Senecadawg's Top 50 Least Disliked DT Songs

[Another_Won]

Rudes

Not sure if this represents the guy who doesn't know/like DT that much (like with Dream Theatre), or the hardcore fan who even knows Jordan's birth name. Or just a typo. 

I think this is all part of the tongue-in-cheek thread.  Notice he also misspells LaBrie.

[Sycsa]

Rudes

Not sure if this represents the guy who doesn't know/like DT that much (like with Dream Theatre), or the hardcore fan who even knows Jordan's birth name. Or just a typo. 

I think this is all part of the tongue-in-cheek thread.  Notice he also misspells LaBrie.

I know that, but it's interesting in Jordan's case, because Rudes is his real name. So he might have accidentally broken character.

Innocence Faded is top 10 for me, I'm fine with the rest.

[senecadawg2]

...all of the above?

 

[Elite]

Innocence Faded outside the top 10 will always be a crime to me.

[WindMaster]

44. On the Backs of Angels

When this song was first broadcast over youtube, my expectations for DT11 soared from 'this is gonna be shit' to 'some of it might not be awful'.

This thread is awesome.

[chaotic_ripper]

Hailing from Dream Theatre's 3rd studio album (or as I like to think of it: Dream Theatre's 2nd studio album)

. I love this!

[Cedar redaC]

Porntoy
Labree
Portrucci
Rudes

I think he's naming members of Dream Theatre. It's basically Dream Theater from a Parallel Universe.

[Nekov]

So much wrong in that update...

[senecadawg2]

Care to elaborate?

[BlobVanDam]

I don't see anything at all wrong with this update. Every song is about where it should be.

[Prog Snob]

Porntoy
Labree
Portrucci
Rudes

I think he's naming members of Dream Theatre. It's basically Dream Theater from a Parallel Universe.

Bizarro Dream Theater

FARGUS!

[Lolzeez]

Porntoy
Labree
Portrucci
Rudes

I think he's naming members of Dream Theatre. It's basically Dream Theater from a Parallel Universe.

Don't forget Jon Mhauyung!

[Ruba]

Innocence Faded outside the top 10 will always be a crime to me.

What? It shouldn't be on anyone's list, ever.

[Nekov]

Care to elaborate?

I have a soft spot for DT's ballads. Some of those songs would be higher in my list. And opposite to what happened to you, I also wasn't expecting much from DT11 and when OTBOA came out I lost the little hope I had.

[senecadawg2]

Ah, I see. Different strokes for different folks. Just out of curiosity, how do you feel about ADTOE now? Pleasantly surprised I hope

[Nekov]

Not at all. I love BAI, BTS and BITS but the rest of the album is very much forgettable. To me it's just a bunch of instrumental wankery, uninteresting riffs and an attempt to break the speed of sound

[MoraWintersoul]

The period when the album came out up until January next year was so fucked up for me, and in terms with my relationship with DT as well, that I don't think I'll ever be able to form an opinion of that album that isn't soiled by negative bias. But even without the negative bias, I doubt it would make my top 5 Dream Theater albums. Maybe it could be the best out of the four latest ones, but that's about it.

Me is a sad puppy, since I wanted to like it but eh, we can't like everything. It doesn't spoil my feelings for DT. Even if the next one wasn't much better DT would still be my favorite band since they're much more than their current run of studio albums to me, and even their worst albums are at worst unexciting/average - SC could be the only one that hovers close to "bad".

[Infinite Cactus]

Porntoy
Labree
Portrucci
Rudes

I think he's naming members of Dream Theatre. It's basically Dream Theater from a Parallel Universe.

Bizarro Dream Theater

FARGUS!

Feldman. From across the hall!

[Shadow2222]

Haha, great idea for a thread. I immediately understood the joke (but I am familiar with senecadawg as I've been here a couple years).

[wasteland]

I think it's been established by this last batch that you approximately 4/5thly hate their ballads. Still, the only song I would rank higher is TSM. Do I hate ballads too? 

[darkshade]

[senecadawg2]

I think it's been established by this last batch that you approximately 4/5thly hate their ballads. Still, the only song I would rank higher is TSM. Do I hate ballads too? 

Don't worry, I haven't eliminated all the ballads!

Speaking of which, let's get another update in here!



40. Beneath the Surface:

10 down 40 to go! Here we have a decent closer to Dream Theatre's least disliked CD since SFAM. As far as Dream Theatre's acoustic guitar-driven ballads go, this one is pretty much middle of the pack. Like the last couple picks, this song is good, but not great.

Con: It serves its purpose (closing off the album in a manner decent enough that I am not left with a bad taste in my mouth), but thats it. However, even in succeeding, that purpose doesn't deserve a spot higher than 40. Ultimately, this track is pretty forgettable (a quality much preferable to the awful tracks I cannot seem to get out of my head: You Not Me).

DoD: 80


39. Wait for Sleep

Here we have the 5th ballad in a row, this one being the shortest. Piano driven, this track really shows off Kevin More, and his ability to craft a simple melody so tastefully. Obviously not impressive as the wankery Rudes cannot help exhibiting, this one carries much more emotional weight. It's also impossible for me to ignore the connection to Learning to Live, which undoubtedly sways its placement up to number 39 on my list of least disliked tracks.

Con: I'm getting really sick of coming up with cons for these ballads, because they're practically all the same. Being relatively short and uneventful, they leave much to be desired, and offer little memorable material.

DoD: 75


38. The Best of Times

Getting away from the string of ballads (sort of), I give you one of Dream Theatre's more recent attempts. Maybe it doesn't deserve this spot, but I couldn't help putting it in to break from the awful string of ballads. First of all, I have very mixed feelings about Mike Porntoy's attempt at heartfelt, based on the death of his father. I like some things about this song, and despise the rest.

Con: I know it's hardly my place to tell Porntoy how to write lyrics about this particular subject matter, but I can't help feeling that he could have done a better job. Also, inexcusably longer than 13 minutes, there is a pretty significant drop in quality after the intro and before the solo. Breaking from the mold just a bit though, I cannot help mentioning the guitar solo, so unjustly underappreciated. It's definitely this is one of Portrucci's best. To give you an idea of how much I love the it, consider where this song would appear on my list this without it. That's right, it wouldn't. Long story short, I have made love to this solo many times. But don't let that sway you in your opinion of me, because this song is still nothing more than mediocre.

DoD: 84


37. 6:00

There's no getting around it... this song is fun. Just as Beneath the Surface was a decent closer for ADTOE, 6:00 is a decent opener for Awake. But as far as albums go, I prefer Awake, and I definitely prefer 6:00 as well.

Cons: What's with the samples?

DoD: 70


36. The Great Debate

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is overrated, and along with The Glass Prison this song is among Dream Theatre's most overrated songs of all time. It takes too long to get going, and too long to end...

Cons: As I just alluded to for 6:00, I don't particularly like samples thrown into my music. In this case, the use of samples is more understandable, but that doesn't mean they need to go on for what feels like 8 minutes. Also, despite length (which I've been told doesn't matter), not much is happening here. As someone else started a thread to suggest (Kev if I remember correctly), this song is a tease, and not a particularly fun one.

DoD: 75

[Nekov]

That's a nice batch. All songs I like except for WFS, nto a bad song but doesn't really do it for me

[BlobVanDam]

Very average batch for me. I dislike BTS and TBOT, 6:00 is decent aside from the samples ruining it, and WFS and TGD are decent.

[Sycsa]

6:00 is decent aside from the samples ruining it

Can't believe two people said that already. Well, you won't find a third one.  I remember hearing a cover version of 6:00 and without the samples, it just didn't work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRegdeSiTMY

Edit: this one got half the samples and the beginning still doesn't have enough kick because of it. It's great though, as the rest of their covers. Oh, and someone is taking the Beartucci diet seriously: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHDAn1v_6SE

[BlobVanDam]

6:00 is decent aside from the samples ruining it

Can't believe two people said that already. Well, you won't find a third one. 

Sure you will. They're annoying as hell.

[Dacling]

6:00 is decent aside from the samples ruining it

Can't believe two people said that already. Well, you won't find a third one.  I remember hearing a cover version of 6:00 and without the samples, it just didn't work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRegdeSiTMY

Edit: this one got half the samples and the beginning still doesn't have enough kick because of it. It's great though, as the rest of their covers. Oh, and someone is taking the Beartucci diet seriously: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHDAn1v_6SE

The demo version doesn't have the samples either. I prefer it with the samples though as well.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

6:00 is decent aside from the samples ruining it

Can't believe two people said that already. Well, you won't find a third one. 

Sure you will. They're annoying as hell.

I can confirm and third this.

[wasteland]

I absolutely and thoroughly love the samples in 6:00! They enhance the greatness of the song, instead of diminishing it! I knew I was going to disagree with blobl on this one 

[Scorpion]

The first three tracks of Awake are the weakest. Had they been cut, it would have been my favourite DT album. The rest of the album is just fucking perfect.

Though I doubt my opinion of 6:00 would improve if it were recorded without the samples, tbh. It's just not really that interesting.

[Dacling]

The first three tracks of Awake are the weakest. Had they been cut, it would have been my favourite DT album. The rest of the album is just fucking perfect.

Though I doubt my opinion of 6:00 would improve if it were recorded without the samples, tbh. It's just not really that interesting.

I think the only weak spot on Awake is SDV. It's good but not great unlike the rest of the album and is a weak ending for the album.

[MoraWintersoul]

The samples on 6:00 make the song, period. I love them. They drive the beginning.

[wasteland]

The samples on 6:00 make the song, period. I love them. They drive the beginning.

I know! In Milan there were at least one thousand people screaming "I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE HONOR OF GOD MARY JANE!!!!". It was one of the funniest moments of the night for me! 

[WindMaster]

The drum fill at the beginning of 6:00 is so awesome.

[senecadawg2]

Before you guys get too engrossed in Awake, and the effect of sampling, I'm going to drop another 5 on ya.



35. Lost Not Forgotten

Here we are, in my fourth update. And to kick it off, we have the fourth appearance from A Dramatic Turn of Events. Technically impressive, this song is certainly one of the most bearable from its album. Of course I also have issues with it, among them being just how forgettable it ultimately will be (perhaps only comparable to the persian empire). Yet, being from the most recent album, the newness factor probably gives it a slight nudge up to this spot.

Cons: The lyrics are more cringe worthy than Dream Theatre's usual efforts, and that's saying something. I can help asking, just how far has Portrucci fallen as a lyricist? The answer, of course, is from an already low point (I direct you to the classic 'Sex is death, death is sex'). Also problematic in this song is that it doesn't feel particularly different from what Dream Theatre has done before. Sure it sounds newer, but it doesn't feel any newer.

DoD: 75


34. Only a Matter of Time

Perhaps a bit controversial to put this above The Great Debate and others, but that's just because I know better. To be honest, I've never really understood all the hate for WDADU, considering that it has a couple decent tracks. In case you haven't figured it out yet, this is one of them. I've also never understood the hate for Charles Dominatei. I've always considered him to be the true voice of Dream Theatre, and his vocal range consistently puts the whiny James LaBree to shame.

Cons: While Lost Not Forgotten sounds really new, this sounds the opposite. From their first attempt in the musicmaking business, WDADU's sound reminds me of a band from the early Norwegian black metal scene, purposefully using shit recording equipment as some sort of protest.

DoD: 74


33. A Fortune In Lies

How convenient, another track from Dream Theatre's first 'album'. This one is certainly better, but not by much. The main thing separating the latter is the awe-inspiring lyrics. You can keep a giant alive? Fantastic, I'll do just that! Portrucci plays the guitar better on this track, Porntoy sounds about the same, and Dominatei shines once again.

Cons: Being from WDADU, the production sucks. But you already knew that. So what else bothers me about this song? That's right, it's the voice samples at 3:20. Not only do I not understand them, but they are downright distracting. Also, as this may be my last chance to mention it, I've got to give a special shout out of disapproval to the cover art on this 'album'.

DoD: 73


32. Lifting Shadows Off a Dream

You know when Mung steps to the plate that he's going to, most likely, bunt it. In this particular case, he bunts it with astounding force, nearly reaching the pitcher's mound. If these baseball analogies are lost on you, then the fortune is yours. In all seriousness, this song is about 6 minutes long, but it feels like 3 minutes... and that's a good thing, because Mung can cram a whole lot of substance into 3 minutes (despite my girlfriend's claim that 3 minutes isn't long enough).

Cons: This is one of the few times you aren't going to see me complain about the lyrics. While I'm not sure I understand them, I wouldn't dare to question Mung. I'm also not going to complain about LaBree, because he doesn't sound bad. That leaves me little to complain about, so I'm limited to the undeniable truth that this song starts somewhere, and ends in practically the same spot. I like a good adventure, and as lovely as these 3 minutes can be, they don't take me anywhere.

DoD: 69


31. Scene Four: Beyond This Life

Speaking of adventures, here's a decent one. Definitely an integral part of the developing romantic comedy starring Nicholas, Edward, Victoria, and other minor characters (what an entertaining love triangle they make!) is this mini-epic song. Without getting caught up in the intricacies of the story, the listener can (with a surprising amount of ease) stretch back and transport himself or herself to a land of wanktacular music.

Cons: The instrumental bit 8 minutes into the song is somewhat groovy, and certainly impressive, but I can't help feeling that its a bit excessive. Of course, being Dream Theatre fans, you fellas probably eat this wankery up. Finally, being an integral chapter in this tale of star crossed (as well as time crossed) lovers, it can be somewhat challenging to remove this song and watch it attempt to stand on its own. Like every other track on my least disliked album, the surrounding songs bolster each other, and struggle to impress alone.

DoD: 70