# Dream Theater



## Suiraqua (Nov 4, 2010)

Don't know them? Check 'em out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Theater

Anyway, there's a lot I can say about this band. In a mainstream music world dominated by the likes of Nickelback, Justin Beiber, and other talentless-but-popular 'artists', I feel like Dream Theater is the light at the end of the tunnel. They've been turning out amazing progressive rock/metal albums for about 20 years now. Their technical proficiency is unlike anything I've ever heard, their compositional skills are amazing, and they just sound incredible.

To me, Dream Theater does everything that any self-respecting musician(s) should be doing: crafting beautiful, artistic songs that tell stories, send messages, and evoke emotional responses in the listener _as well as the creator_. If you want an example of the italicized point, listen to all of the songs in Mike Portnoy's '12-Step Suite'; it's a collection of songs about Mike's journey through AA. They also happen to be, in my opinion, Dream Theater's best songs.

One particular thing I enjoy about Dream Theater albums is that they're concept albums; sometimes they are straight up rock operas. A great example of this is 'Scenes From A Memory', released in 1999; the entire album revolves around this intricate story about a modern man having visions of a previous life that ended in tragedy. An example of a more simple concept album is 'Octavarium' released in 2005, where the songs and the album are all built around a musical octave.

As a starting-out musician looking to record his first album, I draw a lot of influence from them in my music. Since listening to them, I've taken a more progressive approach to my songs, experimented with time, tempo, and key changes, and brought in more dynamics in the songs I write. Combining Dream Theater's influence with other bands I listen to (Metallica, Coheed and Cambria, Staind, Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown etc.) has really helped me compose some really great sounding songs that I can't wait to record when I get the chance. ^_^

Anybody who's into any form of metal really ought to give Dream Theater a listen. I recommend listening to 'Scenes From A Memory', 'Train Of Thought', or 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings' if you want a good intro to what they do. If you can handle listening to songs that are upwards of 10-20 minutes long, give them a try. At the very least, you'll kill a whole bunch of time if you happen to be bored at that moment. XD

TL;DR: Dream Theater is awesome. Go listen to them.


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## Smelge (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

Yep, Dream Theatre is awesome, and it comes through in their music that they are all friends and having fun doing it. Even when the drummer asks for a few months out to be with family, and then gets sacked because fuck him.


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## Suiraqua (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

I don't think that's what happened. I have a hard time believing that this group of friends, three of which have been with DT since the beginning, would just up and drop him so easily. It's more just a disagreement of the future: Mike wanted a break from all the work and touring and recording, which the other members didn't agree with and decided to keep going without him.

It's gonna be hard to see DT without him, though. He co-produced most of their albums and was a founding member way back when. I dunno how they'll do without him, but we'll see.


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## GatodeCafe (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

DT's alright. I sort of like to think of them as the new king crimson. They're one of the few prog metal outfits lately that can play an odd time sig without sounding complete ass fuckwards pseudo-intellectual doing it. E.g. tool.


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## Aden (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

Ah yes. I had this phase too, OP. You'll grow out of it once you realize that DT is average progmetals and there are much more creative and fulfilling bands out there. I respect what they do, and petrucci is some kind of guitar god, but they bore me most of the time.

Their newest album was surprisingly not as bad as their trend was going.


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## xiath (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

They are my favorite band.  But their stuff starts to get old after you listen to them for months on end.  I'm thinking Mike leaving is a good thing for them because they need to go in a different direction then they have been heading.

upwards of only 10-20 minutes long?  pfftt.  Listen to "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" the song or the twelve step suite by them.  Six Degrees is 42 minutes long and the twelve step suite is 57 minutes long.

If you really want to listen to a long prog-rock song listen to TransAtlantic's (a band that Mike Portnoy is in) song "the whirlwind" which is 77 minutes long.


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## Kellie Gator (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

I'd rather listen to real metal, myself.


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## Gavrill (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

I don't care if what I listen to is "mainstream" or "popular" or even "talentless". As long as it sounds good to me, I could care less.


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## Kellie Gator (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Liar said:


> I don't care if what I listen to is "mainstream" or "popular" or even "talentless". As long as it sounds good to me, I could care less.


 Besides, a lot non-mainstream bands suck.

Like most black metal bands.


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## Gavrill (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Kellie Gator said:


> Besides, a lot non-mainstream bands suck.
> 
> Like most black metal bands.


 
I don't listen to a lot of metal anyways, especially if I can't understand what they're saying. I like to be able to understand the lyrics of what I'm listening to (unless it's foreign of course).


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## Kellie Gator (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Liar said:


> I don't listen to a lot of metal anyways, especially if I can't understand what they're saying. I like to be able to understand the lyrics of what I'm listening to (unless it's foreign of course).


 BLEPPE BLEPPE BLÃ…BÃ„RSFJÃ„LL


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## Gavrill (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Kellie Gator said:


> BLEPPE BLEPPE BLÃ…BÃ„RSFJÃ„LL


 
what am i listening to D:


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## Kellie Gator (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Liar said:


> what am i listening to D:


 Dimmu Borgir, they're so terrible that even black metal fans shun them, and that's one hell of an accomplishment.


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## ramsay_baggins (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

I used to like DT, now they annoy and bore me.


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## Gavrill (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Kellie Gator said:


> Dimmu Borgir, they're so terrible that even black metal fans shun them, and that's one hell of an accomplishment.


 
I was about to ask if I should feel bad for wanting to rip my ears out.


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## Jude (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

I like Dream Theater, a lot. But my friend ruined them for me by basically turning my band into a Dream Theater cover band. After listening to their discography like twice, I'm admittedly a bit bored with them. I can't stand Transatlantic though. The instruments are really good, but the vocals are pretty bad imo.


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## Suiraqua (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

I can definitely see where listening to Dream Theater for months on end would make one bored of them, but the same could be said about a lot of bands out there.


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## Captain Howdy (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Smelge said:


> Yep, Dream Theatre is awesome, and it comes through in their music that they are all friends and having fun doing it. Even when the drummer asks for a few months out to be with family, and then gets sacked because fuck him.


 
This was the first thing I thought of when I read "Dream Theatre". One of the biggest douche moves in musical history, the band just like "Ehh, fuck'em, we don't need a founding member and amazing drummer". 

I don't think I've ever listened to'em, I might've heard one song...But can't say they're my style really, judging by what I read.


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## Fiesta_Jack (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

I like Dream Theatre, but I don't LOVE them. I LOVE Liquid Tension Experiment. Petrucci, Portnoy, and Rudess from DT, and the bassist from King Crimson who's name I never remember.


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## Ikrit (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*

i like dream theater, but i need some more prog metal bands to listen too, any recommendations?


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## Hir (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Ikrit said:


> i like dream theater, but i need some more prog metal bands to listen too, any recommendations?


 you should try Agalloch for sure


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## Bloodshot_Eyes (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Ikrit said:


> i like dream theater, but i need some more prog metal bands to listen too, any recommendations?


 
Opeth?


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## Jude (Nov 4, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Ikrit said:


> i like dream theater, but i need some more prog metal bands to listen too, any recommendations?


 
Between the Buried and Me?


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## Captain Howdy (Nov 5, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



DrumFur said:


> Between the Buried and Me?


 
Prog. _metal_. Not metal_core.

<3
_


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## Kivaari (Nov 5, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Ikrit said:


> i like dream theater, but i need some more prog metal bands to listen too, any recommendations?


 
Watchtower
Mekong Delta
Death
Angra
Atheist


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## Jude (Nov 5, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Lastdirewolf said:


> Prog. _metal_. Not metal_core.
> 
> <3
> _


 
I seem to have upset the genrenazi. Oh no! D:


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## The Color 12 (Nov 6, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



Ikrit said:


> i like dream theater, but i need some more prog metal bands to listen too, any recommendations?


 Porcupine Tree
Derek Sherinian
Planet X
Tool (They're kinda prog, kinda metal, but who cares, they sound amazing.)
Mastodon (Mostly their last two albums, Blood Mountain and Crack The Skye.)
Rush (Their earlier stuff, mainly Fly By Night through Moving Pictures.)
OSI
Fates Warning (They're not bad...)
Symphony X (Really cool instrumentation here.)

Now, on to the reply to the OP. Yes, Dream Theater is one of the most amazing groups of musicians ever to have united under a single name. I have something good to say about each of their albums:
Images & Words is pure proggy goodness.
Awake has really cool riffs and some nice vocals.
A Change Of Seasons has a beautiful epic and some nice live cover songs.
Falling Into Infinity has one of the coolest instrumentals I've heard.
Scenes From A Memory is just an amazing album as a whole.
Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence starts out amazingly and ends even better.
Train Of Thought has the most headbang-ready songs DT has ever recorded.
Octavarium is a work of musical, lyrical, and conceptual genius.
Systematic Chaos has one of the coolest epics they've recorded.
Black Clouds & Silver Linings is musical bliss wrapped up in a nice, dark package.

Okay, now that that's over, I can go on to talking about MP's departure.
It's a horrible crime against humanity. But apparently everyone's okay with that.


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## Kivaari (Nov 6, 2010)

*Re: RAVE: Dream Theater*



The Color 12 said:


> Fates Warning (They're not bad...)


 
Oh yeah, forgot about them. Not their most popular, but No Exit is one of my favorite albums.


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