Dream Theater Greatest Hits Details Revealed
Band Photo: Dream Theater (?)
After recently celebrating the band's 20-year anniversary, DREAM THEATER returns with its first-ever best-of collection. Spanning 1991-2005, the two-disc set contains rare single edits, B-sides and a trio of new remixes that spotlight that band's nonpareil musicianship, complex arrangements and amazing songwriting. DREAM THEATER's "Greatest Hit (…& 21 Other Pretty Songs)" will be available from Rhino on April 1 at all physical retail outlets and www.rhino.com for a suggested retail price of $19.98 and at all digital retail outlets for a suggested retail price of $12.99.
Referring to DREAM THEATER's first and only major radio hit, "Pull Me Under", the compilation's tongue-in-cheek title is a testament not only to the band's sense of humor but also highlights the acclaimed New York-based quintet's ability to make music and cultivate a legion of fans on its own terms, without help from radio or MTV. The collection features more than two hours of progressive hard rock from James LaBrie (vocals), John Myung (bass), John Petrucci (guitar/vocals), Mike Portnoy (drums/vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards).
The collection contains three newly remixed versions of tracks from DREAM THEATER's breakout 1992 album, "Images And Words": the aforementioned "Pull Me Under" as well as "Take The Time" and "Another Day". Portnoy says this album presented the perfect opportunity to give the songs a bit of a facelift. "The original mixes always sounded a bit '80s' to me, so we had our good friend and longtime mixer Kevin Shirley give the tracks a bit of an update to sound more like the rest of the DREAM THEATER catalog. The songs remain the same (no pun intended — Kevin just mixed that album as well), but there are little nuances in the tracks that I forgot were originally there, and it's very cool to hear them again."
The collection's 22 songs are split evenly between two discs, which are divided into "The Dark Side" (the metallic) and "The Light Side" (the melodic). Filled with some of the band's most sinister sounds, the first disc lives up to the billing of "The Dark Side." Longtime fans will appreciate the abundance of alternative versions of classic tracks, including single edits of "Lie", "Home" and "Misunderstood". Disc One concludes with two tracks from the band's 2005 album "Octavarium": "The Root Of All Evil" and "Sacrificed Sons".
The second disc, "The Light Side", spotlights the band's melodic side and features an alternate mix of "Through Her Eyes", a single edit of "Solitary Shell" and "To Live Forever", a 1994 B-side from the U.K.-only single of "Lie".
A grassroots phenomenon for 20 years, DREAM THEATER continues to record studio albums acclaimed for award-winning musicianship as well as artistic vision. To meet the demands of a demanding global fan base, the band also maintains an active touring schedule that regularly includes sold-out performances around the world.
DREAM THEATER has currently been on the road since June 2007, traveling the globe in support of their latest studio album "Systematic Chaos". Their world tour will conclude with a final run throughout North America in May as they premiere their "Progressive Nation" package tour with OPETH, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, and 3 supporting.
"Greatest Hit (…& 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs)" track listing:
Disc 1 (The Dark Side):
01. Pull Me Under (2007 Remix)
02. Take The Time (2007 Remix)
03. Lie (Single Edit)
04. Peruvian Skies
05. Home (Single Edit)
06. Misunderstood (Single Edit)
07. The Test That Stumped Them All
08. As I Am
09. Endless Sacrifice
10. The Root Of All Evil
11. Sacrificed Sons
Disc 2 (The Light Side):
01. Another Day (2007 Remix)
02. To Live Forever
03. Lifting Shadows Off A Dream
04. The Silent Man
05. Hollow Years
06. Through Her Eyes (Alternate Album Mix)
07. The Spirit Carries On
08. Solitary Shell (Single Edit)
09. I Walk Beside You
10. The Answer Lies Within
11. Disappear
Source: Blabbermouth
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18 Comments on "Dream Theater Greatest Hits Details Revealed"
Supporter
7. writes:
Their catalog is so vast, not everyone will be satisfied. That's the case with a lot of "best of" compilations. And the edits will surely cause controversy among the DT faithful. I'm just glad to see "Peruvian Skies" included- it was the first song I heard from Dreamtheater ages ago.
8. writes:
not a big fan on " best of " cds. this track list really inst that great. freakin love DT but they should just trash the greatest hits and release a a box set of their catalog. more expensive ,however, give DT newbies a chance to buy all at the same time and the fanboy a reason not to buy a stupid greatest hits album.
Supporter
9. writes:
Most bands usually pull out a "best of" CD once in their career. Sucks that they didn't include anything from Systematic Chaos, thought...
I will definitively not buy it, considering that I got all of their albums (except When Days and Dreams Unite, which I can't find anywhere...). I might download it just to check out their remixes and that song "To Live Forever" which I've never heard of.
Former Contributor
10. writes:
Meh.
I love what this band have done for both prog and metal over the years, but the vocals and often the lyrics are a -huge- turnoff. Theres something very clinical to them that I can't place.
There are bands that throw equally or more complex elements into their music (Blotted Science and Behold...The Arctopus off the top of my head) that have more intensity and emotion to boot.....It just rings more true than DT for some reason. Can't explain it to save my life....
Now Playing: Opeth - "Deliverance"
11. writes:
Yeah, I won't be buying this either, since I already own all the albums (except When Dream and Day Unite, like Kallah).
And the reason that there aren't any songs from Systematic Chaos is because they switched record companies after Octavarium and Roadrunner Records owns the rights to Chaos.
But you'd think out of all their songs to include on a best-of package, they'd include The Glass Prison and Metropolis Pt.1. I know they have a large catalog, but those are two of their biggest fan-favorites. Or at least they are where I live.
12. writes:
As other people are saying, the listing could be better.
Honestly, they should scrap the whole dark/light thing, since they have more good heavy songs than they have lighter songs. Also, I fully agree that The Glass Prison and Metropolis pt. 1 should be on here.
Probably won't be buying this, since I have all of their albums. Seems 'To Live Forever' is the only non-album track, and it's not an album selling track for me.
I'll probably just download the re-mixes to see what they're like.
13. writes:
Got all the albums,and all b-sides,i'm a D.T. nut!!! So whats on here to entice us die hard fans who's been with em from the start.Maybe some unreleased live stuff from the metropolis tour? To live forever can be heard on the Live in Tokyo 1993 dvd and on the single for Hollow Years!!!
15. writes:
I'm glad to see DT at least coming out with a "best of" CD, I hope it will bring their phenominal music into a larger perspective and gain an even larger fanbase. Not that I want it to go pop, 'cause if they did I would be p***ed (not like thatll happen though lol). I probably wont buy this, maybe just as a collector but most likely I wont, I own nearly all their material and it would just really be taking up space. And considering DT really has no hits (except for Pull Me Under and various other videos/minor singles) no one is going to be satisfied because their favs arent on there. DT is one of those bands that every song can be a favorite, and this is a best of CD containing their more well known songs so they cannot fit every fan favorite on there. They cannot fit everything on, and my favorite song from DT is Octavarium. Like they would put a 24 minute opus on there. I personally think the list works and I think DT did a good job picking the right songs for a "best of" CD, not an "favorites" CD. And I like the split between the dark and light side, its cool and original. Keep Rockin' DT!
Member
18. writes:
Just Saw Them live in Sydney,AWESOME!!!,I think the set list would be a good selection of songs for the c.d. Here it is.....
Constant Motion
Panic Attack
Endless Sacrifice
Dark Eternal Night
Lines In The Sand
Forsaken
Take The Time
Overture 1928
Strange Deja Vu
Through My Words
Fatal Tradgedy
Erotomania
Voices
Spirit Carries On
Presence Of Enemies Pt1&2
As I Am
Pull Me Under
Metropolis
An awesome set list which i reckon would make an excellent album.It wouldnt please everyone,but it would show there power and diversity. As long as they keep rockin' im happy!!
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1. metal 2 death writes:
not the greatest song line up, im not gonna lie