ToT was more straightforward than any of their other albums...some people hated it, and some, like me, love it...

That being said, I'd really prefer to see the new album combine ToT + Six Degrees or ToT + Awake....

I'd love a mix of ToT and Awake. I don't know if DT could sucessfully pull that off though.
It'll be interesting to see what direction they take it with this album.

Indeed, didn't they say it would be different from ToT? I'd like to see Petrucci lose some of his longer, less melodic wanking style solos.

[QUOTE=The JoZ]ToT was more straightforward than any of their other albums...some people hated it, and some, like me, love it...

That being said, I'd really prefer to see the new album combine ToT + Six Degrees or ToT + Awake....[/QUOTE]

Yes, I agree, a combo of ToT's heaviness with 6 Degrees' harmonic sophistication and arrangements would be utterly killer. Rudess should take a tack from Nightwish with his keyboard work: that band always has amazing metal riffs and great keyboard lines. I love the sound of an orchestra backing up a metal band.

[QUOTE=MAthiAS]Indeed, didn't they say it would be different from ToT? I'd like to see Petrucci lose some of his longer, less melodic wanking style solos.[/QUOTE]

Good God, I hope he loses those. His soloing tone on ToT stunk too: you really need delay or reverb for those kinds of things, so that the picking noise and the gain isn't so harsh-sounding. One thing I would also hope to see less of are keyboard/guitar unison "races:" the ones on ToT seemed rarely supported by any sort of audible bassline or chord changes, and so it sounded very strange and silly in parts.

[QUOTE=Cain]Good God, I hope he loses those. His tone sucks too.[/QUOTE]
His tone's okay, but he wanks it on almost every song of ToT. Especially Stream of Consciousness, I love that song, but his solo is pretty boring to me. Lets see some Pull Me Under/Another Day style solos... you know, with phrasing.

[QUOTE=MAthiAS]His tone's okay, but he wanks it on almost every song of ToT. Especially Stream of Consciousness, I love that song, but his solo is pretty boring to me. Lets see some Pull Me Under/Another Day style solos... you know, with phrasing.[/QUOTE]

Precisely. Although as I said in my edit, I would like to see reverb on the solos. They sound less harsh and more wailing that way. For instance, I think the "Blind Faith" solo was great with the delay on it. Also, as I said in the edit, less keyboard/guitar unison races, unless they're going to have some actual musical theme to them. I don't get impressed by those very much anymore. Listening to bands like Nightwish just reinforce my belief in orchestration, rather than a billion instruments all locking in step together and doing the exact same thing. 6 Degrees had a lot of layers, for instance.

Exactly. Layering always sounds awesome and makes the music more interesting and sophisticated. And Blind Faith is one of my favorite JP solos. Technical, yet awesome phrasing and melody.

Excuse the change of themes, but I was watching a video a friend of mine DL some time ago, and it's John petrucci talking to the crowd about exercises and stuff, and there's this part where he plays a Chopin song (for piano) in his guitar. I was wondering if you knew the name of the song, and if there's a tab available for that song.

[QUOTE=The JoZ]ToT was more straightforward than any of their other albums...some people hated it, and some, like me, love it...

That being said, I'd really prefer to see the new album combine ToT + Six Degrees or ToT + Awake....[/QUOTE]
I agree with you...I love ToT, it was my first DT album and still listen to it (actually taking a break from it right now, kinda od'ed), I've been listening to IaW and Awake a lot lately and really have fallen in love with both of them. I really hope, when they come to the MidWest in July/August, they play some of those tunes. I know they have to re-learn some of the songs, but I would love to hear Learning to Live, The Mirror/Lie, Surrounded (I know...its gay, but I love it!) and I'm praying they play The Glass Prison...if they did, I can die happy :)

By the way, if you watch the IaW DVD, you can see them really get into it. I think they have good stage presence then. Myung doesn't pace like he used to and doesn't head bang as much. But JP does get into it on the Budokan DVD (See the Glass Prison riff on This Dying Soul...which is my favorite part of the song). I'm just glad he got rid of that UGLY looking Piccasso guitar he used, I thought that looked real cheesy. But, man, JLB looked really...gay in the "Another Day" video...cracks me up, I still like him though

BTW, I like the band with different hair. BTW, doesn't JP look really buff in the Budokan DVD (yeah, he must work out...Dumb and Dumber reference)

Im listening to DT's cover of Battery for the first time. Im blown away, this its just amazing. I thought James locals would let it down but not at all.

[QUOTE=pizzapie88]Im listening to DT's cover of Battery for the first time. Im blown away, this its just amazing. I thought James locals would let it down but not at all.[/QUOTE]
Heh, yeah. The mop bootleg is pretty good actually to what I thought it was going to be.

I really like their rendition of Orion. That was pretty cool.

/bump

[QUOTE=Otherside]I'd love a mix of ToT and Awake. I don't know if DT could sucessfully pull that off though.
It'll be interesting to see what direction they take it with this album.[/QUOTE]
I would like to see another images and words style of album
certainly less heavy than ToT

[QUOTE=Lord Abortion]I would like to see another images and words style of album
certainly less heavy than ToT[/QUOTE]

Same. An 'Images & Words II" would be nice. Old school prog.

BTW, DT still kicks ***.

[QUOTE=Lord Abortion]I would like to see another images and words style of album
certainly less heavy than ToT[/QUOTE]

i dont no
I+W is a great album showin all their technical abilitiy, but i really love ToT
for its general amazingness
another great song like Glass Prison/This Dying Soul is all i want

Can someone tell me a Dream Theater song with a better guitar solo than "As I Am". I havent listened to all of this band, but that is the best solo that I have found so far. Thanks if you help me out.

More technical? Stream of Conciousness. Better solo in terms of creativity? Alot of songs.

stream of conciousness
the glass prison
blind faith
those are some great solo's

I know its not as awesome as the beforementioned, but man, the guitar solo w/ Ruddess on In the Name of God amazes me

^ at what time in the song is that?

BTW, Mathias, do you really have a video of DT playing Glass Prison?

I finally got 6DotIT, and I love it. I've heard the Glass Prison before I got it, and its always been one of my favorite DT songs. The rest of the first album is absolutely amazing though. Misunderstood is probably my favorite slower song by them now, maybe my favorite slower song ever. I love the "From a God to a God save me" line. I haven't listened to the whole 2nd CD yet, but I will later.

By the way, does anyone know anywhere I can get info on the new album?

The second CD is best music I've ever heard from the band. It's full of emotion. Just listen to it, over and over again, a lot!

[quote]BTW, Mathias, do you really have a video of DT playing Glass Prison?[/quote]
Yes, found it on Limewire. Its at BB King's in NYC. And he really does slightly fudge the first two arpeggios. Not really a mess up, just not 100% clean.

[quote]The second CD is best music I've ever heard from the band. It's full of emotion. Just listen to it, over and over again, a lot![/quote]
Are you referring to Images and Words or Awake?

Is there any remote chance of you uploading it?

Well my friend let me barrow Live at Bodiken (DVD)....What is the best song on it?

Keep in mind I dont really enjoy "heavy" music.

You'll probably like Stream of Conciousness and Hollow Years.

[QUOTE=Schyma]Well my friend let me barrow Live at Bodiken (DVD)....What is the best song on it?

Keep in mind I dont really enjoy "heavy" music.[/QUOTE]
hollow years, definately