1. Octavarium
2. A Change Of Seasons
3. Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
4. The Count Of Tuscany
5. In The Presence Of Enemies
6. Illumination Theory
1. Octavarium is more or less my all time favorite Dream Theater song as well as the best epic IMO. This epic just keeps moving and crescendos until the peak, "trapped inside..", and I think the finale is wonderful, I wish JP's guitar was mixed a little louder.
2. I was sleeping on ACOS for a long time, then didn't care for it when I first checked it out. Over time I grew to love it, it's much more of a proggy epic than Octavarium, technically speaking. I can see why some people think it's their best. Not a big fan of the production on this one, though. Brings it down a notch, I do prefer the LSFNY version over the studio (which is cool with Sherinian.)
3. Yea it's a suite, just like DSOTM is, but it's meant to be one piece played straight through so it counts as an epic. On the album, I see it as an album within an album (like a dream within a dream) I generally don't listen to the individual tracks when I want some Six Degrees. Love the melodies and upbeat atmosphere through the majority of the piece. I don't really have any negative opinions on it. I just think 8vm and ACOS are better because they are 'true' epics and I enjoy them more as such.
4. Always enjoyed this one, despite the lyrics. This epic is quite a ride, and has a bit of A Farewell To Kings/Hemispheres-era Rush vibe throughout. I'm not big on the chorus, but otherwise lots of fun, engaging sections. That ending is one of the best DT moments.
5. While I enjoy this one throughout, I think this epic benefits from being split in two as it is on the album. When put together, it feels too long, too many parts repeat. In context of the album, or even just sticking Ministry of Lost Souls in between, is much more palatable (and is a great 3 track album in and of itself.) On it's own, I just don't think it stacks up to the previous four epics. The darker, sinister vibe is cool, the epic is a major showcase of the band's chops in the context of a prog rock/metal piece, for sure. It just doesn't have that extra je ne sais quoi that is present on most other DT epics.
6. This one I don't like, much like the rest of the album IT appears on. To me, this is 3 or 4 song ideas mashed together. There is this one song going on throughout (the heavy riffy sections) then this atmospheric section comes in and it seems like it was pasted together, to say, "it's time for the ambient section", then the orchestral section, also doesn't really make sense why it appears here... Then we return to the heavy riffy song that was paused for a few minutes there, then I don't remember anything else after this point, other than the attempted climax/finale came off as very mechanical and cold sounding. This one has not grown on me at all. The Easter Egg after it is more enjoyable than all of DT12