New Dream Theater single "The Enemy Inside" streaming premiere

[Baribrotzer]

Go play in traffic.

You're not worth it, Corky.

So, why so snappy, Sparky?

I know you are but what am I?

I know you are but what am I?

I know you are but what am I? ..............

Yes, you are!

No, I'm not!

Yes, you are!

No, I'm not!

Yes, you are!

No, I'm not!

Yes, you are!

No, I'm not!

[Guess Who]

Who are DT kidding? Their new material suffers from the "heard it all before from some other bands" kind of feeling.

[Scorp]

It's ok but as far as new songs go I find the latest Haken tune "Pareidolia" much more appealing.

[Progatron]

Whatever else you can say about these guys.....

......they can outplay any of the Seventies prog giants by at least eight notes to four, and could probably even beat most of the fusion bands for speed.
At the same time, making them sound like garage bands when it comes to tightness.

How good a thing that is, is a matter of opinion. But it is certainly impressive.

Yes, it is very impressive. I've seen them live five or six times and always been floored by their musicianship. I'd just like slightly more focus on songwriting. The blazing runs and unison solos do not need to be a part of every single track. Don't get me wrong - I really like DT. It's just that as these albums go on, I'm getting that "heard it all before" vibe from them and I really would love for them to shake things up a bit. I said before I'd love to see a proper producer who can say "NO" when necessary, and an album of songs like Falling Into Infinity (a great album that doesn't get its due from a lot of fans). But I am NOT judging this album without having heard it, far from it. I'm actually really excited about it.

[Progatron]

WTF are Haken? Nevermind,if you like them so much why not start a HAKEN THREAD and keep this one on the topic of DREAM THEATER?

Haken are a very well-liked modern prog band with obvious DT similarities and influence that are also releasing a new album around the same time as the new DT. They are a natural branch of discussion here as a result and so far six of us in this thread have agreed that they are a valid sub-topic, especially considering most posts are still involving at least some discussion of DT. Are we to be told now that discussions absolutely cannot waver whatsoever from the strict parameters that you have set? Discussions take on a natural flow of their own, whether in person or on a public forum. Here's a tip: try adding something positive to a conversation if you wish to get your point across effectively - and don't sweat the small stuff. It makes that vein in your forehead throb.

[Rick]

It's ok but as far as new songs go I find the latest Haken tune "Pareidolia" much more appealing.

I agree. Listened to the DT song. Thought it sounded fine. Could live without the circus patch near the end from Jordan. Jordan is great, but definitely preferred the patches used by Kevin and Derek.

Next, I pulled up the new Haken track that was announced yesterday as well. Awesome. Innovative. Epic. Really seemed to push the boundaries some.

As stated above, I love DT but they appear to be very much set in their ways. Listen to both for what they are.

[Scott Bails]

I said before I'd love to see a proper producer who can say "NO" when necessary, and an album of songs like Falling Into Infinity (a great album that doesn't get its due from a lot of fans).

It's a tired, old argument by this point, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't have merit.

By now, no one can really argue about the quality of musicianship nor the tightness of the band, but it's been several albums now where you're hearing laments for an approach that concentrates more on songwriting than it does on technical wizardry. I'd love to hear something that has the technical prowess combined with the songwriting approach on FiI.

But, it's evident that they're not interested in that, and I know many fans really aren't, either.

[Progatron]

It's a tired, old argument by this point, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't have merit.

By now, no one can really argue about the quality of musicianship nor the tightness of the band, but it's been several albums now where you're hearing laments for an approach that concentrates more on songwriting than it does on technical wizardry. I'd love to hear something that has the technical prowess combined with the songwriting approach on FiI.

I agree Scott, It IS a bit of a stale point. It's really just wishful thinking out loud. Who knows, maybe this album will have surprises on it? Even if it doesn't, I could still really like it a lot. People complained up and down about the staleness of Black Clouds when it was released but I loved that album (apart from "Rite Of Passage").

These minor gripes should not be blown out of proportion. I adore Rush too but for several albums now I've been saying "lose the chorus of Geddys"... but then I loved Clockwork Angels. :P It's easy to be an armchair critic, I know, but then it's impossible not to have an opinion about something one loves so much. Bring on the DT album.

[selmer]

I think that there is one option that is very much possible - this was just one song, most likely it was one of the songs which is not the highlight of the record. It would be strange if they released the best song of the album because then - when you get to the whole record - most other songs would sound meh.
It is much more clever to release a track which is OK but nothing mind blowing because from there the only way is up. If this "up" is high enough, that's another thing. It's possible that people will say that this first track was so so, but when they hear the whole record, they will say that they love it. It's much to do with PR and marketing.
I guess they know that the best songs should not be released as singles, otherwise the whole element of adventure and surprise is gone.

[Scott Bails]

I think that there is one option that is very much possible - this was just one song, most likely it was one of the songs which is not the highlight of the record. It would be strange if they released the best song of the album because then - when you get to the whole record - most other songs would sound meh.
It is much more clever to release a track which is OK but nothing mind blowing because from there the only way is up. If this "up" is high enough, that's another thing. It's possible that people will say that this first track was so so, but when they hear the whole record, they will say that they love it. It's much to do with PR and marketing.
I guess they know that the best songs should not be released as singles, otherwise the whole element of adventure and surprise is gone.

Don't agree with this at all.

You lead with the best track, in an effort to entice people to buy the album. If you don't grab them with the first release, why would they buy it?

"Oh, that song sucks, but I'm sure the rest of it will be awesome!"

[selmer]

Don't agree with this at all.

You lead with the best track, in an effort to entice people to buy the album. If you don't grab them with the first release, why would they buy it?

"Oh, that song sucks, but I'm sure the rest of it will be awesome!"

You know, the PR people and producers sometimes think out of ordinary, maybe not often, but sometimes. Not saying that I'm right, maybe you are. But if this really is one of the better tracks of the record, then...well...(insert here whatever expressions are appropriate)... The song is not bad or anything, it's just there...just a song. Besides, we know that a lot of people will buy it anyway, they have enough supporters who will buy at least out of curiosity.

[JIF]

Don't agree with this at all.

You lead with the best track, in an effort to entice people to buy the album. If you don't grab them with the first release, why would they buy it?

"Oh, that song sucks, but I'm sure the rest of it will be awesome!"

Why is that so hard to believe? IMHO, all DT songs released as singles aren't the best songs on the respective albums.

[battema]

Don't agree with this at all.

You lead with the best track, in an effort to entice people to buy the album. If you don't grab them with the first release, why would they buy it?

"Oh, that song sucks, but I'm sure the rest of it will be awesome!"

Bands aren't always the ones picking which song becomes the "single." Labels usually have a big hand in that in terms of what they feel they can market best. Combination of lots of factors...not just what we eggheads at PE consider the "best" track. In fact, most labels would probably try and pick the track MOST likely to be what PE folks dislike; widest potential appeal, shorter(ish) length, not too many extended interludes sans vocals.

Backs of Angels felt mostly like a retread of Pull Me Under territory when I heard it. Well behind Outcry or Breaking All Illusions in terms of my enjoyment. But all the stuff that makes me love those tunes is IMHO exactly what labels AREN'T going to want when spreading the word.

Just my $0.02.

So yeah...I like the new song, but don't love it. But I didn't love the Angels on the last one either, and there ended up being LOTS that was more enjoyable for me. So, we'll see what this next one has in store beyond the first available track or two...

[Scott Bails]

Bands aren't always the ones picking which song becomes the "single." Labels usually have a big hand in that in terms of what they feel they can market best. Combination of lots of factors...not just what we eggheads at PE consider the "best" track. In fact, most labels would probably try and pick the track MOST likely to be what PE folks dislike; widest potential appeal, shorter(ish) length, not too many extended interludes sans vocals.

Well, yeah, good point. By "best track" I suppose I meant the track with the widest potential appeal. Obviously, they're not necessarily one and the same.

[Sordel]

Interesting single, although I feel that Mangini's more aggressive drumming style is just a new way to disguise Rudess's typical 'I can count quicker than you' time signature trickery. I really feel the ghostly presence of a sequencer all the way through this track.

[battema]

Well, yeah, good point. By "best track" I suppose I meant the track with the widest potential appeal. Obviously, they're not necessarily one and the same.

I think with most bands and styles, you are pretty much spot on and the track with widest potential appeal stands a damn strong chance of also being considered the best track. I think it is trickier with proggy bands, especially ones on a decent label that still tries to do traditional-style promotion...we tend to be deep-catalog characters and album-oriented fans.

Hell....I'd say for many of us, there's a good chance that anything instrumental would win votes for best track...unless your last name starts and ends with the letter 'G' and is one letter long, most labels will run screaming from any thought of an instrumental radio promo

Case in point: my hands down favorite DT track to date is Hells Kitchen from Falling into Infinity. The track that was on the radio (honestly can't even remember which it was now) did next to nothing for me.

It's all good though.

[Baribrotzer]

Haken are a very well-liked modern prog band with obvious DT similarities and influence that are also releasing a new album around the same time as the new DT. They are a natural branch of discussion here as a result and so far six of us in this thread have agreed that they are a valid sub-topic, especially considering most posts are still involving at least some discussion of DT.

Here's the Haken video, for comparison:



The two songs don't really compare straight across - a short epic from Haken, as opposed to a long straight song from DT. But they'll certainly do as good examples of each band's particular style.

And as you said, Haken have a strong DT influence, particularly at the passage starting at 3:30 - although, really, that influence is something you hear in almost every prog-metal band coming from the prog side. DT are the modern equivalent of Deep Purple, and they cast a long shadow. But what I find most interesting about Haken is the element of their sound that isn't like DT - an element I can only describe as a Mr. Bungle influence. Their singer often echoes Mike Patton, not only in his phrasing, vocal inflections, and timbre, but in some of his melody lines. And some of Haken's "cinematic" or "Middle-Eastern" chord progressions and textures and passages echo Trey Spruance's compositional interests. Be interesting to know whether the guys in Haken are big Mr. B. fans, or whether it's just a coincidence.

[wideopenears]

So far not much Myung, though, just tuned down guitar. I'm sure he's doubling the rhythm guitar part, but pretty inaudible on his own. ...

Wow, what a shocker.

[ThomasKDye]

I don't expect the entire DT album to sound like that one song, for sure. It's just whether the rest of it lives up to its "THIS TIME WE'RE REALLY REDEFINING THE BAND HONEST AND TRULY!!!1!!" hype. Which, as other posters have mentioned, may probably not happen as it's not in DT's best interests. Meanwhile, Haken has kicked the DT sound up a few notches in creative territory, so it's the album I'm actually excited about. DT is like an obligation to me... they're coasting on the goodwill they established in the early nineties when they were the only game in town.

[Progatron]

my hands down favorite DT track to date is Hells Kitchen from Falling into Infinity. The track that was on the radio (honestly can't even remember which it was now) did next to nothing for me.

Oh, that's an excellent track for sure... love it. The radio single I believe was "Hollow Years", although there were several on that album that could have been played on the radio. Like I said before, an underrated album IMO. Most fans who are obsessed with the pyrotechnics are less enthused about it but I think there are some great tracks, even if the suits were causing tension. I'll just come out and say "Anna Lee" is a beautiful song, practically in an Elton John vein (or as close as a band like DT could get to EJ). They don't write pieces like that anymore.

[JIF]

Oh, that's an excellent track for sure... love it. The radio single I believe was "Hollow Years", although there were several on that album that could have been played on the radio. Like I said before, an underrated album IMO. Most fans who are obsessed with the pyrotechnics are less enthused about it but I think there are some great tracks, even if the suits were causing tension. I'll just come out and say "Anna Lee" is a beautiful song, practically in an Elton John vein (or as close as a band like DT could get to EJ). They don't write pieces like that anymore.

The band did get damn close to EJ. They covered Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.

[N_Singh]

never got into this band. not a metal fan in general. that song was metal. with some bad wakeman like noodling at the end.

[chalkpie]

Whatever else you can say about these guys.....

......they can outplay any of the Seventies prog giants by at least eight notes to four, and could probably even beat most of the fusion bands for speed.
At the same time, making them sound like garage bands when it comes to tightness.

How good a thing that is, is a matter of opinion. But it is certainly impressive.

You're right Johnny boy, but musical robots are everywhere. Ever hang out at Juilliard, Eastman, Oberlin, Curtis,etc lately? FILLED with people practicing 10+ hours per day and not a stitch of creativity in their bones. DT is like these folks to me, and I know I may get shit for saying that out loud (whoops), but F it, it's how I feel. If these guys had a mere fraction of creativity of cats like Henry Cow and family, FZ, Keneally, Bob Drake, Mikey Johnson, Patton and co., etc etc etc etc etc , then I would start listening to these guys. Its like a musical product in my eyes, not a work of true art. Yes, an asshole statement to make for fans of the band, but I am entitled as I have purchased and own a bunch of DT discs.

[Baribrotzer]

Its like a musical product in my eyes, not a work of true art.

Well, I did say it's a matter of opinion.

Although I wouldn't go that far. Commercial hacks? I don't think so, not really - if I had to guess, I'd say it's more a matter of them listening to the usual prog suspects, rather than to music that's beyond their abilities, and not getting any further artistically because they don't set their sights any higher. Or really know how to. They have half-a-dozen musical shticks - including, but not limited to, The Power Ballad, The Odd-Metered Heavy Riff, and The Fast Unison - and they've gotten an awful lot of mileage out of them and may not really see the need for more. Sure, it'd be nice to hear some fast harmony or even counterpoint instead of all those unisons, or some not-so-square chord changes, or less-predictable forms, but how many fans would say the same? And remember, they've become quite successful by playing music that "sounds like Dream Theater", doing just that has become jobs for all five of them., and so any attempt to stretch their horizons, get creative, and play music that does not "sound like Dream Theater" could seriously impair their abilities to pay off their mortgages and send their kids to college.

[Guess Who]

The band did get damn close to EJ. They covered Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.

DT made one of the worst "Dark Side Of The Moon" album covers I've ever heard.