Does anyone here enjoy Ministry of Lost Souls more than Octavarium?

[Dave_Manchester]

Gave both the relevant albums a listen tonight, and although the album Octavarium is by far my least favourite of their output, I still like a couple of parts of the title track, mainly the opening, the keyboard solo, and the beautiful guitar outro.

And I didn't always like Ministry all that much, but lately it's grown on me enormously, and to me at least, it has a similar feel to Octavarium, the 'soft' intro, the acoustic guitar to begin the singing, the long instrumental break, the soaring guitar ending. Both are self-consciously 'epic'. Both are lyrically preposterous. Both contain prime examples of what I - and I alone, these are only my tastes - consider the best and worst of the band.  But to me, Ministry of Lost Souls is by some distance the more enjoyable track of the 2.

I know from various threads and polls that Octavarium has many more fans than Ministry, but I'm interested to know how many people prefer the SC track over Octavarium, and why.   

 

[Rodni Demental]

Octavarium is the superior track, no doubt about that imo. But I don't find it outrageous that you're comparing them to the point where I couldn't understand where you're coming from. I like both for rather different reasons though. Ministry kind of has an eerie kind of feel to it with the 12 string (same kind of effect that Octavarium gives off at the start with the 12 string too). Kind of like that 'Stairway' or 'Hotel' vibe. (Then again, anything with a 12 string can often have this effect  ). While TMOLS sort of retains this eerie kind of mood with the contrasting (and probably deliberately symbolic) crazy instrumental section. Octavarium is more of a collective representation that demonstrates many of the multidimensional facets of the band. To me, musically, structurally, Octavarium had a lot more work put into it. But TMOLS is definitely a kind of mini epic in it's own right.

[JayOctavarium]

I love TMOLS.

But... Octavarium.

[fischermasamune]

The answer for the title question is yes, as we see by the votes so far.

The asnwer for the poll is no. I like Octavarium way more.

[Dave_Manchester]

The answer for the title question is yes, as we see by the votes so far.

The asnwer for the poll is no. I like Octavarium way more.

This laboured snarkiness was wholly necessary for you, I take it?

Very well, I'll change it just for your delicate antennae for detail - think of the title as "Who here prefers Ministy over Octavarium?"   

[CharlesPL]

Octavarium - top 5 DT songs IMHO.

TMOLS -  80 ?

[The Letter M]

While I do enjoy TMOLS, 8VM is just more to my liking. The former was a good attempt to write something that is usually longer than the majority of their longer songs had been (anywhere between 10-13 minutes, looking at tracks on SDOIT and TOT), and even though some fans feel the instrumental section was superfluous or bloated, I enjoy it within the context of the song, both musically and lyrically (yes, an instrumental section can be enjoyed in context to the lyrics).

-Marc.

[Zook]

Surely you jest.

[BlobVanDam]

TMOLS is actually a really great song, aside from parts of the instrumental section which goes on a little too long (but even that has its highlights, including the guitar solo).
But there are only a relatively small number of DT songs that can compete with Octavarium, and it's not one of them.

[goo-goo]

I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't like Octavarium the song and would actually place Ministry above Octavarium, hands down...

[The Presence of Frenemies]

Both are top 10 tracks for me. Ministry has more of my favorite sections--JP's solo to the end would be in the running for my favorite six minutes of DT music. But Intervals-Razor's Edge is also immensely satisfying, and the build to it is more consistent than the build to the second half of TMOLS (not a fan of the pre-JP solo part of the instrumental, though a couple of the riffs are decent and the drumming is nifty).

If there were an option for "I really love both of them," I'd take it. In lieu, I guess I'd have to say 8V edges TMOLS out for the above reason.

[TheCountOfNYC]

The Ministry of Lost Souls is amazing but Octavarium is 24 minutes of perfection.

[Calvin6s]

The Octavarium preference probably comes because it has more prog (keys) influence over metal (guitar).  And the instrumental sections in Octavarium are more thematic and textural whereas Ministry is more pyrotechnics.

The truth is there are very few bad DT songs, so the difference between favorites and most of the other songs.  Especially when it comes to the epics (at least with long time DT fans)

[RaiseTheKnife]

Ministry's ballad section trumps 8V's silly opening ballad ("someone like himmmmmm')

Octavarium's proggy mid-section destroys Ministry's metal chug instrumental section.

Ministry's menacingly dark story line is fascinating.   Octavarium is about . . .um, I have no clue.

Both have a finales that exude grandeur, but 8V's is purely transcendent.

So, for me, its a draw.   

[425]

TMOLS is actually a really great song, aside from parts of the instrumental section which goes on a little too long (but even that has its highlights, including the guitar solo).
But there are only a relatively small number of DT songs that can compete with Octavarium, and it's not one of them.

Yep. I'm a pretty big TMOLS fan. I think it has a real emotional core and some very good parts, particularly vocally. The instrumental section is not off-putting to me at all, either. However. Octavarium remains Octavarium, so there's that.

When I did my top 50 a while back, Octavarium finished #2 and The Ministry of Lost Souls finished #23. I'm sure my top 50 today wouldn't hold exactly as is, but that seems about right to me.

[YtseJamittaja]

I love TMOLS.

But... Octavarium.

[Zydar]

Not all that keen on either, but TMOLS is their weakest song ever IMHO.

[Mladen]

I enjoy TMOLS more than Octavarium. But then again, TMOLS is my 2nd favorite DT song and Octavarium my 3rd favorite, so they're pretty close. 

[?]

I don't like either song that much, but TMOLS is just a mess, whereas I like the first two parts of Octavarium.

[krands85]

I love TMOLS.

But... Octavarium.

The Ministry of Lost Souls is amazing but Octavarium is 24 minutes of perfection.

[Art]

No brainer for me, 8V FTW.

[erwinrafael]

TMOLS is just the definition of dragging for me, unfortunately. It goes on too long hitting the same vibe before making transitions.

As to what Octavarium is about, it's about cycles. It's not one continuous narrative, though, so the lyrics are episodic and demonstrates cyclicality per section.

[hefdaddy42]

No chance.  8VM by miles and miles.

But structurally, I think MOLS compares much more closely with something like Endless Sacrifice than 8VM.  I would never in a million years have thought to compare these two songs.

[SeRoX]

I can sleep by listening TMOLS because of boredom. So, no. Not even comparable.

[Infinite Cactus]

TMOLS is in my opinion, the worst song DT ever wrote. Octavarium is top tier. So no....just no

[SuperTaco]

TMOLS is near the bottom on my personal list, while Octavarium is number one. That says it all.

[Another_Won]

I really love TMOLS and in comparison to a different song it might be a harder decision.  However, Octavarium is an epic which gives it another status.  It will always be song<epic for me.

[Kotowboy]

The Ministry of Lost Souls better than Octavarium ?











 

[Jaq]

Why yes, I like TMOLS more than Octavarium. Loads more. Admittedly I'm the heretic who thinks Octavarium is a contrived piece of nonsense about nothing that gets overly praised because of how it connects to a concept on the album that only musicians would notice, but yes, I like TMOLS more.

[goo-goo]

Why yes, I like TMOLS more than Octavarium. Loads more. Admittedly I'm the heretic who thinks Octavarium is a contrived piece of nonsense about nothing that gets overly praised because of how it connects to a concept on the album that only musicians would notice, but yes, I like TMOLS more.

+1

The only part that I like about the 8V the song, is the Medicate part. Would of loved for the band to have developed that part a bit more, expanding the lyrics, etc...even the Razor's edge part is good also...The extended intro, the parts where they recollect lyrics of the album, the musicians/actors part (written by MP) I find them cringing.

[ZirconBlue]

I, too, prefer TMoLS.  I like Octavarium OK, but it's far from my favorite DT song. 

[mikeyd23]

I feel like sometimes I see TMOLS catch a bad rap, I think it's a pretty cool tune. It's just no where near the caliber of Octavarium in my book though.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

But structurally, I think MOLS compares much more closely with something like Endless Sacrifice than 8VM.  I would never in a million years have thought to compare these two songs.

In a sense, it kind of makes sense, because they're the 15+ songs that have extended mellow parts and extended heavy parts, but one gets a ton of acclaim and the other doesn't (TCOT is also in this group, and it seems a lot more highly praised than TMOLS). The interesting thing about TMOLS is that those who do like it (like myself) seem to rate it quite highly. It seems like it's either a top 25 or bottom 25 song for people.

That said, it clearly resembles ES in structure more than anything else they've done, and in fact, they have similar strengths and weaknesses. However, JLB sings far better on TMOLS, and Petrucci's leads are far more inventive and distinguished.

[kirksnosehair]

heh, I guess I see both of these as about equals.  Two songs I almost never listen to from two of my least favorite DT albums.


I guess I'd have to pick TMoLS, but for me there's almost no difference

[ariich]

Why isn't "both equally great" an option?