"Raw Dog", "God of War: Blood and Metal" soundtrack
I will be posting a link to a song/piece by my favorite band, Dream Theater, hopefully every day until we have successfully enjoyed every original song that they have recorded in-studio. There are many good reasons to do this, but you can probably guess most of the ones that I'm thinking.
No adieu.
We're just gonna do it.
I'm going to try to help you know what to expect a little bit without influencing the way that you experience the song. At least in the initial write-up, I won't tell you what I think the best or my favorite parts are. I want you to have the chance to enjoy the music on your own without any spoilers, just as I did.
I will also tell you that some of the things that Dream Theater does may be quite different than much of the music that you have listened to before. Sometimes it may be so new that it makes you a bit uneasy or just doesn't connect to you at all. If that happens, I encourage you to listen to it a few times, perhaps in different ways... once in the background while you do dishes, once with your eyes closed and your full attention, once hanging upside down like a bat. You get the idea.
You may even want to come back to it later for another listen.
I believe that, if you go on this journey with me, you will find more than a few songs that you enjoy. My mom saw Dream Theater live in K.C. and really enjoyed them, and she usually listens to NPR which I don't think gets to rock and roll that much. Dream Theater truly has something for everyone. Not everything they do may be your thing, but some of it may change your life for the better the way that it did mine.
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"Raw Dog" was recorded for the video game "God of War: Blood & Metal"
Tempo - up-tempo, occasional feel of meter changes
Length - 7:34
Intro - grindy, meter-changy attack
Texture - full-bore metal homorhythmia
Features - just when you think that it had ridden the wave, boom! Super-sweet soloing and dueting kicks in midway through.
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Dream Theater formed at Berklee in 1985. The original three members were John Petrucci (guitar) and John Myung (bass), friends from Long Island, and Mike Portnoy (percussion) whom the Johns heard in a practice room and said, "we gotta get that guy". (Something along those lines).
Raw Dog lineup:
The Johns
Portnoy
Jordan Rudess
Note: This was the last track that Portnoy recorded with Dream Theater.
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SPOILERS AND SUBJECTIVITY BELOW: YOU MIGHT WANT TO READ THIS AFTER LISTENING
Words to describe this song: serene, peaceful, placid.
Just kidding.
This is aggressive heavy metal. Dream Theater can do whatever they want.
Stream-of-consciousness thoughts as I listen to "Raw Dog":
This song almost belongs on the "Train of Thought" album (2003). It's heavy, it's groovy, it keeps you on your toes, and there is plenty to digest, so it might take you a number of listens to really get a handle on everything that happens. It's really a great track. If you like bombastic romantic-period music, or 20-century experimental symphonic music, this may be the kind of jam that helps turn you into a true Dream Theater fan.
Thank you for reading, and enjoy!
Michael
~In loving memory of Tim~
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