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Editorials

DEAR DREAM THEATER,

 Thursday, June 17th, 2010 at 12:00pm by

After this opening stint with Iron Fucking Maiden you’re presumably going to write a new album. Please, please, please: make it awesome!

Octavarium, Systematic Chaos and Black Clouds and Silver Linings have all been kinda… well, good, because everything you do is good, but ultimately meh. All three are kinda samey sounding, and none of them really pushed the envelope in terms of what Dream Theater are capable of doing or have already done.

It’s time to really focus, really work, put the proper time and energy into writing instead of cranking out a bunch of stock Dream Theater tunes in the studio. It’s time to write an awesome fucking album from start to finish, an epic journey. A concept album would be nice; recapture the magic that made Metropolis Part 2 and Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence so magical. Time for Metropolis Part 3, perhaps? All the fans (including this one) would bust a nut.

Black Clouds wasn’t without its moments; Mike Portnoy’s tribute to his father, his conclusion of the thrilling 12 Steps series, the epic “The Count of Tuscany.” But you can do better! So c’mon guys, get it together and make it happen. Your fans are anxiously awaiting.

Sincerely,
Dream Theater superfan Vince Neilstein

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  • http://thatdevilmusic.blogspot.com Rob Liz

    We Dream Theater fans are a pain in Dream Theater’s ass. Nothing they ever do satisfies everyone and we are the most ANALytical fans on the planet.

    So most likely they will put together another epic album and hope for the best and we will continue to critique it and compare it to previous works like you’ve done already in this article.

    • Slaughterhouse

      Hit it right on the head right there…but I for one, am not over the top about that. I am a serious fan, own all of their studio albums, live albums and DVD’s but I don’t critique them at all. I absolutely love everything they touch and make. I think BCASL is just as good as IAW

  • change

    I loved Octavarium. But I’ll agree, Systematic Chaos ate shit except for a few tracks. BCASL was ok. Hopefully they’ll keep going upwards?

    • Trux

      oh well…… i alwalys thought that Octavarium was their weakest album since Falling… and that Systematic was a very good, solid album.

      • Isaac

        I agree. I fucking hated almost every track on Octavarium.
        The title track, however, is one of the best songs they’ve ever written. They should have just released that one song as an EP, like Meshuggah did with I.

        • Ørsæth

          or like DT did with a Change of Seasons

          personally, i loved SC. Ocatvarium was good but not as good as Train of Thought. BCaSL is excellent but Count of Tuscany is by far one of the best tracks they’ve done in recent years

    • ACoffinShip

      I’ve gotta agree. When I want to listen to a Dream Theater album it’s usually either disc 2 of Six Degrees or Octavarium. Systematic Chaos’ lyrics just came across as amazingly uninspired and the vocals on the few Black Clouds and Silver Linings tracks I listened to were amazingly meh. Still love the band, but I’d love to see a return to their former glory!

  • Tarts

    Meh, I like Dream Theater a lot (used to be obsessed with them years ago), but they’ve had their success, and like all other bands, just don’t draw from the same inspirations that they did when they were probably more hungry. I agree with Vince about the last few albums. Creatively, though, I think they’ve already said everything that they wanted to say, and I naturally don’t see them releasing anything that is really fresh ever again. That doesn’t mean that I won’t enjoy it, of course.

  • Sacajawea

    They could make a pornographical concept album, and change their name to Cream Theater.

    That is all.

    • Alex_P

      I want this to happen.

    • http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/ Alkahest

      They should just drop the D and be Ream Theater if that’s the case.

  • zhitnik

    I completely agree with you Vince. Dream Theater had so much more passion and creativity until sometime around the turn of the century. My faith started wavering sometime around the release of Six Degrees, and when I heard Train of Thought (and not only didn’t I like it, I thought it was garbage), I knew something was going on. That was when they started to get on the fringe of celebrity status, and since then, with a couple small exceptions (see: the self titled track on Octavarium), they seem to have found a computer formula that attempts to generate their music for them or something.

  • TheVygs

    I agree. The songwriting just hasn’t been up to par for the last few albums. Octavarium had some highs and lows, but that was just average compared to Train of Thought. I cannot remember a single song off of Systematic Chaos except the vocal melody for Forsaken. Black Clouds and Silver Linings begins and ends well, but I just kind of nod off through the middle 10 minutes of The Count of Tuscany.

    I don’t think Petrucci has done a memorable solo since Train of Thought. All of his recent stuff has sounded like random parts thrown together (much like the longer songs), there is no cohesion or melody other than fastfastfastscalesscalesscales.

    And to speak of scraping the barrel… Wither is a song ABOUT WRITING SONGS. Ugh.

    • Slaughterhouse

      Petrucci has some amazing solos…one of my fav’s is Voices…god damn I love that solo

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ryan-Sean-Heron/9391234 Ryan Sean Heron

    train of thought was always my favorite dream theater album

  • Gaia

    Agreed. SInce Octavarium DT haven’t really done much for me, Six degrees.. was killer and the last good thing they did. Please Dream Theater you can do better than Black Clouds and Silver Linings. Much Better.

  • http://crescentshield.com Crescent Shield

    Images and Words was their last good album but their peak was When Dream and Day Unite. That album was so much more than just the riff salad and noodling they’ve become.

    • MoonSnake

      What?? Have you even listened to the rest of their catalogue? Awake? Scenes? Six Degrees?

      • http://crescentshield.com Crescent Shield

        Yeah keep trying but its FAIL FAIL FAIL. Awake sucks i know that. I remember Falling into Infinity being another big disappointment. But the others I cant remember which is which. I listen to a song here and there. All forgettable.

        Tell me one song better than any song off ‘When Dream and Day Unite’. Not just cool solos, but an actual song. I’ll give them another try. I fucking LOVED them when I first heard their demo and When Dream and Day Unite and Image & Words.

        • ZackP

          Well, I can assure you that either “A Change of Seasons” or “The Glass Prison” are both better than “Afterlife” on WDADU. To say the band hasn’t done anything good since I&W is being pretty ignorant. I know a lot of people say their favorite album is I&W, but they don’t throw away everything after that. Derek Sherinian brought their songwriting to whole new levels, if he didn’t leave I think Dream Theater would’ve stayed closer to the prog path and not have crossed over into the more mainstream crowd.

          • http://crescentshield.com Crescent Shield

            You’ve got to be kidding. Afterlife SLAUGHTERS A Glass Prison. Afterlife has superior riffs and melodies that are related and flow together in a cohesive vision. And the guitar solo/key solo is awesome and builds to a crescendo the propels you right through to the end of the song. Prison is a jumbled mess of pointless riffs, horrible vocals, and drawn out solos.

            The recorded version of Change of Seasons is poor, I think Sherinian ruined that. Or maybe they just lost it by then The prior demo recording with Moore was fucking awesome. And when I saw them do it live with Moore in 93 it was stunning.

        • MoonSnake

          Dude, Awake does not suck. It’s definitely not my favorite by them, but it is the home of classics like 6:00, Erotomania, Scarred, and Space Dye Vest. To be honest, every album the have ever put out has at least one memorable song on it. If I were to try and name a few songs since the WDADU/I&W days that really stand out particularly to me, I would say Lines in the Sand, A Change of Seasons, Blind Faith, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, Octavarium, Honor Thy Father, and This Dying Soul. I would have said The Glass Prison as well, but you’ve already made your opinions on that song clear below.

          Look, Dream Theater fans have and will always argue over which parts of their discography are the “best”. I just think that saying everything else they’ve done is not good is just being a little ignorant. Dream Theater themselves have stated that they’ve matured hugely as musicians since the WDADU and I&W. Don’t get me wrong, I still fucking love those albums, but I don’t think they were their peak of songwriting.

    • Alex

      I disagree.

  • Steve O

    The Count of Tuscany kinda you know sucks dick.

  • The above comments prove…

    …that DT is a “to each his own” kind of band. Someone likes “Train of Thought,” someone else hates it. Someone likes “Black Clouds,” someone doesn’t.

    Personally, I thought “Systematic Chaos” was a steaming pile of dog shit and light years worse than “Falling Into Infinity” (at least the latter had SONGS!), and that “Six Degrees” — which “superfan” Vince requests a sequel to — wasn’t much better. However, I think “Train,” “Octavarium” and “Black Clouds” were all very good to great…but it’s perfectly fine if you didn’t.

    When the next album comes out, history will repeat itself, and some will splooge while others will snooze. That’s life.

    • ian

      Which band isn’t a “to each his own” band? Music is subjective.

      • Ørsæth

        DT seems to divide fan opinion more than any other band

        but then, thats just my opinion

  • GoingDeaf?

    They should do a concept album where it’s silent from start to finish, John Cage style. It’d bet the best Dream Theater album yet!

    • http://www.twistedcritic.wordpress.com Chris

      I guess if you’re GoingDeaf it wouldn’t really matter then…

  • Derpmaster McGee

    IMO, Metropolis can’t be topped as DT’s best, and ToT/Octavarium/BCSL are somewhere behind it. I don’t like I&W and Awake nearly as much, and for some reason, I can’t really get behind Six Degrees (Aside from The Glass Prison) and Systematic as much.

    • Slaughterhouse

      What about Fallen into Infinity? Change of Seasons? When day and dream unite?

  • The Impaler

    I personally think that all albums by dream theater are quite good. But that’s just it… They have so many expectations for everything they do, it’s impossible for them to live up to it.

    Hell I even think portnoy said that in an interview.

  • vagoo

    on paper, I should be totally into this band more than anything…. but their music just lacks that x-factor that makes bands good. Sorry, can’t get into Dream Theater. Though, I love “Under a Glass Moon.” If all DT sounded like that, then I could love the band. But it doesn’t….

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Devon-Czekaj/550092101 Devon Czekaj

    I thought Black Clouds was a step in the right direction. My biggest issue with “new” Dream Theater is that a lot of the metal sections can sound really forced. Compare their heavy songs from Awake to Systematic Chaos and you’ll hear what I mean.

    • Alex_P

      Spot on commentary. The earlier heavy stuff had a sort of hard rock edge which worked really well. I’d say at this point they need to embrace the metal and make it more fluid.

      • Ørsæth

        similar to Train of Thought? that album is by far their heaviest and (to me anyways) sounds very natural

  • MoonSnake

    I too hope that Dream Theater has a return to form on their next album. The past two have just been off for me, and I think the main factor in that has been the lyrics.. waaaayyy too literal, and just generally uncool-sounding. I loved Six Degrees, loved ToT, loved Octavarium, and then suddenly they just seemed to lose their songwriting edge a bit. It happens. Bands go through dry spells like this. I don’t want them to just write an album like I&W or Scenes or any other classic Dream Theater album, I just want to hear something new, fresh, and exciting from them. Please, Dream Theater, Please?

  • Sean Browne

    How about bringing in an outside producer? Could you imagine a Devin Townsend produced Dream Theater record?!?

    • http://www.twistedcritic.wordpress.com Chris

      This. Granted their last album with a producer (“Falling Into Infinity”) was pretty bland, but between the six albums they’ve self-produced since, only one was truly exceptional in my opinion (“Metropolis pt. 2″). At this point I think bringing in outside ears would be the only way to shake things up, and possibly the only way to prevent silly things from happening (like Mike Portnoy coming within 10 feet of a microphone).

    • Xenogia

      Haha I’d have to agree. I mean Terry Date produced WDADU amazingly enough despite it’s average production values. I&W and Awake are definitely my favourites, but I also have a soft spot for A Change of Seasons. Everything after was slowly going down hill. Though to be honest I have never been a fan of James Labrie and that’s still after listening to them for fifteen years.

  • Alex_P

    I’m optimistic. I think BC&SL was a step in the right direction after their “experimental” record Systematic Chaos. It wasn’t great, but I think the next one really will be great.

    Also, they should take more than two years writing each album. With their touring schedule and various side-projects, they need to slow down and really develop their ideas.

  • Bierko

    They don’t have to make a good album: their fucking idiot fans lap up every nugget of shit they put out, even when DT blasts fans for being the source of their problems.

    I liked only 1/2 of ToT, and that tour was magic, especially with Labrie in better shape and having taken some singing lessons so he didn’t sing through his nose as much and mash the words.

    Cocktavarium was garbage, as was everything after that. They got greedy and wanted to strike while their fans were still loyal, instead of taking a break.

    • Slaughterhouse

      ?????? What are you talking about? I am a huge fan and never heard any backlash from them. They are always very standup guys.

      • Alex

        I think he’s referring to Never Enough.

  • Jake Jones

    A shitty dream theater album is still better than pretty much anything else though.

  • http://crypticyeast.bandcamp.com Rob Fiasco

    it seems like their albums have decreased with increased popularity, especially with the signing to Roadrunner. I bet there’s a younger generation of fans that love the new stuff but think “images and words” sounds like an 80′s band.

    I like a few songs off the last few albums but as a whole I think “metropolis pt. 2″ was their last decent effort.

  • Ørsæth

    how would they do a Metropolis pt 3? I’d be all for it since i loved pt 1 and pt 2 but (correct me if i’m wrong) doesn’t the album end with Nicholas getting killed? What could they write to continue that? Unless they made it like Home Alone 3 and used a different character

  • RebelPyro (Is Where It’s At)

    wow… stop being complainants already and listen to Journal… if you’re not as stubborn and elitist as some journo’s can be… maybe… jusy maaaaaaaaaaayyybe… a few of you will discover something new…

    http://journalmusic.bandcamp.com

    Just sayin…

  • Austin

    Self producing worked for a few albums, but since Systematic Chaos the formula hasn’t been working. They need an outside producer badly. Specifically, someone who wants to bring their songwriting and heart back into the band. Dream Theater don’t realize that that was actually their biggest asset. They were probably the most heartfelt prog metal band in the early days. But I just can’t get that emotion when the lyrics have been as terrible as the ones on BC&SL. That was a tremendous dissapointment and my least favourite album by them. Also, they need to get Jordan to actually WRITE a solo. Don’t just get new technology and wank all over your solo section. Again, BC&SL was a terrible offender for this.

  • Mitchell

    In Metalsucksian fashion, I would regard Black Clouds as my favourite album of 2009, although it does have some tired moments. Count of Tuscany and Nightmare to Remember moer than make up for that though.

    I’m not sure what else my favourite band can progress to, though. I will agree they are the most “debated” band out there. I can’t believe that anyone out there, in this current state of horrible music out there, would say that this band doesn’t contribute anything beneficial. I’m listening to Blind Faith as Im typing this and holy fuck this song absolutely slays and will always be one of my faves by them.

    Looking forward to absolutely anything and everything this band continues to put out. Unbelievably fucking pumped for them with Maiden in 12 days from now :)

  • Bierko

    I think DT needs to get rid of Labrie, finally. The music output can no longer carry the weaknesses of his vocals, especially live. Even though he’s been receiving vocal training and got in shape between the 2002 and 2004 tours, and I saw a remarkable difference in the latter for the better, he still pulls that singing from the nose shit, as if the crowd stops paying attention to him at the end of a song, or his monitors are broken, or he’s fucking deaf.

    I’ve been looking at old and new Zak Stevens live videos, and that son of a bitch has not skipped a step, and has the stage presence labrie wishes he had now before turning into a tree up there like the rest of them. On top of that, Zak nails every note and really carries them. Something very important when a band’s musical output is subpar.

    DT has lived off the “oh, but they’re so fucking talented” bullshit for long enough. There’s only so much wanking people can take, and they’re done, they’re tired, and trying to cash in while their fans have even a meager amount of loyalty, or rather, they have more loyalty than self-respect. This band has lived off the “buy dream theater” nonsense from their fans that will buy anything they put out, despite the fact that the magic has been gone for years and they are just manufacturing music now, as opposed to making it, and grabbing for cash and feeding rock star egos, exactly what they were supposed to not be.

    Just support Symphony X, since they’re cutting back on the cheese factor, getting heavier, angrier, darker, and still putting out great prog. Also give Zak Stevens’ projects a nod. They may not be totally wankerific out there, but they are quite solid and his voice is still phenomenal. Threshold can go either way. We’ll see how Damien pulls it off with them again. Hopefully without the nuclear blast mandated death grunts.