is £2-99 at Amazon.UK right this moment if your'e quick).

 

BTW if you like IQ and that excellent neoprog of their latest album, check out the French Canadian band  Hamadryad's Conservation Of Mass (on Unicorn Records)

http://www.hamadryadmusic.com/p_albums.html

and the Polish Band Satellite's A Street Between Sunrise & Sunset:

http://www.rocknet.nl/newreleases/sattelite/

These are my favourite neo-prog albums released in the last 5 years

 
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Points: 4097 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2004 at 08:18

James LaBrie is on their 3rd, 4th, and 5th albums!
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Dick Heath View Drop Down
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Points: 12818 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2004 at 08:55
Originally posted by goose goose wrote:

James LaBrie is on their 3rd, 4th, and 5th albums!

Thanks for the correction - shows I  play DT predominantly for their instrumental work - and let me reiterate ,the vocalists have been the weak link (and I'm one who has  learnt to accept Geddy Lee's voice).
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Points: 1117 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2004 at 10:28
Originally posted by Dick Heath Dick Heath wrote:

Originally posted by goose goose wrote:

James LaBrie is on their 3rd, 4th, and 5th albums!

Thanks for the correction - shows I  play DT predominantly for their instrumental work - and let me reiterate ,the vocalists have been the weak link (and I'm one who has  learnt to accept Geddy Lee's voice).

 
indeed, I really like Dream theater but LaBrie...you know the rest...
The only album without LaBrie is their first one...
 
I recommend to start with "Metropolis Pt. II - Scenes from a memory"
 
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Bryan View Drop Down
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Points: 3013 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2004 at 13:36
I completely agree about LaBrie's singing.  It's the main thing that's put me off of the band's work.
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Points: 764 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2004 at 14:37

if dream theater were a bass guitar it would be this one:
You want the spoon? You can't handle the spoon!
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Points: 4888 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2004 at 15:34

 

I love LaBrie's style and versatile technique - he's capable of doing a lot of varied stuff along a tune: just listen to 'Vices/The Silent Man'.

I admit his voice has waned a bit throughout the years, but again, it is his performance skills which allow him to shine still as the great vocalist he IMHO has always been. His parts in Trent Gardner's 'Leonardo' are awesome. 

Anyway, there are three other North American vocalists I enjoy more than LaBrie: SX's Russell Allen, FW's Roy Alder, and SG's Mike Baker.
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diddy View Drop Down
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Points: 1117 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2004 at 15:54
Originally posted by Cesar Inca Cesar Inca wrote:

 

I love LaBrie's style and versatile technique - he's capable of doing a lot of varied stuff along a tune: just listen to 'Vices/The Silent Man'.

I admit his voice has waned a bit throughout the years, but again, it is his performance skills which allow him to shine still as the great vocalist he IMHO has always been. His parts in Trent Gardner's 'Leonardo' are awesome. 

Anyway, there are three other North American vocalists I enjoy more than LaBrie: SX's Russell Allen, FW's Roy Alder, and SG's Mike Baker.

 
Have you ever listened to "Pull me under" on "Once in a LIVEtime" ???  I never understood why the people stayed and didn't run out of the hall
Or listen to "Explorers Club" - "Age of Impact" ... First two songs are ok but then LaBrie comes and spoils everything, he is so bad on this album, I really had to laugh...
 
But in general he has some great stuff...not so much but he has it. I love his voice on "Metropolis Pt. II" or the new Ayreon album for example.


Edited by diddy
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Points: 63 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2004 at 16:15

Dream Theater has always been a very technical and skilled band. Their first three studio albums is a must for all fans of progmetal. After the album "Awake" it has gone only one way for this band IMO, and that's downhill!!! Very boring and sterile. As mentioned by others on this site, the memebers of DT has been involved in many side projects. The best of them is Liquid Tension Experiment.

marching on together!!
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Points: 2632 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2004 at 21:10

Swinton:

For my money, "Metropolis" would be your best bet as a first album by DT.  It is just short of a masterpiece, but contains everything that makes DT what it is.  It was the album that turned me on to them, and I don't even like "prog metal."

As for what they are, DT is from the post-Rush school of prog, though they add elements of other "seminal" prog groups (including Yes, ELP and Gentle Giant, among others).  The drummer loves his double bass drums (i.e., lots of rapid-fire drumming).  The guitarist, while he can play "melodically," is from the "more is more" school of guitar (i.e., lots of notes, played really fast).  However, their styles very much fit the music, which is, in a word, "intense."

Hope that's at least minimally helpful.

Peace.
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