DT Concept Albums?

[Hal Incandenza]

SFAM.  That's it.

6DOIT (the song) is an interesting case.  If another band released a 42+ minute record with eight tracks and similar themes and lyrics, it would be a concept album.  

Since for DT 42 minutes is apparently one &$##@&* song, and since it wasn't released as its own album, it's not a concept album.  But it could be with the right packaging.  I certainly own many albums that aren't 42 minutes long.

[Ben_Jamin]

Well, MP said Octavarium had this big concept on the SC dvd.

[Infinite Cactus]

I'd say SFAM definitely. Then arguments could be made for 8vm, BC&SL,Awake, and 6DOIT.

[bosk1]

Oh, crap.  I completely forgot that BCSL is a concept album about cannibalism:  specifically, the exploits of the secret society of cannibals that the Count of Tuscany and his family are from. 

A Nightmare To Remember:  An interesting twist to start off the story.  A family is at a wedding that is obviously for a man and woman cannibal who are about to be united in matrimony.  Nobody realized that the reason the food was being served late is because the wedding guests were the menu!    One family eventually tires of waiting for their food and leaves early, only to get into a car accident.  They are hurt badly.  But the silver lining is that, while their decision to leave early resulted in a horrifying incident, it resulted in their lives being spared:  "By the grace of God above everyone survived."  The young child, narrated by John Petrucci's lyrics, thus survives his first brutal exposure to cannibalism that will recur throughout this life.

A Rite Of Passage:  From here, the narrative pulls back and gives a more "big picture" look at the secret society of the cannibals in general.  The "turn the key walk through the gate" lyric is obviously a euphemism for being swallowed.

Wither:  This is where I first realized there was a link between the Count of Tuscany and other songs on the album.  The lyric "still this Baroness consumes me" obviously refer to the protagonist's run-in with a female noblewoman in the Count's family (the Baroness) who is in the process of trying to eat him.  Apparently, she is taking a VERY long time to consume him.  Perhaps she is part sarlaac?  Also, although it isn't clear from the lyrics, he obviously survives yet again for his final confrontation with the Count at the end of the story.

The Shattered Fortress:  Forshadows what the protagonist will later see when "peering through the glass" as told in The Count of Tuscany.  Here, either a victim or the Count's brother (it isn't clear which) escapes his glass prison, which then shatters.  ...which explains why they later switched to tombs of oak, which are decidedly less fragile.  The protagonist also resolves to be there to help others who have similar run-ins with rogue cannibals.  However, it is revealed that this latest run-in with cannibals has cost him one of his limbs, as revealed at the end of the song:  "I want my [detached] hand to be there!"

The Best Of Times:  A pleasant diversion as the protagonist reflects back on the "good old days" of his youth (i.e. the time before he mourned his father's passing at the hands of--what else?--cannibals, obviously).

The Count of Tuscanny:  Well, we already know what this one is about.  So...yeah.  There you have it.  Concept album.  Case closed. 

Can I change my vote now to add this one?

[Dublagent66]

SFAM is the only one I know about, technically speaking.

[The Silent Cody]

Oh, crap.  I completely forgot that BCSL is a concept album about cannibalism:  specifically, the exploits of the secret society of cannibals that the Count of Tuscany and his family are from.  
(...)
A Rite Of Passage:  From here, the narrative pulls back and gives a more "big picture" look at the secret society of the cannibals in general.  The "turn the key walk through the gate" lyric is obviously a euphemism for being swallowed.
(...)

[Jaffa]

Oh, crap.  I completely forgot that BCSL is a concept album about cannibalism:  specifically, the exploits of the secret society of cannibals that the Count of Tuscany and his family are from.

(plus the rest of the post)

[bosk1]

Bump.  Just because I was listening to Wither and thinking about the Baroness earlier today.

[Zook]

Every single album is a concept album, especially Octavarium.

[theseoafs]

SFAM is DT's only concept album. That is the only correct choice.

[Kotowboy]

Every single album is a concept album, EXCEPT Scenes From A Memory.

[BlobVanDam]

Glad this got bumped, as I wasn't around the first time!

I only voted for SFAM, their only album I consider a concept album.
SDOIT disc 2 alone could definitely count as a concept "disc", but SDOIT is 2 discs, so it's not a concept album.
And Octavarium is not a concept album. It has a lot of cool stuff loosely tying together a grand theme, but to listen to it musically from start to finish, it's not a concept album.
None of the rest even warrant explanation. So much trolling on these votes.

[hefdaddy42]

Bump.  Just because I was listening to Wither and thinking about the Baroness earlier today.

[Scorpion]

Oh, crap.  I completely forgot that BCSL is a concept album about cannibalism:  specifically, the exploits of the secret society of cannibals that the Count of Tuscany and his family are from. 

A Nightmare To Remember:  An interesting twist to start off the story.  A family is at a wedding that is obviously for a man and woman cannibal who are about to be united in matrimony.  Nobody realized that the reason the food was being served late is because the wedding guests were the menu!    One family eventually tires of waiting for their food and leaves early, only to get into a car accident.  They are hurt badly.  But the silver lining is that, while their decision to leave early resulted in a horrifying incident, it resulted in their lives being spared:  "By the grace of God above everyone survived."  The young child, narrated by John Petrucci's lyrics, thus survives his first brutal exposure to cannibalism that will recur throughout this life.

A Rite Of Passage:  From here, the narrative pulls back and gives a more "big picture" look at the secret society of the cannibals in general.  The "turn the key walk through the gate" lyric is obviously a euphemism for being swallowed.

Wither:  This is where I first realized there was a link between the Count of Tuscany and other songs on the album.  The lyric "still this Baroness consumes me" obviously refer to the protagonist's run-in with a female noblewoman in the Count's family (the Baroness) who is in the process of trying to eat him.  Apparently, she is taking a VERY long time to consume him.  Perhaps she is part sarlaac?  Also, although it isn't clear from the lyrics, he obviously survives yet again for his final confrontation with the Count at the end of the story.

The Shattered Fortress:  Forshadows what the protagonist will later see when "peering through the glass" as told in The Count of Tuscany.  Here, either a victim or the Count's brother (it isn't clear which) escapes his glass prison, which then shatters.  ...which explains why they later switched to tombs of oak, which are decidedly less fragile.  The protagonist also resolves to be there to help others who have similar run-ins with rogue cannibals.  However, it is revealed that this latest run-in with cannibals has cost him one of his limbs, as revealed at the end of the song:  "I want my [detached] hand to be there!"

The Best Of Times:  A pleasant diversion as the protagonist reflects back on the "good old days" of his youth (i.e. the time before he mourned his father's passing at the hands of--what else?--cannibals, obviously).

The Count of Tuscanny:  Well, we already know what this one is about.  So...yeah.  There you have it.  Concept album.  Case closed. 

Can I change my vote now to add this one?

You, sir, have just won the internet. https://you-win-the-internet.com/?n=bosk1

Oh, and only SFAM by the way.

[robwebster]

Glad this got bumped, as I wasn't around the first time!

I only voted for SFAM, their only album I consider a concept album.
SDOIT disc 2 alone could definitely count as a concept "disc", but SDOIT is 2 discs, so it's not a concept album.
And Octavarium is not a concept album. It has a lot of cool stuff loosely tying together a grand theme, but to listen to it musically from start to finish, it's not a concept album.
None of the rest even warrant explanation. So much trolling on these votes.

Whatever makes you say that?



DISCLAIMER: I don't even remember seeing this thread, let alone voting on it. I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and assume I was drunk. You can't imagine my face when I stumbled in here just now. "Bewildered" doesn't cover it.

[senecadawg2]

I just voted for SFAM. ACOS doesn't count, because its not a full album (although it certainly is a 'concept song'). Same goes for 8varium and SDOIT.

[hefdaddy42]

I just voted for SFAM. ACOS doesn't count, because its not a full album (although it certainly is a 'concept song').

WTF is a concept song? 

[Zook]

A song with a concept, duh.
































Oh wait, that's every song ever.

[The Letter M]

I just voted for SFAM. ACOS doesn't count, because its not a full album (although it certainly is a 'concept song').

WTF is a concept song?

I dunno but I'm sure DT is so prog, they even have Concept Verses and Concept Choruses.

-Marc.

[Adami]

I just voted for SFAM. ACOS doesn't count, because its not a full album (although it certainly is a 'concept song').

WTF is a concept song?

It's something you can't even comprehend.

[Zook]

I just voted for SFAM. ACOS doesn't count, because its not a full album (although it certainly is a 'concept song').

WTF is a concept song?

It's something you can't even comprehend.

But it's a real thing... Just have faith.

[SeRoX]

That means DT has almost 111 concept song. 

[senecadawg2]

Oh, crap.  I completely forgot that BCSL is a concept album about cannibalism:  specifically, the exploits of the secret society of cannibals that the Count of Tuscany and his family are from. 

Wither:  This is where I first realized there was a link between the Count of Tuscany and other songs on the album.  The lyric "still this Baroness consumes me" obviously refer to the protagonist's run-in with a female noblewoman in the Count's family (the Baroness) who is in the process of trying to eat him.  Apparently, she is taking a VERY long time to consume him.  Perhaps she is part sarlaac?  Also, although it isn't clear from the lyrics, he obviously survives yet again for his final confrontation with the Count at the end of the story.

[Jaffa]

... It seems I voted for Falling Into Infinity back when this was posted.  I'm hoping it was just a misclick. 

[BlobVanDam]

Glad this got bumped, as I wasn't around the first time!

I only voted for SFAM, their only album I consider a concept album.
SDOIT disc 2 alone could definitely count as a concept "disc", but SDOIT is 2 discs, so it's not a concept album.
And Octavarium is not a concept album. It has a lot of cool stuff loosely tying together a grand theme, but to listen to it musically from start to finish, it's not a concept album.
None of the rest even warrant explanation. So much trolling on these votes.

Whatever makes you say that?

*incorrect votes*

DISCLAIMER: I don't even remember seeing this thread, let alone voting on it. I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and assume I was drunk. You can't imagine my face when I stumbled in here just now. "Bewildered" doesn't cover it.

Well that's one explained. Anybody else want to 'fess up?

[Lowdz]

Obviously SFAM, but I also threw a vote to Octavarium too. I think that musically there is a concept throughout this album in some form or another, as well as the title track links the entire album lyrically. It may not be such a blatant concept album as SFAM, but if I was asked if I thought Octavarium was a concept album, I'd probably respond with "Yea, musically."

Saved me having to type. Agree with all this.

[RoeDent]

Scenes from a Memory and Octavarium. Awake is close, because it has recurring musical phrases, but other than that, the songs are unrelated to each other (with the possible exception of A Mind Beside Itself)

Whether an album is a concept album or not depends largely on the lyrical content.

[Lowdz]

6D and ACOS are concept albums the same way as 2112 is: ie they're not.

[wolfking]

SFAM, that's it.

[Eldomm]

Only Scenes from a Memory

[Implode]

I just voted for SFAM. ACOS doesn't count, because its not a full album (although it certainly is a 'concept song').

WTF is a concept song?

A song with a concept, duh.

Oh wait, that's every song ever.

It's something you can't even comprehend.

I dunno but I'm sure DT is so prog, they even have Concept Verses and Concept Choruses.

-Marc.

[chrisbDTM]

SFAM
8VM

the whole root of all evil in the key of F and each song taking the next key is just so cool

[KevShmev]

But that doesn't make it a concept album. 

[theseoafs]

Nuggetz != concept

[The Letter M]

But that doesn't make it a concept album.

https://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Concept+album?s=t



-Marc.