Eight Days Remains To Release Dream Theater Distance Over Time Album
If there is one artist near to the Sonic Perspectives readership wheelhouse, requiring little if any introduction, it would be prog-metal reigning monarchs Dream Theater, complete with Majesty. Since 1989’s impressively ambitious debut, and 1992’s landmark Images and Words, Dream Theater’s rise to prog and metal stardom has been not only meteoric, but permanent as well. After thirty years and thirteen albums (now fourteen), and huge tour attendance, this is no passing fad. It could only perhaps be compared to Rush, in that despite never quite breaking into the platinum and radio stratosphere, the band enjoys a rabid and devoted fan following.
However, much like a rising rocket, Dream Theater has jettisoned sections in stages, and unfortunately fan support along the way. In speaking with most Dream Theater fans, past or present, many allude to some stage of the rocket where they got left behind. For the most hardcore DT hipsters, the loss of the Kevin Moore engine at low atmosphere was all it took to write off the band. For others, it may have been losing Derek Sherinian, however, one can also argue that for every fan dismayed at the loss of Kevin or Derek, the acquisition of Liquid Tension Wunderkind Jordan Rudess breathed new fan enthusiasm into the band. Things were soaring quite well until the Portnoy rocket section became detached without warning, almost bringing down the whole craft. A Mangini retrofit was installed in record time, and definitely saved the band, but not without a permanent stigma with some of the most hardcore fans.
Today, the band is working on patching some leaks leftover from The Astonishing, 2016’s controversial double-disc concept album. Though there were a great many things to like about The Astonishing, it was highly divisive among the fans and received mixed critical reception. However, few can argue that it was not a brave and daring effort to do something boldly, a noteworthy attempt to steer away from the beaten path. Perhaps in direct response to this sentiment, Dream Theater are treating us to something a bit more “back to basics:” the fifteenth studio offering appropriately entitled Distance Over Time. Aside from ostensibly being a reference to the band’s progress and longevity, the title could also refer to the band going a distance from busy life, for an extended time, sequestering themselves to a country farmhouse recording studio for almost half a year, a bit like how Peter Gabriel did his masterpiece So album.
The first track, “Untethered Angel,” speaks philosophically to the many souls among us who lack the courage and conviction to chase after unrealized dreams. Structurally, the song is a bit more like something one may expect to find on Train of Thought or Systematic Chaos. It wastes little time after a chorused clean Petrucci intro before getting right down to business with the crushing riffs, which thankfully have well-mixed drums. Hello Mister Mangini! The verse and chorus structure are standard-issue twenty first century Dream Theater fare. Thankfully the instrumental meltdown in the middle takes a moment to take us back to something a bit like meeting our past life Victoria in 1928, which is not unwelcome. Even the sludgy instrumental outro after the final chorus bears some resemblance to the final riffs of “Finally Free” (Open your eyes, Nicholas).
However, much like a rising rocket, Dream Theater has jettisoned sections in stages, and unfortunately fan support along the way. In speaking with most Dream Theater fans, past or present, many allude to some stage of the rocket where they got left behind. For the most hardcore DT hipsters, the loss of the Kevin Moore engine at low atmosphere was all it took to write off the band. For others, it may have been losing Derek Sherinian, however, one can also argue that for every fan dismayed at the loss of Kevin or Derek, the acquisition of Liquid Tension Wunderkind Jordan Rudess breathed new fan enthusiasm into the band. Things were soaring quite well until the Portnoy rocket section became detached without warning, almost bringing down the whole craft. A Mangini retrofit was installed in record time, and definitely saved the band, but not without a permanent stigma with some of the most hardcore fans.
Today, the band is working on patching some leaks leftover from The Astonishing, 2016’s controversial double-disc concept album. Though there were a great many things to like about The Astonishing, it was highly divisive among the fans and received mixed critical reception. However, few can argue that it was not a brave and daring effort to do something boldly, a noteworthy attempt to steer away from the beaten path. Perhaps in direct response to this sentiment, Dream Theater are treating us to something a bit more “back to basics:” the fifteenth studio offering appropriately entitled Distance Over Time. Aside from ostensibly being a reference to the band’s progress and longevity, the title could also refer to the band going a distance from busy life, for an extended time, sequestering themselves to a country farmhouse recording studio for almost half a year, a bit like how Peter Gabriel did his masterpiece So album.
The first track, “Untethered Angel,” speaks philosophically to the many souls among us who lack the courage and conviction to chase after unrealized dreams. Structurally, the song is a bit more like something one may expect to find on Train of Thought or Systematic Chaos. It wastes little time after a chorused clean Petrucci intro before getting right down to business with the crushing riffs, which thankfully have well-mixed drums. Hello Mister Mangini! The verse and chorus structure are standard-issue twenty first century Dream Theater fare. Thankfully the instrumental meltdown in the middle takes a moment to take us back to something a bit like meeting our past life Victoria in 1928, which is not unwelcome. Even the sludgy instrumental outro after the final chorus bears some resemblance to the final riffs of “Finally Free” (Open your eyes, Nicholas).
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