Official DT Top 50 Thread Mark II (bss4life15 up now - starting page 79)

[iamtheeviltwin]

Nice selection of 5 this time.  While ITPOE as a whole isn't one of my favorite epics, i have always felt the band committed an injustice splitting it across the disc.  I works so well as a single piece of music.  Unless I am listening to my physical disc, I always listen to the song as a whole piece.

As for top 10...Metropolis and Learning to Live seem certain.  The Mirror/Lie is another possibility (since you like combining tracks).  The Count of Tuscany is another I think you might choose.  I would be amazed if both Octavarium and Six Degrees (or at least parts of it) missed your list entirely as well.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Six degrees has to be top 10, probably top 5. Metropolis, LtL and Octavarium are also certain. Almost.

[Elite]

I like the guesses

[Jaffa]

Just as food for thought, he said in the write-up for ITPOE that he doesn't consider SDOIT to be one song.

[Scorpion]

Good list. I think that this is the first update of yours that contains only songs that are also in my Top 50, so kudos to that. I agree with you on ITPOE, though I also agree with Jaffa that The Reckoning drags it down, though I'd extend that to the final part (forgot the name) too. But Slaughter of the Damned and Heretic are really good.

As for guesses: LtL, Metropolis, ACoS for sure. Trial of Tears had better be there, though I have a hunch that it isn't.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

I know your number 1 



You Not Me right?

[Elite]

No! Burning My Soul.
Which I actually find worse.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

Worst DT song is Constant Motion. Easily.

[Elite]

That's bullshit.

[iamtheeviltwin]

If you are counting the Majesty Demos, Vital Star is the worst DT song ever, discounting TMD then either Constant Motion or Status Seeker take that title.

[Scorpion]

I haven't even heard that song. Now, I think I won't. 

[FlyingBIZKIT]

No I still like it 


It's just the least best. I dunno, I gotta be in a mood for it.

[Jaffa]

I actually sort of like Vital Star.  I mean, at least as far as Majesty demos go.

[Pols Voice]

Great choices this time, except for ITPOE. The whole Dark Master thing just sinks it for me.

People are always mentioning how Scarred doesn't flow or something, but I always thought it had a great flow to it, except for the outro which comes out of nowhere. Anyway...Scarred rules.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

I can see why people think Scarred has no flow, but I don't care. Flow isn't everything. I kinda like it when shit just comes out of nowhere.

[TheGreatPretender]

I can see why people think Scarred has no flow, but I don't care. Flow isn't everything. I kinda like it when shit just comes out of nowhere.

Scarred for life!!!

[FlyingBIZKIT]

I am after watching that video you sent me.

[BlobVanDam]

Blob, wich one one is worse, Scarred or Space-Dye Vest?

Scarred by far. I don't think SDV is bad at all, I just think it's completely dull and emotionless. But I think Scarred is actually their most poorly written song this side of WDADU. That's not an exaggeration.

[Jaffa]

I don't think SDV is bad at all, I just think it's completely dull and emotionless.

Of all of your wonderful opinions, I think this one baffles me most.  Don't get me wrong, I still love you for it, but, like, what.

[BlobVanDam]

I don't think SDV is bad at all, I just think it's completely dull and emotionless.

Of all of your wonderful opinions, I think this one baffles me most.  Don't get me wrong, I still love you for it, but, like, what.

It baffles me how anyone thinks otherwise, tbh.

[54_diplomats]

Scarred is like my favorite song >_>

[Elite]

I don't think SDV is bad at all, I just think it's completely dull and emotionless.

What?

[Nekov]

I don't think SDV is bad at all, I just think it's completely dull and emotionless.

What?

Blob has trouble with emotions, that's all

[Elite]

 

[Jaffa]

In his defense, I do think that SDV feels sort of emotionally numb.  For me that numbness elicits an emotional response, but.

[BlobVanDam]

I don't think SDV is bad at all, I just think it's completely dull and emotionless.

What?

Blob has trouble with emotions, that's all

Yeah, my problem with emotions is songs with the lack of them.
I'll stick to their much better ballads with actual emotion like Vacant and Disappear.

[Scorpion]

I don't think SDV is bad at all, I just think it's completely dull and emotionless.

What?

Blob has trouble with emotions, that's all

Yeah, my problem with emotions is songs with the lack of them.
I'll stick to their much better ballads with actual emotion like Vacant and Disappear.

Well, at least we're in agreement that Disappear is superior to SDV, though you lost me at Vacant.

[MoraWintersoul]

Would someone be so kind to put my name next on that list?

[hefdaddy42]

That's a pretty good batch of 5.

Would someone be so kind to put my name next on that list?

Sure.

[Nekov]

That's a pretty good batch of 5.

Would someone be so kind to put my name next on that list?

Sure.

I asked for this a couple posts back. Don't ignore me Hef 

Speaking of which, can you add me to the list hef?

[Elite]

Let's see how many people I can enrage with my top 10. Nah, it won't be that bad, I promise. Two days ago I posted 15-11 so I thought it would be time for the next three now. Of these next three, two have something in common and the third is just very good as well, obviously, otherwise it wouldn't be in basically everyone's top 50. Well here we go, with 10-8.

10. Innocence Faded
The mirror falls behind you. I don't know what it is with that sepcific line, but it has grabbed me, and stayed there forever. When I was a bit younger I used to be on msn messenger and that exact phrase would be in my personal status. Always. I don't know what it means, I don't know what it's supposed to mean, but this song has been a huge influence in my growing up. It's a song about the loss of your own innocence, something that every human being has to go through. It's a feeling of complete loss, realising the world is in fact shit. I used to view this particular line as 'the mirror' being a version of you in the past, that's why it's 'behind you'. Because your innocence fades, when you look back at yourself, or back through time, the mirror falls, not showing yourself anymore, but giving a clear view on the world as it is, behind (and in front of) your face. I don't know if it's the right interpretation, but it is for me and it's rarely in a Dream Theater song that just 5 words can mean so much to me. This is primarily an emotional pick and it's not only because of that that it's so high. Simply, the music on this particular track is absolutely brilliant. From the very simple but very effective drum break opening the song, we're sent into a fantastic guitar intro, followed by a calm interlude with James LaBrie's soothing voice, softer than ever. Then the chorus starts. Innocence Faded, the mirror falls behind you. Trinity jaded. I break down walls to find you. After that we follow with what might well be one of James LaBrie's best moment's within Dream Theater; the 'Wearing apathetic displays' verse. Awesome. We get into a chorus again, a small bridge, and a last chorus. The child will crawl to find you. Wonderful. But then, we get one of the best things Dream Theater has ever done, and I'm not even kidding. The ending is so fucking fantastic, I can't even begin to describe it. Starting off with a great riff by John Petrucci, slightly changed on the second go, the band goes into full jam mode, with Petrucci even nailing a brilliant solo on top of it. I love it. I love this song and I suppose this will forever stay one of my favourite Dream Theater songs. In my opinion it is pretty flawless and that says something. The mirror falls behind you.

9. Octavarium
How could any Dream Theater top 50 be complete without including this track? Though a minority of fans doesn't like it, the general consensus amongst Dream Theater fans is that there's no doubt Octavarium is one of the biggest and best things they have ever done. I don't really like the rest of the album in relation to the rest of their ctalogue (for instance the only other song off of it that made this list was The Root of All Evil), but this thing is just huge, a wonderful prog epic. I can surely get where most of the dislike comes from. Yes, the buildup is pretty slow, with that long synth/continuum solo, followed by a relatively weak movement (Someone Like Him) and the one afterward isn't exactly very exciting either (Medicate), but it all works in building up the song to the great moments, Full Circle and that wonderful unison Petrucci and Rudess do. Intervals works wonders as well, replaying the same theme over again and recapitulating the entire album through simple, short stanzas. And then the amazing thing occurs. TRAPPED INSIDE THIS OCTAVARIUM. (x4) The songs has reached it peak, but it's definitely not a finish, no we continue, classical style. More lyrics, to completely wrap up the song and suddenly the whole buildup makes sense as John Petrucci launches into one of his best guitar solos ever. Epic. Absolutely epic, I don't think there's any need to explain anymore why this song is regarded so highly. It's one of their epitomes of good songwriting and it works every single time. I really, really hope to get to see this song live someday.

8. Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On
There's very few Dream Theater song I've cried to for one reason or another, but this is one of them. I'm not really that much of an emotional guy, but this song can make it do and that alone is a huge feat in my book. As with Innocence Faded, this is another emotional pick, because as far as their songwriting or whatever goes, Dream Theater have done better. There's one thing every single better song lacks though and that is John Petrucci's best guitar solo within Dream Theater's work. By now, if you've read all of my writeups, you'll probably realise I'm a guitarist and John Petrucci is one of my favourites. I can sing to  pretty much all of his guitar lines and know them by heart, but this, right here, is the most heartfelt thing he's ever done. And why is that? Because it's so bloody simple as far as stuff goes for him. The solo is very straightforward, almost to the point of being cheesy, but it's executed so damn well, that I can't think of any other Dream Theater solo that comes close to taking the spot of favourite guitar solo. Songwriting based, it's not their best, but that's not everything. Some things have their charms for just appealing to you in whatever way possible. This song does for me. It is in fact even my favourite song on Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory and it is one of my favourite Dream Theater songs overall. If I die tomorrow, I'll be alright, because I believe that after we're gone the spirit carries on. It's beautiful.

[Jaffa]

Proud to have guessed all of these on my first (and fourth, but not second or third) tries.  Though it looks like I was wrong about Fatal Tragedy.  Oh well!

Anyway, cool songs.  I wouldn't rank any of them this high myself.  In the case of Octavarium, I completely understand because it is definitely an amazing song.  For the other two, I don't completely understand because neither of them even make my top 50 - but I DO understand how emotional impact can be such a huge factor, so.  And anyway, they're both very good songs. 

So, yeah, cool batch.  Looking forward ot the rest!

[54_diplomats]

Great choices (Though I haven't listened to SFAM yet *braces self*). I'd probably put Octavarium a tad bit higher, but I'm honestly happy to see Innocence Faded so high up. Personally I wouldn't put it so high up in the list, but damn that song is magnificent. JLB's vocals are top notch on that song.

[theseoafs]

Great choices.

[BlobVanDam]

Nice choices.
Octavarium is a pretty safe choice, and definite top 10 material (although not sure I rank it quite so high, but probably top 20 anyway). TSCO is my favourite individual song from SFAM, and Innocence Faded is a nice song that probably gets a bit overlooked at times due to the rest of the album.