Author Topic: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today  (Read 3864 times)

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Offline BeardedGentlemanHistorian

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Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« on: July 07, 2017, 04:59:54 PM »
A quarter century ago today Dream Theater released what would become their best selling album. How many members here discovered the band with this album? Did anybody make it a point to listen to the album today?

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2017, 05:04:03 PM »
I bought this album on it's release day. Having seen them a month earlier, I had a new favorite band just based on seeing them live.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline Another_Won

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2017, 06:00:58 PM »
I heard Pull Me Under on the radio and bought the CD immediately, though not on release day.  I think there are quite a few people on this board in the same boat as me.  I've seen many posts.

Very interesting to me as I was living in Seattle at the time and very much into the grunge thing.  There was just something different about DT that really stood out to me.  It really was exactly what I looked for in music.

Congrats DT for the 25th anniversary of a world changing album!


Online MirrorMask

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2017, 05:31:21 AM »
Congrats DT for the 25th anniversary of a world changing album!

Perfect way to put it!
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Offline ChuckSteak

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2017, 05:55:41 AM »
One of the best prog metal albums.

Online TheCountOfNYC

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2017, 06:35:40 AM »
One of the best prog metal albums.

It is to progressive metal what Master of Puppets is to thrash metal.
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Offline Renzo

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2017, 07:14:22 AM »
I actually listened the whole album yesterday not knowing it was the EXACT 25th anniversary   :biggrin: :biggrin:

One of the best prog metal albums.

And my favourite album of all time!  :metal :metal :hefdaddy

Offline Zydar

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2017, 07:32:20 AM »
Still my favourite DT album and a Top 10 album of all time for me.

I'm listening to Under A Glass Moon right now.
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Offline cramx3

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2017, 08:02:04 AM »
One of the best prog metal albums.

My all time favorite album from any band.  Just perfect.  A neighbor in my apartment complex while in college handed me this and Awake as recommended music for me when she found out I liked metal.  While I thought that girl was really weird, I am forever grateful for the recommendation and listen she allowed me to have.  That was summer of 2006.  :metal

Offline JayOctavarium

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2017, 09:34:01 AM »
One of the best prog metal albums.

My all time favorite album from any band.  Just perfect.  A neighbor in my apartment complex while in college handed me this and Awake as recommended music for me when she found out I liked metal.  While I thought that girl was really weird, I am forever grateful for the recommendation and listen she allowed me to have.  That was summer of 2006.  :metal

What did you give her in return? :zydar:
I just don't understand what they were trying to achieve with any part of the song, either individually or as a whole. You know what? It's the Platypus of Dream Theater songs. That bill doesn't go with that tail, or that strange little furry body, or those webbed feet, and oh god why does it have venomous spurs!? And then you find out it lays eggs too. The difference is that the Platypus is somehow functional despite being a crazy mishmash or leftover animal pieces

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2017, 09:36:14 AM »
My all time favorite album from any band.  Just perfect.   

This.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline ChuckSteak

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2017, 09:39:13 AM »
One of the best prog metal albums.

It is to progressive metal what Master of Puppets is to thrash metal.
I wouldn't say so. I think there are a number of essential albums that shaped the genre and influenced countless bands. Images And Words is surely among them. I don't think there is "THE ALBUM" that you put on a pedestal and say "this is the best".

Often forgotten are masterpieces by Voivod, Thought Industry, Psychotic Waltz, Atheist, etc. I'd take some Voivod albums over Metallica any day, if we are talking about Thrash Metal.

Offline mikeyd23

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2017, 12:00:59 PM »
My all time favorite album from any band.  Just perfect.   

This.

Yup.

Offline cramx3

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #13 on: July 09, 2017, 05:43:54 AM »
One of the best prog metal albums.

My all time favorite album from any band.  Just perfect.  A neighbor in my apartment complex while in college handed me this and Awake as recommended music for me when she found out I liked metal.  While I thought that girl was really weird, I am forever grateful for the recommendation and listen she allowed me to have.  That was summer of 2006.  :metal

What did you give her in return? :zydar:

lol I really wish I had a good answer for that. 

Offline Dublagent66

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #14 on: July 10, 2017, 03:38:44 PM »
Thankfully, we can go back in time and listen to what is truly great.  Kinda makes you wonder if it's possible to produce anything like that again.  The good ole days may be gone forever...
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Offline ChuckSteak

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #15 on: July 10, 2017, 04:46:50 PM »
Kinda makes you wonder if it's possible to produce anything like that again.  The good ole days may be gone forever...
This was probably said 984375034957439057490 times in the history of music. Probably since time immemorial. And yet music goes on and on....

Offline Dublagent66

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #16 on: July 12, 2017, 09:47:04 AM »
Of course it goes on.  Doesn't necessarily mean it's better than it was.  Change isn't always for the better.  That includes music.
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Offline TheOutlawXanadu

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #17 on: July 12, 2017, 03:03:48 PM »
Unbelievable album. So many "classics". I'm hoping to be able to see it live once the band comes back through the States. :metal

Random note here, but about a month back I was going for a jog while listening to music, and Pull Me Under came up on shuffle. I hadn't heard it in forever. I was blown away by how monstrously heavy that song is. It's got to be one of the top five Dream Theater workout songs. :lol
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Offline lucky7

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #18 on: July 13, 2017, 03:35:24 PM »
I had Awake in the car and changed to this after reading the topic, it is a really good album.
I was late to DT, about 2003-4 somewhere there so TOT was my first intro to DT.
I have listened to it at various times, but I feel now my taste is heading to their earlier catalogue.
I wish I knew of them earlier .. I think I was more into Joe Satriani, Def Leppard, The Black Crowes, Faith no More, Peter Gabriel, INXS, etc etc
I never realized how long Learning to Live was .. loving Metropolis Part 1.
My drive is roughly 40 minutes each way, so I have heard this album more than ever in the last week and a bit!

Offline SwedishGoose

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #19 on: July 13, 2017, 03:44:23 PM »
I saw the video for Pull Me Under on Headbanger's Ball on MTV sometime after midnight on a sunday before going to work. Got the album the next day and was hooked.
Saw them live a couple of months later... 25 years.....  have been a fan of Dream Theater for half of my life.... been a ride. Thanks DT!!!

Offline The Silent Cody

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #20 on: July 15, 2017, 03:03:13 AM »
I started with Awake in 1998, then I bought Scenes in the day of release... and after that was Images & Words. But it's still my favourite DT album, next to Awake. I know every second of this record and it still makes me happy when I'm listen to it :metal

Offline keys76

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #21 on: July 15, 2017, 01:25:52 PM »
Hi my friends. Please forgive me for shamelessly plugging my son's performance but since we're discussing Images and Words here I'm giving it a shot. This proud daddy watched his son today  playing Pull me Under on drums during a show at the biggest drum shop in Holland. Please have a look at this 8 year old kid  with only 1 year of drumming lessons.
https://youtu.be/_dU9XJ1X17A
« Last Edit: July 15, 2017, 01:56:44 PM by keys76 »

Offline The Silent Cody

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #22 on: July 15, 2017, 01:50:53 PM »
Keys, I think You gave us wrong link ;) or uploaded some other video, because I see a running horse on that one  :p
Edit - OK, I found it ;) You have to click on user menu to find it, I'm checking it out now and it's impressive  :)

Offline keys76

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #23 on: July 15, 2017, 01:56:09 PM »
Hahaha, whoops. Sorry, fixed it.

Offline Pragmaticcircus

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #24 on: July 15, 2017, 07:15:16 PM »
I still wish Metropolis got a sequel  :-\
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Offline fourrobert13

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #25 on: July 19, 2017, 09:50:37 AM »
This was my gateway album into DT.  My cousin bought it based off an internet search when looking for bands like Rush.  He thought the album was too heavy and didn't care for it.  He gave it to me because I was into heavier stuff and thrash.  One listen and I was hooked and the rest is history.  Still enjoy this album to this day, but the rest of the discography isn't to shabby either.
I probably have that album.

Offline don_waka

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #26 on: July 19, 2017, 09:59:12 AM »
Not the first one I heard from DT (that was Awake in 1994), but definitely the one I've listened to the most. Truly a game changer.

Offline Robo4900

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #27 on: July 19, 2017, 11:44:10 AM »
The thing that always amazes me about this album is that every single song is a standout track.
On basically any other album, you get a really kick-ass standout like Lines In The Sand followed by the less interesting Take Away My Pain, or Repentance followed by Prophets Of War, or for a different band, Roll The Bones followed by Face Up.

On I&W, every song is like "Oh yeah, I love this one!"
The only other time I've seen that to this extent that I can think of is Haken's The Mountain.
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Offline OpenYourEyes311

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #28 on: July 20, 2017, 11:40:34 AM »
The thing that always amazes me about this album is that every single song is a standout track.
On basically any other album, you get a really kick-ass standout like Lines In The Sand followed by the less interesting Take Away My Pain, or Repentance followed by Prophets Of War, or for a different band, Roll The Bones followed by Face Up.

On I&W, every song is like "Oh yeah, I love this one!"
The only other time I've seen that to this extent that I can think of is Haken's The Mountain.

This. I&W is the only album by DT where every single song has been "my favorite song on the album" at one point or another. Just a flawless album, start to finish.
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Offline chaotic_ripper

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #29 on: July 21, 2017, 09:53:27 AM »
The thing that always amazes me about this album is that every single song is a standout track.
On basically any other album, you get a really kick-ass standout like Lines In The Sand followed by the less interesting Take Away My Pain, or Repentance followed by Prophets Of War, or for a different band, Roll The Bones followed by Face Up.

On I&W, every song is like "Oh yeah, I love this one!"
The only other time I've seen that to this extent that I can think of is Haken's The Mountain

This. I&W is the only album by DT where every single song has been "my favorite song on the album" at one point or another. Just a flawless album, start to finish.

Agreed. All killer, no filler.

Offline bosk1

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #30 on: July 21, 2017, 10:02:08 AM »
The thing that always amazes me about this album is that every single song is a standout track.
On basically any other album, you get a really kick-ass standout like Lines In The Sand followed by the less interesting Take Away My Pain, or Repentance followed by Prophets Of War, or for a different band, Roll The Bones followed by Face Up.

On I&W, every song is like "Oh yeah, I love this one!"
The only other time I've seen that to this extent that I can think of is Haken's The Mountain.

This. I&W is the only album by DT where every single song has been "my favorite song on the album" at one point or another. Just a flawless album, start to finish.

I disagree.  I mean, it'll always be a true classic.  And the good songs are just SO good!  But to me, there is a lot that feels like filler, and I generally consider it to be one of their most inconsistent albums, which is why I rank it 5th overall despite some truly amazing quality tracks.
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Offline Dublagent66

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #31 on: July 21, 2017, 10:58:24 AM »
Let me see if I got this straight.  "It's a true classic".  "All the good songs are just so good".  Where does the "a lot of filler" and "one of their most inconsistent albums" part come in?  That just doesn't make any sense.  Why don't you "fill" us in.
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Offline emtee

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #32 on: July 21, 2017, 11:01:24 AM »
Though some Watchtower and Fates Warning fans may argue, I&W was a genre defining album. It was great enough to carve out
an historic niche and influenced thousands of musicians and bands moving forward. It's a gateway album that opened to door to
countless listeners and to this day sounds as fresh and amazing as it did then.

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #33 on: July 21, 2017, 11:03:54 AM »
Let me see if I got this straight.  "It's a true classic".  "All the good songs are just so good".  Where does the "a lot of filler" and "one of their most inconsistent albums" part come in?  That just doesn't make any sense.  Why don't you "fill" us in.

The good songs are really good. Not all of the songs are really good.

It's not too difficult.
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Offline bosk1

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Re: Images and Words was released 25 years ago today
« Reply #34 on: July 21, 2017, 11:07:16 AM »
Let me see if I got this straight.  "It's a true classic".  "All the good songs are just so good".  Where does the "a lot of filler" and "one of their most inconsistent albums" part come in?  That just doesn't make any sense.  Why don't you "fill" us in.

The good songs are really good. Not all of the songs are really good.

It's not too difficult.

Exactly.  But to be a bit more verbose, here is what I typed up and was ready to post before Adami posted more concisely:

I'm not sure what the issue is.  But as far as my thoughts on the album, I've posted them in pretty good detail many times.  In a nutshell:  PMU, Metropolis, Wait for Sleep, and Learning To Live are some of the best things they have ever done.  Under a Glass Moon, Take the Time, and, to a lesser extent, Surrounded, have some cool moments, but are largely just "there" and aren't nearly up to the incredibly high standard I expect for DT songs.  I don't skip them.  But I would never go out of my way to listen to them, and often find myself tuning out during them.  And Another Day is definitely a bottom tier DT song.  Still, on the strength of the 4 songs I mentioned, and its undeniable place in prog metal history, the album definitely deserves "classic" status.  It was (and still is) a revolutionary album, and, like many albums, its weak points don't diminish that fact--they only diminish it in terms of where I would rank the album.  There's no shame in an album having songs that are relatively weak.  Many of the album we consider "classics" do.
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