Official DT Top 50 Thread (Riceball Up Now - starting Page 66)

[?]

That's a high position for Another Day!

[Mladen]

Finally free and Another day are a bit too high, once again.   

[DP_Gumby]

Great to see Under A Glass Moon on the 12th spot.

One of my favourite songs from I&W, and it's shure as hell one of my top 5 live (recorded) songs from DT.

[Tomislav95]

Great to see those songs in top15

[Fran521]

Great to se Another Day that high. Best ballad by DT IMO. The other two wouldn't make that higher in my list.

[RG93]

Finally the top 10!

10. Lines In The Sand

This song has quite the groove! Starting off with a classic DS solo, the song then goes into a nice groovy intro, with some interesting time signature changes. While LaBrie does not have the vocal power he did on Awake, his voice lends itself pretty well in the chorus. Speaking of which, Doug Pinnick's vocals honestly are a nice addition to the atmosphere. Lines In the Sand's lyrics have connections with Voices in that they both have religious imagery. There are plenty of thought-provoking lines (again, no pun intended) such as
"Sometimes, your castles in the air
And the fantasies you're seeking
Are the crosses you bear"

JP's solo in this song is a stunner, being generally medium-paced as opposed to the song's high-energy vibe and played with feeling (see live versions!). Portnoy's drum sections are perfect (not boring but not over-the-top). Sherinian's keys are the backbone of the song. Finally, I love JP and JM's tone in this one.

I'm limiting the updates to one song at a time from now on.

[Jirpo]

Decent choice, I would have it a bit lower.

[Mladen]

Not top 50 material for me, but obviously a fan favorite in general.

[Zydar]

I've never been too fond of this song, for some reason. But that solo is killer!

[hefdaddy42]

LITS is definitely worthy of a Top 10 spot. 

[Fran521]

Good choice, LITS is a great song.
If I'm not wrong, I didn't see TTT, Metropolis, LTL, Scarred, 6DOIT, ToT, ITNOG, (Not sure about TGP), 8V, Hell's Kitchen, Hollow Years, ITPOE...

[Tomislav95]

LITS is definitely worthy of a Top 10 spot. 

Agree

[RG93]

9. Scarred

This is a very controversial piece due to its musical structure. There are a potpourri of styles present here, ranging from smooth jazz to straight up metal. John Petrucci pens a tale of someone going through a spiritual struggle, lasting for years. These are his deepest lyrics, even outdoing Moore's on the album. James LaBrie sings with conviction and passion, using the right style when necessary (e.g "Do you feel..."  vs "It's never enough..."). While no musician in particular shines here overall, Scarred has Kevin Moore's best keyboard solo, two of Petrucci's best solos and one of Portnoy's best breakdowns in the instrumental section. If Awake didn't close with Space-Dye Vest, this song would be a great closer.

[wasteland]

Great to see Scarred so high, I love that song, and I too always had the feeling that it was meant to be the album closer before things happened... 

[Mladen]

Now that's a song that deserves to be in top 10. 

[?]

Now that's a song that deserves to be in top 10. 

[Jirpo]

Now that's a song that deserves to be in top 10. 

[Tomislav95]

It deserves top5

[wjc]

THEY SHOULD ALL BE HIGHER

[Fran521]

I'm doing my top 50 too, tell me when I can post it and I'll begin 

BTW, great choice Scarred, the ending it's so fucking epic 

[RG93]

Sorry for the late reply, guys!

8. Home

Starting off with some sitar work by Rudess, the song then rapidly changes into a darker atmosphere with JP's heavy riffing. Powerful drumbeats then drive the first verse, followed by a powerful chorus. the lyrics here suit the mood, dealing with themes of betrayal, addiction and self-rediscovery. James Labrie's tone here remind me of the Awake days, dark and gnarly. For example we have:

"I never thought that I
Could carry on with this life
But I can't resist myself
No matter how hard I try"

His delivery in this verse is spine-chilling.
After two choruses, the song transitions into a sitar-based instrumental section, however it also features Rudess's second best keyboard solo (after the Moog solo) and Myung is killer with his basslines. In general, Home is (somewhat) original and is the perfect opener to Act Two of Scenes.

[Kosmo]

I like that song.

[Mladen]

Great one, probably in my top 20. 

[RG93]

7. Octavarium

The ultimate tribute song, Octavarium features influences from many other bands such as Queen and Pink Floyd. Many instruments not usually seen in Dream Theater's songs are used here as well, for example the Moog synth. Octavarium has a rare quality in that it last for over 20 minutes but feels like a 10 minute song. Collaborative lyrics here mean that the lyrical quality is somewhat mixed, having the greatness of Full Circle but also having the blandness of "Medicate". Jordan Rudess is everywhere; from the intro to the "Jingle Bells" piece in the Full Circle instrumental. Speaking of that, the instrumental section is packed with craziness, especially MP's drumming and JP's shredding. The song climaxes at "Intervals" in which JLB hits a great G5 "Trapped inside this Octavarium!", then closes with a powerful Razor's edge guitar solo, backed by a majestic orchestra. Yup, this song definitely packs a punch.

[ubit]

Well I'm guessing there may be some disagreement on the next six picks now.  When Octavarium is number seven... wow, tough for me to pick 6 songs I like better.  I know ACoS will be up there, and maybe deservedly so.  But five others?   

[Jirpo]

Nice choices, similiar to mine for the last two

Take the time, LTL, Metropolis, ACOS, Trial of Tears

[hefdaddy42]

Good, good.

[Mladen]

Everyone loves Octavarium. 

[RG93]

6. Take The Time

Surprising that two of Dream Theater's collaborative efforts get two top 10 spots in a row! Anyway, this song is clearly in a class of its own, showcasing the chemistry the band had at its heyday. The upbeat first verse captivates the listener instantly, then the powerful vocals of LaBrie keep them listening. Great vocal harmonies in the chorus too. The instrumental section is a masterwork, with Moore's fun and fast solo and Portnoy's upbeat drums, accompanied with Petrucci's shredding that is more melodic than heavy. The final verse shows the range LaBrie had once upon a time (and is now regaining!), i.e "Close your eyes, you can find all that you need in your MIND!". The outro solo is one of Petrucci's great underrated solos. In general, this is one fun song in which you'll be guaranteed a great listen.

[Jirpo]

In my top 5!

[Kosmo]

I always have to replay the beginning of the song a few times while listening to it.

[hefdaddy42]

Fantastic song.  Nothing else like it in DT's catalogue.  A mix of prog, metal, funk, and awesome.

[jonny108]

This list is awesome.  Looking forward to top 5

[Mladen]

Great one. 

[RG93]

5. Trial Of Tears

Composed by John Myung, this song is a mix of ambient music and funk, which blends really well. More atmospheric-driven than most Dream Theater songs, Trial of Tears may not have the complexity of songs on Images or Awake, but the musicianship and lyrical quality is on equal footing with songs on the aforementioned albums. The lyrics are very much in Myung's style, poetic and deep. This song also uses words and sound to paint a picture unseen with the human eye (wind blowing, wasteland). The transition between "It's Raining" and "Wasteland" shows how much groove Sherinian brought to the band. His keyboard solo here is stellar, full of fast notes and yet played with much feeling. This section also has funky basslines and a very cool breakdown from Portnoy. "Wasteland" is full of powerful lines "Welcome to the wasteland, where you'll find ashes, nothing but ashes" and ends with the chorus sung with Labrie's great vocal harmonies.