Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions... https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/t872 Runboard| Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions... en-us Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:59:28 +0000 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:59:28 +0000 https://www.runboard.com/ rssfeeds_managingeditor@runboard.com (Runboard.com RSS feeds managing editor) rssfeeds_webmaster@runboard.com (Runboard.com RSS feeds webmaster) akBBS 60 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13238,from=rss#post13238https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13238,from=rss#post13238I love it, and play it again and again for weeks. My first impression was also, that the keys are a bit down in the mix and/or not existing, but actually this is bot true. There are many times, when Jordan and John P. actually play exactly the same melody, but the guitar is a bit more easy to hear. But there ARE some very fine moments from Jordan! DT are the band, of which I simply cannot tell my favourite album. Images and words; Awake; SFAM and ToT are all simply amazing and every album has it's own style! nondisclosed_email@example.com (Mister Pink)Fri, 03 Sep 2004 14:49:08 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13237,from=rss#post13237https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13237,from=rss#post13237I haven't listened to this album for quite some time now, but when it came out, I didn't like it too much. As a Dream Theater fan I think they shouldn't try to sound like someone else, well, it is still Dream Theater, but to me it has too many obvious influences from bands that don't have the same level! Why try to sound like them??? Dream Theater can do better...nondisclosed_email@example.com (Durple)Fri, 03 Sep 2004 13:11:07 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13236,from=rss#post13236https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13236,from=rss#post13236Okay, after giving the album extensive listens my imressions are the following: I generally don´t like the disorted vocal idea, but on some tracks it´s okay. Overall it´s a bit long with the tracks having a constant sound, if you can´t get enough of it it´s probably good, but I miss the change...and the keyboards! Everyone is playing on top, tight and very heavy. After several listens I really started to enjoy As I Am. Great heavy, dark track. Vacant is also great but too short, Stream Of Conciousness(which has a very fitting title, as the song progresses exactly like that!) has to be one of the very best Dream Theater instrumental passages. In The Name Of God is the best track. From the first listen and after a couple of times more. I still don´t like Honour Thy Father and This Dying Soul, Endless Sacrifice I´d count to the better tracks, though. Overall very good product, but I´d like to hear more feeling and the next time.nondisclosed_email@example.com (Milan Fahrnholz)Fri, 03 Sep 2004 01:20:42 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13235,from=rss#post13235https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13235,from=rss#post13235I think Rick sums it up very well. I've listened to Train Of Thought three times now and I think it's pretty damn good. I was initially disappointed as it seemed to be just a straight ahead metal album (lots of Master Of Puppets riffs) and I really didn't want that from Dream Theater. After a few listens I can definitely hear the proggishness (word?). I don't think I'll ever like it as much as Scenes From A Memory, but think it's as good as Six Degees Of Inner Turbulence or Awake. Favorite song - In The Name Of Godnondisclosed_email@example.com (RJD)Sun, 23 Nov 2003 15:43:43 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13234,from=rss#post13234https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13234,from=rss#post13234Ok, I finally got this album, and have given it about 3 or 4 listens at this point. And I like it. I didn't know what to expect, given the divided opinions I have read about it. It has split the DT board community into two very distinct groups, being the "heavy" group that likes the metal side of the band, and the prog side, which seems to only like the older stuff. The fact is, this album doesn't surprise me, you could see this coming. If you follows DT's progression, you have the earlier, more prog influenced albums, Images & Words, Awake and the Change of Seasons EP. But with Falling into Infinity there a definite "tone" change in the music. It started heading more to the metal sound in the riffs and guitar tone. Scenes From a Memory continued that, and while being a great prog concept album, you could see the influences changing with Dance of Eternity, Home and Fatal Tragedy. Six Degrees had even harder core metal sound in The Glass Prison, The Great Debate, The Test To Stump Them All and The War Inside My Head. This album continues the trend, the most metal album they have done so far. But through it all, they sound like, well, Dream Theater. Some critics of this album have said they are trying to follow the nu-metal trends, and sound like Linkin Park or Limp Biscuit. If thats so, I don't know what album they have been listening to. Ok, there is maybe 30 seconds of James Labrie "rapping", out of almost 70 minutes of music. Oh yah, gone WAY over the egde there, right? (That's sarcasim, if you can't tell.) Is it a perfect album? No, not to me. I still like the earlier albums better, I liked it when the band was more balanced between prog and metal, but they still play great music. Petrucci needs to slow down, he's started going over the edge on the metal shredding, I think he needs to pull out the entire Blackmore catalog and not record another album until he's listened to it all, and re-learn that solos can be played with feeling. The early albums had more of that, but he's tending more towards shredding as time goes on. But all told, it's a very solid enjoyable album. It's too new to me to place in the DT heirarchy of albums, but I don't understand what all the screaming is about from the DT fan base.nondisclosed_email@example.com (RickWells)Fri, 21 Nov 2003 16:31:20 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13233,from=rss#post13233https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13233,from=rss#post13233quote:MrSnip wrote: Well, maybe they are worth a listen afterall. I just loath Metallica. No musicality when a band can accept a "singer" like that one. Ah, so it's only Hetfield's voice. Fear not my friend, James LaBrie is one of the best singers around at the moment. He even has some classical training. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Niko Vidgren)Mon, 17 Nov 2003 17:39:54 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13232,from=rss#post13232https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13232,from=rss#post13232Rick & Christos: Well, maybe they are worth a listen afterall. I just loath Metallica. No musicality when a band can accept a "singer" like that one.nondisclosed_email@example.com (MrSnip)Mon, 17 Nov 2003 16:43:55 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13231,from=rss#post13231https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13231,from=rss#post13231Dream Theater have nothing to do with Metallica apart from a couple of heavy riffs here and there on the harder tracks! You might as well compare them to Sting because they've done tracks like Another Day and Hollow Years that sound like him! All in all, they are a very eclectic band mixing very diverse and different influences in a progressive cauldron of sound and very good so as well. Kind of remind me of Purple in that respect, a very modern Purple that is... Give them a shot you won't be disappointed. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Christos Gatzidis)Mon, 17 Nov 2003 13:09:04 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13230,from=rss#post13230https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13230,from=rss#post13230quote:MrSnip wrote: Thanks for the review, now I know I don't need any D.T. Metallica like vocals And please realize that Dream Theater sound, especially the singer, is generally far, far from Metallica! This album is a change in direction for them. If you were to pick up Images & Words, for instance, the last thing you would thinking of is Metallica. It still may not be your cup of tea, as it were, but still, the Metallica comparision is a bad one! nondisclosed_email@example.com (RickWells)Mon, 17 Nov 2003 13:02:06 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13229,from=rss#post13229https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13229,from=rss#post13229Well yeah, the difference between us may be that I like Metallica and you don't. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Niko Vidgren)Sun, 16 Nov 2003 18:01:38 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13228,from=rss#post13228https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13228,from=rss#post13228quote:Niko Vidgren wrote: quote:MrSnip wrote: Thanks for the review, now I know I don't need any D.T. Metallica like vocals Don't be so hasty, it's a great album, one of their best really. When people compare bands with Metallica, I know I have to stay far away! I guess I am too old for that shit nondisclosed_email@example.com (MrSnip)Sun, 16 Nov 2003 17:59:45 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13227,from=rss#post13227https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13227,from=rss#post13227quote:MrSnip wrote: Thanks for the review, now I know I don't need any D.T. Metallica like vocals Don't be so hasty, it's a great album, one of their best really. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Niko Vidgren)Sun, 16 Nov 2003 17:56:45 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13226,from=rss#post13226https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13226,from=rss#post13226quote:Niko Vidgren wrote: First of all I have listened to ToT only once through, and as I write this I'm listening to it again. The album seems to be good, but it definitely demands many many listens to form a proper opinion. One thing I can say already, it's heavy, even heavier than Six Degrees. But that ain't necessary a flaw. And other thing that is weird is that the keyboards are pushed more to the background than in the previous records, which is a shame. But oh boy, can these guys play! The album starts off with a powerful rocker, As I Am, which reminds me of Metallica at some parts, especially some vocal parts. It's more hard-rock than metal though, good groove throughout. Great vocals from LaBrie. Next is This Dying Soul which has some parts taken straight from The Glass Prison from the previous album (even part of the lyrics), and even features a vocal part taken straight from a Metallica song, but I can't right now remember from which song. Maybe it's some kind of tribute, who knows? Good ol' complex DT this one. Endless Sacrifice starts off with acoustic guitar, and then turns to more heavier in the chorus, coming back to acoustic again. At 5:00 starts the solo parts (great pseudo-classic interlude from Rudess, makes me smile everytime ) and then comes to the last part, and the song ends very powerfully, absolutely great drumming from Portnoy! Honor Thy Father starts where Endless Sacrifice ended, with superb drumming and heavy riffing. In the middle there are few spoken parts á la Space-Dye Vest but otherwise no resemblance to it. Good song, typical Theater. Vacant is like Never a Word, it ends before it really starts. One of the shortest Theater songs, only 2:58. But like Never a Word, great atmospheric ballad. It has even a cello in the background. Like it. Stream of Consciousness, a 11 minute instrumental, not much to say about this, complex Dream Theater instrumental. The last song is great, In the Name of God. The lyrics obviously deals with the power church has and what atrocities are made in the name of God. Great ending song for the record. So, what are my conclusions after two listenings? I cannot yet rank this album, but so far it sounds bloody great. It's heavy, it's complex and the playing is top-notch (all of them are virtuosos with their instruments). At the moment I'm enjoying it very much. Thanks for the review, now I know I don't need any D.T. Metallica like vocals nondisclosed_email@example.com (MrSnip)Sun, 16 Nov 2003 17:02:34 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13225,from=rss#post13225https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13225,from=rss#post13225I love it to... especially "Honor thy Father" and "In the name of God". And I like the idea of divide a song into two parts and put them on different albums. nondisclosed_email@example.com (ArneStawi)Sun, 16 Nov 2003 16:58:59 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13224,from=rss#post13224https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13224,from=rss#post13224PLaying it for the fourth time now, and it just gets better all the time! Well done Dream Theater!nondisclosed_email@example.com (Niko Vidgren)Sat, 08 Nov 2003 13:41:46 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13223,from=rss#post13223https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13223,from=rss#post13223Nice review, I've only heard As I Am so far which I quite liked, I'm one of those people that firmly believe Theater never lived up to the lofty expectations they created after Images And Words (a fantastic in every possible way album, one of the best releases of the 90s for me) and this one sounded like they might be on their way to recapturing some of the glory of that record. That track sounded more like Sabbath than Metallica to me though (and what a stonking guitar solo)!nondisclosed_email@example.com (Christos Gatzidis)Fri, 07 Nov 2003 19:15:39 +0000 Re: Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13222,from=rss#post13222https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13222,from=rss#post13222Ok Niko, now I'm jealous, I don't get this album here until Tuesday, and you've already listened to it twice. Damn! nondisclosed_email@example.com (RickWells)Fri, 07 Nov 2003 18:56:54 +0000 Dream Theater - Train of Thought, my first impressions...https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13221,from=rss#post13221https://bdeeppurplefanforum.runboard.com/p13221,from=rss#post13221First of all I have listened to ToT only once through, and as I write this I'm listening to it again. The album seems to be good, but it definitely demands many many listens to form a proper opinion. One thing I can say already, it's heavy, even heavier than Six Degrees. But that ain't necessary a flaw. And other thing that is weird is that the keyboards are pushed more to the background than in the previous records, which is a shame. But oh boy, can these guys play! The album starts off with a powerful rocker, As I Am, which reminds me of Metallica at some parts, especially some vocal parts. It's more hard-rock than metal though, good groove throughout. Great vocals from LaBrie. Next is This Dying Soul which has some parts taken straight from The Glass Prison from the previous album (even part of the lyrics), and even features a vocal part taken straight from a Metallica song, but I can't right now remember from which song. Maybe it's some kind of tribute, who knows? Good ol' complex DT this one. Endless Sacrifice starts off with acoustic guitar, and then turns to more heavier in the chorus, coming back to acoustic again. At 5:00 starts the solo parts (great pseudo-classic interlude from Rudess, makes me smile everytime ) and then comes to the last part, and the song ends very powerfully, absolutely great drumming from Portnoy! Honor Thy Father starts where Endless Sacrifice ended, with superb drumming and heavy riffing. In the middle there are few spoken parts á la Space-Dye Vest but otherwise no resemblance to it. Good song, typical Theater. Vacant is like Never a Word, it ends before it really starts. One of the shortest Theater songs, only 2:58. But like Never a Word, great atmospheric ballad. It has even a cello in the background. Like it. Stream of Consciousness, a 11 minute instrumental, not much to say about this, complex Dream Theater instrumental. The last song is great, In the Name of God. The lyrics obviously deals with the power church has and what atrocities are made in the name of God. Great ending song for the record. So, what are my conclusions after two listenings? I cannot yet rank this album, but so far it sounds bloody great. It's heavy, it's complex and the playing is top-notch (all of them are virtuosos with their instruments). At the moment I'm enjoying it very much. nondisclosed_email@example.com (Niko Vidgren)Fri, 07 Nov 2003 16:02:13 +0000