A little cheesy, but solid overall.

I get some mad Rush vibes from this

Still Mike Mangini.
Still don't give a shit.

Song isn't that great but it sounds like the production has improved over last album

I'm sure it'll have to grow on me but it's good.

Mangini is such a boring drummer

Getting tired of these guys, but out of 34 songs there's gotta be something amazing that comes out of it.

I actually really appreciate that the chorus doesn't come back after the solo wankery though.

Agree with most; Mangini still sounds like an emotionless machine.

Lol they aren't even bothering at this point to hide the fact that they've turned into the longest running Rush circle-jerk band ever

Not a bad song but hoping this is the worst on the album.

the production on the drums is rly annoying
song sounds like modern dream theater
for a progressive metal band they dont seem very progressive
oh well i'll buy it first day anyway

I agree with pretty much everyone here. The song is pretty run of the mill For newer Dream Theater. I think there's going to be a few really good songs Throughout the album though. And for how technical Mangini is I agree that his drumming is not very interesting

The production sounds similar to the s/t.

@Gordo if I want a technically accomplished drummer with a lot of creativity and groove I'll listen to bobby jarzombek

"the gift of music" lol not gonna check sorry

If you actually listen to the lyrics, you can tell this is going to be an absolute shit fest of cliches. Hopefully this whole thing isn't narrated like a kids book throughout..

Agreed with the slight Rush vibes. Still, not really interested in the album.

It sounds like poo

meh

On one hand, sounds like they're at least trying to maintain some focus and brevity. Intro and chorus are OK. Solo's nice and pretty tasteful by Petrucci's standards.

On the other hand, this sounds really friggin' safe, a second-rate ripoff of Rush both musically and lyric-wise, and Mangina could be replaced by a drum machine.

I enjoyed this. I thought it was pretty progressive for a 4 min 'song'. Remember, this is not so much a song as a segment of a much larger connected piece. Anyway, it seems much more diverse than the last album and I prefer the lyrics on this to 90% of the s/t. I will agree that with all the production gripes of the last album, this really isn't that much better (though it is still better and the guitar is less overpowering).

Anyway, I expected this to be hated upon on here as even if they released another images and words I reckon people wouldn't be happy. I'm pretty impressed personally at the amount of effort that they've put into this album. Also, cover art is epic!

On the other hand, this sounds really friggin' safe, a second-rate ripoff of Rush both musically and lyric-wise, and Mangina could be replaced by a drum machine. [2]

I think that, by having that high standards, they're bound to have accomplished something better than just creating another album with the same 10 tracks. At least now there's a goal they aim to.

Hey guys, reading all the comments on Mangini I somehow feel obliged to point one thing out. Mangini's drumming in DT might be quite uninspired but he used to be an absolute beast on drums. You can't blame him for being trapped in the DT machinery, it feels to me like this is exactly what Petrucci & Co were looking for. A very proficient drummer who just plays what they want him to without any space for creative freedom on his part. So this is for all the Mangini haters out there:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PgwSL6reWE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um24wnmC3xs

m/

It's pretty obvious that Portnoy was this band's creative spark. They're just another bland Rush-clone at this point. I also agree that Mangini is boring as fuck. He's the Shawn Drover of prog.

not bad

That comment really hurts Willie... Drover and Mangini aren't even in the same league.

pretty decent, a little too mellow though (probably because of the drums)

they have 33 more songs on the album so I'm sure there's better out there.

I'll give it this, at least it's mercifully short, considering this is Dream Theater we're talking about.

You can't just write science-fiction and introduce everything by saying "far in a distant a future"

this is such a 1 I want to puke

It's more of the same as expected, but the song is catchy.

The lyrics are childish.
The music is pretty decent, but this song has absolutely no replay value for me.
It's not a bad song though, so I guess that's pretty cool.

this is gonna be a haaaaard 1

It has a 6Degrees "About to Crash" vibe to it--a little more prog-rock than prog-metal... and thankfully, they crush the Rudess solo section before it really opens up into a carnival of regrets and depression.

Otherwise, its a fine tune with a nice solo to outro. I also appreciate Labrie's melodies staying in his wheelhouse.

Sounds all right, if not uninspired. Didn't even pay attention to the lyrics though.

my god this is horrible

Thought it would be funny to go through dt entire studio discog and tick all the good songs.

Basically they are 50% shit

Bring back kevin moore and portnoy

unless this is supposed to be some 36 trck concept album about the loss of creativity in some post apocalyptic future than this song has some of the most atrocious lyrics ever.

These guys manage to keep outperforming their own stereotype with every record. It's remarkable.

Dream Theater's "The Astonishing" featuring the hit single, "The Gift of Music"

Jesus Christ.

Sure the drums aren't as interesting as Portnoy, but this is no cheesier nor less melodic than 6 Degrees of Inner Turbulence, which many people consider to be Dream Theater's last great album.

Plus, the band is using a live chorus, orchestra and real piano here, and LaBrie sounds like a younger version of himself.

Y'all are so jaded.

just because its using the same stuff from 6 degrees doesn't mean that its automatically as good or the same as 6 degrees.

whos the jaded one here?

DT are the new definition of dadrock

At first I was like where's the Dream Theater and then they showed off, but the damage was already done lol. Not their best song imo.

awful

boring shit wow

34 tracks? Seriously? SERIOUSLY?! Dream Theater, please stop.

yes we know

its nothing new

its just a waste of time!

we have no need

for ancient queefs

I listened to this five minutes ago and can't remember a damn thing

Just listened and so poor and cheesy it hurts.

C'mon DT, this concept is just 2112 but replacing all the lyrics with random cliches.

Music was decent but forgettable, don't think they'll ever WOW me the way they did the first time I heard Scenes From a Memory.

Also gets a vote for Worst Use of Choir Ever

At least the fanboys on youtube seem to like it

lol yea you can tell most of those top commenters are wearing systematic chaos t's

Just one of those bands that will get defended so hard by their fans even if they went punk or some shit.

couldn't even get through a minute. Labrie just can't fool anyone with that voice

Always felt sorry for the dude cos pre-2000 he was great, just the whole food poisoning situation fucked his voice hard.

can't get over how fucking cheesy the lyrics are. i know that's pretty much Dream Theater's thing, but... i can't dig.

@bigpleb Yeah I heard about that. that must be rough for him

but anyway even if he could sing like he used to they still suck now on other levels

Honestly LaBrie sounds fine now, his voice has been pretty great since Dramatic Turn. The problem is how bland his vocal lines are written, plus them lyrics.

Wish Petrucci would let loose outside of solos like he used to. Now he hardly even throws in a riff during verse/chorus.

Honestly...this is the best DT have sounded in a while. I'll take the post-Portnoy albums over 3/4 of the stuff they've done since Awake, and that's coming from somebody who's been following them since like 2005.

Also, I wish my article was picked, simply because I was really proud of my lame title "Dream Theater give Gift" (though this is clearly the more well-written of the two)

Not sure why people are giving this so much shit tbh

because it's now cool to hate Dream Theater

It's a decent track and nothing more. I think of all the big "progressive" metal/rock bands these guys have always been the most boring.

At least there's Haken?

Look up Arcane

lol at the Rush comparisons

"Just one of those bands that will get defended so hard by their fans even if they went punk or some shit."

Every band has hardcore fanboys that think the band can do no wrong. Good for them, they can enjoy more music I guess.

"At least there's Haken?"

Haken is good but overrated imo.

At this point, there are almost as many people who hate on this band mercilessly than there are actual fanboys.

Anyone who doesn't dislike the band should check it out and see for themselves. Not sure how a single is supposed to be indicative of the album.

Thought it had some decent moments. It sounds more fresh than anything since Six Degrees. Quietly optimistic.

Not bad, but the drums are way too loud.

I'm at work. Should I even bother slacking off and hearing this?

1. its been cool to hate dt since 1992 kids, this aint a new thing
2. album will be a hard 2.5 or 3 if i ever listen to the whole thing
3. there are people on TRF who honestly believe that their last album was as good as images and words. crazy right

that being said i dont think the song is "omg awful lmao pretentious omg lmao lol i covered up my old octavarium poster with deafheaven" bad but im not in the "This is sheer beauty" neckbeard DT lover fan. its hard to feel one way or the other about music like this that seems...just kinda there

Let it all out sonic

>the gift of music

my sides are in orbit

it sure aint astonishing lololol :D

agreed w you sonic 100%

peace

Only just noticed, pretty sure David Cambell was just conducting the choir. I'm 90% certain JP produced as usual.

Yeah this isn't produced by David Campbell, he just did some string & choir arrangements

fixed!

Song is alright. The drums are too high in the mix, though...

It's not that good. But it's not that awful either.
This is literally middle of the road.

yeah perhaps the most mediocre song ever to exist

I mean they are trying, they really are. I'm just not sold on it.

Anyone hear the vocal glitch at 1:22?

A lot of people on youtube seem to

Ya, I first saw it on sevenstring.org and then saw it in the video comments. Never noticed it whatsoever and it took me a couple of listens to actually hear it. Not sure if it's that obvious or if people have damn good hearing lol

I don't hear it though

You gotta turn up the volume for sure. When he sings "People just don't have the time for music..." you'll hear the pitch in his voice drop really briefly at the end of the word "time"

People are bitching about that? There are more objectionable things than that in the song

Haha yeah I know what you mean. Seems like it's the last thing to worry about. However, I still find it quite interesting that it wasn't caught by the engineers or whatever

This late itteration od Dream Theater...... is honestly like if you've heard some of their recent stiff you know what to expect, only blatantly this time.

snare sounds like it was triggered in 1994 and never replaced.

btw david campbell is beck's dad. and a scientologist. fwiw

I was expecting a terrible ass song based on these comments, but it's not bad at all. enjoyable in parts even. labrie sounds like a 90s throwback too. too much hyperbole itt

Don't think he even comes up with most of his vocal lines. The song's not atrocious but it's very forgettable. I'm sure there's interesting material in the other 30 odd songs

"too much hyperbole"

Pretty much defines the site tbh.

I really want to like this, but it's just way too boring, I even prefer the instrumental wankery over this shit

It would be an excellent cure to insomnia if the entire album is like this tho

Yeah it's kinda boring but you can't judge a concept album by only its first song. What would you think of Metropolis part 2 after hearing only regression? What about Haken's 'The Path' of 'The Mountain', BTBAM's 'Node' of 'Coma Ecliptic', Ayreon's 'Day One: Vigil' of 'The Human Equation', Pink Floyd's 'Speak to Me', or movement 1 of Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata'?

okay, well, none of the above works should be compared with what DT are able to deliver in 2015. I'm not saying it's going to be a mostrocity, just that, no matter how fun an album it's going to be, it's not going to be astonishing.

I had no idea they were writing for Disney all of a sudden

hah, comment of the week

i'll wait for the high to wear of before listening to this in case i accidentally enjoy it

"Yeah it's kinda boring but you can't judge a concept album by only its first song. What would you think of Metropolis part 2 after hearing only regression? What about Haken's 'The Path' of 'The Mountain', BTBAM's 'Node' of 'Coma Ecliptic', Ayreon's 'Day One: Vigil' of 'The Human Equation', Pink Floyd's 'Speak to Me', or movement 1 of Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata'?"

moonlight sonata...

It's astonishing how boring this was. I hope this is the worst song on here because when I first heard it was a 34 song concept album I thought maybe they'd put more effort into it than their last 2 albums.

@user 'Speak to Me' is great.

@Mythodea Ye you're most likely right, but it would be kind off unfair to write them completely off already is my point.


@ksoflas I think you mean Breathe? Speak to Me is just some intro noises.

@user why hate?

Oh, I wouldn't write them off. I'm definitely interested in their upcoming album.

Speak to Me is also, quite surprisingly, a decent DT ballad