I registered Metzae.net a decade ago right after adopting the screen name Metzae. Since then, it has grown into a large network of dozens of websites. The original site is completely unique, and I have filled it with things to discover. Some of them are obvious and some are intentionally hard to find. Though the website doesn’t follow the schemes of most other websites (especially since the evolution of social networks), it does have a specific purpose. It is digital art, a virtual exhibit, and social experiment all in one. If you decide to look through it, there’s only one thing I can tell you: look closer.

It’s been several months since the release of Dream Theater’s self-titled album, and I’ve picked a track that I really feel belongs. It may end up being controversial, however. Instead of including the entire song I’ve chosen to start about halfway through it with a specific moment. I’ll explain why in the full breakdown after I’ve finished it. In the meantime, enjoy the slightly older version of Ytsevolution that has been online for over a year.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 6, 2013

DREAM THEATER UNVEILS MILESTONE NEW ALBUM;
GRAMMY®-NOMINATED ROCK ICONS TO RELEASE
FIRST-EVER SELF-TITLED COLLECTION;
WORLD TOUR TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON;
“DREAM THEATER” ARRIVES ON SEPTEMBER 24TH

Roadrunner Records has announced the eagerly anticipated new album from the legendary Dream Theater. “DREAM THEATER” – the first self-titled collection in the GRAMMY®-nominated band’s nearly three decade career – arrives at last on September 24th.

“DREAM THEATER” was recorded at Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York, with founding guitarist John Petrucci producing and studio luminary Richard Chycki (Aerosmith, Rush) engineering and mixing. The album marks a brilliant new chapter for the always adventurous band, their first to have been written and recorded with drummer Mike Mangini wholly integrated into the creative process from the start.

“I see every new album as an opportunity to start over,” says Petrucci. “To either build or improve upon a direction that has been evolving over time or to completely break new ground. This is the first self-titled album of our career and there is nothing I can think of that makes a statement of musical and creative identity stronger than that. We’ve fully explored all of the elements that make us unique, from the epic and intense to the atmospheric and cinematic. We’re incredibly excited about ‘DREAM THEATER’ and can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”

“DREAM THEATER” will be available in a wide range of distinctive versions, including standard and special edition CDs, 180 Gram Vinyl Double LP, and a Limited Edition Box Set. Pre-orders are scheduled to get underway sometime in July at the Roadrunner Records Webstore.

“DREAM THEATER” follows 2011’s acclaimed “A DRAMATIC TURN OF EVENTS.” That album – highlighted by “On The Backs Of Angels,” which earned the iconic band its first ever GRAMMY® Award nomination (in the “Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance” category) – proved one of Dream Theater’s most successful, making top 10 chart debuts in 14 countries, including our own Billboard 200. “A DRAMATIC TURN OF EVENTS” was hailed for its ambition, complexity, and sheer melodic power, with Japan’s influential BURRN! naming it as the year’s “Best Album.”

Furthermore, the special edition CD/DVD set of “A DRAMATIC TURN OF EVENTS” included “The Spirit Carries On” – a 60-minute movie documenting Dream Theater’s drummer auditions, which resulted in the addition of the gifted Mangini. The challenge spurred Dream Theater to extraordinary artistic heights on “A DRAMATIC TURN OF EVENTS” and the epic world tour that followed. Long known as one of hard rock’s most powerful live acts, the recalibrated band hit the road hard in celebration of the acclaimed album, a 15-month trek which saw sold out headline shows in 35 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, Central America, and South America.

With total sales exceeding 10 million albums and DVDs worldwide, Dream Theater have long stood among the upper echelon of hard rock giants. Albums such as 1992’s RIAA gold-certified classic “IMAGES & WORDS” (featuring the breakthrough top 10 single, “Pull Me Under”) have earned the Long Island-based band countless accolades for their visionary synthesis of melodic power and virtuosic experimentation, including being named as one of Rolling Stone’s top 10 “Best Prog Rock Bands of All time.”

Since uniting with Roadrunner in 2007, Dream Theater has unleashed a series of remarkable albums, each work revealing stunning new musical facets and creative avenues. 2009’s “BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS” proved a milestone, debuting at #6 on the Billboard 200 – the band’s highest album chart debut to date.

Dream Theater will tour in support of “DREAM THEATER” – full details will be announced soon. For up-to-the-minute news and information, please visit www.dreamtheater.net/tourdates.

Dream Theater is: John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), James LaBrie (vocals), Jordan Rudess (keyboards and continuum) and Mike Mangini (drums).

For additional news and information, please visit www.dreamtheater.net,www.facebook.com/dreamtheaterofficial, www.twitter.com/dreamtheaternet,www.myspace.com/dreamtheater, www.youtube.com/dreamtheater, andwww.roadrunnerrecords.com.

Progressive titans Dream Theater have announced the title/release date of their new album.

(New York, NY): The recent announcement that Mike Mangini would be joining DREAM THEATER, replacing departed drummer Mike Portnoy, caused such fanfare that Mangini was a trending topic on Twitter, second only to Will & Kate’s recent nuptials! Now, the band have finally revealed more about their impending new opus- A Dramatic Turn of Events. The much-anticipated platter, which marks Mangini’s recorded debut, will be released via Roadrunner Records on September 12th and will be supported by a massive world tour.

“I’m incredibly psyched with the way this album came out and can’t wait to share it with everybody,” guitarist John Petrucci, who also serves as the album’s producer, said. “We are currently in the mix stage with the great Andy Wallace and it’s all sounding amazing!”

“We have poured our hearts and minds into the creation of this album,” keyboardist Jordan Rudess continues. “All the life changing events that surrounded us before, as well as during the whole process, fueled our desire to dig deep within ourselves and create the best music we possibly could.”

Vocalist James LaBrie adds, “In the grand scheme of Dream Theater’s career, the last several months have been such an incredibly positive, fulfilling and rewarding experience. The new songs and sound has never been so spirited or rejuvenating. I cannot wait for every one of our fans to sink their audio senses into this batch of tunes.”

The track listing for A Dramatic Turn of Events is as follows:

1. On the Backs of Angels
2. Build Me Up, Break Me Down
3. Lost Not Forgotten
4. This is the Life
5. Bridges in the Sky
6. Outcry
7. Far From Heaven
8. Breaking All Illusions
9. Beneath The Surface

About DREAM THEATER:

Progressive metal band Dream Theater formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy. Though a number of lineup changes followed, the three original members remained together along with James LaBrie and Jordan Rudess until September 8, 2010, when Mike Portnoy left the band. In October 2010, the band held auditions for a new drummer, and added Mike Mangini to its roster.

Dream Theater’s tenth studio album, Black Clouds & Silver Linings (Roadrunner Records), was released on June 23, 2009. It entered the U.S. Billboard 200 at #6 and Eurochart Hot 100 at #1, marking their highest entry on either chart. Black Clouds & Silver Linings – a highlight of their 25-year career – was praised by Mojo magazine’s Paul Elliott: “…their lofty ideals remain intact. By modern criteria, Black Clouds & Silver Linings is as highbrow as The Mars Volta, as grandiose as Muse and as heavy as Metallica.”

The legendary progressive metal masters have sold in excess of 10,000,000 records and DVDs worldwide.

To all of our loyal fans and friends: It is with profound sadness — regret — we announce that Mike Portnoy, our lifelong drummer and friend, has decided to leave Dream Theater. Mike’s stature in the band has meant the world to all of us professionally, musically, and personally over the years. There is no dispute: Mike has been a major force within this band.

While it is true that Mike is choosing to pursue other ventures and challenges, we can assure you that Dream Theater will continue to move forward with the same intensity — and in the same musical tradition — that you have all helped make so successful, and which is truly gratifying to us.

Fans and friends: File this episode under “Black Clouds and Silver Linings.” As planned, we begin recording our newest album in January 2011, and we’ll follow that with a full-on world tour. “The Spirit Carries On.”

All of us in Dream Theater wholeheartedly wish Mike the best on his musical journey. We have had a long and meaningful career together. It is our true hope that he finds all he is looking for, and that he achieves the happiness he deserves. He will be missed.

One of the great things about the Internet is that it allows for the dissemination of information at an unprecedented rate. That’s not just a hollow, overly-verbose phrase…it’s the truth. Case in point: I’ve pre-ordered my copy of Dream Theater’s new album (set to release on June 23rd), but I already have my hands on a virtual copy of it. I’ve already given it a first listen, and I have to say I love it. No surprise (of course) but it’s good to know that my first impression is a positive one. I’ll be listening to it over and over and over again until I decide which song will be added to Ytsevolution. I know that “The Shattered Fortress” isn’t going to be on there because it’s already part of the Twelve-Step Suite, so that leaves five more tracks to pick from. I’m positively giddy.

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:

Roadrunner Records and Dream Theater have teamed up with The Omega Order to bring you very special PRE-ORDER offers. This includes 4 different configurations of the new album including a Special Edition and Deluxe Collector’s Edition Box Set.
GO HERE to pre-order, and see what you can get in each configuration.

UK / European fans can pre-order Black Clouds & Silver Linings at Play.com with Free Shipping.

• Deluxe Collector’s Edition Box Set (3CD & DVD)
• 3CD Limited Edition
• Regular Edition