Where do you rank Train of Thought among the Dream Theater albums?

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Mid tier. I have no real problems with the album, though. Weakest link for me is Endless Sacrifice, and I still like that one.

[Dublagent66]

I can't remember my exact album rankings but I do know it wasn't a top 5 for me.  I'll give it a 6.

[contest_sanity]

Hey guys, I was re-watching the making of documentary, and at 3:25 you can actually get a glimpse of the working song titles for TOT.  I wish they would have went with some of these:

1. As I Taint
2. This Dying LOL
3. Endless Wankrifice
4. F*** My Step-Dad
5. Excrement
6. Steam of Flatulence
7. In The Name Of Gedd (15 minute bass solo)

[theliloutkast]

Almost a perfect bell curve...lol

[Jamesman42]

Almost a perfect bell curve...lol

Haha, nice.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Geoff Taint

[Lowdz]

It's a strange one for me. I sort of think I don't like it that much but when I play it I love it. the only song I'm not struck on is HTF but that's not a poor track. I just don't know why I don't rate it higher when I love it so much...

[The Hairy Man]

7 for me.
I have SFAM, SDOIT, I & W, Awake, FII and Octavarium all constantly switching places above it and suppose I've got it best of the rest.

[Tunnel Vision]

6th for me.

[PixelDream]

It's a very dark, one dimensional, quality prog metal album. For what it is, it is absolutely amazing in my opinion. Cover art really adds to the vibe. I believe I voted 5th or something. I rank it higher than 8VM, because I think it's better as a whole. 8VM's truly brilliant thing is the title track, and Sacrificed Sons sounds like a less ballsy version of ITNOG to me.

[CrimsonE]

On a good day, I'd put it at #2, with only I&W ahead of it.  At the very least, it would be # 3, with SFAM (which I think does dwell into the mindless wankery a bit too much in spots). 

[Evo]

1 - FII (yes )
2 - I & W
3 - Awake
4 - SFAM
5 - 6 Degrees

----------------

6 - Black Clouds
7 - Octavarium
8 - Systematic Chaos
9 - WDADU
10 - Train Of Thought. Basically, I think it's horrible, except for As I Am, which I love. Totally uninspired, it lacks focus/cohesion, etc. etc.

[MajorMatt]

Hey guys, I was re-watching the making of documentary, and at 3:25 you can actually get a glimpse of the working song titles for TOT.  I wish they would have went with some of these:

1. As I Taint
2. This Dying LOL
3. Endless Wankrifice
4. F*** My Step-Dad
5. Excrement
6. Steam of Flatulence
7. In The Name Of Gedd (15 minute bass solo)

[moltr3z]

Well actually this is the first album of DT that I heard, and I immediately liked it!
So I guess I will give a score of 9

[yorost]

Well actually this is the first album of DT that I heard, and I immediately liked it!
So I guess I will give a score of 9

if you voted 9, in this poll it means you think Train of Thought is the next to worst album Dream Theater has done.

[Dream Team]

Funny thing about this one, when it first came out I really trashed it and almost got banned on the old forum  , but since then DT has released 3 albums I like less than TOT, so along with FII there are now 4 albums I like less so it's "magically" now in the middle of the pack.

[Infinite Cactus]

I reevaluated its position. It moved up to 7.

[Mr. Beale]

It's a very moody album for me, but when I'm in the right mood I LOVE it. 3rd

[BanksD]

Gonna do the same thing i did in the 8Vm thread

1. I&W and SFAM
3. Awake
4. Octavarium
5. Six Degrees
6. Black Clouds
7. Train Of Thought
8. WDADU/FII
10. SC


I used to like this album a lot, but some of the songs just don't cut it for me.

Ranking

ITNAOG (Amazing)
Endless Sacrifice (Great Vocal Melodies imo)
This dying Soul ( )
Honor Thy Father (See: This Dying Soul)


The other 3 songs I don't care for, Vacant and SOC (sorry i don't enjoy long instruemntals) bore me and As I Am just....never clicked i guess.

[stryker]

I put it at #8

Me too

[krands85]

Number 2 for me, behind I&W.

When I first started listening to DT, I was more into straightforward metal like Metallica. I hadn't discovered the joys of progressive music and mad keyboard solos yet.  So when I was looking for Dream Theater albums to listen to, I saw that ToT was often mentioned as their 'heaviest' album and listened to it loads. It was my favourite album for quite a while until I really started appreciating Images and Words.

[Fran521]

1º-> I&W
2º-> 6DOIT
3º-> Awake
4º-> SFAM
5º-> Train of Thought
6º-> Systematic chaos
7º-> Black Clouds
8º->8V
9º->FII
10º->WDADU

[tgstk2]

second after I&W. '
TOT is my kind of music, i love the metal tone, the solo's...everything about it... it's killler no filler.

[jmbeat]

When TOT came out, it was on my playlist for almost two years, It goes like this for me:

AWAKE
SFAM
I&W
TOT

[JimmyJava]

One thing that I do love about this album is the fact that it is very one dimensional and very much a prog metal album. I've found the recent DT releases to be a bit too schizophrenic for my taste. TOT has one mood and I like that. Plus is has some killer tracks like This Dying Soul, Endless Sacrifice and Honor Thy Father, songs that have sections that feel very natural, even the more difficult passages. They just flow smoothly. I think in the recent albums, several songs have these sections are really weird, the verse going to the chorus in Night To Remember for example, totally out of place. All in all, an awesome album with great riffs and atmosphere. At the moment, I'd rank it like this:

AWAKE
SIX DEGREES
TOT

[dbrooks22]

I signed up on this board just so i could respond to this post.  My first DT concert was on the '96 FII tour.  

To me, Train of Thought is DT's "Moving Pictures."  It combines all of the elements that were explored and learned on earlier albums, and brings them together into a cohesive package of 7 robust tracks.  When i want to listen to DT, i find myself coming back to ToT again and again.  The themes are musically sound, the songs are cohesive, balanced and accessible without losing that trademark DT power, and the musicianship is apparent without being too showy.  DT's studio albums since ToT sound derivative to me, and while saddened by MP's decision to leave the band, i understand why he felt that the band needed a break.  I have recently become re-fired-up about DT after learning about Mangini joining the band, and i am very excited for the new chapter.  But going through all of my DT records, ToT stands out as the finest.

[Global Laziness]

Although I don't necessarily agree with all of it, great first post and welcome to DTF!

To me, Train of Thought is DT's "Moving Pictures." 

To me, this statement is just .

[orcus116]

Not too showy? The solos on the album reek of technicality for the sake of, despite it being kind of the point.