Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos

[americanryan]

Not much else to say other then to CHECK IT OUT.

Its a work of art.

[seansdadj]

A couple of my friends are huge fans of Dream Theater. I haven't really heard their stuff.

[kyle barton]

i love the new record. i think i have them all, and it's my favorite since awake. i have been dutifully buying their records, but haven't been blown away by one of their records in ages.

however, the james labrie solo record is awesome, and i daresay that marco sflogli is everybit as good for labrie's solo tunes as petrucci. i can't wait for labrie's next one

[Revolt]

DreamTheater has the most amazing drummer I have ever heard. Their music is all pretty solid, I will def check the new album out.

[Laura]

Originally Posted by seansdadj

A couple of my friends are huge fans of Dream Theater. I haven't really heard their stuff.

I'm a huge fan of Dream Theater but I think they are selling out to the Metal crowd. Why are they trying to sound like Metallica & Megadeth?

I may be the only person in the universe who thinks that the 3 great songs on Falling Into Infinity (New Millennium, Hells Kitchen, Trail of Tears) are some of their greatest numbers. Also Octavarium.

When I listened to the chord progressions on the first section of Octavarium, I couldn't believe that simple chords could be structured in such a way as to produce such intense emotion. It just gave my soul a kick in the ass.

Oh yeah and I am probably in the minority when I say that Mike Portnoy could do with a few less drums. Less can be more. I saw Dream Theater at the Tower in August and the 2 bands who opened with them could simply not be heard because the double-bass drum pedals overwhelmed the rest of the band. I started to wonder why drums have become so dominant. I started to think that overdone drums have led to a huge outbreak of "volume wars" in hard rock. Guitars are constantly turning it up. Singers have to scream instead of sing. Musicians have to wear special headphones to hear themselves.

It's enough to make you go acoustic!! 'Wha... wha'd you say?? Can't hear ya!!!..."

[johnnymegabyte]

It's a great CD. They out-metal any band.
However, not too find of the 5.1 DVD mixes. The CD mix is great.

[lolzgreg]

I definitely agree that Systematic Chaos is the best album since Awake. Train of Thought had a good song or two (I liked Stream of Conciousness and Honor Thy Father). Octavarium was a dud... it made me upset. I mean, good job for making a 22:00 song, but I'd rather listen to 22:00 minutes of Paramore's "Riot" because I happen to think it's better written, has better vocals and is more interesting than Octavarium. I'm a huge prog fan too...

[Laura]

Originally Posted by lolgreg

I definitely agree that Systematic Chaos is the best album since Awake. Train of Thought had a good song or two (I liked Stream of Conciousness and Honor Thy Father). Octavarium was a dud...

OK I totally disagree with you but let's agree that "different strokes for different folks" and not get into a flamewar like so many ignorant folks do on the Net. In fact I also think that Hells Kitchen and Trail of Tears on Falling Into Infinity are some of their best songs. Yes I do think that Systematic Chaos was a great album because Dream Theater is just great musicians & songwriters and everything they do will be superior. Even the power ballads on Infinity.

Still, I just think that there are plenty of other Metal bands doing the dark, satanic stuff, but there are very bands doing the kind of prog that Dream theater is capable of doing. So in a way, I'm disappointed.

I'm also noticing the definition of Prog expanding to include all sorts of metal, grunge and just about any music as long as it uses more than 3 chords!

[garagebandguy2]

i havent really heard the new album yet, but i couldnt stand octavarium. train of thought had some cool stuff on it. but it all still sucked compared to their older stuff. i dig most of awake. change of seasons was great. images and words was absolutely the shit. but i am definately inspired to check out the new stuff if its being hailed as their best album since awake.