The Count of Tuscany presents: the majestic Dream Theater thread

[Axver]

Gather 'round young B&C, for this is the tale of a once-great band that plummeted to earth. Once upon a time there was a band of technically proficient musicians who helped popularise, if not quite pioneer, progressive metal. Yes they could be overblown and wanky, but they also knew their way around a song and could play some impressive yet tasteful solos.







If you have heaps of time, this for many is their masterpiece:



They even wrote things that aren't at all prog, and are quite beautiful:



But then... they got a keyboardist who plays circus music and had a midlife crisis and released songs like this:

Dream Theater - Constant Motion

- YouTube

And there's worse. Like the 20-minute song that builds up to "tell them about my brother/tell them about me/the count of Tuscany!"

Now they're back. With a double album, 130 minutes in length, called THE ASTONISHING. It has songs with titles like The Gift of Music, Act of Faythe (yes, that's how it's spelt), Lord Nafaryus (no that's really its name), 2285 Entr'acte, Brother Can You Hear Me?, and in case you weren't sure if there was a theme, Losing Faythe.

Discuss.

 

[Axver]

Ten prog loser points if you get the pun I smuggled into the title.

So for those of you keen on sharing the listening experience of The Astonishing, I'm good for this afternoon/evening.

 

[liamcool]

Fucking BOO

I am down for whenever.

 

[LemonMelon]

I am down for evening tonight Aussie time. So in like 6 hours I guess.

 

[Axver]

Cool. Shall we say 8pm Melbourne/Sydney time? 1am LA?

 

[IWasBored]

In 6 hours? Oh fuck, I guess I'm in then. I'll be awake still and done with my usual Friday night secret world gaming business by then. I've always disliked Dream Theater, so this should be painful.

 

[Axver]

I'm listening to Space-Dye Vest right now and bloody hell this is a genuinely great song, no matter what Dream Theater have done since.

Kevin Moore definitely went on to the more interesting and creatively rewarding career with Chroma Key and OSI. Basically everybody seemed to ignore Fire Make Thunder, the last OSI album, but it's fantastic. Wind Won't Howl and For Nothing pack more of an emotional punch than all the most powerful Dream Theater moments of the last decade put together.

And haha awesome IWB, I can't wait to see how this horrifies you.

 

[liamcool]

It's a shame. This band used to be able to write some good riffs and grooves, but they've seemed to lose that ability over time.



This is mighty impressive!

 

[LemonMelon]

Cool. Shall we say 8pm Melbourne/Sydney time? 1am LA?

I'll be here, as always.

 

[Axver]

This is mighty impressive!

How the hell does this guy not die in the attempt.

 

[LemonMelon]

Don't forget to include the ASTONISHING character list, for reference:

www.dreamtheater.net/theastonishing#mini_characters

 

[Axver]

Oh my god there's even a map.

This must be the lead candidate for most overblown album in history.

 

[liamcool]

Oh, "Faythe" as in faith. As in an Act of Faith.

...fuck you John Petrucci.

 

[IWasBored]

does he have kids? cos that's like the asshole parent who gives their kid a normal name like alexander but spells it alyx'ndre.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

does he have kids? cos that's like the asshole parent who gives their kid a normal name like alexander but spells it alyx'ndre.

This made me laugh.

I'm not listening to this, in part 'cause I'm not familiar with this band's music (though I may check out some of those clips shared in the first post here at some point) and I don't really have the patience to really sit through a 130 minute album.

But I'll happily read this thread and see what all everyone has to say about it. It sounds like it'd be...quite an interesting adventure .

 

[Axver]

Oh, "Faythe" as in faith. As in an Act of Faith.

...fuck you John Petrucci.

Emperor NAFARYUS.

Just think about it for a minute, then imagine Petrucci is right in front of you and punch him in the face.

(Also, were these writeups done by a ten year old? I haven't seen writing this cheesily amateurish this side of primary school.)

It sounds like it'd be...quite an interesting adventure .

An adventure upon which I shall not embark without a good supply of alcohol!

 

[bono_212]

So I'm listening to the album now, because I still really like their music, and I gotta say: Not a lot different here from what they've been doing lately. Just big 80s power ballad stuff, with random thrashing solos every now and again.

It's not their best.

It's not their worst.

It has really silly moments, like, really, stupid, stupid silly. But I'm still at least entertained.

Now, I say that of course, only 1/3rd of the way through, so maybe my opinion will change at some point.


Anyways, I also think Count of Tuscany is a great song, so there's that.

There's clearly two different kinds of Dream Theater fans, and I'm starting to realize I might be in that other category of people who mostly just like what they do, while knowing it's not as good as it was.

EDIT: Coincidentally while I was writing this I got to easily the worst song on the album, thusfar. Hope you all enjoy Three Days. The Trail, eat your heart out.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

An adventure upon which I shall not embark without a good supply of alcohol!

LOL, hey, whatever helps, right?

There's clearly two different kinds of Dream Theater fans, and I'm starting to realize I might be in that other category of people who mostly just like what they do, while knowing it's not as good as it was.

I'm like that with my favorite artists in general, too. Like, yeah, my favorite bands will sometimes do albums that aren't my favorites and that I don't listen to much, but I'm usually bound to like something in every album they put out, if not the entire album itself. Like you said, I just mostly like what they do, and that works for me.

I'm glad you're finding some stuff to enjoy on here! Gives this thread a little more variety of opinions and perspectives .

 

[Axver]

Out of those of us on this forum who've taken a long-term interest in Dream Theater, I really don't think that if you'd been told some years ago to predict which one of us would still take enjoyment in them, you'd have picked Ashley.

Hell, you'd probably have said me.

 

[bono_212]

You didn't like them anymore when you introduced me to them!

This album is a lot of fun. I'm not bored, *yet*, but I did take a ten minute break halfway through. I really like "The X Aspect" and "A New Beginning"..

It's a fucking cornball fest, though.

 

[Axver]

You didn't like them anymore when you introduced me to them!

I'm trying to recall when I fully turned against them. Even around 2009 I rated Images & Words and Awake quite highly. Though checking last.fm, my plays fall off hard that year. The only years since 2005 in which I've listened to no Dream Theater at all, though, are 2010 and 2015. The others from 2011 have a once or twice yearly play of bits of I&W and Awake, plus a listen to each of the new albums.

 

[LemonMelon]

I love the "midlife crisis" thread tag.

I've been listening to rock operas tonight to prepare me for the ASTONISHING. Just finished Tommy, now I'm listening to this little number:

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/nirvana_f2/the_story_of_simon_simopath/

Which I've been assured is one of the founding albums of the genre.

 

[Axver]

I love the "midlife crisis" thread tag.

The most genius tag of late has got to be the "von schloopen" one on the personally offended band changes thread.

 

[liamcool]

I love the "midlife crisis" thread tag.

I've been listening to rock operas tonight to prepare me for the ASTONISHING. Just finished Tommy, now I'm listening to this little number:

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/nirvana_f2/the_story_of_simon_simopath/

Which I've been assured is one of the founding albums of the genre.

You have completed me, LeMel. Now when I get into boring discussions about Nirvana, I have some further ammunition to work with.

 

[LemonMelon]

You have completed me, LeMel. Now when I get into boring discussions about Nirvana, I have some further ammunition to work with.

The Story Of Simon Simopath is the debut album by British psychedelic band Nirvana, released by Island Records in 1967. The lyrics trace the story from life to death of the titular hero via a series of short songs. The story deals with a boy named Simon Simopath who dreams of having wings. He is unpopular at school, and after reaching adulthood (in 1999) goes to work in an office in front of a computer. He suffers a nervous breakdown and is unable to find help in a mental institution, but gets aboard a rocket and meets a centaur who will be his friend and a tiny goddess named Magdalena, who works at Pentecost Hotel. Simon and Magdalena fall in love and get married, followed by a jazzy party.

Kurt's life in sum.

Spoiler

It's a very pleasant album but somewhat too soft and twee. I'd rather listen to SF Sorrow or Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake if I were going this route. It is, however, only 25 minutes long and an interesting historical curiosity.

 

[liamcool]

Their jazz cover of Iron Maiden's "Gangland" is actually pretty neat, and shows that they once had feel and groove, even with Rudess in the band.

 

[liamcool]

Would anyone be opposed to start this dumb thing earlier? I just got summoned to do a thing. (maybe start in 30 minutes?)

 

[LemonMelon]

I've got to wait a bit. I can move it to midnight, so an hour earlier.

 

[Axver]

I can roll with whenever.

 

[liamcool]

Blah, sorry, I'm out for tonight. I WILL listen to this heaping pile of rubbish tomorrow. Promise.