[bigred]Standard Edition[/bigred]

Product Description
'This album's a musical and emotional rollercoaster, but most of our albums are,' Mike Portnoy says of Black Clouds & Silver Linings, Dream Theater's tenth studio album and second Roadrunner release. Black Clouds & Silver Linings marks another milestone on Dream Theater's iconoclastic musical journey, which began two and a half decades ago and now encompasses a hugely impressive body of music that's established the durable progressive metal outfit as a one-of-a-kind creative force with a fiercely devoted international fan base. The new album - produced by band members Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci, who also serve as the group's main lyricists - offers a vibrant manifestation of the world-class musicianship, vivid lyrical scenarios and ambitious, multi-leveled compositions that have established Dream Theater as a uniquely compelling creative force.

1. A Nightmare To Remember
2. A Rite Of Passage
3. Wither
4. The Shattered Fortress
5. The Best Of Times
6. The Count Of Tuscany

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026J8LHM/?tag=imwan-20

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[bigred]Special Edition[/bigred]

Product Description
Special Edition includes the Black Clouds & Silver Linings CD, plus a CD of 6 cover songs, and a CD of instrumental mixes of the entire Black Clouds & Silver Linings album.

CD 1
1. A Nightmare To Remember
2. A Rite Of Passage
3. Wither
4. The Shattered Fortress
5. The Best Of Times
6. The Count Of Tuscany

CD 2
1. Stargazer (Rainbow)
2. Tenement Funster/Flick Of The Wrist/Lily Of The Valley (Queen)
3. Odyssey (Dixie Dregs)
4. Take Your Fingers From My Hair (Zebra)
5. Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part Two (King Crimson)
6. To Tame A Land (Iron Maiden)

CD 3
1. A Nightmare To Remember (Instrumental)
2. A Rite Of Passage (Instrumental)
3. Wither (Instrumental)
4. The Shattered Fortress (Instrumental)
5. The Best Of Times (Instrumental)
6. The Count Of Tuscany (Instrumental)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026J8LHW/?tag=imwan-20

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2009

New York, NY:

Progressive metal veterans DREAM THEATER have announced BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS as the title of their tenth studio album. The band commenced work on the album - their second for Roadrunner Records, following up 2007's Systematic Chaos - in October of last year.

Roadrunner will release the record on June 23. In addition to the standard version CD, the album will also be available on vinyl LP, as well as a 3-disc Special Edition CD that will include the full album, a CD of instrumental mixes of the album and a CD of six cover songs, the titles of which will be revealed at a later date.

Six weeks prior to the June 23 street date, Roadrunner will release one cover song per week through digital retailers.

Drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist John Petrucci are once again at the helm as producers, while Paul Northfield mixed the record.

The band will embark on a world tour in support of the album beginning in Europe throughout June which will be followed by the second edition of the band's PROGRESSIVE NATION tour featuring Zappa Plays Zappa, Pain Of Salvation and Beardfish throughout North America in July/August.

A video for the first single, "A Rite of Passage" will be shot in late March.

The track listing for BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS is as follows:

1. A Nightmare to Remember
2. A Rite of Passage
3. Wither
4. The Shattered Fortress
5. The Best of Times
6. The Count of Tuscany

OK-I could care less about the disc of instrumentals, but the covers I want. Or, will they just record a few more covers at some point and just release the covers version and me buying the 3CD version will be pointless? Grrrrrr.....

I'd rather have a 5.1 disc like Systematic Chaos. It was incredible in 5.1. To me the instrumental disc just gives the LaBrie haters more fuel.

A few songs are on torrent taken from a radio show. Sounds less metal and more show-offy. A very tacky "cookie monster" part sung by Portnoy on one song. Some slightly annoying vocal effects on the other song.

They always have great covers.

They truly do-of course, with their chops they can do anything. I saw them do Pink Floyd's "Echoes"-close to the whole thing in Philly once. I've also seen them do "2112:Overture" from Rush!
And, then there's the official boots they have-I have them doing the whole "Number Of The Beast" and "Master Of Puppets" albums-incredible-but LaBrie's voice still annoys me at times. He is a good singer though.

I'm in for the special edition. I love listening to the guys just play and they've always done well with covers in the past. I love their official bootleg cover albums.

Wow-the covers look amazing. "Stragazer"!!! From the best album ever made-Rainbow "Rising". Then Queen's "Tenement Funster", and looks like it has to be Zebra's awesome epic "Take Your Fingers From My Hair", King Crimson's "Larks Tongues In Aspic Pt. 2" and Iron Maiden's "To Tame A Land".
Wow!
Who could possibly even attempt epics like this? Only DT. Not sure what "Odyssey" it is-any guesses? I'm sure I should know. This is only $21.10 (should be $21.12!) at CD Universe, and I'm sure Tower.com, Best Buy and Amazon.com will be around there or better for this special edition.


1. Nightmare To Remember, A
2. Rite of Passage, A
3. Wither
4. Shattered Fortress, The
5. Best of Times, The
6. Count of Tuscany, The

Black Clouds & Silver Linings (Special Edition) Songs DISC 2:
1. Stargazer
2. Tenement Funster
3. Odyssey
4. Take Your Fingers From My Hair
5. Larks Tongues In Aspic Pt. 2
6. To Tame a Land

Black Clouds & Silver Linings (Special Edition) Album DISC 3:
1. Nightmare To Remember [Instrumental], A
2. Rite of Passage [Instrumental], A
3. Wither [Instrumental]
4. Shattered Fortress [Instrumental], The
5. Best of Times [Instrumental], The
6. Count of Tuscany [Instrumental], The

Y'know, last week Roadrunner had a limited download link for the single, which I got, but I still haven't gotten around to listening to it.

That couldn't be from the Kiss album "Music From 'The Elder'", could it?

Alan

Alan:
I thought about that, and I wouldn't put it past Dream Theater, but man would that be a shock!

One can only hope.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ta20wKllM[/youtube]

Not the Kiss song:

You can listen to a 30 second clip of "Tenement Funster" at AmazWAN:



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002A6PK3O/?tag=imwan-20

One thing about Dream Theater, they have fantastic album covers. Their music leaves me cold though. Great chops, sounds great but the music just doesn't make me smile (and I'm a fan of proggy rock like Porcupine Tree).

Its CD2 that intrigues me:

1. Stargazer (Rainbow)
2. Tenement Funster/Flick Of The Wrist/Lily Of The Valley (Queen)
3. Odyssey (Dixie Dregs)
4. Take Your Fingers From My Hair (Zebra)
5. Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part Two (King Crimson)
6. To Tame A Land (Iron Maiden)

Anyone pick this one up? Are the covers good?

Awesome-Dream Theater in the Top 10, and I didn't even get it yet!

From Blabbermouth.net:
The new album from DREAM THEATER, entitled "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", has registered the following first-week chart positions:

Australia: #16
Canada: #5
Finland: #14
Germany: #3
Italy: #5
Norway: #7
Switzerland: #9
The Netherlands: #3
UK: #23
USA: #6

"Black Clouds & Silver Linings" sold 40,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release.

Commented DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy: "This is truly amazing.... that after almost 25 years together, this band is still growing and progressing and doing bigger and better numbers than ever... I can't think of many bands that can claim that. Plus — a progressive metal album with four songs over 12 minutes in the U.S. Top 10??? (wedged between JONAS BROTHERS, EMINEM and HANNAH MONTANA!) Hell must've frozen over!!!! (This must be a first of its kind...)"

DREAM THEATER's last CD, "Systematic Chaos", opened with 36,000 units in 2007 to enter The Billboard 200 chart at No. 19. 2005's "Octavarium" premiered with 27,000 copies to debut at No. 36.

In addition to the standard-version CD, DREAM THEATER's tenth studio album, "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", was also made available on vinyl LP, as well as a three-disc, special-edition CD that includes the full album, a CD of instrumental mixes of the album and a CD of six cover songs.

Gotta say that the covers CD is a blast. They've got good taste, picking far-from-obvious songs, and pull off each one. Some blazing guitar throughout. "Lark's Tongues" showcases their collective chops. Rainbow's "Stargazer" at least equals the original!

The covers CD is what I want to hear the most. I just saw Over The Rainbow live on Monday and "Stargazer" was awesome-Jurgen Blackmore really did a killer job-but he's not his Dad-Ritchie Blackmore is my favorite guitar player ever. I'd really like to hear how Petrucci approaches that song as well as the Zebra tune.