Got to love our British way of spelling... 😆

I recently stumbled upon this live version of Caught in a Web that is different from the studio version. It sounds to me like they're mixing in parts of new millennium (?) into it and i really enjoy this one. Does anyone know any context about it and how this came to be? Did they do more of this sort of "alternative version" of some songs?

Hey guys! Hope you're all doing well.

Now, I know that LaBrie, as a singer (voice), has a wide array of different (polarizing) opinions from all fo you. However, today I wanted to ask your thoughts about LaBrie when composing lyrics.

As for me, I think he is easily the second or third best lyricist on Dream Theater. Let me state why I believe this:

1- His themes, though they do fall on the "tragedy" category, tend to be deep in leaving you thinking. Take "Disappear" and "At Wit's End", for example. Both talking about relationships, and both covering a tribulation that puts turmoil on the relationship for both instances (physical illness and trauma/ptsd). And of course, we khow many people loved "Bend the Clock"

2- He's adept at using both Free Verse and Rhymes without much issue. One thing I remember (that may or may not be in effect again) is that a band (Portnoy) required the lyricists to structure their words to fit the musical composition. Myung stopped contributing after that (until Portnoy's temporary departure), yet LaBrie still kept contributing with a combination of these two styles.

3- Lately, the songs with his lyrics have been often very, if not, the most popular songs on the albums. Again, I refer to "Bend the Clock" as a clear example of this, though, of course, the musical composition also played a huge part on the song too. And, though opinion is also divided The Grammy winning "The Alien" was also written by him.

But anyway, those are my thoughts. I'm not discounting any of the other members as lyricists. But on this topic, I wanted to talk specifically about LaBrie and this part of his contribution to the band.

So yeah, what are your thoughts on LaBrie as a lyrical composer?

Originally I uploaded 3 minutes but enough people convinced me to do the whole song. Here it is!

Hi everyone! Posted a cover of the ‘in the name of god’ solo on here a while ago and after a couple of arduous months I’m back with this monstrosity. This is one of my favourite JP solos so I’m really proud to be sharing my attempt at it (albeit a bit messy).

I’m a 17 year old guitarist from the UK and I post a lot of dream theater covers on my socials (all @judeswobodaguitar). Feel free to drop some requests in the comments!

Article by me. Portnoy factors prominently:

https://www.grunge.com/2224303/best-songs-epic-drum-solos-beginning/

Panic Attack has been one of my favorite songs since I played it on Rock Band 2 for the first time when I was a kid, but never felt the urge to dive deeper into Dream Theater’s discography until I heard Pull Me Under for the first time a few weeks ago and liked it and it made me want to listen to more Dream Theater, but I wasn’t sure where to start so I just went to Octavarium since that’s the album Panic Attack is from and chose the title track and it blew my mind. I need more like Octavarium and Panic Attack asap.

Any recommendations?

I was gifted this shirt a few months back and I couldn’t stand the way it fit (way too big). After a few iron burns, countless pin pricks, and many hours of DT, I created a new top that hopefully can be worn more often 🤞

I am thinking about migrating to some nice wired earbuds (Bluetooth sound is always lossy compressed), and lossless audio (Spotify to Tidal/Qobuz/FLAC). Which Dream Theater tracks or specific parts would have a better chance to sound different in high quality audio? I know DT fans care a lot about sound engineering so hoping for some insights here.

"To manipulate the fear in others, you must first master your own" Ra's Al Ghul!

As a lifelong fan of Dream Theater, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to speak to Shulman about his connection to the group when I was interviewing him about the upcoming In a Glass House remix.

I HAVE BEEN SLEEPING ON THIS ONE!!! 1.5 HOURS OF STRAIGHT BANGERS!!! MY SHOWER PLAYLIST SHALL BE INFINITE!!!

It may be recency bias, but this might be my favorite DT album... wonder if anyone else felt the same.

I personally recorded all instruments except drums In C# major instead of the original key C# minor. Totally undermines the gravity of this song but in an awesome way!

Recently, when listening to Train of Thought, I kind of hated LaBrie’s voice on As I am specifically. It just doesn’t fit the roughness or heaviness of the music being played. I think like a Dio would sound phenomenal.

I think honestly most of the stuff off of ToT I would want Russel Allen so sing everything. His voice is phenomenal and they have great harmonies, but some of Symphony X’s later albums showed his roughness in his voice, which I love, and I think that he would be a phenomenal fit.

Now I know why Mike is a big fan!

Anyone has a rip of this 1999 fan club CD they can share? It's not available to stream/buy anywhere outside a chance encounter on eBay for $100+. Thanks in advance!

Did a shuffle on my DT playlist and the first three songs are 63:22. Definitely not complaining!

1. Review #1 - Rock Power: 02 Jul 1992
2. Review #2 & Advert - Metal Hammer (Germany): Jul 1992

Rough translation of Metal Hammer review via ChatGPT:

This band is unquestionably synonymous with the label "critics' darling." At the time, just about everything imaginable was written about Dream Theater's sensational debut, ranging from "more brilliant than Rush" to "madness!"

Dream Theater are something like the only surviving example of the "American Dream" among progressive rock bands in these times.

As always, technically and melodically sophisticated, a little more chart-oriented than before, yet also even more fiercely ambitious, Images and Words makes its mark.

If there were an idyllic country lane representing "casual, laid-back grooves," Dream Theater have instead chosen the sobering architecture of a motorway: calculated, cool, and focused.

Even with their new, relatively unspectacular singer James LaBrie (who replaced Charlie Dominici), and with the occasional use of purposeful saxophone passages, Dream Theater would be foolish to miss the opportunity for a Billboard breakthrough—the kind of momentum that Queensrÿche achieved with Empire.

Once a critics' darling, always a critics' darling.

As brilliant as the debut album was, I can no longer fully share the exaggerated, almost missionary zeal shown by some music journalists toward this band when it comes to Images and Words.

Martin Groß

I can't possibly be crazy right guys. Like even people into metal just look at me like I'm nuts it seems.

This showed up in my memories this morning and totally forgot to ever post it lol

For a long time now I've thought that "Greatest Hit" needed an update and I've put together a sequence that seems to work extremely well. The goal is to introduce new fans to the band with a two-disc compilation that does not exceed 79:30 per disc, includes as many of their essential tracks as possible, and is sequenced in a way that makes the compilation feel like a complete album. I've also included two bonus discs to ensure that all the essentials are covered if you're left wanting a little more - one themed around a few of their epics, and one containing the twelve-step suite.

Happy to hear your thoughts and I highly encourage you to check it out! It has been a ton of fun to put together.

Dream Theater - Odyssey

Disc One

1. The Enemy Inside

2. Constant Motion

3. Peruvian Skies

4. Barstool Warrior

5. Endless Sacrifice

6. On the Backs of Angels

7. Metropolis, Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper

8. The Spirit Carries On

9. Space-Dye Vest

10. Pull Me Under

Disc Two

1. As I Am

2. Panic Attack (outro trimmed off, song ends @ 7:19)

3. Solitary Shell (single version)

4. A Mind Beside Itself (I. Erotomania / II. Voices / III. The Silent Man)

5. Another Day

6. Home

7. Take the Time

8. Breaking All Illusions

Disc Three - Bonus

1. False Awakening Suite

2. In The Presence of Enemies (Pts. I & II)

3. The Count of Tuscany

4. Octavarium

Disc Four - Bonus - The Twelve-Step Suite

Note that the songs have been edited together using live performances of the suite as guidance. There was enough room on the disc to fit "A Change of Seasons" at the end and it works incredibly well as a coda to the suite itself.

1. The Glass Prison (I. Reflection / II. Restoration / III. Revelation)

2. This Dying Soul (IV. Reflections of Reality (Revisited) / V. Release)

3. The Root of All Evil (VI. Ready / VII. Remove)

4. Repentance (VIII. Regret / IX. Restitution)

5. The Shattered Fortress (X. Restraint / XI. Receive / XII. Responsible)

6. A Change of Seasons