Rooting for the Underdogs: Some of DTF's Most HATED

[chaossystem]

There are at least a few songs that the band has done over the years that I think get kind of a "bad rap." Maybe it's just a matter of personal taste, but there are some songs that get a lot of hate on here that I think are every bit as good-and sometimes even BETTER-than a lot of the very popular songs. Now I know that there are some songs that are about "50/50" such as Endless Sacrifice, and Pull Me Under might be another good example, but I'm talking about songs that seem to be almost universally hated, but I really like them.
There are other categories, of course, such as songs that I'm not CRAZY about, but still feel the need to defend them as being "not that bad."
But for now I want to start with three songs that I consider to be "top tier" but almost everybody else seems to despise. I want to see if anyone else agrees with me, or if not, why there is such intense, white-hot hatred for these particular songs.

-Just Let Me Breathe

-A Rite of Passage

-On the Backs of Angels

There will probably be more later.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

I've never heard of anyone despising, or having a "white-hot hatred" for OtBoA.

Good luck with this thread. 

[Enigmachine]

but I'm talking about songs that seem to be almost universally hated,

-On the Backs of Angels

Wait, what?

Did I miss something? It seems many people still really like that song, and while some around here consider it meh, very few if any I've seen outright hating the song. Anyway, I personally like Enigma Machine and Raw Dog which both IMO get too much hate. As for Just Let Me Breathe, I think the reason that JLMB gets disliked is because it clashes heavily with the other material on FII just like with YNM and BMS. It's a very alt-rock / grunge style done in a slightly obnoxious way, trying to have an attitude that doesn't seem to come naturally for the band (whereas songs like LitS and NM aren't that far from JLMB in style, but seem to be done in a more measured and mature manner). With ARoP, it is personally dead last for me in terms of ranking DT's songs. I still like it to a degree but the lyrics are a bit emotionally hollow, the performance seems a bit going-through-the motions (for the 'metal single' of the album, it seems to have less energy or drive than CM, BMUBMD, TEI or MoB) and the instrumental section feels a bit too obligatory. I wouldn't consider any of the three to be top 25, but OtBoA would probably be top 50. The other two however would be nearly collectively last (with ARoP being last and YNM in between it and JLMB).

[TheCountOfNYC]

My personal favorite song that everyone around here seems to hate is Never Enough. Yes it sounds like Muse, but I happen to like Muse. I also like the lyrics and think it's an interesting subject matter that most artists wouldn't have the guts to address.

[Prog Snob]

I actually enjoy On The Backs of Angels. Considering I've been listening to DT since 1992, I've actually listened to its predecessor, Pull Me Under, more than most. I prefer OTBOA.

[chaossystem]

I've never heard of anyone despising, or having a "white-hot hatred" for OtBoA.

Good luck with this thread. 

I've read a LOT of negative posts on here about it. That's what I was going by. At the very least, most people seem to consider it to be mediocre, and I think it's at least as good as BAA, if not better, but I'm going by lyrics as well as music.

[KevShmev]

I wouldn't call On the Backs of Angels mediocre; I would call it bland.  Very, very bland.

[CrimsonSunrise]

The one that always comes to mind is "You Not Me"  Frikken LOVE it! 

[MirrorMask]

The one that always comes to mind is "You Not Me"  Frikken LOVE it! 

Wouldn't say I actually "love" it but yeah, for what it is, it's a good song. Desmond Child was given the song to make it catchier, guess what? he did just that, the chorus is way better and memorable than the demo version. It's not the end of the world or the new Pull Me Under but in the vein of "let's make a short, easy and catchy song" it worked, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Wouldn't even mind to hear it live just for the novelty of it.

Funny how the label insisted to use probably the biggest hit maker of hard rock, and never released the song as a single.

[fischermasamune]

For me, Status Seeker and New Millennium. I think both are in the upper half of their albums.

[Adami]

I don't know if it's hated, but I rarely read any very positive remarks of it, usually people only like half of it, but one of my favorite DT songs is Repentance. Ending and all.

The only thing I don't like is MP's vocal effect. Just speak in your voice.

[Crow]

I've never heard of anyone despising, or having a "white-hot hatred" for OtBoA.

Good luck with this thread. 

+1

i think you meant BMUBMD, the actual worst DT song
and TAMP is more hateable than JLMB off that album
TDEN also deserves special mention

[Zook]

-Just Let Me Breathe: Used to not like it. It's one of the lesser songs on FII, but I like it now. In fact, I like all the songs on FII.

-A Rite of Passage: Aside from the solo, this song is boring.

-On the Backs of Angels: Kev said it best. It's bland, and boring as well. Plus... I'd rather listen to............ Pull Me Under.

[CDrice]

Okay here's mine. I think that Prophets of War is actually a very good song.

I doubt that someone can beat that 

[pantsofeternity]

OTBOA is kind of what I'd term "generic DT" -- there's been a few of those lately, with Enemy Inside being another good example -- but I don't have, like, an active hatred for it.  I think mostly I was just amped to hear new DT at the time it came out and it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

AROP... I like that cool intervallic move in the main riff, and I'm pretty on board through the first half of the song, but it never develops or delivers on what I'm really hoping for.

JLMB, I just don't like, but more because it's not my taste.  It's a fine song.

[Crow]

Okay here's mine. I think that Prophets of War is actually a very good song.

I doubt that someone can beat that 

i wouldn't say "very good" but "ok" at least, it's overhated regardless

[vazquez]

OTBOA is a very good song...

A song I believe is quite ignored around here - and I think is amazing - is Only a Matter of Time. I think it´s the best song from WDADU. The lyrics are fabulous, way better than any other lyric on the same album. It´s the closest song to what they would do on I&W. And the last part is amazing.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

OTBOA is great. The hype was real back in 2011, as this was the first thing we heard of DT after Portnoy's departure. It didn't disappoint.

[BlobVanDam]

I agree on OTBOA being bland. I found it very uninspired from the start, but I've never thought it was bad, and I don't think many other people do either. It was very well liked when it was released, and I think most people still enjoy it.

JLMB and AROP get a ton of hate though (or indifference at best), and I think they're great. JLMB is the song that got me into FII, and it's a cool snappy little song that should have been a single for the album. AROP gets a lot of hate mostly for the instrumental section (Bebot), but the rest is underrated. Such a great chorus.

[Prog Snob]

JLMB and AROP get a ton of hate though (or indifference at best), and I think they're great. JLMB is the song that got me into FII, and it's a cool snappy little song that should have been a single for the album. AROP gets a lot of hate mostly for the instrumental section (Bebot), but the rest is underrated. Such a great chorus.

Agreed. I love the chorus of that song. Plus, being a Freemason I love the lyrics.   

[Crow]

JLMB and AROP get a ton of hate though (or indifference at best), and I think they're great. JLMB is the song that got me into FII, and it's a cool snappy little song that should have been a single for the album. AROP gets a lot of hate mostly for the instrumental section (Bebot), but the rest is underrated. Such a great chorus.

honestly the chorus of AROP is my least favorite part of the song 
the bebot solo is just icing on the cake, the only thing I really like is the main riff but it gets beaten to death throughout the song

[krands85]

Yeah, OTBOA seems to be pretty well regarded to me. Looks like it came 3rd in the Division 2 league in 2014. Didn't fare so well last year but is still in division 2. I think it's a great track anyway - nothing groundbreaking, just DT doing what they do best really. Great riffs, great solo, cool keyboard break. Only thing I'd have changed about it is a couple of vocal melodies as they do get slightly repetitive towards the end.

AROP is pretty poor. I don't hate it or anything, but it's never an 8 and a half minute song - would have been more enjoyable if they'd shaved a couple minutes off it maybe. Great JP solo as usual though.

JLMB is rightly regarded as one of the bands worst songs I'd say. One of the few DT tracks I don't like.

There aren't really any songs that generally seem to be hated that I really love and would be in my top 25 tracks or anything. The Ministry of Lost Souls is the closest I can think of and even that seems to have quite a lot of fans. There are a few that don't get much love at all that I think aren't that bad though - Take Away my Pain and Anna Lee for example.

[namgalsipsclar]

How do people feel about Panic Attack? I rarely see it discussed at all but I think it's a really cool song. Obviously it has some popularity from being on Rock Band but it still seems almost a forgotten song

[BlobVanDam]

How do people feel about Panic Attack? I rarely see it discussed at all but I think it's a really cool song. Obviously it has some popularity from being on Rock Band but it still seems almost a forgotten song

I think that one is somewhere in the middle in terms of general opinion when it gets mentioned, but I think it's a great song.

[erwinrafael]

Panic Attack is actually well regarded here. Good song. Don's agree with current DT THe League results, though, that it is ahead of Peruvian Skies. I just love Peruvian Skies and how it really is a template for a lot of DT songs, that I think it deserves Top 20 status. One of MP's masterpieces in drum composition.

[energythief]

Oh, the opposite of the other thread, sort of! 


I absolutely love the following songs that other people seem to dislike:


New Millenium
Just Let Me Breathe
Prophets of War


I usually put them on my DT playlists. They get me pumped.

[chaossystem]

For me, Status Seeker and New Millennium. I think both are in the upper half of their albums.

New Millennium is one of my favorites too. I didn't list it because I think at least half of the people on here like it, so it doesn't qualify as being one of the songs I'm talking about.

I like all of the songs from Dream and Day, and Status Seeker is a little weak, but I'll still listen to it once in a while.

The first three songs I named were named because they are all what I consider to be "top tier," but very few, if any of the members on here seem to agree with me.

[Calvin6s]

I can't keep straight what is all caps hated, but somebody posted one that seems like a no brainer.

Prophets of War.  I'm a huge fan of vocal harmony, so I don't understand the hate for this one.  It sounds like it was influenced by Muse?  Yeah.  DT isn't a band that wears its influences on its sleeve or anything.

[Adami]

I can't keep straight what is all caps hated, but somebody posted one that seems like a no brainer.

Prophets of War.  I'm a huge fan of vocal harmony, so I don't understand the hate for this one.  It sounds like it was influenced by Muse?  Yeah.  DT isn't a band that wears its influences on its sleeve or anything.

For me, the only things I don't like about Prophets of War are the lyrics and the chorus of Jackie and other people yelling. The riff under it is cool though. The talking part also is a bit meh.

But you're totally right about the vocal harmonies. That was MP at the height of his vocal harmony ideas.

[chaossystem]

For me, Prophets of War is another song like Status Seeker: it's not one of my favorites, but I like it enough to defend it enough to say that I'll listen to it once in a while. I wouldn't even mind if they played it on the next tour, just to hear how it would come off live. Besides, for all of the people who complain that most of Systematic Chaos is "too heavy" or "too modern metal" at least this song is not. Closer to disco than metal, really.

[BlobVanDam]

I love New Millennium too. I don't know how many people like it, but it gets a lot of hate for some reason. It was one of the first songs that got me into the album, thanks to the great version on Budokan.

[Calvin6s]

I love New Millennium too. I don't know how many people like it, but it gets a lot of hate for some reason. It was one of the first songs that got me into the album, thanks to the great version on Budokan.

First, this isn't to justify why you are wrong, because that idea is lame when it comes to music appreciation.  This is about why *I* like the song, but also why it is at the bottom of my FII top songs (but not top of my bottom songs).  The majority of the feeling gives me this vibe:


I can picture the marching band leader flailing his baton (or whatever they call it) and marching to the kick-snare most of the main verse/chorus vocal sections of the song.  This feeling hit me the very first listen and I haven't been able to break it since.

[BlobVanDam]

I don't get that at all, but I enjoy the illustration.
I always got a weird vibe from TAMP that was hard to shake and stopped me enjoying it for the longest time though.

[1neeto]

There's quite a few DT songs that are meh, but the outright bad list is very short. So here's my "I wish DT never wrote this" list.

5. Space Dyed Vest
4. You Not Me
3. Honor Thy Father
2. A Rite Of Passage

And the one song I absolutely hate with a passion and not only rates as number one in this list, but it also rates quite up there overall for me...
1. Prophets Of War

[Adami]

There's quite a few DT songs that are meh, but the outright bad list is very short. So here's my "I wish DT never wrote this" list.

5. Space Dyed Vest
4. You Not Me
3. Honor Thy Father
2. A Rite Of Passage

And the one song I absolutely hate with a passion and not only rates as number one in this list, but it also rates quite up there overall for me...
1. Prophets Of War

Heh, you might want to re-read the intention of this thread.