TCOT vs ITPOE

[SlitherX]

Which epic do you enjoy more?

Ive always considered ITPOE to be a full song, rather than 2 songs. So for the sake of this poll, lets consider it to be one.

[Jamesman42]

Good, because the band considers it one song as well.

Anyway, TCOT by far.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

The Count of Tuscany. No match.

[FretMuppet]

TCoT, the musical textures are just magical

[TAC]

I have actually listened to both today!

I picked TCOT, but I love both songs. ITPOE gets a bad wrap, especially Pt2, but it's chock full of goodness.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I agree with TAC. ITPOE is great, and full of amazing moments and melodies. It just doesn't feel as cohesive as their other epics.

And TCOT is one of the best songs they've done since Octavarium, so there you have it. 

[RuRoRul]

Close but I am going to go with The Count Of Tuscany. The intro and the last section are among the best bits of Dream Theater ever. I really love In The Presence Of Enemies though, I think it's one of their best songs.

[TAC]

I actually think The Heretic section is one of the coolest things they've done in a long time. One of the few recent spots where James gets to stretch a little. I love how he sings that section.

[Mladen]

Both incredible in their own way, it's a very close choice. I'll go with In the presence of enemies, because it has better lyrics. Yep...

[Hal Incandenza]

TCoT by a mile.

ITPoE is probably my least favorite DT epic song.  It's not horrible or anything, just a matter of my preference.

[bosk1]

ITPoE.

I still like TCOT, but it hasn't aged all that well.  These two songs share an interesting common feature:  They both have this odd moment in the middle of the song where they are going full-steam and then come grinding to a halt with a slow, atmospheric section that takes the song into slow-buildup mode.  The main difference is this:  In TCOT, the interlude, while cool, is so long and drawn out that I lose interest and feel it kills the momentum of the song (not to mention that I've heard better volume swell effects from other guitarists).  In ITPoE, the interlude is relatively short and immediately starts building into one of the best sections of the whole song (see TAC's post).  So I think I have to give it to ITPoE.

[Ben_Jamin]

TCoT, The harmonics in the intro, The volume Swells, the acoustic bit, and the outro makes it the winner. The outro is among the best thing they've ever done, makes you feel accomplished and triumphant.

[jsem]

The Count of Tuscany. No match.

[JimmyJava]

TCoT, The harmonics in the intro, The volume Swells, the acoustic bit, and the outro makes it the winner. The outro is among the best thing they've ever done, makes you feel accomplished and triumphant.

My god, this. ITPOE is not a bad song at all but I don't know, it just feels like more of an experiment while Tuscany feels like a complete song. I wish Presence had more vocal parts instead of instrumental passages.

[ReaPsTA]

TCOT.  It's a better overall song.  Every section builds into the next and is relevant to the overall fabric of the song.

ITPOE has The Reckoning.  And like an alcoholic doesn't go into bars, I'm not going to think about this anymore.  It hurts too much.

One thing I'd say in ITPOE's favor though, the lyrics are way better than TCOT.

[toro]

lol ITPOE Part 2


The Count all day every day.

[tri.ad]

TCOT, no contest at all.

[MarkFitDT]

TCOT - ive been with DT since 1989 and i dont think ive listened to one of their songs as much since the "glory days" of I&W.

Absolute Classic 

[Mr. Beale]

TCOT. Although I love ITPOE too (minus the reckoning).

[manticore999]

Part one of ITPOE is good, part two - I can't even listen to.  At least there was one good song on that album.  TCOT isn't something I can get through.  Lyrically, it's just awful, and musically it sounds like they phoned it in.

[darkshade]

TCOT, but that was hard, I love ItPoE a lot!

[BanksD]

TCOT

more like, i couldn't imagine a better last song for MP to play on  a studio album.

[Global Laziness]

TCoT, the musical textures are just magical

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

ItPoE

[wolfking]

TCOT.  There is no competition at all here.  TCOT is absolutely amazing, ITPOE is not.

[Ħ]

What TAC and bosk said.....except I still rank TCOT higher.

TCOT has a better intro and a better outro, and a slightly better chorus.

INPOE has better verses, as well as Heretic and Slaughter of the Damned, probably the strongest thing they have from the last two albums.

TCOT has gone down for me, and INPOE has gone up.....but I still prefer TCOT.  Maybe it's the magical feel of TCOT's intro and especially outro that seal the deal.

[MetropolisxPt1]

TCOT because it just feels like a much more polished song and live versions with the lullaby solo is incredible.

[N4Player]

Have to go with TCOT as it is a favourite for me, but ITPOE is awesome too. Killer unisons but I like Pt1 more than Pt2.

[The King in Crimson]

ItPoE easily

Why? Because it's just absolutely balls out fun to blast this song and sing along to while driving. tCoT fails in this regard.

[energythief]

ItPoE

Because the TCOT lyrics are LOLtastic.

[Dr. DTVT]

Musically, TCoT by far

lyrically, ItPoE by a little.

Live performance , TCoT by far

[atmyne]

TCOT is greater than both parts of ITPOE. However, as one song, I voted ITPOE, but not by much.

[j]

TCOT.

Both have flaws, but ITPOE (lookin' at you, part 2) has more.

-J

[jcmoorehead]

I think both are great but TCOT edges it just because I think it has a much more epic ending. For ITPOE you have the heretic section, then it goes into Slaughter Of The Damned which again is good and it just sort of fizzles out for me. That to me is the only thing that lets ITPOE down, wheras TCOT has this beautiful ending to it.

[Jirpo]

Well when it came out, TCOT by far (the ending is just amazing) but atm, probably ITPOE.