Quote from: OptionalPlayer on October 10, 2024, 08:36:32 AMIt seems everyone is sharing the same opinion as I had: It's similar to ANtR and  the song feels like it's from BC&SL.

I don't think everyone has that opinion.

Quote from: hefdaddy42 on October 10, 2024, 08:45:52 AMI don't think everyone has that opinion.

I certainly don't, it's nowhere near as bad as ANTR

ReaP!

Quote from: hefdaddy42 on October 10, 2024, 08:45:52 AMI don't think everyone has that opinion.

That is correct. I will edit my hyperbole.

I think my kneejerk reaction is:

1) I've missed what Portnoy adds to the band's overall character/"sonic signature"
2) The music itself feels a little generic

Personally I love love, I just listened freely no preconceived expectations.

Love James on this! I think he hasn't sounded this good since dt12

Portnoy is familiar but such a breath of fresh air!

I don't get the JP chug riff comments. I feel this song he's finally playing mainly awesome riffing and less chugging!

Mix is great! Really looking forward to the album. Honestly the negative nit pickers and go toss fucking rocks. Enough negativity around to have to have negative bs dampen my mood! If you don't like it move on, see ya, won't miss ya, and I'm sure no one else will either lol

Tone wise I think it shares some vague similarity with ANTR, but that might just be the MP style drums bringing me back to that era. Structurally it reminds me a bit more of the TOT era songs mixes in in with some Awake-esque flourishes.

Quote from: Cool Chris on October 10, 2024, 08:50:35 AMReaP!

Hello hello

Quote from: Progmaniac1988 on October 10, 2024, 08:53:35 AMPersonally I love love, I just listened freely no preconceived expectations.

Love James on this! I think he hasn't sounded this good since dt12

Portnoy is familiar but such a breath of fresh air!

I don't get the JP chug riff comments. I feel this song he's finally playing mainly awesome riffing and less chugging!

Mix is great! Really looking forward to the album. Honestly the negative nit pickers and go toss fucking rocks. Enough negativity around to have to have negative bs dampen my mood! If you don't like it move on, see ya, won't miss ya, and I'm sure no one else will either lol

I could have actually done with more chug, but Petrucci seems to like the more melodic riffing style

Quote from: CraftyCaleb2483 on October 10, 2024, 08:48:18 AMI certainly don't, it's nowhere near as bad as ANTR

Last time we ranked all the DT songs, A Nightmare To Remember came in at #11 for me! Wash your mouth out.

Quote from: twosuitsluke on October 10, 2024, 08:55:35 AMLast time we ranked all the DT songs, A Nightmare To Remember came in at #11 for me! Wash your mouth out.

I'm glad you like it, but for me that song is straight trash.

The opening/intro and in particular the drum parts are extremely similar to As I Am...

Going to listen to both again later

Quote from: Skeever on October 10, 2024, 07:09:33 AMLikes
-MP is bringing his A game
-More balanced mix overall (hotter drums and more prominent rhythm section
-Instrumental sections feel more special and not just "trading solos"
-James' performance sounds more energized than usual

I don't share the dislike, though I understand it, but the rest is where I come in.

It's Dream Theater, and the DT that I love. That instrumental section at the 7:00 minute mark is why I listen to them.

VERY excited by this. 

Pretty much exactly the song i expected when MP came back down to the note.

it's alright

Don't know if anyone has mentioned yet, but that riff at 1:31 is basically Metallica's That Was Just Your Life 

Quote from: twosuitsluke on October 10, 2024, 09:00:28 AMDon't know if anyone has mentioned yet, but that riff at 1:31 is basically Metallica's That Was Just Your Life 

You're right, and after the more melodic/legato opening. tbh Metallica did it better

Quote from: genome on October 10, 2024, 08:35:12 AMNot really sure I'm hearing things not being "locked in"

Are you sure you're not just used to hearing modern DT with a drummer who is as precise as a machine?

I've always preferred Portnoy's style. More attitude, more emotion

I know what I'm hearing but I'm not going to say more about it. It is what it is and I love the man.

I do agree that the JP riffs feel more melodic and less chuggy too! I was listening to Awaken The Master this morning and thinking that I hope they move away from chugs. I like basically all of the melodic choices - especially a chorus in a register that James can perform live. They've gotten better about that since D/T.

Regarding ANTR - Do we have to call things trash? Or can we just acknowledge that it's not the side of DT we prefer. Shouldn't be hard to acknowledge subjectivity in a music discussion

Ironic that a song called Night Terror ruins my after-work nap plans, because now I have to try to learn it by ear before band rehearsal tonight.

Just listened again, and the only "chugging" kinda that I even heard were those two bars at the end of the chorus. So I don't know what that's about.

First Listen:

It didn't blow me away, but I will say it felt pretty solid.  I think the song flows pretty well, and the production sounds great.  I like the main riff a lot.  Great stuff from Mike! I love the timing changes to the main riff right after the first chorus.

Great first single from the album. Funnily enough, after listening both version few time, I think I prefer the radio edit.
It skips some of the more excessive instrumentals and makes the song more cohesive. Perfect for a radio.

Good song overall. Good production and mix. Sounds like Dream Theater. Don't really feel the need to do excessive nitpicks.

Said it in the album announcement thread as well, but might as well start with it here too: If I were to imagine a sequel track to Invisible Monster, this'd be it.

It sounds familiar, so I think that there's something soothing about that. MP did his "signature fill" on purpose.

As I prefer a more natural sounding mix, Andy Sneap mixes sound a bit too polished for me, this track sounds too polished as well. I do like the separation of elements and that we can hear JM though.

The arrangement sounds a bit too disconnected for me. I know that DT tracks are usually a mix and match of different sections, but they usually do the transitions better than this.

Quote from: genome on October 10, 2024, 08:35:12 AMNot really sure I'm hearing things not being "locked in"

Are you sure you're not just used to hearing modern DT with a drummer who is as precise as a machine?

I've always preferred Portnoy's style. More attitude, more emotion

Around when MM joined the band, JP made a comment about how MM was a different drummer because he played behind the groove. I think this was an insightful comment. I've also seen MM say before that his approach to writing drums is to think about what else is going on in the song and how to accent everything. The end result of this is that MM's drumming was more of a "glue" that created the rhythmic pulse from everything else going on.

MP's style is more to push the groove. Even in lighter material like Transatlantic.

Obvious example - when MP does the first verse of Trial of Tears, he plays the groove really tight, whereas Mangini plays it in a spacier way to match the rest of the song.

Not about Mangini being a "machine" or Portnoy having more "attitude" per se. Musically they're both trying to do different things. Makes the experience of listening to them fundamentally different.

There's like ten different DT songs inside this one. Not bad, but, to speak in toy collecting terms, there's been a lot of reuse.

Does Mike know any other fills?

No.

Quote from: twosuitsluke on October 10, 2024, 08:55:35 AMLast time we ranked all the DT songs, A Nightmare To Remember came in at #11 for me! Wash your mouth out.

Nope, I mean what I said    

Quote from: Zook on October 10, 2024, 09:21:21 AMThere's like ten different DT songs inside this one. Not bad, but, to speak in toy collecting terms, there's been a lot of reuse.

Does Mike know any other fills?

Yeah especially the intro...you're getting all his go-to moves up front it seems like.

Quote from: TheBarstoolWarrior on October 10, 2024, 09:30:21 AMYeah especially the intro...you're getting all his go-to moves up front it seems like.

Which is fine by me, personally. Anyone thinking Mike would suddenly bust out new chops after playing the way he has been for decades would be fooling themselves. He sounds like MP has always sounded, especially with DT, and if you didn't like it before, you wouldn't like it now.

-Marc.

I like the song, it does feel like it's part of Black Clouds. I don't like the overproduction on everything, especially James' voice, kind of takes some of the atmosphere for me. But those are minor things, overall I am enjoying the song much more than I was expecting.

Quote from: TheBarstoolWarrior on October 10, 2024, 08:59:37 AMThe opening/intro and in particular the drum parts are extremely similar to As I Am...

This was my first thought, as well as:

Quote from: Sir Walrus Cauliflower on October 10, 2024, 08:23:22 AMThe execution of the drum parts feels sloppy to me. I didn't want to feel this way, but the quicker kick drum stuff is not one I'd describe as "tight" or locked in. The cymbal work through the middle is sloppy as well to my ears. I was hoping that a bit more care would be poured into every note around the kit but it sounds like he just sat down and did some takes and said "that'll work". And it works I suppose.

I hate to be that guy but man, after 8+ months I'd think we could get some better takes maybe. The care and attention to every little moment isn't there for me.

Through the many months of silence we had from the band, there was speculation of MP stepping up and making the effort to prove his naysayers wrong, but nope, we got the same old MP doing the same old stuff he likes to play, as if he never left (or practiced since). Most fans will love this and more power to them, but I heard this and I felt the drumming was in slow motion or buffering, like it didn't catch up with the rest of the band. I really missed the other Mike here, but I'm just one of the few.

Still, cool song and I'm currently on my third listen. New DT albums will always be great for me, so I'm excited anyway.

Quote from: BeatriceNB on October 10, 2024, 07:37:52 AMbut I HAD to defend my favourite singer.

Yea that post got me Down Bad...

Sorry, double post.

Quote from: gzarruk on October 10, 2024, 09:37:03 AMThis was my first thought, as well as:

Through the many months of silence we had from the band, there was speculation of MP stepping up and making the effort to prove his naysayers wrong, but nope, we got the same old MP doing the same old stuff he likes to play, as if he never left (or practiced since). Most fans will love this and more power to them, but I heard this and I felt the drumming was in slow motion or buffering, like it didn't catch up with the rest of the band. I really missed the other Mike here, but I'm just one of the few.

Still, cool song and I'm currently on my third listen. New DT albums will always be great for me, so I'm excited anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKNi98SQ5pQ (I had to)

Quote from: Zook on October 10, 2024, 09:21:21 AMThere's like ten different DT songs inside this one. Not bad, but, to speak in toy collecting terms, there's been a lot of reuse.

Does Mike know any other fills?

Pretty sure he uses the exact fill from 1:31 in TCOT a couple of times