Dream Theater's Astonishing.

[shred4Him]

I was reading all of these reviews about how good it was, but it really did come across as a Broadway show to me. Highly disappointed. I liked the last release, but I haven't really liked anything by them since SFAM. This band really misses Kevin Moore.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Saw these guys open for Whinery Dogs....been a fan since!

 

[dooredge]

A little OT, but for all you guys like me that really dig the old Dream Theater stuff, what other bands are you into? Just looking for some new music..

Caligula's Horse. Their newest album "Bloom" is great. Be sure to check out their 1st 2 releases as well, "The Tide, The Thief & River's End" & "Moments from Ephemeral City".

 

[ryanscott6]

I don't think this album would have happened if Portnoy was still with them. What a snoozefest. The last album had a few good songs on it but they haven't truly had a good album since Octavarium.

 

[Alex_S]

A little OT, but for all you guys like me that really dig the old Dream Theater stuff, what other bands are you into?
Just looking for some new music..

SymphonyX! They record killer after killer album. Paradise Lost being one of my faves, but the two after are even heavier (depending on what you are after)

I second the Ayreon recommendation also. It has a different vibe than DT had but is great. (More 70s analog synths, different groves etc)

The new Queensryche (without Tate) is also great. Really worth a listen.

And to the general topic: wasn't able to,listen trough the Astonishing yet. After 2-3 songs I move on

 

[chameleon2112]

I'm a big DT fan, but this album is BORING! Petrucci must be counting all his money from his endorsements and not giving a crap about his band anymore. I can see why they put all their concert tix on sale before the album came out. Kind of pisses me off that I spent almost $200 to drive 4 hours each way to go see them!

 

[chameleon2112]

A little OT, but for all you guys like me that really dig the old Dream Theater stuff, what other bands are you into?
Just looking for some new music..

I just found out about a guitar player named Dean Wells and his band Teramaze. Just received their last two albums and I love these guys!

 

[chameleon2112]

I don't think this album would have happened if Portnoy was still with them. What a snoozefest. The last album had a few good songs on it but they haven't truly had a good album since Octavarium.

I agree! But I liked Black Clouds.

 

[Dave L]

It was disappointing. Like with everything DT does these days there are killer parts that are drowned out or just glossed over, but maybe even more so on this one since it´s two hours long and you zone out after a while due to lack of hooks. I doubt I´ll play it much and the last two were better.

 

[Doughboy]

A little OT, but for all you guys like me that really dig the old Dream Theater stuff, what other bands are you into?
Just looking for some new music..

if you like Prog Metal check out Circus Maximus

 

[stanbog]

A little OT, but for all you guys like me that really dig the old Dream Theater stuff, what other bands are you into? Just looking for some new music..

Caligula's Horse. Their newest album "Bloom" is great. Be sure to check out their 1st 2 releases as well, "The Tide, The Thief & River's End" & "Moments from Ephemeral City".

Although my prefernce is the other way around (1st Album is best imo), I also highly recommend this band.


Bummed about DT, but since listening to their first single I was expecting this to happen.

 

[shredi knight]

A little OT, but for all you guys like me that really dig the old Dream Theater stuff, what other bands are you into?
Just looking for some new music..

These guys are in the same vein as old DT (progressive metal). This is really the only album of theirs I like, but I really like it:

Favorite song is "Black and White World" (starts at 20:09).

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

I loved dream theater's last album. The self titled one/mangini's first album. The songs and production had kinda these RUSH moments. I have not heard Astonishing, now I'm worried.

if you want good mellow concept prog, check out Subsignal. All you guys recommending Circus Maximus, they are going downhill if ya ask me. The songs I've heard off Havok, their new album blow ass.

 

[Tone Zone]

It is what it is. Yes, some parts are repetative, same music with different parts of the story. I listen to it at work so i cant really follow the story but i like it. It's definitely a different direction for them. Its practically a score for a broadway musical, which is what it may evolve into. Im not really saying anything that anyone hasn't heard about it.

Yep....it really is meant to be more along the lines of a Broadway musical or soundtrack type of thing. It is repetitive in a lot of spots and contains far too many similar sounding type of ballads. In fact, I couldn't even stand it at first, but it has grown on me a bit. Still don't love it though. A could care less about the actual story though. I do think there are some great Petrucci solos and breakdowns throughout. I actually like his tone for the most part, although it doesn't really change much throughout....which I suppose it wasn't meant to as it is all apart of a common theme/play.

I actually thought Labrie did a great job on it though. I know a lot of people don't like him, but I do like a lot of his work....also his solo work. But, definitely in the studio....not live.

But, I've said it before...I haven't been a strong DT fan since SFAM. I remember when that record first came out and I picked it up on the same day and just loved it! On the next one, I liked a lot of stuff on it, but I felt they missed the mark a bit. And from there, they really started to lose me. The last several records, I just can't relate to them as much. I loved DT in the 90’s though....even a good portion of Falling Into Infinity...and ACOS is a masterpiece IMO.

 

[Dave L]

DT was definitely one of the best bands of the 90s... that sequence of Images and words, Awake, Falling into infinity and Scenes from a memory is really, really good. I´d probably put Savatage on top, though... Streets, Edge of thorns, Handful of rain, Dead winter dead, Wake of Magellan.

 

[Dror520]

Thanks for the recommendations!! Definitely going to check all these bands!

 

[Lifeson1]

I've been a fan since I&W, seen and met them numerous times, even had a good personal friendship with JLB for a number of years - had high hopes for this album, bought my Radio City ticket before hearing anything (like a lot of us), and I'm vastly unimpressed. There's a reason I go to see Broadway, and there's a reason I listen to and go see DT. I've tried numerous times to get into the album, I'm STILL trying to. . . just can't do it. Hopefully live I'll be able to enjoy it a bit more.

And I guess I'm one of those guys that hasn't really seen a good DT album since Six Degrees. . . The post Portnoy era has been pretty unimaginative for me, almost like it's now a formula created over and over. Again, just my opinion - some flickers of brilliance, but no retuning at all.

When Portnoy left, I thought there would be some life injected into the DT DNA - still waiting.

 

[dfrattaroli]

Love DT. Love them. Met JP several times. I have the album and have not listened to it yet. With some of their albums, I'd listen and be unimpressed and then a month later, I put it back on and I end up loving it. That was exactly what happened when Octavarium came out. But I'm not surprised to see the path of the band after the exit of Portnoy. How could no one in the band have told John, "Hey buddy. This whole concept has been done before. Many times. There's a little album called 2112 that's basically the same thing. Some dude brings music back to mankind. People might notice if we tell the story again. For over 2 hours. Dude. Shave the beard."

Yeah, I prefer JP before he went all Duck Dynasty with the hair and beard. Plus, it never looks good when 50 year old dudes start using hair/beard dye. OK, I'm done.

 

[gibson5413]

I like DT (used to love them) and just can't get into this one. I agree with Rian, I liked the last self-titled one but have not been into the last three album since they acquired Mike Mangini. I think more than anything my tastes have changed. I still listen to them but I am not the fanboy I used to be. I do like a couple of tunes off the new album The Gift of Music and the one below called Our New World. I actually I really like that one and the main riff. The album has so much filler that these are the only two that really stand out. They could've just released these two songs and I would have been happy:

 

[crankyrayhanky]

There was a time in the 90s when I had more DT CDs than any other band (actually still might?).
But I can't get past the sweet vocals anymore. I'm sure the music is awesome but I'll never know. There was a track on a disc in the 90s when another guy had a few lead vocal lines- maybe it was a keyboardist or guest vocalist? It was low and growly and had angry blues tone; that is what they need to win me back.

Even Images and Words I can't listen to anymore, all I hear is that awful snare drum that is somehow worse than the trash can St Anger snare.