Forostar said:
In all honesty: Maybe I am less eager to find out more of them because I am a big Rush fan. DT must have their own specific qualities (please name them!
) but the songs I heard didn't do as much as Rush did.
The melodies, the way the songs are really songs, that's really what Rush have done very well.
DT also does songs with great melodies. The differences are:
1. DT tends to insert long, intricate instrumental sections into their songs. They are "really songs", with verse and choruses, intros and solos ... all DT does is add some instrumental madness.
2. DT's melodies are usually superb. Listen and give them a chance.
An example of a *GREAT* DT song with awesome melodies:
Solitary Shell (live with orchestra)
Yes, it's a bit more mellow than you'd expect if you don't know DT very well. DT plays much more than "Pull Me Under"-type metal.
As to naming DT's "specific qualities"...
1. Very strong Rush and Pink Floyd influences. You can also hear bits of Yes, Genesis, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, plus about 2 dozen other bands ... though not all in the same song, of course.
2. Syncopated rhythms, especially on Portnoy's drums. They rarely play anything like straight 8th notes, unless there is another twist on top of that. (Example: intro to "Beyond This Life" is straight 8ths, but in 5/4 time.)
3. Very good use of keyboards. When keys aren't soloing, they're adding atmosphere. The keys rarely double the guitar - but when they do, it's usually for a unison passage at superhuman speed.
Check this out from 8:37 to 9:15. That's guitar and keyboard in perfect unison - you can hear the keyboard break into a higher harmony at 9:12.
4. Intelligent lyrics (mostly). We often talk about Maiden's great lyrics here; I'd put DT's up in the same league.
5. The best musicians living. There is no better keyboardist,
ever, in any genre, than Jordan Rudess. John Myung is the best rock bassist alive. (With the caveat that he doesn't play funk, so he can't be fairly compared against bassists who do.) Mike Portnoy is only equalled by Neil Peart. And I haven't yet seen any guitarist who can out-play Petrucci. A few may be able to match Petrucci, but no one is better.
Forostar said:
Another important reason is that I dislike LaBrie's voice too much, to get into them.
I've never understood people who say this. I've always liked his voice. I urge you to give it a chance, but I recognize that many people never seem to warm to it.
Forostar said:
I know it sounds (or even is) prejudiced but, because Rush have set a high standard for me, I can't see any incentive to see Dream Theater as a worthy companion of that other band in this energetic niche of the progressive genre.
I think, if you gave DT an honest chance, you might change your opinion. There's a good reason why DT gets talked about so much - they really
are that good.
If you continue to say Rush is that much better, I respect your opinion. I love Rush too. But DT is undoubtedly a "worthy companion" to Rush (at least, in my opinion).
).
