Distance Over Time

Musically, Dream Theater decided to create a "tight and focused" album with a heavier sound than its previous album, The Astonishing (2016).{{cite magazine |last=Bienstock |first=Richard |title=Dream Theater Talk Recording in the Catskills and Their Heavy New LP |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dream-theater-john-petrucci-interview-distance-over-time-755486/amp/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=November 14, 2018}} "At Wit's End" was the first piece that was written{{cite web |last1=Avin |first1=Roie |title=Dream Theater – Interview at the Studio Pt. 1 |date=November 21, 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qplgAEuVN6g |publisher=Inside Out Music |time=4:45|access-date=November 21, 2018}} and the writing process for the whole album took 18 days, making Distance Over Time their fastest written album to date.{{cite web |last1=Altaf |first1=Rodrigo |title=Dream Theater's James LaBrie: 'With 'Distance over Time' We Tried to Encompass Our Musical Roots' |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFsaw3iKexg |work=Sonic Perspectives |date=November 21, 2018 |access-date=November 21, 2018}} The band compared the speed and style of Distance over Time's writing process to that of its 2003 album, Train of Thought.{{cite web |last1=Avin |first1=Roie |title=Dream Theater – Interview at the Studio Pt. 2 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nSJ5KRBkFg |publisher=Inside Out Music |time=1:03|access-date=November 21, 2018}}

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.

{{Music ratings

|MC = 82/100{{cite web|title=Distance over Time by Dream Theater: Reviews and Tracks|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/distance-over-time/dream-theater|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=February 22, 2019}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/distance-over-time-mw0003234180|title=Dream Theater – Distance over Time|last=Jurek|first=Thom|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=February 21, 2019}}

| rev2 = Blabbermouth.net

| rev2score = 8/10{{Cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/reviews/distance-over-time|title=Reviews - Distance Over Time - BLABBERMOUTH.NET|last=Roche|first=Jason|date=February 25, 2019 |publisher=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=May 5, 2022}}

| rev3 = Classic Rock

| rev3score = {{Rating|8|10}}{{Cite web|url=https://classicrock.net/review-dream-theater-distance-over-time/ |title=Review: Dream Theater – Distance over Time |last=Miller |first=William |work= Classic Rock |date=February 22, 2019 |access-date=February 22, 2019}}

| rev4 = Consequence of Sound

| rev4score = A−{{Cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2019/02/album-review-dream-theater-distance-over-time/|title=Dream Theater Capture Old Magic on Distance over Time|last=Bowar|first=Chad|date=February 19, 2019|work=Consequence of Sound|access-date=February 20, 2019}}

| rev5 = Distorted Sound

| rev5score = {{Rating|10|10}}{{Cite web|url=https://distortedsoundmag.com/album-review-distance-over-time-dream-theater/|title=Dream Theater – Distance over Time|last=McHugh|first=Dan|work=Distorted Sound|date=February 20, 2019 |access-date=February 21, 2019}}

| rev6 = Exclaim!

| rev6score = 8/10{{cite web |last=Wojcicki |first=Lukas |title=Dream Theater – Distance over Time |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/dream_theater-distance_over_time |work=Exclaim! |access-date=February 22, 2019}}

| rev7 = Metal Hammer

| rev7score = Positive{{cite web |last1=Mills |first1=Matt |title=Dream Theater's Distance over Time Album Is the Return to Form They Needed |url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/dream-theaters-distance-over-time-album-is-the-return-to-form-they-needed |work=Metal Hammer |date=February 20, 2019 |access-date=February 20, 2019}}

| rev8 = New Noise (magazine)

| rev8score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://newnoisemagazine.com/review-dream-theater-distance-over-time/|title=Album Review: Dream Theater - Distance Over Time|last=Newton|first=Caleb R.|date=March 5, 2019|work=New Noise (magazine)|access-date=May 5, 2022}}

| rev9 = RockNLoad

| rev9score = {{Rating|10|10}}{{cite web |last=RockNLoad |first=Mark |title=Dream Theater – Distance over Time |url=https://rocknloadmag.com/news/dream-theater-distance-over-time-album-review/ |work=RockNLoad! |access-date=February 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215113855/https://rocknloadmag.com/news/dream-theater-distance-over-time-album-review/ |archive-date=15 February 2020 |url-status=dead}}

| rev10 = Wall of Sound

| rev10score = 7.5/10{{Cite web|url=https://wallofsoundau.com/2019/02/17/dream-theater-distance-over-time-album-review/|title=Dream Theater – Distance over Time (Album Review)|last=Boldy|first=Kurt|date=February 17, 2019|work=Wall of Sound|access-date=February 18, 2019}}

}}

Distance over Time was met with critical acclaim; it received an average score of 82/100 from 6 reviews on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim". Writing for AllMusic, Thom Jurek praised the album as a reaffirmation of Dream Theater's identity and appreciated its degree of freshness and energy. 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.” Kerrang! said, "Sacrificing none of that trademark musicianship, this is Dream Theater at their most accessible, and they lose nothing for it".

On the day of its release, Distance over Time reached the top spot on iTunes' Top 100 Albums list.{{Cite web|url=http://www.popvortex.com/music/charts/top-100-albums.php|title=iTunes Top 100 Albums 2019|website=PopVortex|language=en|access-date=February 22, 2019}} Loudwire named it one of the 50 best metal albums of 2019.{{cite web |title=The 50 Best Metal Albums of 2019 |url=https://loudwire.com/best-metal-albums-2019/ |website=Loudwire |publisher=Townsquare Media |access-date=March 7, 2021 |date=December 3, 2019}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Standard edition track listing; lyrics credits per liner notes

| all_music = John Petrucci, John Myung, Jordan Rudess and Mike Mangini

| title1 = Untethered Angel

| lyrics1 = John Petrucci

| length1 = 6:14

| title2 = Paralyzed

| lyrics2 = Petrucci

| length2 = 4:17

| title3 = Fall into the Light

| lyrics3 = John Myung, Petrucci

| length3 = 7:04

| title4 = Barstool Warrior

| lyrics4 = Petrucci

| length4 = 6:43

| title5 = Room 137

| lyrics5 = Mike Mangini

| length5 = 4:23

| title6 = S2N

| lyrics6 = Myung, Petrucci

| length6 = 6:21

| title7 = At Wit's End

| lyrics7 = James LaBrie

| length7 = 9:20

| title8 = Out of Reach

| lyrics8 = LaBrie

| length8 = 4:04

| title9 = Pale Blue Dot

| lyrics9 = Petrucci

| length9 = 8:25

| total_length = 56:51

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Limited edition bonus track

| title10 = Viper King

| lyrics10 = LaBrie

| length10 = 4:00

| total_length = 60:57{{cite web |last1=Jomatami |title=Dream Theater Reveal Length & Track Listing of New Album 'Distance over Time' |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/upcoming_releases/dream_theater_reveal_length__track_listing_of_new_album_distance_over_time.html |publisher=Ultimate Guitar |access-date=December 5, 2018}}

}}

Credits adapted from Distance over Time liner notes{{Cite AV media notes |title=Distance over Time |type=CD liner notes |others=Dream Theater |year=2019|publisher=Inside Out Music |id=19075925442}}

Dream Theater

• James LaBrie – lead vocals
• John Petrucci – guitars, production
• John Myung – bass, Moog Taurus pedals
• Jordan Rudess – keyboards
• Mike Mangini – drums

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

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class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2019) ! scope="col"| Peak position
{{album chart|Australia|10|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 2, 2019}}
{{album chart|Austria|5|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 8, 2019}}
{{album chart|Flanders|8|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 2, 2019}}
{{album chart|Wallonia|8|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 2, 2019}}
{{album chart|Czech|9|date=201910|rowheader=true|access-date=March 12, 2019}}
{{album chart|BillboardCanada|12|artist=Dream Theater|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2019}}
{{album chart|Denmark|4|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 11, 2019}}
{{album chart|Netherlands|3|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 2, 2019}}
{{album chart|Finland|4|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 3, 2019}}
{{album chart|France|16|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 4, 2019}}
{{album chart|Germany4|1|id=376897|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 1, 2019}}
{{album chart|Hungary|5|year=2019|week=9|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 7, 2019}}
{{album chart|Italy|4|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 2, 2019}}
{{album chart|Oricon|10|date=March 4, 2019|rowheader=true|access-date=February 27, 2019}}
{{album chart|Norway|3|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 2, 2019}}
{{album chart|Poland|10|id=1195|rowheader=true|access-date=March 7, 2019}}
{{album chart|Portugal|4|id=1195|rowheader=true|access-date=March 7, 2019}}
{{album chart|Scotland|4|date=20190301|rowheader=true|access-date=March 2, 2019}}
scope="row"| Slovak Albums (ČNS IFPI){{cite web|url=http://hitparada.ifpicr.cz/|title=Slovak Albums – Top 100.|publisher=ČNS IFPI|access-date=January 3, 2021}} Note: On the chart page, select SK - Albums - Top 100 under the left field and "201909" on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data. | 12
{{album chart|Spain|6|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 6, 2019}}
{{album chart|Sweden|4|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 2, 2019}}
{{album chart|Switzerland|1|artist=Dream Theater|album=Distance over Time|rowheader=true|access-date=March 6, 2019}}
{{album chart|UK2|12|date=20190301|rowheader=true|access-date=March 2, 2019}}
{{album chart|UKRock|1|date=20190307|rowheader=true|access-date=February 14, 2025}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|24|artist=Dream Theater|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2019}}

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class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2019) ! scope="col"| Position
scope="row"| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/2019|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2019|website=hitparade.ch|access-date=December 31, 2019}} | 99

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{{Reflist}}

{{Dream Theater}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2019 albums

Category:Dream Theater albums

Category:Inside Out Music albums

Category:Sony Music albums