[TheMarchingMule]

I just can't get into this band. I heard how complicated their guitar riffs are, but it just sounds so bad and the singers sound like 19-21 year olds trying to sound like the real deal.

 

[I3eyond]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just can't get into this band. I heard how complicated their guitar riffs are, but it just sounds so bad and the singers sound like 19-21 year olds trying to sound like the real deal.

I felt the exact same way about them when I first tried them out, too. Have you ever listened to their album, "Awake"?

 

[skudmunky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SysteX /img/forum/go_quote.gif Don't worry, it's a steep downhill from there...

Actually, for the most part I really liked it. Constant motion is weak, but The Dark Eternal Night makes up for it.

Does anyone else really dislike fade-outs? Seems like a cheap way to end a song.

 

[I3eyond]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skudmunky /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually, for the most part I really liked it. Constant motion is weak, but The Dark Eternal Night makes up for it. Does anyone else really dislike fade-outs? Seems like a cheap way to end a song.

Yeah, I agree that fade-outs are cheesy. When I first heard the silence, I thought something was wrong with my player, but looking at the track time showed otherwise. I think DT put it there for a reason, something relative to the album as a whole. I think The Dark Eternal Night is the album's climax, and is one reason the fade-out is there. Whatever the reason, DT is too creative to settle for a fade-out if it's not what they want, so in my opinion, no matter what it's for, it's there for a reason.

 

[cantsleep]

just another DT album..

bought it for $17, locally..
but again, BB is pretty far from here..
i think gas would be more than $5, going back and forth..

 

[skudmunky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by I3eyond /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, I agree that fade-outs are cheesy. When I first heard the silence, I thought something was wrong with my player, but looking at the track time showed otherwise. I think DT put it there for a reason, something relative to the album as a whole. I think The Dark Eternal Night is the album's climax, and is one reason the fade-out is there. Whatever the reason, DT is too creative to settle for a fade-out if it's not what they want, so in my opinion, no matter what it's for, it's there for a reason.

True. Still, I felt like that they could have ended Dark Eternal Night better. The fadeout at the end of Ministry of lost Souls is the only way to end that though, as soon as I heard the ending riff I knew it was a fadeout

 

[rabidmoose171]

I orderd the special edition on fye for 12.95 and I even got it before it was released

 

[Thelonious Monk]

this wasn't as big of a letdown as i was expecting. there are a couple very good songs. in "Forsaken", labrie is really in his element. other two good ones are "The Ministry Of Lost Souls" and "Prophets Of War". the rest are either just decent or bad. better than Octavarium, but still doesn't touch Scenes From A Memory.

 

[MdRex]

I think DT is one of those bands which have diverse opinions. For example, there are many people who love SFAM but I thought its contrived and never really got into it, many people love Awake, I never thought it was mind blowing.

Then there's Octavarium, so many people thing its bad because its 'pop-ish' but I love that hopeful 'pop-ish' sound. It's one of those albums that struck me as a complete album rather than a collection of songs.

 

[fuzydice]

pretty good album. Not really into portnoy's increasing intrusion into vocal duties, however.

 

[3DCadman]

I am a gigantic DT fan, but try as I might, I cannot get into this CD.

The biggest letdown for me is the ultra bad lyrics on several songs. In the past, they dealt with many things, but as far as I can remember they never sunk to the junior high level low of demons, monsters and selling your soul to the devil. Sigh.

The music on Enemies 2 is pretty good, especially the solo, but I can't get the horrible "dark master of sin, I will fight for you" out of my head and it's not a good thing.

I also agree that Portnoy should not sing anymore. He drums wonderfully, that's enough.

I'm still listening to it, but it ranks pretty much near the bottom of my favorites. SFAM is my #1 by the way, followed by 6DoIT, and IAW.

 

[roadtonowhere08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3DCadman /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am a gigantic DT fan, but try as I might, I cannot get into this CD. The biggest letdown for me is the ultra bad lyrics on several songs. In the past, they dealt with many things, but as far as I can remember they never sunk to the junior high level low of demons, monsters and selling your soul to the devil. Sigh. The music on Enemies 2 is pretty good, especially the solo, but I can't get the horrible "dark master of sin, I will fight for you" out of my head and it's not a good thing. I also agree that Portnoy should not sing anymore. He drums wonderfully, that's enough.

100% agree.

If it is true that Jordan writes the songs that are not that "virtuoso" style music with the massive keyboard solos, LET THE MAN WRITE MORE SONGS!!!

Their noodling just SUCKS!!! I doubt they will ever write songs as great as "Space Dye Vest" or "Voices" again...

 

[3DCadman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadtonowhere08 /img/forum/go_quote.gif 100% agree. If it is true that Jordan writes the songs that are not that "virtuoso" style music with the massive keyboard solos, LET THE MAN WRITE MORE SONGS!!! Their noodling just SUCKS!!! I doubt they will ever write songs as great as "Space Dye Vest" or "Voices" again...

Actually I love the noodling, but I hated the stupid lyrics.

Are they trying to become some kind of death metal band? I like that style when I'm in the mood (I love Opeth), but it's not what I want when I listen to Dream Theater.

To me, it was a jarring change of style that put me off. Maybe I'll warm up to it, but I much prefer just about everything else they've done in the past.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

The more I've listened to this album, the less I've liked it. I think at first I was getting by on the fun instrumental sections alone. But now, I've come to see that there are only two tracks I really like on the whole, "Repentance" and "The Ministry of Lost Souls."

The rest of the album is far too hit-and-miss. There will be a great section followed by a rather boring or repetitive one, or a somewhat stupid one. The refrain of "Constant Motion" got pretty old after just a couple of listens. "Foresaken" and "Prophets of War" are just flat and mediocre. The verses of "Dark Eternal Night" are starting to irritate, though I do really likes parts of the song.

Overall, it seems like an album that was rushed, or at least not given the proper nurturing. There are good ideas about, but they just aren't put together in a cohesive manner with strong songwriting. By contrast, I think 8varium was a much better put together album, even if some of the songs are a bit on the dull or less creative side. Perhaps between the two, there is one good album worth of material.

From my perspective, the last two studio albums have been their weakest with LaBrie, by a pretty good margin. I hope that they will get a new producer, change their approach, take a break, whatever it takes to get back to their old form, because their recent output is anything but the excellent of their previous efforts.

 

[That dude]

A pleasent surprise since I expected it to be either only slightly better or worse than Octavarium. The only album I like more is Scenes From a Memory.