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

[Mladen]

A good bunch. 

[Elite]

Very nice, someone who actually updates frequently.
I'm liking your list so far, curious to see what's in your top 10.

[hefdaddy42]

I think once this list is done, I will lock the thread and start a new one, including a link to the old one.  This one is getting a bit unwieldy.

[j]

Riceball, your write-up on The Mirror inspired me to listen to it again, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I remember.  I love Awake, but that was always one of the weakest songs on it IMO.

-J

[Riceball]

Riceball, your write-up on The Mirror inspired me to listen to it again, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I remember.  I love Awake, but that was always one of the weakest songs on it IMO.

-J

I'm glad you got something out of it! That was always the aim with my write-ups, provide a bit of a goofy, but still relevant, assessment of the material. Cheers.

Very nice, someone who actually updates frequently.
I'm liking your list so far, curious to see what's in your top 10.

Well, now that you've said that, the next update isn't actually going to be until Sunday evening US time. All of my write-ups are on my work PC.....my top 10 is, as with the rest, a little different than "normal" but still probably a reflection of popular tracks. Stay tuned

UAGM should be higher! Otherwise nice choices.

I kind of came to that landing when I put it where I did, but then looking back I was a bit more like "well, theres a few songs I like more than this one, so this just feels right.

This one is getting a bit unwieldy.

Personal attack. Reported.



Oh wait...

[Riceball]

Sorry for the double post (I'm not really sorry, this is my list dammit). Here are 20 through 16, after this I'll be doing two per day until we get a bit closer to the pointy end:

20. 6:00
Groove. That's the word that best sums up this song. Actually no, I like tasty. This is a tasty song. Ok now that sounds weird; I'll stick with groove. 6:00 is probably, retrospectively, one of the most anticipated songs amongst Dream Theater's fan base, as it would have been the first taste (there it is again) of the follow up to Images and Words. I'm quite envious, to be honest, of those who got to hear it at that time. That opening drum bit sticks in your head all day and is the cause of 20% of the world's awkward public air-drum moments*. The story-telling aspect of the lyrics works very well, as does the verse/chorus/verse/solo/bridge/chorus structure (I'm doing that from memory so be kind ). Simply, a grooving, rocking track. Tasty.

19. Beyond This Life
Probably a stock-standard position for Beyond This Life if I'm to be honest. It seems to be one of those tracks that the herd pretty much unanimously likes, but doesn't think is the greatest thing since a sliced bread maker. I thoroughly enjoy Beyond This Life for a number of reasons; the segue from Fatal Tragedy (more on this tasty beast later), the trippy but tight instrumental section – specifically the keys –  dat riffage, the awesome chorus, shit that'll probably do; any more and people will wonder why its at 19. I guess the reason its not higher is: I'm not a real fan of poetry and "poetic lyrics". There, an arbitrary reason for all of you reason-hungry forum lurkers.

18. Scarred
Too low? No. Don't agree? My list. Suck it. Anyway. Scarred is another great track from a great album; tucked away in that dreadful second-to-last spot on Awake. Personally, I think being second-to-last on an album means songs have a propensity to be rated poorly. Someone should ask an economist to research that†. Nonetheless, this is a great track from a great album. I love the tasty bass lines, the progression and the lyrical content. The bass lines are what really stands out for me, and I wish they would do another track with this kind of vibe to it. Oh, and it's a great way to end a Dream Theater album  

17. Trial of Tears
You remember a while back I said that Lines in the Sand wasn't the highest track from Falling into Infinity? Well, this is. That's right; I like Trial of Tears more than Lines in the Sand. Such an emotional song, with the tasty, bite size morsel lyrics really adding to the atmosphere and the sense of hopelessness present throughout the track. Another great main riff, which seems so effortless and free; not needlessly complex but not overtly simplistic. And, to top it off, well I suppose technically speaking it's the foundation, the first couple of minutes of Trial of Tears are sublime. And, to top it off, actually top it off, the crescendo moment hits just at the right time to leave you incredibly satisfied. I loves her.

16. Erotomania
Erotomania: the condition suffered by many Dream Theater fans as a result of their general enjoyment of music that girls hate. Fans of the Dance of Eternity are less likely to suffer from this condition. I kid, I kid. In all seriousness, which is tough for me to pull off if you haven't worked that out, the start of the A Mind Beside Itself suite, which is the best suite of songs produced by DT, is a fantastic blend of melodies, riffage, craziness and beauty. It's their best instrumental, and also contains a great hook riff (you know, the tasty one: duh nuh nuh nuh nah nah nuh nuh......that doesn't really work on screen). And, to top it off, its another one of those tracks from Awake that sounds effortless – not contrived in any way shape or form.

End Notes:
*not a valid statistic, that I know of.
†someone did ask an economist, and indeed every song that is second last on a DT album, from When Dream and Day Unite through to Black Clouds & Silver Linings is rated lower than the last song...except one. A tuppence^ to anyone who works out which song that is.
^I am aware that tuppences don't exist any more. Neither does your prize. Ha.

[BlackInk]

Trial of Tears, awesome. Would not agree on putting Erotomania above it though..

[Riceball]

I'm not taking this lack-of-interest personally (outwardly anyway ). New album? What new album?

Here's a couple that will likely get some people's blood boiling:

15. WOMP WOMP
If you don't know the track I've slotted nicely in at number 15 by carefully analysing and interpreting the name above, well, yeah. WOMP WOMP (sic) is a very powerful, rocking track with a brilliantly simple but elegantly implemented main riff. Its also got a section that I'm sure some of DT's erotomaniacs cure their erotomania with, if ya know what I mean. WOMP WOMP (sic) has also got a cool instrumental break, highlighted by what I would consider a pre-cursor to JR experimenting with a continuum later on in the piece (that's totally unsubstantiated, by the way). The "Egyptian" section throws the tracks momentum off a bit towards the end, but is still fun enough I suppose. Regardless, 15 is about right, for mine.

14. The Dark Eternal Night
Go on. Pick up those tomatoes and horrible words that you've been itching to throw at me since pick 26. I love this song. I really do, I'm not just putting it here to add some flavour to my list; although this track has plenty. Once again, the main riff does a lot for me in this track (that seems to come up quite often), and contains probably one of the only apt uses of MPs vocal......"talents"......in the Theater's discography. I thoroughly enjoy the speedy section, and the grungy, dark, evil, sexy, mouldy, filthy, disgustingly crunchy riffage at the end is a little out of character, but shows that DT can do almost anything well. Yeah, the lyrics are a little (OK, not a little, a lot) cheesy, but in my mind that adds to the madness of the song. Y'all need to lighten up a little.

[Jaffa]

Quite enjoying your list, Riceball.  And this is my first time commenting on someone's list,  I think, so don't feel unappreciated.

Also,

15. WOMP WOMP

[theseoafs]

15. WOMP WOMP

On a dubstep forum this would not have been clear.

[RuRoRul]

I also have WOMP WOMP at #15   

I wouldn't have The Dark Eternal Night that high, but I thought I'd be an oddball on this forum for how highly I regard it. Cool to see someone else loves it (even more than me) and that you're not pressured or influenced by the forum on it.

[Ħ]

Whoa, that is a high ranking for TDEN.

[BlackInk]

WOMP WOMP is great.

"The one with the vortex fighting" is pretty nice too.

Which also sounds like a new episode of Friends directed by JP.

[lithium112]

Interesting to see both TDEN so high up considering some of your other choices. Cool list so far! Following with anticipation.

[Mladen]

Scarred and Beyond this life are too low, TDEN is certainly much higher than it is on my list, and Womp womp is exactly where I'd place it.

[Riceball]

Yeah, I was expecting a bit of flak from the placement of The Dark Eternal Night...but I love it! Looks like I was right about WOMP WOMP (sic), everyone seems to agree that its great, but not top 10 great. By the way, I don't think I'm the first to call WOMP WOMP (sic) WOMP WOMP (sic); but I'll gladly take credit

Anyway, here's the next tasty morsel to distract you from the new album. 11 and 10 may be a bit delayed, I'm super busy at work atm (hence the delay in this post):

13. In the Name of God
Interesting, the song about a religious cult comes in at 13. How random. Anyway, arbitrary introduction aside, In the Name of God is a fantastic track; one of those mini-epics that DT seem to be able to pull out of their collective arses every album – seriously, has there been a bad one lately? Based on my list, no, there hasn't. For me, the instrumental section of the song, and the small passage between it and the electric drum solo, is a highlight; particularly the hella fast unison section. Sparrow's vocals are great, bass lines are killer and there's another one of them awesome main riffs which the song manages to feed off throughout. The cherry comes in the form of the chorus'd ending, just brilliant.

And, c'mon, the song is about a cult – a CULT. How friggin' cool is that. Way cooler than free masonry...

12. A Change of Seasons
DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN; ACoS doesn't make the top 10. Shame, really, because it's a pretty awesome song in many parts. I don't know, I always feel like it's a bit of a burden to listen to it from go-to-whoa; despite the number of whoa moments, like the "Crimson Sunset" passage, the epic intro, the subject matter (probably a highlight for me), good use of poetry in lyrics. As a fan of progression in music, this song also scores highly on the prog scale.



Hmmmm...............................................



...you know what, its still my 12th favouritest DT track, its not like its down at 35 or anything (that'll weed out who's been paying attention). That's it! I think this is one of those cases where I just enjoy the 11 other songs more than this one. Surely, that puts a lot more pressure on me to deliver the goods for the remainder of my list...I don't think you will be disappoint though

[BlackInk]

Two very great songs right there.

[hefdaddy42]

Interesting list thus far, Riceball.  Tell us more!

[RuRoRul]

Two of my favourite DT songs  I'd have them higher but good choices.

[Jaffa]

Well, ACOS at 12 certainly has me intrigued about your top 5.   

[Riceball]

Just saved the thread from going to the second page. Thank you once again for all of your interest! Not to disappoint, here is number 11 and 10.

11. Metropolis
Just missing out on a slot in the top ten is Metropolis. Bummer, if a top 10 was, instead a top 11, this would be in the top 11. Read it in Russell Brand's voice and its slightly less lame. I suppose this is "Dream Theater's song". It's the track most would answer standard 'hey-I-really-want-to-check-this-band-out-if-there's-one-song-I-should-listen-to-what-would-it-be?' question with; for good reason too. Metropolis takes you through such a gambit of emotions and energies that if it was able transform, it would resemble some kind of Oprah/Dr Phil/Jerry Springer manbearpig style creature. The unison section, nay, the whole instrumental break is a highlight of the catalogue and doesn't feel one millimetre out of place wedged in the middle of this mini-epic. The first thirty seconds is so iconic and recognisable that it sends DT fans into all kinds of rapturous squeals of joy at live shows; unable to contain the pleasurable feelings of ecstasy this track garners. I've never quite understood precisely what the lyrics are trying to represent, but that doesn't really matter, they aren't where my focus is at. Simply a great track, and shining example of striking the balance between order and chaos.

Tada!
Well, we've made it into the top 10; feels good doesn't it? I've just done a word count on what I've written for 50 to 11: 2,860! Wow...someone has too much time on their hands. Seeing as I assume we still all focking hate ado (I know I do), lets go!

10. In the Presence of Enemies
I'm just going to throw this out there, Pt.1 is the best piece of music they've written over the past two albums (note, my list doesn't include the new-ey, because in that case this statement would be fundamentally false). The introduction itself is so epic, and so, I don't know, Dream Theater; it rocks. Following this is the utterly brilliant instrumental section prior to JLB kickin' in with a powerful delivery of some literal – but still cool – lyrics. The first part of the track manages to build up in epic-ness throughout without you really noticing, and as a result scores big points with the 'ball. Part 2 isn't as great, but its still a nine out of ten. The brooding, ominous "Heretic" section is lovely and haunting (JMs bass line captures this perfectly); "Slaughter of the Damned" is so visual and real (I always imagine this ragged, half-dead medieval soldier with a giant ass sword standing in an meteor crater with thousands of badies running over the top and charging him) and "Salvation" ends the track on just the right note.

I tend to ignore the negatives in life, and in music, but I think that for a track like this, which....."people"......(damn those people people) have a lot of problems with, I deem it prudent to address:

People complain that it drags; I look at it as a build up of tension.
People complain about the lyrics; they tell a story, a cool story at that.
People complain about JP "stealing" the story; so friggin' what, it's a cool story to write a song about.
People complain about the "Reckoning" section; in a similar vein to my Dark Eternal Night critique: lighten the fuck up. Its technical, rocking and fun.

So, yes, overall, great track and provides the book ends to what would have potentially been a very average album in its absence.

[BlackInk]

Yes! ITPoE rules!

[RuRoRul]

Two great songs, very close to where I might put them as well. Agree with what you said about In The Presence Of Enemies. I never understood why on this forum it wasn't regarded next to the other ~20 minute songs (even The Count Of Tuscany is regarded much more highly), or why The Reckoning was considered so much worse than any other DT instrumental section. It fit pretty well I thought.

[Jirpo]

Metropolis, ACOS and ITNOG are in my top 5, if not all top 3 lol. Good placements for Scarred and ToT. Great to see ITPOE so high too.

[Jaffa]

Interesting choices.  I'm actually really surprised to see Metropolis, because once I saw ACOS, I figured Metropolis was your number 1. 

Fun read. 

(Also, you managed to save it from page two.  I found it on page four.  BUMP.)

[BlackInk]

[Insert love in thread please]

[Riceball]

*unzips his p...* oh wait

Been ridiculously busy at work the past week, you'll have your next tasty morsel today I square.

[BanksD]

I'd like to be removed from thie list to participate


I realized i will ont have the time

[Riceball]

Let me preface this next entry with the following:



9. A Nightmare to Remember
I can remember quite vividly the first time I heard this track; I was on the way home from my dad's place, about an hours drive from where I was living at the time. I had just...acquired...Black Clouds & Silver Linings and was so god damn excited to hear it. So I put it on. Yep, lightning, thunder, cool keys, reprise of cool k...*BAM*...flat tyre! Great, I've gotta change my tyre AND I had to stop listening to Nightmare for the first time there and then. My anticipation built immensely...

And, wow, if number 8 on my list hadn't been written yet, this would be by far DT's best "metal" track. The main riff totally slays it, I work out to it, I brushed my teeth to it, you know, that level of slay-age. Great stuff. JPs first solo is another highlight, as is, really when you think about it, the whole track save a well known (and well despised) section. Beautiful agony is (well, was, until the latest drop) the best melodic/ballad-y section written for a significant period of time – yes better than Repentance and yes better than Vacant. Instrumental sections of this track are also sweet as a pie made completely from sugar.

I dare say, if it wasn't for the-section-whose-name-we-dare-not-speak, this would easily be a top five track for me; yeah yeah I know, you can edit it out, its not that bad, yada yada yada. I like to keep it in there, just to remind me that the boys are indeed human and can sometimes make mistakes.

8. The Glass Prison
Hopefully I didn't give that away too easily. The Glass Prison is the Theater's best metal song; period. If you have a better one to throw at me, throw it at someone else, I'm not interested. Who could argue that the first like three minutes of the track are just brute force personified (well, musified). Mr Myung's bass lines, actually, are one of the highlights for me, but really this one (along with the rest of the list) don't have a single flaw that I could readily identify and appropriately justify – holy fuck say that five times out loud . Great unisons. Great vocal melodies. Great kick drumming. Such a brilliant way to kick off an album too, or indeed kick off a show.

Just, great.

[Jirpo]

Nice picks!

[BlackInk]

Glass Prison is a killer track, not to sure about ANtR though, but cool list, looking forward to the following ones.

[Elite]

A Nightmare to Remember above Scarred, Trial of Tears, Metropolis and A Change of Seasons? No.

But I'll keep following.

[Mladen]

All great choices recently, but too bad Metropolis just missed breaking into top 10.

[hefdaddy42]

I'd like to be removed from thie list to participate


I realized i will ont have the time

Done.

[Riceball]

7. The Count of Tuscany
For those keeping score at home, just thought I'd ask a quick question: how would you rate an album with two tracks in the top 10 but the rest outside of the top 50? Obviously, I'm talking about Black Clouds & Silver Linings here. So, good or bad album?

Let me introduce, num-ber-sev..................en

Woah, outburst much? That's how much I love this track, I sing its position in my top fifty. Seriously though, The Count of Tuscany is a really fun, melodically brilliant and just, I'll say it again, great. Can't think of a single thing that I don't like about it; even the lyrics – I think they work really well in both the context of the story and, I mean really, am I even paying attention to them? I'm hearing the melodies, drumming the shit out of whatever is in front of me – pretty much rocking out 1000%. The song really progresses in a way I can't fault. And dem volume swells :notmetal, but still awesome.

Just love this track. Period.

6. Surrounded
Straight up front: for a very, very long time this was my favourite Dream Theater track. Like, favourite favourite; would-listen-to-it-every-day-without-fail kind of favourite. To me, it is unequivocally how a song should be structured, how it should sound, and is a fantastic example of telling a story through musical imagery and through emotional, interpretive lyrics. It doesn't have to do anything spectacular to be spectacular – there's no flash, no pomp, just melodic bliss. It just works.

Those of you keeping score will remember that I don't like religion in lyrics. Personally, I don't look at this track through in a spiritual light; I like to think of it as having something to hold on to, being at peace with yourself and your circumstance knowing that you've always got this person or this thing there holding you up – for many, that is religion; but it can also mean family, friends, a piece of art, really anything that you can latch on to as a rock in your life.

So, I hear you ask, why isn't is number 1?

I think it suffers from a bit of second-child syndrome; in that it's a 9.5 surrounded by far too many 10s which takes some of the shine off. I really, really wanted to put this in at number five – alas I just couldn't do it to the five tracks that remain. I guess my tastes have changed a little too.

I hope Dream Theater never write another song like this.

Quick recap
We are now at the business end of the list folks. The top five, best ever (or best right now) Dream Theater tracks according to Riceball (and, therefore, by extension, the top five Dream Theater tracks). I'll drop one per day next week, with the big unveil on Friday morning Australia time.

To make it a bit more interesting, I propose a game. Below are tracks 50 through 6. If you will, try to guess the top five, in order, over the weekend. I don't think there is anything too left-field in my top five, but hey, I've been wrong before.

50. Ytse Jam
49. Take Away My Pain
48. The Root of All Evil
47. Hell's Kitchen
46. Finally Free
45. As I Am
44. Through Her Eyes
43. Panic Attack
42. One Last Time
41. Pull Me Under
40. Afterlife
39. Vacant
38. The Great Debate
37. Stream of Consciousness
36. Lie
35. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
34. Strange déjà vu
33. Another Day
32. New Millenium
31. Lifting Shadows Off a Dream
30. The Ministry of Lost Souls
29. Blind Faith
28. Misunderstood
27. The Spirit Carries On
26. This Dying Soul
25. Wait for Sleep
24. Under a Glass Moon
23. The Mirror
22. Lines in the Sand
21. The Dance of Eternity
20. 6:00
19. Beyond This Life
18. Scarred
17. Trial of Tears
16. Erotomania
15. Home
14. The Dark Eternal Night
13. In the Name of God
12. A Change of Seasons
11. Metropolis Pt 1
10. In The Presence of Enemies
9. A Nightmare to Remember
8. The Glass Prison
7. The Count of Tuscany
6. Surrounded

What do you win? The satisfaction of knowing you were right. I love being right, and you should too, so that should be motivation enough.