Haha! I never realized how similar Hold On To Your Dream really is, to I Want Out.Pancio wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2020 9:09 pm- I'm very aware that Tolkki's skills in composing were self-limited due to the fact that he knew how to write catchy melodies and progressions and he squeezed and recycled a lot of ideas from Dreamspace until now (Hold on to your Dream is basically the prototype of every catchy tune from him and you know where the song itself came from: "I want out" by Helloween) and a lot of stuff he composed was very much the same redundant "radiophonic" idea
There are many other similarities between the two bands. The chorus of Liberty is similar to Guardians from Walls of Jericho. The chorus to Learning to Fly is a lot like March of Time...
All that said, I don't think its a big deal. Bands are inspired by each other all the time, and its not like Helloween invented everything from scratch. A lot of their stuff is Maiden and Priest inspired, for example.
If we really wanted to be pedantic we could say all power metal is a rehash of Eagle Fly free, Run to the Hills, and Number of the Beast.
This is actually very true. Find Your Own Voice, Learning to Fly, etc, they are compositionally not masterpieces but its the way it all comes together on the album that makes it special.Pancio wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2020 9:09 pmSongs are good, of course, but too predictable and linear and this clash against a perfect production and a perfect performance. - To sum up: I recognize the value of Elements as the highest point in production but, at the same time, I find it was a failed attempt to reach the maximum apex in everything, failed due to an excessively lean (is it the right term?) songwriting, saved by the performances, by the crystalline production and orchestrations. [...] The music itself is pretty easy while I prefer more articulated songs and ideas (hence my preference of Episode and Nemesis or the Elysium suite).
But at the same time, lets not give the earlier material that much credit. Father Time and Speed of Light are not exactly 15 minute Dream Theater songs about Mike Portnoy's alcohol problems either. I don't see an incredible amount of complexity on Episode, but I agree the songs are looser and perhaps have more of a chance to breathe.
I agree that Destiny is an incredible track, prepubescent choir boy notwithstanding. Visions I like too, (great guitar riffs) but maybe not quite as smooth as Destiny.- The best song to describe the classic era is Destiny (it's not the strongest one but it's the song that can show almost every facet of the band)
- The best song from the classic era is, no doubt, Visions
This song has SO much potential and there are a few passages I truly love. But instead of taking the early brilliant motifs, building them up and swiftly concluding them, it takes all kinds of twists and turns and devolves into a noisy cacophony that goes on at least five minutes too long. And yes, Elysium's substandard mastering (warm, noisy) does weigh down my impression of this song.- The best top two songs ever from the band, imho, are: Elysium [...]