Anybody Get A Taste Of This Late Entry?
Dream Theater-"Train Of Thought"...an awesome progressive metal work (although not Dream Theater's all-time best, IMHO...platitudes...*sigh*), in my opinion, because it (again) has the integrity of 80's underground metal (leads, breaks and rhythms) infused with the the drop D and B alternate tuning rhythm fashions of the 2000's (as only Petrucci can and his Mesa Boogie amplfication systems can apply them)...exotic and fused scale modalities...arpeggio sweeps...13/24 polyrhythms on drums...the whole 9 yards...I hope self-proclaimed numetal "musicians" everywhere take heed of this one as I feel they have been upstaged (speaking as a musician from the "raw musicianship" frame of reference)...and when just one of them can play rhythm and lead with the finesse of John Petrucci...I will humbly tip my hat to them.
Disturbed-"Believe"Very thoughful and creative alternate "drop D" tuned rhythms...lead absent (not to fret...as I find most numetal "lead absent")
To weigh in on the Nickelback, Dave and Mimi,...yes...they also have thoughtful numetal rhythms...but...Dream Theater was there FIRST and the Mesa Boogie high-end amplfiers have contributed a GREAT DEAL to both of their respective guitar amplfier tone character(s) (Gotta love old school Mark IIs and the new Road Kings for SOME applications
😉 )
I know I haven't made much reference to lyrics here...Haven't heard much that was "intellectually stimulating" since "late old school Rush." Maybe Dave will back me on this one...maybe not. Dream Theater is SO strong instrumentally, I can find it in my heart to overlook it...Disturbed's lyrics belong in the ranks of "mindless" with the other numetalers, IMHO...Nickelback's lyrics don't offend my intellect quite as much as the generic numetal bands of the day, IMHO.
After that...it all gets kind of generic and homogenized, at least, to me, anyhow. *hopping off his soapbox now* Narrow-focused and pompously opinionated bastard when it comes to music, ain't I?
😛 LOL!