This or That - DT edition

[gzarruk]

Recently inspired by the Petrucci and Portnoy interviews by Ollie Winiberg at The Heavy Hooks Show (https://www.youtube.com/@TheHeavyHooksShow), I wanted to start a thread with the classic "this or that" game but with all things DT.

The idea is to take two songs, albums, side projects, you name it -all DT related- that in my mind have something in common and have you guys vote for the one you prefer and tell us why. Hopefully it ends up being as fun as it sounded in my head

So, for round one we have two songs that have a very similar ending section: The Dark Eternal Night vs S2N

[wolfking]

I always loved that TDEN inspired breakdown at the end of S2N.  Cool stuff.

I'd probably take TDEN though.......maybe.

[Deadeye21]

Are we comparing the whole song or just the breakdown? Either way, I'll take Dark Eternal here, even thiugh I do love S2N

[Cool Chris]

Cool idea, will participate. But man these are two low tier songs for me, I can't think much good to say about either.

[Madman Shepherd]

S2N

[Stadler]

TDEN

[hefdaddy42]

I like both, but I will go with TDEN.

[gzarruk]

Are we comparing the whole song or just the breakdown? Either way, I'll take Dark Eternal here, even thiugh I do love S2N

If we were talking about that breakdown alone, I'd definitely take S2N. I like Jordan's solo there much more than what he did with the Continuum on the other, but I was talking about the whole song really. I just picked those two first because they share a very similar outro section.

Overall, I guess S2N works better as a fun, concise song but TDEN was one of the first DT songs I ever listened to and it instantly blew my mind. It was by far the heaviest and most complex thing I'd ever listened to at the time It seems to be winning too!

Cool idea, will participate. But man these are two low tier songs for me, I can't think much good to say about either.

don't worry, there's plenty more to come!

[mariner]

S2N.  TDEN has always been a "meh" song for me.

[bosk1]

I like both a lot.  But one has Owen Wilson and one does not.  So S2N.

[Mladen]

The outro to The Dark eternal night really grooves, while the outro to S2N tries to groove but doesn't quite manage it. That's at least what my ears are hearing. So yeah, The Dark eternal night gets my vote. 

[Architeuthis]

What Bosk said! 
This is a tough choice, both are great songs.
Probably TDEN because it's about a monster, and that opening riff sounds like a T-rex is coming..  🦖

[cramx3]

Never really cared too much for TDEN, so S2N easily

[wolfking]

Are we comparing the whole song or just the breakdown? Either way, I'll take Dark Eternal here, even thiugh I do love S2N

If we were talking about that breakdown alone, I'd definitely take S2N. I like Jordan's solo there much more than what he did with the Continuum on the other, but I was talking about the whole song really. I just picked those two first because they share a very similar outro section.

Overall, I guess S2N works better as a fun, concise song but TDEN was one of the first DT songs I ever listened to and it instantly blew my mind. It was by far the heaviest and most complex thing I'd ever listened to at the time It seems to be winning too!

Cool idea, will participate. But man these are two low tier songs for me, I can't think much good to say about either.

don't worry, there's plenty more to come!

Yeah, he rips on that one.  Right at the end I love that little change up he does, like a harmonic minor thing or something, very cool.

[gzarruk]

So, TDEN won this one

For the next one, we go to pretty much the opposite side of the spectrum with a couple sad ballads(?): Space-Dye Vest vs Disappear

[Trav]

Disappear

It always sounded to me like they were going for a SDV vibe with this song. But they expanded on it and the lyrics are certainly better.

[WilliamMunny]

S2N hands down.

And for as much as I dig "Space Dye Vest" (and feel it is a terrific closer), "Disappear" is probably my favorite DT ballad period.

[Lonk]

I like both a lot.  But one has Owen Wilson and one does not.  So S2N.

Obligatory...


S2N for me as well.

[hefdaddy42]

I prefer Disappear to Space-Dye Vest.  But I must say, the margin is a lot smaller than it used to be.

There was a time when I couldn't stand SDV, but my appreciation of it has grown quite a bit over the last several years.

[EPIC Outro]

Disappear and Space Dye Vest are among my favorite DT songs, and I think we are long overdue for another song in that vein.

But I gotta give it to Disappear. Haunting only just begins to describe it.

[geeeemo]

Disappear for me. I cry every time. Which is good when listening to music, lol!

[billboy73]

Gotta go Disappear on this one.  Haunting for sure.  Just never been that into SDV.

[cramx3]

Probably Disappear for me.  Gets a bit more emotion out of me than SDV.

[lucasembarbosa]

Round 1 - S2N outro is tighter and groovier than TDEN, both improv. solos by themselves are kinda forgettable.

Round 2 - Close dispute, I'll go with Disappear

[bosk1]

Disappear easily.  SDV is at the bottom for me and always has been.  I was glad it was finally played on the AFTR tour, both because it is a long-time fan favorite that had never been played AND because that version was actually pretty good and a lot better than the studio version, IMO.  That version is a lot more enjoyable for me.  But even then, it can't touch Disappear.

[Revenge319]

TDEN vs S2N - The Dark Eternal Night. The ending sections are about equally as good, but as a whole I find TDEN a lot better.

SDV vs Disappear - Disappear easily wins this one for me, but both songs are a 10/10.

[Mladen]

Disappear used to be a top ten Dream Theater track for me. I might not rank it that high up anymore, but I still love it. And even though Space-dye vest is also fantastic, Disappear still wins.

[Stadler]

SDV

[nick_z]

Round 1: S2N, by some margin
Round 2: Space-Dye Vest, by a, um, gigantic margin. SDV is a top 10 DT song for me, so...

[HOF]

SDV

[Cool Chris]

Disappear, though not by a big margin.

[wolfking]

SDV.

[Deadeye21]

Disappear.
Don't particularly like either, but at least Disappear doesn't total what should be a great ending to an almost perfect album.

[Lonk]

I think SDV, but by a very small margin. Both songs are great though

[gzarruk]

This one wasn't close at all Disappear easily won over SDV.

Speaking of space, who wants to go there? Round 3: Pale Blue Dot vs The Alien