Dream Theater

It's not a clown. It's a guy on a unicycle. Don't know how it fits in, sorry.

on the album cover:

Impossibly Balanced
...
Impending Catastrophic Change
...
Hanging on by a thread - Continuing on faith
...
...just a few options you might try out?

The outfit of the figure definitely calls to mind circus or rodeo clown fashion flavor. Those white gloves... is this even a real stunt does anyone know? Never heard of a unicycle + tightrope bit. Maybe that's part of the *drama? This next trick will blow your minds ladies and gentleman... no net! etc etc

I'm at about 20 spins now and I couldn't be happier with ADTOE. Of course that means I've just scratched the surface; there is a lot to appreciate here. And the Genie--best debut ever? Just saying. Personally I am dying to hear some jamming with the new lineup. Live or otherwise. He doesn't get much solo breaking in this album (somehow the solos seem a bit less spotlighty in this album overall). I do have a sense of muted drums in the mix but somehow it seems... respectful to MP... to not be the highly-ornamental presence that he was right out the gate.

I also think it will take longer for fans to really learn and digest this album than either Octavarium or BCSL. Maybe even SFAM. Lyrically I don't hear anything groundbreakingly artistic yet but on the plus side it hasn't hit me with anything groan-inducing either, unless you count my inner chuckle every time I hear the words "Agnus Dei".

Absolutely amazing album. I definitely enjoy this one more than Black Clouds and Systematic Chaos. This one will probably end up higher on my list with the classics. It's a very deep album musically. It'll take a long time to fully appreciate everything that it has to offer, which is great because it's hard to get bored with an album when you keep hearing new things in it. I love it! It's nice to feel this way about a DT album again, the last two were great, but they seemed to me like they were missing something. This is a nice return to form.

=EndersGamer said:on the album cover:

Impossibly Balanced
...
Impending Catastrophic Change
...
Hanging on by a thread - Continuing on faith
...
...just a few options you might try out?

To me this is their best ever.

I have listened to them from 1992 and they have never been more refreshed and more new - regardless of if they are using previous musical charts.

Music and especially DT music has alot to do with feeling and they are FEELING IT!

I can't wait for the next album when MM will contribute to the writing.

EndersGamer touched on one thing that made me think "huh?" when I first heard it. On "Bridges In The Sky", although musically I like the choral "Agnus Dei", mixing a shamanistic culture with Latin phrases just doesn't make sense. It's a VERY minor detail, I know.

As a side question, can anyone tell what the male voices are saying just after the first "Agnus Dei"? I think it's "Potens (something)".

I think they went a bit lazy with the special edition. I mean all you got is the same drummer documentary I've already watched for free in youtube! Behind the scenes would've been golden... :/

I'm really hoping that the instrumental versions of the song in the special editions have the lead instruments as well, unlike the BC&SL. Although I bet they won't.

Yeah, I'm just talking about this:
http://www.amazon.com/Dramatic-Turn-Events-Special-DVD/dp/B005974CNA

I mean I understand that they worked hard for that documentary and they wanna share it and it's a great extra, but it doesn't by any means make the package "special"... just a waste of a DVD. :/ If the DVD had something different on it (like all the unedited auditions) THEN it would be fucking SPECIAL!!! :)

Long time DT, since way back in '93...first post here. New album sounds pretty good. I like most of the tracks except the one titled "Bring me down, Build me up" I might have the name wrong. I can't stand the scream in the background. So annoying. And another track I'm not too fond of is Lost Not Forgotten. Sounds too metal for my tastes. The reason I got into DT in the first place was because they didn't sound like generic metal. I'm so over that. DT was different, special, epic and mysterious. Breaking All Illusions is the best song on this album. I hear the old DT hear with new touches. I wish the whole album was more like this. Love the soft ballads by the way too. All of them on this album. Great stuff. DT is great at the slower tracks. Always has been.

I want to go purchase this album. Actually the special edition, but I thought the special edition came with the instrumentals. Can anyone confirm if it does or not? I can't afford the deluxe edition just to get the instrumentals.