"You're blinded by your hunger Beware, your days are numbered" -- Could it be a Mike Portnoy reference? Advising him to slow down, and don't pursue the A7x thing - the hunger being lust for money and fame (Rudess and Petrucci said he talked about a 5 year break, and returning with dt then, and Portnoy should have said 'we are going to be bigger than ever' about the return). -- "We're on to your agenda The dead end road to no where" -- This could be another Mike Portnoy reference if one were willing to see the guys as angry with him, and sending a message that is 'don't let your ego run wild, Mike'. Portnoy on his parting in his press release made a big number of telling how hard he had always worked, and signed himself 'your fearless x-leader'. Well - I actually love Portnoy, I love dt, I would have liked them to stick together - but dt clearly contains 5 very intelligent men, both then with Portnoy and now with Mangini. Portnoy should know better than _anyone_ just how capable the other guys are. When reading interviews with Petrucci it is clear that he is a very determined man, and he will not tolerate anything to disturb his work. He loves to play, but he also wants people who listen to his music - if someone or something gets in the way of his ambitions he will instantly react to it and do damage control. Obviously at least some nasty words must have been said behind closed doors, first with him leaving, and then wanting to come back, after they hired Mangini. Portnoy himself wrote on his forum that the guys wouldn't even return his calls, which of course is only his version of the story, but it makes the other guys look bad. It's basic politics: Make yourself look like the victim. Gain sympathy from the masses. That could be the 'agenda'. And the guys responds 'it's a dead end, Mike. You will not be able to make us take that fight with you in public'. The other guys have acted extremely well co-ordinated as a team, in terms of press coverage. They are almost quoted for saying the same exact phrases. They are on to the agenda of divide and conquer, and they will not act on it. Well - it could be that - it could be nothing: D. But I will be listening very closely for hints about Portnoy in the lyrics on the other tracks.