This is probably my favorite DT album.His tone has gone downhill in the last few years. I hope he returns to some of the better tones he has had. A Nightmare to Remember is a good example of his more kick-ass tones - rhythm at 0:25 and clean at 5:48
The rhythm crunch has tons of gain but also major bite, sounds full and huge. The cleans resonate really deep on the lower strings and shimmer at the top, truly beautiful.
In terms of amps, he has been using the Mark V since Systematic Chaos and now also uses his signature Mesa amp, which is more or less similar to the Mark V. I don't know if he scoops too much mids these days or what, but he had a really good lead tone from A Dramatic Turn up to DT13 where he had switched from the LiquiFire/CrunchLab pickup combo to two Illuminators which made his tone sound colder. I also like his lead sound from Scenes and the rhythm tone on Six Degrees (5:52@The Glass Prison).
This is probably my favorite DT album.
Yes. It's greatBlack Clouds, you mean? It's top 3 for me as well.
Yes. It's great
On a different note: I've been trying to give The Astonishment a proper chance. I've listened to it three times since its release. And it's a great soundscape of music. But it's like a progressive metal equivalent of elevator music. It's good, but leaves little impression. It's there for the duration of your ride.
Things like this wouldn't happen with Portnoy
Not that its really a bad thing. I enjoy watching the drum cam videos on Score and all the others.True, it would be a 15-minute video with only one camera angle: behind the drum kit.
"Cover My Eyes" and "Speak To Me", in that case, should be included too since they appear on 5YIAL, same for "To Live Forever" (Images in Tokyo).I won't include demos. Another Won and Raise The Knife (which will go with FII) qualify because they appeared on Score.
They are on the DVD (official) that at least was released in France. Anyway, these two don't stand many chances either.They only appeared on the VHS release, I don't count those either. To Live Forever was included and was swiftly eliminated.
Continuing their line of post-modern, poorly-edited, extremely blasé videos, I bring you John Petrucci looking askance during a soundcheck:
Also why is Mangini wearing safety goggles?
Also why is Mangini wearing safety goggles?