Distance Over Time

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Distance Over Time
File:Dream Theater Distance Over Time.png
Studio album by
Dream Theater
ReleasedFebruary 22, 2019
RecordedJune–September 2018
StudioYonderbarn Studios in Monticello, New York and Mixland Studios, Midhurst, Canada (vocals only)
GenreProgressive metal
Length56:51
LabelInside Out
ProducerJohn Petrucci
Dream Theater chronology
The Astonishing
(2016) 		Distance Over Time
(2019) 		Distant Memories – Live in London
(2020)
Singles from Distance Over Time
  1. "Untethered Angel"
    Released: December 7, 2018
  2. "Fall into the Light"
    Released: January 11, 2019
  3. "Paralyzed"
    Released: February 8, 2019
  4. "Barstool Warrior"
    Released: August 21, 2019
  5. "At Wit's End"
    Released: December 2, 2019

Distance Over Time is the fourteenth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on February 22, 2019, and the band's first release on Inside Out Music.[1][2] Distance Over Time was announced alongside a tour of North America during which Dream Theater would support the new album and celebrate the 20th anniversary of its fifth studio album, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999).[3][4][5] On December 7, 2018, the lead single "Untethered Angel" and its music video were released.[6] The second single, "Fall into the Light", was released on January 11, 2019.[7] The third single, "Paralyzed", and its accompanying video were released on February 8, 2019.[8] It is the band's most successful album chart-wise to date, taking top 10 positions in 19 countries (including going to number one in Germany and Switzerland).

Background and composition

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Musically, Dream Theater decided to create a "tight and focused" album with a heavier sound than its previous album, The Astonishing (2016).[9] "At Wit's End" was the first piece that was written[10] and the writing process for the whole album took 18 days, making Distance Over Time their fastest written album to date.[11] The band compared the speed and style of Distance Over Time's writing process to that of its 2003 album, Train of Thought.[12]

Dream Theater recorded the album in a cabin in Monticello, New York.

At just under 57 minutes long, not including a bonus track, Distance Over Time is Dream Theater's first studio album with a run time under one hour in length since 1992's Images and Words, and their shortest since the band's 1989 debut, When Dream and Day Unite. It is Dream Theater's third studio album to not feature any songs longer than ten minutes, after When Dream and Day Unite and 2016's The Astonishing.

"Room 137" is Dream Theater's only song with lyrics written by Mike Mangini.

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic82/100[13]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarFile:Star empty.svg[14]
Blabbermouth.net8/10[15]
Classic RockStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarFile:Star empty.svgFile:Star empty.svg[16]
Consequence of SoundA−[17]
Distorted SoundStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[18]
Exclaim!8/10[19]
Metal HammerPositive[20]
New Noise (magazine)StarStarStarStarStar[21]
RockNLoadStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[22]
Wall of Sound7.5/10[23]

Distance Over Time was met with critical acclaim; it received an average score of 82/100 from 6 reviews on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim".[13] Writing for AllMusic, Thom Jurek praised the album as a reaffirmation of Dream Theater's identity and appreciated its degree of freshness and energy.[14] Consequence of Sound reviewed Distance Over Time positively, stating that "Calling an hourlong album streamlined might seem strange, but that's exactly what Distance Over Time is compared to Dream Theater's last release, 2016's 34-song, two hour and ten minute opus The Astonishing. Though the length is certainly shorter this time around, Dream Theater's expansive arrangements and complex songwriting haven't been scaled back on their 14th studio album.”[17] Kerrang! said, "Sacrificing none of that trademark musicianship, this is Dream Theater at their most accessible, and they lose nothing for it".[13]

On the day of its release, Distance Over Time reached the top spot on iTunes' Top 100 Albums list.[24] Loudwire named it one of the 50 best metal albums of 2019.[25]

Artwork controversy

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Similar to his previous Dream Theater album artwork,[26] art director Hugh Syme was once again criticized for his use of stock imagery for the Distance Over Time artwork. Fans quickly pointed out the artwork was literally just two stock pictures put together.[27]

The stock imagery usage in conjuncture with the artwork's simple concept has led to many sightings of similar looking designs in various media. Just 12 days after Dream Theater revealed the Distance Over Time artwork, The New York Times Magazine used a nearly identical image of a robot arm holding a human skull for a cover story titled What Will Become of Us?[28] Several years later, HBO sci-fi television series Westworld also used a similar looking concept for the Westworld Season 4 poster art.[29]

Track listing

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All music is composed by John Petrucci, John Myung, Jordan Rudess and Mike Mangini[30]

Standard edition track listing; lyrics credits per liner notes[30]
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Untethered Angel"Petrucci6:14
2."Paralyzed"Petrucci4:17
3."Fall into the Light"Myung, Petrucci7:04
4."Barstool Warrior"Petrucci6:43
5."Room 137"Mangini4:23
6."S2N"Myung, Petrucci6:21
7."At Wit's End"James LaBrie9:20
8."Out of Reach"LaBrie4:04
9."Pale Blue Dot"Petrucci8:25
Total length:56:51
Limited edition bonus track
No.TitleLyricsLength
10."Viper King"LaBrie4:00
Total length:60:57[31]

Personnel

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Credits adapted from Distance Over Time liner notes[30]

Dream Theater

Production

  • James "Jimmy T" Meslin – recording
  • Richard Chycki – vocal recording, additional vocal production
  • Ben Grosse – mixing
  • Paul Pavao – mixing assistant
  • Tom Baker – mastering
  • Hugh Syme – art direction, illustration and design
  • Mark Maryanovich – photography

Charts

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References

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