Not similar to the "New Dream Theater" thread, as now the album is leaked it's a lot more than that shoddy singles.
What are your opinions? I was let down massively with the release of Constant Motion and The Dark Eternal night, I thought they were absolutely abysmal by DT standards, but I've been pleasantly surprised with the rest of the album. I think my favourite would go down to The Ministry Of Lost Souls, the second half especially, and the two In The Presence Of Enemies parts are also pretty sweet.
For the rest of it, well, there are shines of what I think Dream Theater is here and there but still it feels like it's just lacking something. Lyrical content is pretty poor, Petrucci lets himself down so much by throwing out his signature choice notes and distinct sound in so many songs, and Portnoy's drumming seems like the boring display in Octavarium. Still, I do enjoy parts, and I'm not as let down as when I first heard those songs.
Anyway, discuss, and if anyone thought it would be as terrible as I did when I heard Constant Motion etc. then just give it a listen, it may change you're opinion.

Well, I am currently downloading it. can't wait. From what I've heard so far, not a bad album at all.

I don't see what the big deal is with everyone over this. Constant Motion, yeah its a boring song. It has some cool tihngs going on, the solo section especially. Its tasteful playingon Petruccis part. The riffs are a bit standard for metal. The Dark Eternal Night, however, I loved. It was exactly like Dance of Eternity, but with singing. I'm not big on the vocals in the song, but I really couldn't see Labrie doing a super high Images and Words piercing high harmony anywhere on this track. The rest of the album is great, i enjoyed everything thoroughly.

Great album. Ministry Of Lost Souls is amazing!

So id it worth it, against Images and Words, what would you give it?

To be honest, I don't like Images and Words THAT much. My favourites are:
1) Scenes From a Memory
2) Train of Thought
3) Systematic Chaos

I'd dive it 8 out of 10. But hey, Images and Words is different from Systematic Chaos. Both albums are syill great.

fairly good album, much better than octavarium

QUOTE(Mark W @ May 18 2007, 01:03 PM) [snapback]377687[/snapback]fairly good album, much better than octavarium
Agreed.

The album isn't horrible, but as with Octavarium it'll take a bit of time to really grow on me, I didn't take the time to sit down and fully listen to the album and concentrate on every aspect.
But the musicianship is still amazing as always.

A lot of it bored me. The "ballads" or whatever are just too many and too long.
The heavy songs are great, but the other stuff really sucks.