The Petra Zone

They are premiering a new single tomorrow on usa today website.

Can't wait to hear it. Suppose to be the kitty's rump. We will see/hear.

They used a new Audio Technica AT5040 mic on James and on acoustic guitar. I am curious to see how many tracks were usable and how many were kept in the final mix. It is really a wild microphone.

We will now see if Portnoy will truly be missed. I hope the music is exciting. They have been quite predictable since Kevin left the band.

I agree. While Jordan is an outstanding technical player, he is not the composer that Kevin is. I miss what could've been. But I am always excited for new music from the guys from Berkeley. DT on a bad day is better than most of the main street crapola out now days.

Yep. They have talent. They don't "ProTool" anything. Everything they record, they play live. The real deal.

I'm excited to hear how this stuff will sound writing with Mike Mangini. I wonder how much difference there will be. I'm not sure there's a beat Mangini can't play or a chop he doesn't have. He is a drumming encyclopedia.

Early reviews suggest that it is pretty good. However, more than one review says that it is more commercial but in a good way. That concerns me a bit, but we will see.

Brent, have you hear the new track yet?

no, not yet. I'm going to listen to it when I get home. I do not want to spoil it listening to it on ear buds. We gonna rock duh crib, plAyAh'.

My wife and daughters hunkered down in the kitchen while I blasted it. It was good. I liked it. Loved the mix. Drums and guitars sound great. Liked the vocals. The melody had some familiar elements. I liked the fact that the verses and choruses were formatted like verses and choruses.