what are you listening to ?

[strontium90]

Here's what I listened to today (if you don't mind):

PAGANINI - violin concerto no.2 "La Campanella" in B minor op.7
SAINT SAËNS - piano concerto no.2 in G minor op.22
BRUCKNER - symphony no.3 in D minor
SAVATAGE - Handful Of Rain
DREAM THEATER - Train Of Thought
JUDAS PRIEST - Painkiller

Diverse stuff, isn't it ?

[dusken]

Dream Theater is a great band. But Train of Thought is one of the worst albums I have ever heard. It was so bad that I sold it even though I am normally a completist with regards to bands and albums.

[strontium90]

Dream Theater is a great band. But Train of Thought is one of the worst albums I have ever heard. It was so bad that I sold it even though I am normally a completist with regards to bands and albums.

No problem. Everyone's musical perception is essentially different.

Fot me, Train Of Thought is one of the best Heavy Metal albums I've ever listened to. It's a dark, very subjective album.
I'm a musician and I can tell that it's not sub par to any other DREAM THEATER album musically or technically.

[dusken]

I am also a musician and I feel that it is in fact sub par. It has become simpler, more reliant on production, and is less creative. Dream Theater was a band influenced heavily by Rush and they decided to throw all of that away and sound like a bad Pantera cover band for an hour. The song structures are choppy and the harmonies are childish. I do not know how familiar you are with their previous work but can you not see that the bass and keyboard presence that was once so commanding and integral in the music, is now lost behind a wall of meaningless distortion? They went from being a progressive rock band to a queercore band.

Oh, and do not take any of this as an attack.

[strontium90]

Of course I won't take this as an attack, .. God! are we on http://dreamtheater.net/bb ?!

Yes, I am familiar with the entire DREAM THEATER catalogue, and suggest to judge Train Of Thought in it's context, and not in the context of previous work.

The plan was "to make a Heavy Metal album".
This would naturally lead into guitars jumping to a prominent position comparing to other elements. Specifically speaking, keyboard solos are kept minimum, rhythm piano is more frequent since it adds a classy touch. But it's clear that the bass guitar is mixed louder than what it was like on 6 Degrees Of Inner Turbulence. Mike always shines, he has added some relevant pure Metal chops.
Vocals are the worst part, mind you, cuz LaBrie doesn't have that type of voice timbre to suit the attitude of As I Am for example, but he's pretty good on Endless Sacrifice and This Dying Soul.

I feel that the original plan is fulfiled, and yet in a way very genuine and characteristic to DREAM THEATER.

[Tres Bien]

usually i listen to My Mothers screaming and moaning and my brothers whining.

[Emil]

usually i listen to My Mothers screaming and moaning

Uh, is it just me or does that sound wrong?

[loseyourname]

I'm listening to the moaning of a very satisfied girl.

[SagGal]

Uhm, okkkkkkkkey.

Not a Mariah Carey fan but I just can't get enough of that song, so I am still listening to Mariah Carey (feat. Brian McKnight) - Whenever You Call. I am a sucker for slow songs.

[strontium90]

In my ears at the moment..

BLACK SABBATH - Headless Cross

[scream]
ANY BLACK SABBATH FANS OUT THERE ?!
[/scream]