Your favorite DT album

[wasteland]

Awake is their best work. The only album that every member of DT is at their peak at what they are doing.

To the two of you, who do you think improved his game from Images?

[?]

Awake is their best work. The only album that every member of DT is at their peak at what they are doing.

To the two of you, who do you think improved his game from Images?

I'm not SeRoX or Milena, but I'd say James, Kevin, JM, MP and JP

[Perpetual Change]

I have a hard time agreeing with the idea that JLB or KM are better on Awake than Images.

[SeRoX]

Awake is their best work. The only album that every member of DT is at their peak at what they are doing.

To the two of you, who do you think improved his game from Images?

Everyone. But especially James is at his best on Awake. I also like Mike's creativeness on drum, John's complex passages and Kevin's dark theme through the songs. Myung, on the other hand, is the most recognizable on Awake among other DT albums.

[?]

I have a hard time agreeing with the idea that JLB or KM are better on Awake than Images.

As much as I love James' vocals on Images, his singing is MUCH more varied on Awake. Kevin's sounds are also better on Awake and he started to find his own style as a lyricist.

[MoraWintersoul]

I agree with SeRox and ?. However, although Awake sounds vastly different, the difference in quality is pretty subtle.

[Perpetual Change]

I just don't agree. James sings on Awake with the gritty voice he used on the Images tour, which honestly I'm not a big fan of. Kev's patches sound better, but he doesn't play as tastefully, and his lyrics are more hit or miss-- mostly good but I've never liked "Lie" at all.

I voted Awake, btw. I just don't agree with the statement about performances.

[wasteland]

Same here, Awake is my #2

[webpoet73]

  SFAM. 

[Dream Team]

I just don't agree. James sings on Awake with the gritty voice he used on the Images tour, which honestly I'm not a big fan of. Kev's patches sound better, but he doesn't play as tastefully, and his lyrics are more hit or miss-- mostly good but I've never liked "Lie" at all.

Nicely said. And Mr. Portnoy doesn't have anything on Awake that approaches his playing on TTT, Metropolis, or LTL.

[King Postwhore]

I have a hard time agreeing with the idea that JLB or KM are better on Awake than Images.

As much as I love James' vocals on Images, his singing is MUCH more varied on Awake. Kevin's sounds are also better on Awake and he started to find his own style as a lyricist.

I'm with PC.  This is the album that MP wanted James to sing, the way he envisioned.  Listen to ADTOE.  James sounds fantastic on that album and he had total control.

[7thHanyou]

Images and Words is by far my favorite.  It's the only album they've made that I'd consider completely flawless.  The music has an air of mystery about it, an intangible quality that I can't quantify.  I also love the lyrics, which is more than I can say for most DT albums, where the lyrics can actually hinder my appreciation of some songs.

I'm not even sure I could pick a favorite song on that album.

Scenes from a Memory and Awake switch places as #2, but Scenes usually maintains that spot.  It was my first Dream Theater album, so there's an element of nostalgia there.  Every once in a while, I think FII might be up there with Awake, but then I hear You Not Me.

I'm surprised I&W isn't getting more votes.

[jammindude]

Octavarium

Every song is just amazing.... To me it is their most well rounded, well written, most diverse and beautiful piece of work. 

Perfect climax to the 4 album cycle...

[Pols Voice]

Awake.

[BlobVanDam]

The current results for top 3 give me some faint hope for the future of DTF.

[TheGreatPretender]

The current results for top 3 give me some faint hope for the future of DTF.

You were expecting something else?

[BlobVanDam]

The current results for top 3 give me some faint hope for the future of DTF.

You were expecting something else?

The top 4 doesn't surprise me in the slightest, however I do find the current order a bit pleasantly surprising.

[TheGreatPretender]

I'm actually a bit surprised that SDOIT has more votes than I&W.

[OsMosis2259]

Right now it's Octavarium

[?]

I just don't agree. James sings on Awake with the gritty voice he used on the Images tour, which honestly I'm not a big fan of. Kev's patches sound better, but he doesn't play as tastefully, and his lyrics are more hit or miss-- mostly good but I've never liked "Lie" at all.

I might agree with you if James used the grittier voice in every single song, but there are 4 (5 if you count Erotomania) without the more metal vocals. On Awake he basically did the same things he did on I&W, plus the raspy vocals, so the result is more diverse. The vocals on SDV are also quite diferent from anything he sang on I&W.

Kev's playing is less tasteful? He played less solos on Awake and I'd say his piano work in Voices and SDV is extremely tasteful. He also man to create lots of atmosphere with his playing in songs like Innocence Faded, LSOAD and Scarred. The lyrics... Like it or not, Lie was an important step in Kevin's evolution as a lyricist. Of course not a lot of people here have listened to Chroma Key or OSI, but if you do, then you'll realize that he learned a lot on Awake.

Mr. Portnoy doesn't have anything on Awake that approaches his playing on TTT, Metropolis, or LTL.

6:00 and Scarred would like to have a word with you

I'm with PC.  This is the album that MP wanted James to sing, the way he envisioned.  Listen to ADTOE.  James sounds fantastic on that album and he had total control.

I'm 100% sure it was James who wanted himself to sing the way he did on Awake: he had used the gritty voice a lot live and I bet he wanted to show that he's a diverse singer on albums as well.

[DebraKadabra]

Can't reveal it just yet - I've already spoilered one album from my top 50 list.

[Lolzeez]

SFAM. It'll take something special to ever beat it.

Yep

Yes.

[Silver Tears]

Tough but Images and Words. Six Degrees is close though. And Scenes next maybe.

[Zydar]

Tough but Images and Words. Six Degrees is close though. And Scenes next maybe.

[Silver Tears]

We have great opinions don't we Zydar    I believe Learning to Live is top song for you too?

[The King in Crimson]

I have a hard time agreeing with the idea that JLB or KM are better on Awake than Images.

As much as I love Awake, it's not because of James.

He's much, MUCH better on Images for me.

Still voted Awake though.

[Zydar]

We have great opinions don't we Zydar    I believe Learning to Live is top song for you too?

Yup it is

[jammindude]

Updated rankings!!!

1. Octavarium
2. Scenes From a Memory
3. Images and Words
4. Awake
5. A Dramatic Turn of Events
6. Train of Thought
7. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

8. Falling Into Infinity
9. Black Clouds and Silver Linings
10. When Dream And Day Unite













11. Systematic Chaos

[Dublagent66]

SDOIT

[Silver Tears]

We have great opinions don't we Zydar    I believe Learning to Live is top song for you too?

Yup it is

[Scorpion]

Rankings? Alright.

1. Six Degrees
2. Awake
3. Images and Words
4. Falling Into Infinity
5. A Dramatic Turn of Events
6. Scenes from a Memory
7. Train of Thought
8. When Dream and Day Unite
9. Black Clouds and Silver Linings
10. Systematic Chaos
11. Octavarium

[Zydar]

Trial of tiers:

1. Images And Words
2. Scenes From A Memory
3. Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence

4. A Dramatic Turn Of Events
5. Falling Into Infinity
6. Awake
7. Octavarium

8. Train Of Thought
9. Black Clouds And Silver Linings
10. Systematic Chaos
11. When Dream And Day Unite

[Tomislav95]

1. Awake
2. Images and Words
3. Metropolis part 2: Scenes from a Memory
4. Six Deegres of Inner Turbulence
5. A Dramatic Turn of Events
6. Train of Thought
7. Falling into Infinity
8. Octavarium
9. Systematic Chaos
10. Black Clouds & Silver Linings
11. When Dream and Day Unite

[?]

Probably something like this...

1. Awake
2. Images
3. Events
4. Scenes
5. WD&DU
6. Degrees
7. Train
8. Falling
9. Clouds
10. Octa
11. Chaos

[SeRoX]

1- Awake
2- Images & Words
3- Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
4- Scenes From A Memory
5- When Dream & Day Unite
6- Falling Into Infinity
7- A Dramatic Turns Of Events
8- Octavarium
9- Train Of Thought
10- Systematic Chaos
11- Black Clouds & Silver Linings