I think DT12 is better than Images & Words

[Darkstarshades]

Yes, you read me, and indeed I think so.
I will list a few reasons why I think it's better, this is strictly personal and you can feel free to say whathever you want, you please and make your own comparisons.

But here we go...
DT12 has an awesome intro, I&W, doesn't.
Don't like very much Pull me Under. Yeah, the guitar riffs are cool and the prechorus is pretty nice as well, but the chorus kills it, it completely ruins the song and... Well... It just goes on and on until it finishes. The enemy inside is a much better song overall, I think it's more consistent and firm, has much better lyrics and is more emotive as well.
Another Day, along with Pull me Under, are the weakest songs on the album for me. I'm not very fond of the Looking Glass either, but man, TLG is more emotive than AD and would listen to TLG before AD anytime. AD isn't a very creative song.
I've got to recognize Take the Time is so much better than Enigma Machine, which isn't a really impressive instrumental.

Now... I'm not going to compare song by song because I don't think that's a real fair album war. Just these because they are the intros.
After listening to both, I feel like I want to continue listening to Dream Theater much more than I&W, why?
Because DT12 is way more consistent and feels like a much more focused effort.
That's it. I feel like there are much more memorable sections in DT12 than in I&W. And while I&W has Masterpieces such as Metropolis, Surrounded and Take the Time. I cannot say I really hear any other song in the album, maybe Wait for Sleep but on very rare situations.

[KevShmev]

I like Dream Theater more than most, it seems, but just, no.  The best four or five songs on I&W are better than every song on DT12.

[wolfking]

Congratulations to you, but I couldn't disagree more.  I love DT12 also, but it just doesn't even come close to I&W, not even remotely close.

[Zook]

Time for a CAT scan.

[zecawolf]

I totally agree.

[bl5150]

I totally agree.

About the CAT scan? 

[Cable]

Wow, PMU not a cool intro? The subtle whammy bar on the clean notes, the bass harmonics in the 07 version? The lead bass line, and lead into the sweet heavy riff?

I will agree that the chorus is a push between TEI and PMU IMO. But the playing otherwise of PMU is just so great, and a great moderate diving into prog sensibilities.

I&W, and PMU especially being overplayed vs. DT12 is a different discussion.

[zecawolf]

LOL, No....I was talking about DT12 and IAW......

[zecawolf]

..but I'll grant that IAW is the BEST album from pre-Rudess era....

[bl5150]

 

LOL, No....I was talking about DT12 and IAW......

Just kidding.    I think that over time DT 12 could be my No 2 ( and I don't rate albums like Octavarium , SFAM and Train of Thought near as high as most on DTF) , so I can back up the love for DT 12 no probs.   But to me I&W is as close as you get to perfection , so I can't agree with that side of things.

[wolfking]

..but I'll grant that IAW is the BEST album from pre-Rudess era....

That's not saying much and doesn't make your controversial decision any easier to swallow. 

[zecawolf]

Agree again that it is not saying much, because I have already stated that I do not like early DT stuff.....

[wolfking]

Agree again that it is not saying much, because I have already stated that I do not like early DT stuff.....

I didn't know I was suppose to know that, apologies.

[zecawolf]

I'm thinking if my phrasing seeemed a little rude, I 'm from Brazil, I think I have a reasonable grasp at english, but perhaps I say things in a strange way sometimes, anyway, I did not mean to be arrogant or nothing like that.

[wolfking]

I'm thinking if my phrasing seeemed a little rude, I 'm from Brazil, I think I have a reasonable grasp at english, but perhaps I say things in a strange way sometimes, anyway, I did not mean to be arrogant or nothing like that.

That's cool bro haha.

Even though I disagree with the topic, I will add that DT12 is my fav since 8VM, fabulous record.

[erwinrafael]

For me, the Dream Theater album is just second behind Awake. Awake edges Dream Theater for having more heart. The Dream Theater album, for me, is the most cerebral and purposive of the DT albums. The composition is very rational, which appeals to my sensibilities, but the rationality makes the album sound too calculating at times.

Images and Words is ok, but I really believe that DT has evolved (and improved) over time. Right now, I&W is seventh in my rankings, behind Awake, DT, SDOIT, SFAM, ADTOE, and ToT. I used to rank it higher but I rarely listen to it anymore as my tastes changed with age. I see it as very much a product of its time. Still love Metropolis Pt.1 and Surrounded, which are the songs that aged well for me.

[KevShmev]

..but I'll grant that IAW is the BEST album from pre-Rudess era....

The pre-Rudess era is their best era. 

[zecawolf]

I cannot understand who does not agree with that!

[zecawolf]

..but I'll grant that IAW is the BEST album from pre-Rudess era....

The pre-Rudess era is their best era. 

I cannot understand who does not agree with that!

[erwinrafael]

..but I'll grant that IAW is the BEST album from pre-Rudess era....

The pre-Rudess era is their best era. 

Which is why Awake is the best album.

[zecawolf]

OOOPs. I read that wrong. I guess I am a little sleepy, Its midnight here. I think RUDESS ERA is the best era.
Maybe Freud would have some thing to say about my mistake.....

[KevShmev]

I&W and Awake are their best two albums, therefore that is the best era.

[zecawolf]

Well, in my opinion, Awake is the second worst....don't hate me please!

[KevShmev]

I would never hate someone over an opinion like that, no matter how misguided it is.

[zecawolf]

My story with DT is this: I am a "traditional" rocker, I like Deep Purple, Sabbath, this kind of band. When DT came to the scene, me and my friends did not like that at all. They kept releasing records and we continue not to like that. Eventually, a lot of those guys simply QUIT giving them a chance, and to this day they still say DT sucks, without even having heard some of the later work. I am SO GLAD I continued listening without prejudice, because I really like very much everything since SFAM. But I still do not like the first albums.....

[jammindude]

Couldn't this have just been posted in the controversial opinions on DT thread?

[zecawolf]

yes, as a matter of fact, I did. But it seemed to fit the subject....

[wolfking]

yes, as a matter of fact, I did. But it seemed to fit the subject....

He means the thread subject mate, not your post.

[zecawolf]

yes, as a matter of fact, I did. But it seemed to fit the subject....

He means the thread subject mate, not your post.

Oh, I would never realize that. To me, not controversial at all. LOL.

[jammindude]

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=35056.0

[erwinrafael]

Couldn't this have just been posted in the controversial opinions on DT thread?

If it could generate many posts, why not? Aren't we saying that we wish there would be more activity in this board, so that it would go back to the old days?

[wolfking]

yes, as a matter of fact, I did. But it seemed to fit the subject....

He means the thread subject mate, not your post.

Oh, I would never realize that. To me, not controversial at all. LOL.

It's actually very controversial IMO.

[wolfking]

Couldn't this have just been posted in the controversial opinions on DT thread?

If it could generate many posts, why not? Aren't we saying that we wish there would be more activity in this board, so that it would go back to the old days?

At the same time though, the board shouldn't be clogged up with endless amounts of threads that could be discussed collectively in one thread.  Threads would go missing to easy too.

[425]

I like Dream Theater more than most, it seems, but just, no.  The best four or five songs on I&W are better than every song on DT12.

This. Dream Theater is definitely in my top 5 DT albums, but it does not come close to touching IAW.

Honestly, in my opinion, nothing does. From my perspective it's rather strange that some people say that any DT album is better than IAW. To me, IAW is on a level all of its own in this band's discography. While my ranking might change sometimes on what, say, my #3 DT album is, my #1 has never changed and probably never will.

[zecawolf]

yes, as a matter of fact, I did. But it seemed to fit the subject....

He means the thread subject mate, not your post.

Oh, I would never realize that. To me, not controversial at all. LOL.

It's actually very controversial IMO.

I know, just kidding. Over here, and I guess in the rest of the world too,  it's almost unanimous among DT fans that early material is better. I fail to see why. BC&SL e SC rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!