Poll
Question:
Which is your favorite?
Option 1: Act 1
Option 2: Act 2
The current topic about which disc of SDOIT is better had me thinking - I've never seen any great debate over which Act of SFAM was better? People only discuss the whole "which disc is better" about SDOIT because the medium in which the album was made could only facilitate the album over 2 discs instead of one. Had a music medium been created that could hold, say, 100 minutes of music, been around at the time of SDOIT's release, would we be debating whether or not the title track was better than the rest of the album? It'd almost be like asking if ITNOG was better than the rest of TOT, or if 8VM's title track was better or worse than the 7 songs that preceded it. I think, in fans' minds, they only divide the album because of how it was released.
Had SFAM been released on vinyl, it would've been divided in such a way that the first act may have been on one LP, while the second act been on another. In which case, would there be debates about which Act of SFAM is better?
Either way, we can still discuss it here! I'd say Act 2 is definitely better! Every track is just amazing! You can't compare the first Act with the five tracks in the second Act!
-Marc.
Act I
Which one has TDOE and TSCO?
I like the other one.
Act 1
Act 1, I'm really happy for you, and Imma let you finish. But Act 2 is the best SFAM act of all time.
Act 1. 2 has Home and Dance of Eternity, but it also has my 2 most hated DT songs.
I love the whole album, including the songs that are less loved, but Regression -> Fatal Tragedy is a perfect run of continuous music. It kicks off with such a level of energy, and maintains that level through a lot of really rockin' riffs and melodies.
I love the rest of the album, but the rest of the songs don't connect to create that same sense of "Fuck yeah, I'm listening to Dream Theater's concept album!" that the first half of the album does.
I'll take 1 for its consistency, but Home, TDOE, and TSCO make 2 quite epic as well.
EDIT: Also totally agree with Blob.
Oddly, even though my three favorite songs from it are from Act II, I will say Act I. Act I simply flows flawlessly, and, like Blob said, it has very much of a conceptual feel. The Dance of Eternity, along with being the least best song on the record, completely breaks up the flow of Act II, and sounds almost completely disconnected from the rest of the album, aside from the several token references to the original Metropolis.
I went Part II, though very close. One Last Time is incredible :)
Definitely Act 1. It has Fatal Tragedy and Strange Déjà Vu. Act 2 contains the worst Dream Theater song for me, so it's a no-brainer.
Act one, but it's like the closest poll ever.
Quote from: tri.ad on August 29, 2011, 11:13:36 PM
Definitely Act 1. It has Fatal Tragedy and Strange Déjà Vu. Act 2 contains the worst Dream Theater song for me, so it's a no-brainer.
Yep, Home.
Honestly, I can't decide, I can't imagine listening to one half of the album without listening to the other half. If you imagine the story as a book, no matter how many times you've read it and how well you know the story, you wouldn't just skip to the second part or finish at the end of the first part. Each act has it's downsides but I really think that to choose one as being better than the other is impossible as they both even each other out.
At a push though, I would have to say Act 2, it has one of my favourite DT songs, and brings the story to a great conclusion.
Quote from: alirocker08 on August 30, 2011, 04:49:40 AM
Honestly, I can't decide, I can't imagine listening to one half of the album without listening to the other half. If you imagine the story as a book, no matter how many times you've read it and how well you know the story, you wouldn't just skip to the second part or finish at the end of the first part. Each act has it's downsides but I really think that to choose one as being better than the other is impossible as they both even each other out.
At a push though, I would have to say Act 2, it has one of my favourite DT songs, and brings the story to a great conclusion.
I agree with this.
Though Beyond This Life is my favourite song on the album and it's in act 1 ;D
Quote from: Mladen on August 30, 2011, 12:00:52 AM
Act one, but it's like the closest poll ever.
This. I think the overall flow of Act 1 is just better, even though Act 2 has in general a better avg score of songs.
Act 1. It's more consistent and has a better flow, but Act 2 on the other hand has some better stand-alone songs.
The first 3 songs make me fire smile missles, so act one.
Act I is brilliant. So is Act II.
Act II has TDOE, which I absolutely hate.
I still went with Act II, because it has Home, The Spirit Carries On and One Last Time, which I love more than any other track on the album (save maybe the whole of Scene Two)
Wow, after 58 votes, this ended up being a LOT closer than I thought it would be.
-Marc.
Act 2. TSCO and FF make it a no brainer.
act 1
Act 1 for sure, for the reasons already mentioned. The first 30 minutes really captivate you imo
Act Uno
Originally I said two, but if I could change my vote I would say one this time. They both have some really incredible songs though.
Act 2
1
If for some reason Act II came first, and then Act I ended it, would that change some people? While I agree that the beginnign is very epic and flows great, the ending is always what people remember, and damn I think the ending is very solid...
I enjoy Home>Dance>OLT>Spirit>Finally Free a lot... 4 epic tracks and a killer OLT
You know, I think I've always liked Act 2 more.
Revisiting this because of a recent thread about SFAM and the upcoming vinyl release of the album... I still think Act 2 is pretty good, but Act 1 definitely has some highlights, but "Beyond This Life" can be a bit tedious, and the album version of "Through Her Eyes" is a bit stale compared to the live one on LSFNY, or even the extended version from the single CD.
-Marc.
I voted Act 1 in the other thread (or half one or whatever) and I guess I voted Act 2 in this one weeks ago, which just goes to show how consistent I find SFAM to be.
Have to go with Act 1. All the songs are really solid. Act 2 does have Home and TSCO (probably the top 2 tracks on the album), but it has FF and TDOE which drag it down (at least for me).
Home and TSCO are 2 of the greatest accomplishments of mankind so yeahhhhhhh act 2....
This is tough!
Act 1 has Fatal Tragedy and Beyond this life which are 2 pretty great songs.
But Act 2 has, Home, TDOE and Finally Free which are at least equally great so, yeah...act 2.
Voted for Act II because it has The Dance Of Eternity and Finally Free. :tup
Home and Finally Free?
Act 2 wins by a landslide.