Following the success of their 2016 album "The Astonishing", Dream Theater continued to push the boundaries of progressive metal with "Distance Over Time". The album was produced by Jordan Rudess and was recorded at East West Studios in Hollywood, California.
Modern metal often suffers from the "Loudness War"—over-compressed dynamics that flatten the audio waveform. Distance Over Time is a rare exception in 2019 rock. Mixed by Ben Grosse and mastered by Tom Baker, the album retains a wide dynamic range. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time -2019- -FLAC...
For the audiophile seeking the FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) version of the album, this recording method is a treasure trove. Producer Mike "Magic" Elfman engineered a sound that is simultaneously modern and organic. In standard compressed formats like MP3, the subtle room noise, the attack of John Petrucci’s pick hitting the string, or the resonant decay of Jordan Rudess’ keyboards can be lost in the digital compression. However, in lossless fidelity, the listener can hear the "air" in the room. The bass tones of John Myung, often a victim of the "loudness wars" in metal mixing, are given room to breathe and rumble, providing a tactile bottom end that anchors the frantic complexity of the performances. The FLAC format preserves the dynamic range, allowing the quiet, atmospheric intro of "At Wit’s End" to sit in stark, audible contrast to the thrash-metal explosion that follows. Following the success of their 2016 album "The