John Petrucci - Animate Inanimate

[Jebus]

So has anyone gotten around to listening to John Petrucci's (Dream Theater guitarist) new solo album? It's such an incredible piece of work. There isn't one bad song it it. Unlike Steve Vai's new cd, this was not a dispointment at all. Jaws of Life, Glassgow Kiss, and Damage Control were definetally the highlights of this album. Probably just one other person knows what I'm talking about but I thought I'd give this thread a try anyways. If anyone wants to hear some of the cd, I'll gladly post a couple of songs on here.

Glassgow Kiss (10.7 mb)
http://s10.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=30MMVLOVI02B22OOFB4LK1C2A2
Damage Control (12.7 mb)
http://s22.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3RM7PHRDPTUXT08RKZI94ACPX0
Jaws of Life (10.2)
http://s17.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1KNRTA2QT2HSD345E6AHT2B0SH
Wishful Thinking
http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=...VM3EFHD2RKK9L5S

[nieh]

Dream Theater are one of those bands that despite being incredibly instrumentally talented, they just don't do anything for me. If his solo stuff is a little different then I'll check out a couple songs, but they'd better be good!

[Jebus]

Oh, they will be! The reason why Dream Theater probably doesn't do anything for you is because the damn singer. He bores me too but the rest of Dream Theater is incredibly awesome. I'll have a few songs uploaded within 30 minutes.

[nieh]

Oh, they will be! The reason why Dream Theater probably doesn't do anything for you is because the damn singer. He bores me too but the rest of Dream Theater is incredibly awesome. I'll have a few songs uploaded within 30 minutes.

It's not so much the singer (though that would definitely help). It's the songwriting as a whole. As complicated and technically impressive as it is...it's just not interesting. It's too perfect, and that just gets dull for me.

[Jebus]

It's too perfect, and that just gets dull for me.
Heh, I know what you mean. A band that good starts sounding a bit robotic due to their perfection. They're like machines that are able to create things that are perfect without any flaws, unlike regular humans who can't. It's sort off like a xexox machine that can make a perfect copy of a picture while a regular human wouldn't be able to replicate the picture by hand.
Yes, I know. I'm not making any sence.

[nieh]

yeah. There's a problem with that though. They're all playing everything exactly how they're are supposed to be played, but none of them really add an element of their own style to the way they play. Since they just play it exactly how it's supposed to be played, it makes it very hard for them to push any sort of feeling through, be it sad, angry, happy, fun, etc. It's very hard for robots to convey emotions. Most of their stuff is just there. There's a lot of bands like that (Rush being another big one).

[Jebus]

You're probably listening to the wrong songs then. John Petrucci's playing could be very emotional in certain songs. Dream Theater's new cd wouldn't exactly be a reflection of this but trust me on this. If only you could watch their new DVD, you'll see what I'm talking.
Well, I'm done uploading three songs.

Glassgow Kiss (10.7 mb)
http://s10.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=30MMVLOVI02B22OOFB4LK1C2A2
Damage Control (12.7 mb)
http://s22.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3RM7PHRDPTUXT08RKZI94ACPX0
Jaws of Life (10.2)
http://s17.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1KNRTA2QT2HSD345E6AHT2B0SH


The files are kind of big but are still worth a listen.

[nieh]

I'm downloading them now, but I'll have to wait til tomorrow to listen to them because I'm going to bed.

Anyway, I've heard The Glass Prison which everyone says is one of their best songs, but it didn't move me in anywhere. I've heard 1-2 of their full albums (though I know I fell asleep through about half of one of them, but that doesn't mean much because I was on a 10 hour car ride to Michigan at the time and I fell asleep during the Mars Volta's cd too and I <3 that cd. You should download "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt" if you've never heard it. It's awesome). I don't remember which cd's they were, but I only remember liking one little bit of it where it had a little bit of a funky bassline thing going on, but even the funky bassline sounded too robotic.

[Jebus]

Anyway, I've heard The Glass Prison which everyone says is one of their best songs, but it didn't move me in anyway. I've heard 1-2 of their full albums (though I know I fell asleep through about half of one of them, but that doesn't mean much because I was on a 10 hour car ride to Michigan at the time and I fell asleep during the Mars Volta's cd too and I <3 that cd. You should download "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt" if you've never heard it. It's awesome). I don't remember which cd's they were, but I only remember liking one little bit of it where it had a little bit of a funky bassline thing going on, but even the funky bassline sounded too robotic.

Glass Prison is one of my favorite songs but the playing is quite sterile in this one and a bad example. A few of their metal oriented songs like Glass Prison just won't have the emotion. Do you happen to remember what cds you listened to? Do you still have them? You really have to see them live to really get into them or at least see a live video. I could also share a live video if you want and you'll see what I'm talking about.
I'll download "Take the veil cerpin taxt" lator today, and I'll see what I think of it. I never heard any Mars Volta's stuff. I been meaning to check them out since I've heard good things but I've been to lazy to.

Here's another song from the album.
Wishful Thinking
http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3I492K2ZVRGVM3EFHD2RKK9L5S

You should listen to all of these and then form your final opinion of him.

[nieh]

Glass Prison is one of my favorite songs but the playing is quite sterile in this one and a bad example. A few of their metal oriented songs like Glass Prison just won't have the emotion. Do you happen to remember what cds you listened to? Do you still have them? You really have to see them live to really get into them or at least see a live video. I could also share a live video if you want and you'll see what I'm talking about.
I'll download "Take the veil cerpin taxt" lator today, and I'll see what I think of it. I never heard any Mars Volta's stuff. I been meaning to check them out since I've heard good things but I've been to lazy to.

Here's another song from the album.
Wishful Thinking
http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3I492K2ZVRGVM3EFHD2RKK9L5S

You should listen to all of these and then form your final opinion of him.

The other 3 just finished downloading now. I'm heading to bed though so I'll get that one tomorrow.

Mars Volta on the surface sound like a mix of Rush, Led Zeppelin, Fugazi and Santana, but after a couple listens it's really so much more than that. Their Deloused in the Comatorium album is my favorite album ever (though their new one is rather meh unfortunately if you didn't see my topic about it somewhere in here).

[Jebus]

Well, tell me what you think of them tomorrow. I'm sure you'll enjoy them. I'm dowloading that Mars volta song right now. I'll ldownload that album you just mentioned if I like it. I should better get going too.

[nieh]

alright, I'm listening to them now (the fourth link won't work though).

Jaws of Life is pretty cool but I don't like the guitar tone he uses that much (too much 80's proper-metal tone to it...and he uses it in the other songs too)
Glasgow Kiss sounds like the closing theme some late 80s-early 90s tv show mixed with some random Irish jig-ness. It's not bad but it's not that great either.
Damage Control starts off alright, gets a bit better at around the 3:30 mark.
I like these more than the Dream Theater stuff I've heard. Who's playing the other instruments on this stuff, is it the Dream Theater folks or does he do everything himself?

[Jebus]

Wishful Thinking
http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3I492K2ZVRGVM3EFHD2RKK9L5S
Sorry about that. This link should work now. This song is more on the soft and slow side than the rest of the album.

Here's another song
Animate-Ananimate
http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2BJWBY7DCT77F2C227UCTRWKXB
Heh, I pretty much gave away half the album already.

Jaws of Life is pretty cool but I don't like the guitar tone he uses that much (too much 80's proper-metal tone to it...and he uses it in the other songs too)
Glasgow Kiss sounds like the closing theme some late 80s-early 90s tv show mixed with some random Irish jig-ness. It's not bad but it's not that great either.
Damage Control starts off alright, gets a bit better at around the 3:30 mark.
I like these more than the Dream Theater stuff I've heard. Who's playing the other instruments on this stuff, is it the Dream Theater folks or does he do everything himself?
Well, you can't have a Petrucci album without a nice metal rhythm in the background. It's just simply part of his style. You have to love his lead tone though. The irish jig in Glassgow kiss is pretty weird but at the same time it makes the song a bit peculiar in a good way. Damage Control is my favorite song on this album. It has this strange uncanny melody that's iresistable. For this album Dave LaRue is on bass and Dave DiCenso is on drums. They're a different band than Dream Theater.

If you like some of this stuff, then you should listed to Liquid Tension Experiment. It has the same members of Dream Theater but without vocals and a different bass player. Their music leans more towards jazz or fusion than metal but there's definitely a Dream Theater influence.

So I got around to listen to Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt. It has sort of this middle eastern vibe mixed with an almost latin jazz attitude. I really enjoyed it. I downloaded that album you mentioned but I haven't heard yet. I'll listen to it later today.

[nieh]

Wishful Thinking
http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3I492K2ZVRGVM3EFHD2RKK9L5S
Sorry about that. This link should work now. This song is more on the soft and slow side than the rest of the album.

Here's another song
Animate-Ananimate
http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2BJWBY7DCT77F2C227UCTRWKXB
Heh, I pretty much gave away half the album already.


Well, you can't have a Petrucci album without a nice metal rhythm in the background. It's just simply part of his style. You have to love his lead tone though. The irish jig in Glassgow kiss is pretty weird but at the same time it makes the song a bit peculiar in a good way. Damage Control is my favorite song on this album. It has this strange uncanny melody that's iresistable. For this album Dave LaRue i on bass and Dave DiCenso is on drums. They're a different band than Dream Theater.

If you like some of this stuff, then you should listed to Liquid Tension Experiment. It has the same members of Dream Theater but without vocals and a different bass player. Their music leans more towards jazz or fusion than metal but there's definently a Dream Theater influence.

So I got around to listen to Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt. It has sort of this middle eastern vibe mixed with an almost latin jazz attitude. I really enjoyed it. I downloaded that album you mentioned but I haven't heard yet. I'll listen to it later today.

I'll download those in a bit. I want to check out stuff by the Daves, they were pretty good. I'll download some Liquid Tension Experiment stuff sometime soon too. I've heard OF them before but never really knew anything about them.

The Mars Volta have got a little bit of everything in them. They tend to fall under progressive emocore, but they've got all sorts of random influences. Their whole album is incredible (except track 8...the 'chorus' is kinda meh but the verses and everything else is good). My favorite track is "Drunkship of Lanterns" but the album is set out in such a way that if you listen to one track on it's own, it might not be as good as listening to it in the middle of the album. Take the Veil is the best track to listen to on it's own I'd say. You might even like their most recent album more than I do. It took a step back from the emo end of things and took a step towards metal, which is one reason I don't like it as much (not as much passion behind it, though the instrumental skill definitely went up between the two albums).

[Jebus]

I want to check out stuff by the Daves, they were pretty good.
Check out this last one. It's called Lost Without You. Dave's bass work really stands out in this one.
http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0F8P4RHJC4ESP2WHTRVT8W72QA

I'll download some Liquid Tension Experiment stuff sometime soon too. I've heard OF them before but never really knew anything about them.
Liquid Tension Experiment is kind of hard to find on the internet. I'll upload a couple of songs so you could get their general style.

The Mars Volta have got a little bit of everything in them. They tend to fall under progressive emocore, but they've got all sorts of random influences. Their whole album is incredible (except track 8...the 'chorus' is kinda meh but the verses and everything else is good). My favorite track is "Drunkship of Lanterns" but the album is set out in such a way that if you listen to one track on it's own, it might not be as good as listening to it in the middle of the album. Take the Veil is the best track to listen to on it's own I'd say. You might even like their most recent album more than I do. It took a step back from the emo end of things and took a step towards metal, which is one reason I don't like it as much (not as much passion behind it, though the instrumental skill definitely went up between the two albums).

Jeez, did you really have to tell me they were EMO. That just kind of ruined everything for me. I generally don't listen to the lyrics so wouldn't have noticed. I'll still give the album a try but I'm going to keep the fact that it's emo in my head which will ruin it for me

[nieh]

Check out this last one. It's called Lost Without You. Dave's bass work really stands out in this one.
http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0F8P4RHJC4ESP2WHTRVT8W72QA


Liquid Tension Experiment is kind of hard to find on the internet. I'll upload a couple of songs so you could get their general style.



Jeez, did you really have to tell me they were EMO. That just kind of ruined everything for me. I generally don't listen to the lyrics so wouldn't have noticed. I'll still give the album a try but I'm going to keep the fact that it's emo in my head which will ruin it for me

Bass is my favorite instrument to listen to. I'm listening to those other 3 songs now.

ARGH. The song you listened to by them was progressive EMO. The fact that it has hardcore influences while the singer sings with other emotions than just anger (that's what emo is, listen to At the Drive In. NEVER judge a genre based on the bands that get radio-play). Don't listen to it thinking it's emo, don't listen to it thinking it's progressive, just listen to it for what it is.
Deloused is a concept/tribute album to a friend of the band who killed himself about 7 years prior. The guy was kind of fucked up to begin with but went on a huge downward spiral, thus making him even more fucked up. He was on all sorts of drugs, he had so many cuts and scars all over his body that friends nick-named him 'Frankenstein'. Eventually he OD'd on drugs, was in a coma for a few days, came out of it and threw himself off a bridge, killing himself. The beginning and the ending of the album (the last song being Take the Veil) are basically what ACTUALLY happened (i.e. the guy slipping into a coma, then coming out and killing himself) while the whole middle of the album are what the band imagines was going through his head while he was in the coma (i.e. different sides of his mind clashing with each other in pure chaos and insanity). Like I said, it's emo because it has hardcore influences, but isn't just angry, it's passionate and urgent sounding. It's not the evil thing that most modern "emo" bands are. Yeah...I was obsessed with these guys and At the Drive-in for a period of time (At the Drive-in broke up so their singer and guitarist could form Mars Volta), so I know their story pretty well...

[Jebus]

Emo really depresses me sometimes which is why I don't really listen to it. The story seems intresting but once again, it seems very depresing. I'll keep in mind what you said when listening to this album. I don't have the time to hear music right now so I might get around to it tomorow.

What do you think about those songs so far from what you heard?

[nieh]

argh...I just typed a reply to this and accidentally closed the window.

I didn't like these three songs as much as the other ones. I still think Jaws of Life and Damage Control were the best out of them. They weren't bad, but they weren't as good as the other ones.

Ok, I kinda just assumed you were like 'blah, emo' for the same reason most people are (that they think it's 'wussy'). The album isn't nearly as depressing as the story makes it out to be. Dark, yeah, but not so much depressing. It's really hard to understand what the guy's singing, and even if you look at a lyrics sheet, not only are they pretty abstract, but you'll have to look up a bunch of the words to find out what he's talking about (well, I had to look them up anyway...how else would I know what a revenant was?). Anyway, whenever you give it a listen, let me know what you think. It's one of those albums that takes a few listens to really get into though, so you might have to give it a little while.