Bought it yesterday. After the first spin I have to say it is pretty odd. Overall it's good and at times great, but quite been there done that - and at the same time a bit different. The extensive use of mellow parts surprised me.

What I don't like are songs structured in this kind of way: verse/ chorus/ verse/ chorus/ extensive wank part/ (verse)/ chorus.

That's what Iron Maiden did too often on A Matter Of Life And Death, too. On their earlier "epics" Maiden and Dream Theater often times interspersed their wank parts with singing or other vocal elements as integral parts of a composition and its suspense, nowadys there are too many instrumental parts that seem to be REPLACEed into a song just for the sake of being there.

As much as I like Dream Theater, they will never recapture the compositional maturity they reached with Kevin Moore in the band IMO. Interestingly enough, I think Octavarium was one of the best albums DT released after the departure of Moore. Possibly because of the more contained instrumental wanks.

The first O.S.I. record probably was the most intropsective and interesting album Dream Theater never recorded.

Hehe, I know I'm gonna love it. Copy my ass, Dream Theater do it their own way.

Amen. Everyone copies everyone else in one way or another, and there are very few bands that make me want to listen to their albums for more than a couple of days. Dream Theater will always be one of those bands.

Copy my ass, Dream Theater

be careful! You might not get the royalties on the next album

be careful! You

Haha, creative editing FTW!

On their last albums they have only improved in one thing: copying other bands, namely Yes (which they've always done and it's the base of their style since Images and Words, so i can cope with that), Metallica and Muse

Yeah I don't get Dream Theater, most bands start sound less like a collage of their influences as they get older. Systematic Chaos just sounds like they're taking others' songs and injecting them with a bunch of technical showboating.

So I've had it for over a week, but still haven't listened to it. I think I'm subconsciously avoiding my inevitable disappointment.

i hope you haven't bought it

Ah, no. First Dream Theater album I haven't bought...and still haven't listened to.

I think the new album is the best thing they've released since Awake. The songs have a lot of really wicked ideas, and LaBrie does a good job on this album too. The bass tone OWNS!!!! Those Yamaha basses were really kinda thin and weak, but his new basses really made the overall sound a LOT phatter. I highly rate this album, but it's a shame my mate has been putting it on repeat in his car....and he drives me everywhere, it's already gotten old

Anyone catching Dream Theater on their world tour?

I'm planning a trip with at least 3 other people at the moment to one of either the Glasgow, London or Newport shows between Oct-Nov, who else is attending?

Anyone catching Dream Theater on their world tour?

I'm planning a trip with at least 3 other people at the moment to one of either the Glasgow, London or Newport shows between Oct-Nov, who else is attending?

Yep, I'm in. I caught them on Fields of Rock festival a month ago, and it was awesome. They're playing in Rotterdam together with Symphony X in September, so that's going to be one helluva show.

i would but i go to florida the day they play glasgow...

i have seen them 4 times now though including the dark side of the moon show in london

i have seen them 4 times now though including the dark side of the moon show in london

Dirty boy, dirty.