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

[RuRoRul]

Great choice in BAI (also the last two, In The Name Of God deserves to be in the top 10). Finally Free wouldn't be nearly so high though. Breaking All Illusions is one of the best DT songs ever though.

[Ben_Jamin]

I have a suggestion, Can you put the page numbers everyone started on in the OP? Just in case someone wante to read the other lists to make it more simpler to navigate.

[54_diplomats]

I haven't listened to Finally Free yet so I can't comment on that. Breaking all Illusions is a good song, but overrated imo. I'd put it much lower in my list.

[BlobVanDam]

Not particularly fond of either one. I feel like the "proggy" songs like this really lack something, and neither one would be top 50 for me (geez, I say that a lot, don't I? )

[wasteland]

Not particularly fond of either one. I feel like the "proggy" songs like this really lack something, and neither one would be top 50 for me (geez, I say that a lot, don't I? )

I think it's becoming your treadmark phrase you should export it in your everyday's life, like when buying apples "we have red apples and green apples sir, which do you want?' "i'm sorry, neither one would be top 50 for me..." 

[BlobVanDam]

Not particularly fond of either one. I feel like the "proggy" songs like this really lack something, and neither one would be top 50 for me (geez, I say that a lot, don't I? )

I think it's becoming your treadmark phrase you should export it in your everyday's life, like when buying apples "we have red apples and green apples sir, which do you want?' "i'm sorry, neither one would be top 50 for me..." 

This post would not make my top 50.



Am I doing it right?

[Nekov]

Those are both very very good songs. BAI was one of the few songs from ADTOE that hit me immediately and it's high place is well deserved.
Finally free is a very under rated song and I find it very nice to see it so high in a list though it wouldn't be that high in mine.

[Elite]

I have a suggestion, Can you put the page numbers everyone started on in the OP? Just in case someone wante to read the other lists to make it more simpler to navigate.

Mine started on page 28 and ended on page 36. You're welcome.

[BlackInk]

04 - The Glass Prison (Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence)

The best of the 12 Step Suite. The song that started what remained nearly flawless until the very end. The intro is classic and that awesome 7/8 riff with the arpeggios are awesome. It introduces many of the classic themes we would hear later in the Saga for the first time. And I like originality, so it naturally ends up being the best... I'm not saying I don't like continuity, writing progressive music like that is cool as hell.

And of course, my favorite moment of this song, and one of my favorite Dream Theater parts ever. 5:54, with the heaviest and dirtiest riff in the DT catalogue. I don't care what the Making of Systematic Chaos DVD says about the ending riff of The Dark Eternal Night, this is it.

And as usual I am rather fond of instrumental sections, and this song has got a kick-ass one of those.
______________________________________________________________

03 - In the Presence of Enemies (Systematic Chaos)

Time for my most emotional write up so far. So read this with some sobby music in the background.

Probably the biggest surprise on my list. I probably asked if any of you had any guesses for the top only to see if anyone would guess this song. Nobody did of course, which doesn't surprise me since In the Presence of Enemies doesn't get nearly as much appreciation as it deserves in my opinion.

The very high placement of this song didn't surprise me either, mainly because this was the very first Dream Theater song I heard. Ever. And what an introduction to one of my favorite bands... An all out instrumental genius fest lasting for well over five minutes if I remember correctly. The first part of this epic pretty much shaped my view of how progressive metal should sound.

Imagine listening through this song and it's the first you ever hear of an odd time signature. The first you ever hear of a song structured not in the simple way all other music has. The first time hearing the musicality of progressive music. Looking back at the first time listening to this and what it felt like, it was like being freed. Or like opening your other eye after spending your whole early life only having one opened, and suddenly you have perspective and can see another dimension. There are literally tears running down my cheek as I write this and playing the song in the background.

Even though there are two songs above this on my list for the reason of being a bit better, In the Presence of Enemies will probably always be song I love the most in one way. The song that opened my eyes.

[SeRoX]

Well, TGP is a valid choice for top 10 but it wouldn't make it there for me but good place nonetheless. ITPOE is quite surprise for me, it's damn high. Interesting batch but good to see lists like this.

[54_diplomats]

2 excellent songs. The Glass Prison was one of the first songs I listened to by DT and it's still mind-blowing today. In the Presence of Enemies is also fantastic, especially the first half. I do agree that it doesn't get enough praise.

[RuRoRul]

Great choices, they would be in my top 10 (probably) as well. Before I joined this forum I would have thought ITPOE would be a standard sight on people's top 10 DT songs - it's weird for me that it's a surprise to appear on someone's list.

[Rattlehead]

Nice write ups, especially on ITPoE. It's cool to see that you have such an emotional connection to the song, it's really a brilliant song.

[wasteland]

What you wrote for ItPoE is beautiful, really. Even if the song doesn't even make it to my top 50. 

Go on, I'm looking forward your finale!

[Nekov]

ITPOE is odd that high but a good song nonetheless. The Glass Prison is absolutely awesome

[Ħ]

TGP is awesome and deserves that high spot. Nice job.

[Rob]

ITPOE is odd that high but a good song nonetheless. The Glass Prison is absolutely awesome

What the hell is odd about this song being ranked that high? It's one of DT's longest epics and it is musically stunning. There's no reason it is not a candidate for a high ranking. Oh, well, except the reason "Systematic Chaos sux, lololo! Kevin Moore! Bacon!" which isn't really a reason in my opinion.

Love the ol' Pumpkin King as well as TGP. Oh lord, I remember having my first listen to SDOIT. TGP just blew me away. What an incredible, incredible opener.

[BlobVanDam]

TGP is tied as my #1, so that's an awesome choice. ITPOE probably wouldn't make my top 20, but it is definitely a hugely underrated song.

[Ruba]

ITPOE is my favourite DT song, nice to see some love for it.

[Onno]

Great choices, I totally understand the things you said about ITPOE. Although it wasn't the first DT song I heard (that was A Nightmare To Remember, which therefore has a special place with me too), it was one of the first DT songs I heard and I was blown away by it. Everytime I put on that song, I can still remember how epic it felt when I heard it for the first time.

[mike099]

I just heard Glass Prison the other day and love the music and lyrics. SC was the second cd I heard.  I love the music on most of the cd, but the lyrics make it sound like they are into the dark lord.  Heavy songs do not always have to be dark. 

[wasteland]

No matter how many time I will listen to it, forcefully or not. I don't think I will ever like Glass Prison. There are some good bits, but it just doesn't pluck the right strings for me... 

[Scorpion]

TGP is overrated and ITPOE is quite underrated, I think. Still, I enjoy both songs quite a lot.

[Elite]

TGP is way too high and I really like you having ITPOE so high in your list. It's a top 15 piece now, but it started out in the top 5 as well.

[senecadawg2]

I don't much care for either of those songs.

[DebraKadabra]

Wow, different strokes for different folks but TGP in the same sentence as "overrated" just does not compute.

[BlobVanDam]

No matter how many time I will listen to it, forcefully or not. I don't think I will ever like Glass Prison. There are some good bits, but it just doesn't pluck the right strings for me... 

Oh that's it. I'm definitely confiscating my signature after that fail!  

[Octavaripolis]

I'm totally psyched for your top 2, BlackInk. It sure has been an interesting list to follow. Not too controversial, nor too normal.

[wasteland]

No matter how many time I will listen to it, forcefully or not. I don't think I will ever like Glass Prison. There are some good bits, but it just doesn't pluck the right strings for me... 

Oh that's it. I'm definitely confiscating my signature after that fail!  

You don't have the (energy) powah! 

[BlobVanDam]

No matter how many time I will listen to it, forcefully or not. I don't think I will ever like Glass Prison. There are some good bits, but it just doesn't pluck the right strings for me... 

Oh that's it. I'm definitely confiscating my signature after that fail!  

You don't have the (energy) powah! 

Watch your signature. I am Santa Claus. You are the girl. The star is a copy of SDOIT which I will lodge in your spine so the awesomeness of TGP will flow directly into your bloodstream and reach your brain.

You're welcome.

[wasteland]

Impossible, I would never ever put SDOIT on the summit of my Christmas tree. Maybe ADTOE... 

[BlobVanDam]

Impossible, I would never ever put SDOIT on the summit of my Christmas tree. Maybe ADTOE... 

True. Why waste a good DT album on the top of the tree where it can't be listened to?

[wasteland]

Impossible, I would never ever put SDOIT on the summit of my Christmas tree. Maybe ADTOE... 

True. Why waste a good DT album on the top of the tree where it can't be listened to?

I yield. 

[BlackInk]

02 - A Change of Seasons (A Change of Seasons)

The biggest surprise and height of excitement of my list is behind us and what remains is two damn awesome songs, but not very surprising choices.

This song used to be my number one, but ended up here after my most recent evaluation of it. But that does not in any way mean that it is nothing short of amazing. It's so good in fact that the, to me, infamous 'sound of old' does it no harm. Also among the first Dream Theater songs I heard. The lyrical themes are amazing, they even were that before I knew what the hell he was singing about. I mean it's pretty clear at times what the "moral" of this epic is, I'm more referring to the whole Portnoy's mother thing. Mike Portnoy at his absolute best. Everyone really brings their best into this song but I feel like I'll have to give Portnoy the most credit for the awesomeness of this song. I probably think 9:28 to 10:09 is my favorite moment of this song. That shit is epic. Emotional and epic. "She turned for one last look, I said 'I love you... Goodbye'", that parts always has me tearing up a bit.

In conclusion, Portnoy kicks (eats) ass (and balls), Petrucci kicks ass, Myung kicks ass, LaBrie kicks ass. I'm sure who to credit for keyboard. I guess Kevin Moore is the one who actually wrote the parts so I suppose he is to be receiving this accomplishment of kick-assery.

[SeRoX]

Not surprising but it worths its place.