Dream Theater...melodic and strong but with a flawed drum sound

This review focuses on the drum sound of the new Dream Theater album and compares the 5.1 audio mix with a previous DT 5.1 mix. I do like the album but as there are hundreds of reviews that cover in detail each of the songs and general impressions, I have not included that here.

I eagerly purchased the new Dream Theater deluxe version as once again they'd produced a 5.1 audio mix version. I still regularly listen to their "Systematic Chaos" 5.1 recording and marvel at the clarity and power. Paul Northfield had done a superb production job on capturing the brutal force of the rhythm section without losing the subtle nuances. So finally we had another to enjoy! My initial excitement melted quickly as I listened to "False awakening". I flicked through my Marantz amp settings to ensure I hadn't made an error. This is probably the worst drum sound I have heard on a DT album. I was so looking forward to hearing Mangini louder and crisper in the mix. Yet the sound of the drums are completely muffled. I certainly hear no hummingbird wings...

The more I listened, the more I noticed other things. No surprise but the definition to the bass was almost completely absent. Forget a 5.1 audio mix, I have CDs from the 90s that sound better.

Then the pain sunk in, the bitter disappointment. You see I really like this album and believe it could have been one of their top 3 albums...but the cardboard, drum machine sound of the wonderful drumming of Mangini is so very disappointing in the recording. Now I am unsure if this is because of the mixing, mastering or initial recording. Whatever the reason, it's unacceptable for a 5.1 mix.

When I listen to the album with my Grado headphones, the drum sound is perhaps acceptable. So are they mixing for the headphone generation? On my sound system ( Marantz player, Mission speakers and Velodyne sub) the power and definition of the recording is missing. If I compare "Systematic Chaos" 5.1 with this then you realise how different the recording of the drumming is. This is sterile and compressed. On "Systematic Chaos" 5.1 (which is my least fav DT album) the drumming physically knocks you with my Velodyne sub. The drum sound is varied, the snare and toms clearly distinguishable. On this new DT, I have to have the sound blaring on my headphones. And then they sound acceptable... I think Kevin Shirley got the warmest and punchiest drum sound on the LTE albums. (Listen to Simon Phillips' s drum recordings - these are nearly always impressive. Try Sherinian's "Oceana" opening track. That's a drum recording done right!)

Hey, have any of you listeners the album "Systematic Chaos" on 5.1? Do a simple comparison and you'll soon realise what a STUNNING recording it is. Listen to "In the Presence of Enemies" part 1. Go to about 4 .45 and listen to the build up of drumming. Listen to the attack of the snare, hear the tight kick drum and distinct different tom sounds. Even when the power wall of guitar comes in you can easily hear the snare and bass pedal. You can hear hi hat cymbals! Try "Repentance" and you hear every little drum nuance. Rim shots, ghosting, cymbal. This is what I anticipated for the new DT 5.1. I am now depressed. What a waste of opportunity! In comparison I now think the DT drum mix is poor. No offense, Mr Petrucci, you are one of rock's greats and your guitar sound on this IS wonderful, but I thought you wanted people to embrace Mike Mangini. How can we if we can't hear him properly! (Maybe someone stole his signature Pearl snare drum and replaced it with a cardboard replica?)

Finally, all the other elements are in place. I love the packaging, the art work and even the lyrics. All of the compositions have grown on me and Petrucci's guitaring is more melodic and soaring than I can remember in a decade. After all I have written, this is a strong album and I will live with the flawed drum sound.

The greatest Dream Theater concert on Blu-ray

Dream Theater 'Live at Budokan' is one of a handful of concert DVDs that continues to wow me completely. On 5 October, 2004 at the peak of their abilities, Dream Theater played at the Budokan, Japan. Although eight years ago and since then they have had other concert DVDs like the majestic 'Score', this is their landmark concert High Definition DVD. Now that it is available with improved sound and visuals on Blu-ray, I thought it high time to give coverage to these giants of progressive rock metal.

I love watching live music and have been fortunate enough to see Dream Theater play in Brisbane, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. This Blu-ray is possibly as good as it gets other than being at their concerts. Indeed some may say it's better. At least in the comfort of your home you can manage the volume to what suits you plus have close-up views that only binoculars could achieve. (I make this comment as the Auckland concert was excessively loud and at times there was possible distortion.)

Back to this Blu-ray which is most beautifully crafted and meets all my requirements for a perfect concert. i.e. great sound, crystal clear visuals, a massive selection from their discography plus additional long instrumental breaks with the camera following the person playing the solo. (It always frustrates me when the drummer plays a brilliant fill and the camera man zooms on the vocalist who is not even singing. This fortunately doesn't happen on this recording because Mike Portnoy, the drummer, and John Petrucci, the guitarist produce it.) Clearly Dream Theater have projected their creative and hard-working ethic to the production values of this Blu-ray. This recording has been carefully thought through, even to the placing of the cameras for excellent closeups for each member. The Blu-ray is full of positive surprises and features; the range of song material to the ability to show the lyrics on screen.

The DVD was previously unsurpassed in sound and video quality. The Blu-ray version is crisper - yes, the colors far more vivid and richer and what I particularly noticed was the shine and sparkle on items like the Sabian cymbals. You notice small details like the glint on wedding rings, the reflection off Petrucci's guitar. It's these details that take an already brilliant high definition DVD and makes the viewing experience even more impact full. I was taken aback as to how beautiful the primary color lighting looks on Blu-ray. This is an amazing quality recording. 

Photos of my TV screen showing the Blu-ray. This gives some indication of the clarity and colour in spite of the obvious loss of photographing a TV screen.

Yet I did not repurchase this for a visual improvement as I had thought my existing DVD copy was great. I bought this for the DTS HD Master Audio and the sound improvement is significant. Referring to 'As I am' the opening track of the concert you immediately notice a  significant improvement in the bass levels. The opening bass note of the first bar is strong and resounds with a power not experienced on the 5.1 sound. 

Overall there is a greater richness on the Blu-ray as you hear the growl and warmth of Myung's bass  together with warmth of Portnoy's toms. There seems far greater dynamic range with the bottom end of both the bass guitar and the bass pedal far more forceful. My sub-woofer gets a real workout yet the high range notes of the keyboard still ring out. There is greater separation with no difficulty to hear all four instruments and vocals. The many rapid unison guitar and piano lines over Myung's bass is wondrous. In Petrucci's solos you can hear the subtleties of tapping plus string wrenches. If anything the sound detail also shows their flaws so LaBrie sometimes doesn't quite hit the note, but after a marathon two hour fourty-five minute concert, I am not surprised.

For those who have woken up a decade after he was already one of the world's greatest prog-rock drummers, this concert is a Mike Portnoy showcase. (Mike Portnoy is sadly no longer with DT but that is an article in itself.)  Disc two has all the extras including the Portnoy solo and the Instrumedley - which allows you to focus just on Mike for a monstrous drumming display. That doesn't mean there is no solo drumming in the concert. Far from it! You're in for a surprise as the keyboard drum battle during 'Beyond this life' is like an added drum solo. I found this the highlight of the opening barrage of 3 songs - Rudess and Portnoy seem to have such fun and Portnoy gets to inventively show off what every little cowbell, percussion and timbale sounds like on his enormous double set of drums. He really shows how musical he is as he copies Rudess's keyboard lines on the kit.(Of course a few blizzards of bass drum bliss are effortlessly displayed throughout!)

A warning to classic rock readers. If you are averse to metal, this concert may be an acquired taste. The first twenty minutes of this concert are some of the heaviest moments of synchronised Dream Theater mayhem; the end of 'This Dying Soul' shows the most frighteningly fast unison lines of Petrucci and Rudess. Mesmerising! Portnoy is so solid as he segues from one time signature into the pounding grundge time midway through 'This Dying Soul' - makes you want to bounce with LaBrie as well. As LaBrie states 'We have one hell of a show coming at you, this evening'. At this stage of the concert you're only two songs in and sixteen still to come. As on any DT creation you'll see why Petrucci is arguably the most technically gifted rock guitarist in the world today. Combined with Myung, Rudess and their powerful vocalist, LaBrie, this is the benchmark of prog metal virtuosity. If you like intense, inventive heavy rock music that requires repeated listening, this is a wonderful value Blu-ray - brilliant!

Planet X - extreme progressive rock - 'Live from Oz'

Awaiting with eager anticipation for the delivery of Sherinian's new album, 'Oceana',  I listened to the Planet X 'Live from Oz' again. This may have been a bad idea as this is such an amazing live rock instrumental album it puts much of Sherinian's studio output in the mediocre camp. What it did was have me revisit a review I did on Amazon a number of years ago, revise and share it here.

This album deserves a listen! If you like progressive rock with a metal twist then hunt this album down. It is an intense exciting roller coaster ride of complicated and stirring compositions. It has an energy and aggressive drive throughout. Much of this is probably because it is live as these same compositions on the studio album are not as convincing. The recording is outstanding for a live recording and credit for this must go to Simon Phillips (producer mixer and drummer extraordinaire) who did the mixing. 


This album is of a super group that is still to be recognised - Derek Sherinian (Black Country Communion, ex-Dream Theater), Virgil Donati (monster session musician) on drums, Tony MacAlpine (solo artist and session muso) on guitars and Dave Larue (Steve Morse band) on bass. Everyone of these musicians are at the top of their craft, seasoned and admired and (employed!) by other musicians who know how brilliant they are! Clearly Vai knew who he needed to back his DVD 'Live at the Astoria' as both Tony MacAlpine and Virgil Donati were his number 1 support musicians. 

John Petrucci, Steve Morse, Mike Portnoy and now Derek Sherinian all knew who would best fill the bass role for their respective solo efforts, so although not part of the Planet X band as such, Dave Larue is the special guest bassist for this tour and his note for note runs that follow Tony and Derek are more complicated than your average rock lead guitarist can play!

Okay - so the word "complicated" is used. Yes, this music is complicated and intense. You won't be humming it as you go for an Sunday afternoon stroll. But that's what's so compelling about listening to this album - it is an andrenalin rush of power rock fusion. Admittedly the compositions sound quite dark and live in the world of minor keys but the powerful interplay and angular time signatures that chop and change keep you riveted.

Another reviewer said that the poor drummer had to count throughout this album and couldn't just groove in a straight 4/4 . From what I've heard Virgil thrives on odd time signatures - it seems to come naturally and his bass double pedal seems to be in sprint mode rather than marathon groove. From an interview I've read, the mighty Simon Phillips, who mixed this album and who is still one of the world's great drummers, said he was blown away by Virgil's playing and sometimes couldn't even contemplate playing what Virgil did effortlessly. The drumming is marvelous and gives the ordinary tracks an edge. For drummers out there - forget what the music is like - you can listen to this again and again at Virgil in top form. Listen and marvel at his strength and stamina as this is all from one show on June 13, 2001.

I've listened to Tony since his first solo album and his "Maximum Security" album is still listed by many as a guitar landmark album from the 80s. "Live in Oz" shows all Tony's chops but especially his Holdworthian whammy bar nudges and legato playing. This is what gives this album a more fusion feel than straight-out rock instrumental. I am amazed by Tony's guitaring here, far more varied than what I've heard on the CAB albums. The solos here are quite organic and have space and in places beautiful rather than always speedy. Don't worry there is sufficient shred as well on this to make most other so called great guitarists hop for cover!

Derek is remarkably supportive on this live outing - yes, he has exchanges blistering lead lines with Tony on "Pods of Chance" that sound more like duelling guitars than keyboards - but overall I was relieved to note that the main solo instrument on this album is Tony's guitar. Yes, Derek plays all the time but filling the canvas with waves of sound over which Tony wails rather than trying to outdo the guitar with keyboard antics. He is the Jan Hammer of today without needing to play everything louder or faster than everyone else.

Perhaps the one word that captures this album is "exciting". It is no musical masterpiece but rather a showcase of phenomenal skills that makes one laugh at their audacity! The rest of us mere mortals on planet earth can enjoy and applaud the brilliance of Planet X!

A musical triumph - a rock opera Christian testimony

Testimony is a complex, powerful rock opera of violin, viola, saxophone and pedal steel guitar, intermingled with fiery Fender guitar rock, Latin-tinged acoustic guitar, classical flute, tight vocal harmonies over no-holds bar drumming. I try in words to capture just the first 45 minutes of Neal Morse's Testimony live concert. This is heartfelt, passionate rock - with every genre from progressive to pop intermingled in this amazing 2003 live performance - the testimony of Morse's journey into the light. 

It has been 5 years since I bought this DVD. This is a concert to behold and each time I go back and listen my spirit is lifted - there is something deeply attractive about this rock opera - it's a combination of the powerful music motifs and the emotionally rendered personal message of spiritual revelation sung by the multi-talented, composer, singer, keyboardist guitarist - Neal Morse. 

Actual running time is 255 minutes of a riveting performance of eight musicians. Most of them, other than Morse and Portnoy, I had never heard before - but that just indicates how many multi-talented unknown professional musicians are out there. Eric Brenton was particularly impressive and takes a pivotal role as lead guitarist, violinist, flautist, pedal steel guitarist and then throw in some mandolin as well! 

All the musicians seem engrossed with the music and the fun element is palpable - these guys enjoyed themselves. It is infectious watching, so much so that we have a break out of dancing during the hoe-down with an incredible Morse acoustic chicken-picking guitar battle with Breton on violin. Yes, I forgot, in "Sing it high" there is even a blue-grass section like a Dixie Dregs workout except Morse also intertwines country tight vocal harmonies as well. Yes, the Christian message is strong, and Neal's life story comes across very clearly with his unaffected, annunciated vocal style that is influenced more by the Beatles, Beach Boy approach than anything from this century. For some the lyrics will attract and I realise from reading reviews on Amazon that also repels some. An observation is that Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), the monster drummer that sets the stage alight and drives much of the musical excitement in this concert, is obviously attracted enough to the music to play with his usual enthusiasm and intensity - irrespective of the message.

I think all Christians who have a bent towards contemporary music will find this DVD strongly resonates with them. It's a powerful musical message that tells all our stories in a way - even if this is Neal's personal story. You are missing out if you haven't heard Neal Morse's work. Clearly he has taken over the mantle of Kerry Livgren in keeping the message of the eternal alive in progressive rock .

Some of this strangely reminds me of the musical `Les Miserables'(a rock version perhaps) in that there is a story over repeating musical motifs that echo through this entire concert. Indeed there are three Overtures that begin the five parts. The wonderful variety means that when the story and quieter interludes just begin to lengthen you are jolted into the next part with intense instrumental pieces - this is never impromptu jamming but tightly structured. The breaks and accapella vocal harmonies that cut through frenzied playing is spine tingling - and when they move into "The storm before the calm" with the repeat prog motif from Overture No.1 you feel like cheering yourself. It is during this central prog motif that Portnoy is finally unleashed to play some of his most memorable ensemble playing. Even Neal is visibly excited as he bends over his keyboard to allow an unobstructed view of Portnoy's tom-tom theatrics that propels this repeating prog motif to a crescendo. Wow! 

Stylistically there are echoes of Kansas, Dregs, Pink Floyd, Yes, Beatles and Beach boys! A real musical blend but with an unmistakable melodic Morse stamp. The concert begins and closes with Morse singing alone just with acoustic guitar and then finally piano - his connection with the audience direct and engaging. This is a powerful and moving concert. 

Some DVD comments - unfortunately this is only available in stereo. I'd love to have heard this in DTS! Fortunately this is still a rich, well recorded concert; drums and percussion subtleties all coming through so you can still differentiate between the multi-keyboard, strings and guitars and splash cymbal. Camera work is above average and the overhead camera on the drums is something I wish we saw more often. There are no intrusive artistic fades instead an appropriate mix of wide shots of the entire stage cutting to close ups of musicians as they play key breaks or to visually highlight aspects of the performance. 

PS: And then there is disc two - where they come back on stage for a three track lengthy heavier 54 minute encore with Transatlantic tracks "We all need some light", "The light" and "Stranger in your soul". 


5 stars for great value, 5 stars as a musical statement and for excitement. The lack of 5.1 or DTS sound unfortunately prevents a 5 out of 5. It is still in my top 5 favourite concert DVDs.