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Dream Theater => Dream Theater => Topic started by: npiazza91 on June 26, 2014, 07:08:13 PM
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Ok, so I finally decided to make my list. I'm still fine tuning it, but I have a few songs to get started. First, I have to explain why there won't be certain songs on this list.
Ok, so you might have remembered what I say from my "Any love for BC&SL?" thread. There are two albukms I do not own and have listened to them maybe twice. When Dream and Day Unite and Falling Into Infinity. With that being said, there is 1 (yes, only 1) song from Falling into Infinity that will be on this list that basically hit an emotional chord with me right off the bat. The others have not sunk in yet, unfortunately. As for WD&DU, no songs will make my top 50, just because I don't think Dominici's voice comes even close to the effect that Labrie can have. However, I do have some honorable mentions, where I will explain why they are not in my top 50. Now, before I start, just remember that these aren't songs that just missed my top 50, these are songs that are not in my top 50 for a more specific reason than just "I don't like them as much". On last thing, I don't know a whole lot about music theory and all that, and I'm definitely more of a "personal music listener" where I could interpret the lyrics and music in a personal manner, which may or may not be different than what was originally intended. Just an FYI.
Honorable Mention #1: Peruvian Skies- Ok, like I said this album as a whole hasn't really sunk in yet, but listening to this song the first time I really liked it. I don't remember much of it, but I'm sure it will become a classic in my top 50.
Honorable Mention #2: Fortune in Lies- Ok, the only Dominici song I actually like. This song works...for its time. Still, I have to give credit where it's due. I figure I'd mention one Dominici song on here. It's a nice, catchy tune.
Honorable Mention #3: Ytse Jam- The best song on the debut album. Can you guess why? Well, besides the fact that Dominici isn't here (nothing against the guy, his voice just never did anything for me) the musicianship here is fantastic.
Honorable Mention #4: In The Presence of Enemies- I'm about to make a lot of people very mad. Ok, for the longest time, I LOVED the first part, and sort of neglected the second part. Now, I LOVE the second part, and the first part has kind of worn off for me. I can't seem to find a healthy medium for this song and it's sort of like a love/hate relationship for me. I really wish it was just a 25 minute song on one track, maybe then I would enjoy it more.
Honorable Mention #5: A Change of Seasons: Sorry guys. I've only heard this song once all the way through. From what I remember, I enjoyed it, but it's definitely the kind of song you have to keep listening to over a long period of time before it sticks. I can't get that initial heavy riff out of my head, though.
Next, I will go through numbers 55-51. These are the songs that just didn't make it. Oh man, this was so hard.
#55: Honor Thy Father- This song and I have a love/hate relationship. I love the riffs and the musicianship is awesome. However...the lyrics. I like the idea of writing a song about being neglected and/or abused by a parent, but the lyrics come off as hate or rage to me, when instead it could have been way more emotional. I know what Portnoy was going for here, I just think it was a missed opportunity. There were better ways to tackle this subject. Also, the rapping. In the nicest way possible, I have to say that the rapping here embarrasses me.
#54: The Silent Man- I'm not too sure what this song is about, but it's a nice, short, sweet song that comes across as "good' to me. The chorus is easily the high point, but some parts of the song comes across as a little boring. Compared to most of Awake, this song is nothing special to me. It's good, but not great.
#53: The Answer Lies Within- I used to adore this song, but I find myself listening to it less and less. It's good, and I really like the lyrics, but DT has so many songs that cover "boosting your self confidence" and "how to live your life" that this one doesn't really stick out as much. Labrie does a great job singing here though.
#52: Far From Heaven- A very melancholy song. This one I used to love as well, but ADTOE has really good ballads on it to begin with that I just feel this one feels the most "filler" out of them all. Still, this song is pretty personal to me as I went through something similar when I was a teen, as I'm sure many others go through as well. A nice song that gets overshadowed by others in their discography.
#51: Lifting Shadows off a Dream- JUST misses the Top 50, I'm sad to say. This one is the standout of these 5 in that it's just an obvious step up in song writing and the lyrics are fantastic. I think the best part about this song is the atmosphere. However, I do feel the song goes on for a bit too long and it could have had a little variety in it. I feel like the same things gets repeated the entire time. Still, great atmosphere and lyrics, I just think this song would have benefitted from being cut just a little bit.
I'll probably post the next 5 tonight, so stay tuned. Remember this is just my opinion and I would love to hear what you have to say.
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Petrucci's delay does wonders with the atmosphere of Lifting Shadows.
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A Fortune in Lies, In the Presence of Enemies, A Change of Seasons and ESPECIALLY Far From Heaven are just criminally low and the rest are criminally high :P .
Nah, on that second part, I could definitely see Ytse Jam, HTF, TALW or LSOAD fitting in close to those spots for me, but none of them made my list when I did it.
Also listen to ACOS more! And WDADU! And FII!
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A Fortune in Lies, In the Presence of Enemies, A Change of Seasons and ESPECIALLY Far From Heaven are just criminally low and the rest are criminally high :P .
Nah, on that second part, I could definitely see Ytse Jam, HTF, TALW or LSOAD fitting in close to those spots for me, but none of them made my list when I did it.
Also listen to ACOS more! And WDADU! And FII!
Yeah I definitely plan on it. My list is sure to change a bit when in the months to come, but every time I want to listen to FII songs, I always listen to the DT songs I know instead. Like I said, what I heard from it is pretty good so far, but FII seems like it's going to be a grower to me. ACOS is DEFINITELY one that I'll be listening to again very soon. I can't get that damn riff out of my head, it's awesome. As for WD&DU...I just can't get past his voice. It just doesn't feel like DT to me. I'll get around to it, but for now I'm fine with liking AFIL and Ytse Jam.
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If you really just can't stand Dominici, there's always the When Dream and Day Reunite Official Bootleg (here's the link: https://ytsejamrecords.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=20&idcategory=8) that was the 15th Anniversary of WDADU show where they performed the whole album, with James, of course, singing. It's not the best mixed record and it wasn't exactly a great night for James, but it's there. There's also as I'm sure you know a number of live albums with WDADU songs on them performed by James that are well-mixed. There's AFIL on Live at Luna Park, Afterlife on Score, The Killing Hand on Live at the Marquee (I HIGHLY recommend this one; James absolutely kills it) and Only a Matter of Time on Live at Budokan.
FII is definitely a grower; it's only just started to grow on me recently. At first I thought it was one of their worst, but I really love the album now. It's a very groovy, jazzy piece.
And then there's A Change of Seasons. What I wouldn't give to be in your place of learning ACOS all the way through for the first time again.
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Here we go. Just an FYI, it was REALLY hard putting these bottom songs in order. Actually, from numbers 40-55, most of them could probably be interchangeable depending on the day or mood I'm in.
#50: The Dark Eternal Night- Yeah, I'm going to get a lot of hate for this. Actually, I think this entire list is going to get some hate. Anyway, yeah I get it, the Portnoy vocals are "meh". However, the guitar riffs and drums are just awesome in this song. I really like the chorus as well, as it just fits really well in contrast to the verses. Sure, the lyrics are silly, but not every DT song has to be deep or epic. This is just a great headbanging song and I still give it a spin every now and again. Call it a guilty pleasure. Oh yeah, the outro's cool too.
#49: I Walk Beside You- This was one of my favorites when I was first getting into DT. Why not? It's simple, it's catchy and it's a great gateway song. It doesn't hold up the best for me today, but I still think the lyrics are meaningful and it's just a simple song with a nice structure. I also have the unpopular opinion of liking the final "higher" chorus.
#48: Innocence Faded- Definitely one of Labrie's best vocal performance that beats the crap out of anything American Idol contestants have done vocal-wise. Sure, it has that 80's feel to it (or at least to me it does) but, like "I Walk Beside You", it has a very simple structure, nice lyrics and is all around a beautiful song. Nothing really special, especially compared to other songs on Awake, but I still have a lot of respect for it.
#47: Another Day- One of the first DT songs I ever heard and I immediately fell in love. I feel similar about this song as I do about the other ballads I have above. It's really nice, and Labrie is amazing here, but it just doesn't hold up to anything more than just "a nice, beautiful, sweet song". The lyrics here are really, really good though. I'm a suicide prevention counselor, so I can definitely relate.
#46: Repentance- I used to HATE this song. I mean HATE it. However, I started listening to the entire 12 step suite as one song and I have a new appreciation for this section. It's a nice contrast to the other heavier songs, and doesn't feel as long as I used to think. The second half, while definitely weaker, I still enjoy. I like how the chorus sings over the atmospheric chords and just takes you away for a little while. Definitely the weakest song in the suite, but I like it a lot more now than I used to.
More coming tomorrow night!
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I think all of these are very good choices for this part of the list. Another Day was the only one that made my own list, and it was somewhat higher, but realistically any of the others potentially could have made it. Also, I already noticed a controversial opinion of yours: you put what you believe to be the weakest song of the 12SS in your top 50, meaning they're all going to be in here... I'm not sure anyone I know of has ever done that before...
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I think all of these are very good choices for this part of the list. Another Day was the only one that made my own list, and it was somewhat higher, but realistically any of the others potentially could have made it. Also, I already noticed a controversial opinion of yours: you put what you believe to be the weakest song of the 12SS in your top 50, meaning they're all going to be in here... I'm not sure anyone I know of has ever done that before...
Yeah it's funny because it never really hit me how many ballads DT has done until I started making this list.
Also, really? I think the entire 12 step suite is fantastic, I'm surprised people would leave out one of the songs. Well, there's sure to be a song or two left out that is REALLY going to piss a lot of people off. It's funny, as I was looking through all the songs, after I made the list, I found two that I still really liked, but I couldn't find anywhere to put. Those two songs are Build Me Up, Break Me Down and Enigma Machine. I like them, but I didn't want to knock anything off the list for them. I probably should have put them in the honorables now that I think about it. Oh well. Man, this is so hard.
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Yeah, I found that I was leaving a lot of truly great stuff off when I did mine, too. I found that it was really hard also to say "well, this song I like a little better than this one, so it's 21 and that's 22." So I found myself spending most of my countdown stressing that the numbers were only a rough approximation. It was fun to do the writeups but I'm not sure I could handle the stress of making the list again! And I'm sure it's changed significantly despite the fact that it's only been a few months since I did it. There'd probably be a lot more FII and ADTOE, for example, but I don't know what I'd kick out!
I think most people like a few of the songs on the Twelve-Step Suite and either don't like or are lukewarm on one or two. The first three tend to be the most popular. Personally, I like all of them, but The Root of All Evil missed my top 50 and would probably not make my current top 50 either. Repentance missed it before but might be in it now (borderline), The Glass Prison was in it before and might not be now. I would say the only ones that would definitely make it today for me are This Dying Soul and The Shattered Fortress, though the other three would either be in or close.
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Cool! There hasn't been one of these in a while. Will follow. :tup
Hey, TDEN is a pretty cool song. :metal Others loathe it, but something about that sludgy heaviness I dig on this song in particular.
Another Day's main melody is one of my favorites from DT. So emotional and captivating. :hefdaddy
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Also, really? I think the entire 12 step suite is fantastic, I'm surprised people would leave out one of the songs.
Well, I had none of them in my top50.
I also had ITPOE as my #1.
Oh well. :lol
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Following! Though it seems we will disagree on most everything. :lol Listen to Falling Into Infinity! Easily one of the best albums.
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You should listen to ACoS more, yeah. And FFH is a fair bit lower than I'd like. The rest I can't really complain about.
Oh man someone's finally doing one of these again yay :P
OH WAIT THERE IS ANOTHER POST
uhh TDEN is one of my least favorite DT songs so nah
Repentance is nice to see even if too low, and it being the weakest means that the other ones are all on the list yay :biggrin:
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Ok, I might fall asleep early today due to only sleeping for 2 hours last night because of my dog barking, so just in case I pass out without adding to my list, I'll do my next 5 now.
#45: Learning to Live- I'm going to get a lot of people telling me that this song is too low. While I do think this song is overrated and DT have much better epics, it's still a great song. Some parts do feel a bit uneven to me though and it doesn't fully resonate with me. Images and Words, as a whole, is overrated in my opinion, but this is still a great song that I listen to every now and again.
#44: The Spirit Carries On- A very sad, but happy song (if that makes any sense). Sure it's a bit simplistic, but it flows really well and the solos here really shine. I don't have much to say about this one because while it does have a place in my heart, there are just 43 songs that I like more.
#43: Constant Motion- I had a hard time deciding where to put this. It's thrash metal, and I love thrash. Heck, I listen to Megadeth just about as much as I do DT. The thing is...DT is NOT a thrash band, and DT doing a thrash song comes off as "cool but you guys are better than this". I'm not saying thrash is beneath DT, just that their music is so diverse and complex, that going a very basic thrash route just doesn't feel right. When Megadeth did prog metal with a bit of thrash (Good Mourning/Back Friday, Lucretia) it sounded awesome. When DT does thrash with a bit of prog (Constant Motion) it doesn't sound as good. Now, don't get me wrong, Constant Motion is a kickass song for headbanging, but I cannot put this any higher just because DT doesn't sound like DT here.
#42: The Best of Times- I feel bad putting this song so low, because the lyrics usually get me a bit emotional, as I can heavily relate. I love the chorus as well. However, I'm probably in the minority when I say that I think the song goes downhill in the second half. I never understood what everyone saw in that final solo. It kind of bores me to be honest. This song is definitely much longer than it should be, and for that reason I cannot put it any higher.
#41: The Shattered Fortress- The second weakest song in the suite. It kind of feels like a direct to DVD sequel of a great movie, where things gets rehashed and are not as good as the original. The beginning is pretty weak and doesn't really shine until the "I once thought it better...to be right". Once those lyrics kick in, the song gets much better. Actually, the last five minutes or so ranks among the best in the entire suite, but the beginning is so weak that this is where I have to put this song.
These 5 were also very hard to place, because I have things I both like and dislike about them. I'll be back tomorrow, hope you guys are liking (or disliking) this list!
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Learning to Live is WAYYYYY too low :P
So is The Spirit Carries On, actually.
Constant Motion is a bit high, and the other two are good. Except The Shattered Fortress is too low compared to the other songs in the 12SS. And you don't like that intro? That's my favorite intro in the whole suite, bar none, with the way it builds up and all on those great musical themes.
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:corn
Agree somewhat with TSF, the last 5 minutes is one of my favorite parts of the whole suite.
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Learning to Live is WAYYYYY too low :P
Yeah, this.
Other picks are pretty good, and probably right around where I'd put them.
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Learning To Live was my number 2. We will not be friends. :P
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Nah, LtL isn't really too low at all. I have it a bit higher up but I think it's overrated as hell, not even close to the best DT song. TSCO is the song too low here if anything, though part of that's just me loving it a lot. The other three picks are good songs, nothing outstanding, but in the 40's range that's not too terribly problematic :P
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Following! Though it seems we will disagree on most everything. :lol Listen to Falling Into Infinity! Easily one of the best albums.
:rollin :rollin :rollin
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Following! Though it seems we will disagree on most everything. :lol Listen to Falling Into Infinity! Easily one of the best albums.
:tup :tup :tup
I see you repeatedly clicked the wrong emoticon there. I took the liberty of fixing that for you. :tup
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#40: Wither- This is a really nice song and shoes that Labrie can really sing despite his accident. The only drawback is being the only short song on an album pretty much comprised of epics. I think it feels a bit out of place on that album. Not much else to really say about this one, just a really nice song with great lyrics and a healthy dose of emotion.
#39: As I Am- A lot of people say that ToT sounds like a Metallica album. I disagree, however, there is one part in this song that sounds exactly like Hetfield. It's the part right at the end of the chorus when (is it Labrie or Pornoy?) screams "AS I AMMMMM! YEAH!". Besides that one part, I don't see the connection. The solo here is fantastic. The first time I heard it I thought it sounded like a musical version of a tornado or a vortex. Besides the amazing solo, this song isn't really that special. It's a nice rocker, but DT does it better in other songs. Still solid overall, though.
#38: Erotomania- A great instrumental that has a very catchy guitar hook. You know the one I'm referring to. It's not the best instrumental they've done, but it's still a great song. I also feel this song is hard to remember all the way through. Could just be me, though.
#37: Behind The Veil- I might be biased because this song sounds like DT doing Megadeth, except for a few synth sections. This is what Megadeth would sound like with Labrie instead of Mustaine. I like it, but it's slightly generic, and I hate the long intro, I always skip it. Still, that main guitar riff is awesome and the chorus is catchy as well.
#36: Through Her Eyes- Despite this song being a sad one, I actually feel happy listening to it. It has so much emotion in it and it's so nicely done. I actually like the female voice in the beginning, I think it really helps set the mood of this song. Again, Labrie does a fantastic job here. The rest of the band doesn't have much to work with, but that's ok. There are many DT songs like that, this song is great for relaxing.
I'll be back tomorrow with more songs. Again, I don't really know anything about music theory so the write-ups really only describe the things I like or don't like about it or how a certain part makes me feel.
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By 2009 LaBrie was pretty much fine. That was 15 years after he threw his voice, you know!
Through Her Eyes makes you happy and The Spirit Carries on is sad? :lol
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By 2009 LaBrie was pretty much fine. That was 15 years after he threw his voice, you know!
Through Her Eyes makes you happy and The Spirit Carries on is sad? :lol
Yeah I knew the accident happened in 1994, but there is still a difference between how he sounds on Awake, to how he sounds now. I was pointing out Wither as one of those songs where he sounds better than he usually does, almost like how he used to sound.
And yeah I know it's weird. Through Her Eyes gives me more of a "this might be bad, but there's still hope" kind of feeling, whereas TSCO gives me just a very somber feeling, kind of like a funeral or something. I'm not talking about the lyrics, just the melody. While the story on that album is great, I much prefer to personalize songs and interpret them into something that's meaningful for me. Music is a personal journey for me. If I want a story, I read Stephen King. Reading "Joyland" now, it's actually very good, I wasn't expecting much.
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The intro to BTV is a part of what makes that song so great. And I disagree that the rest of the band besides JLB don't work with much in Through Her Eyes; Myung's weeping bass pretty much establishes the mood.
As I am is alright, but I definitely wouldn't have it this high. It's probably my least favorite from TOT. Erotomania however :metal
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The intro to BTV is a part of what makes that song so great. And I disagree that the rest of the band besides JLB don't work with much in Through Her Eyes; Myung's weeping bass pretty much establishes the mood.
As I am is alright, but I definitely wouldn't have it this high. It's probably my least favorite from TOT. Erotomania however :metal
Yeah the weeping bass is great, but I mean it's a very vocal heavy song. Sure, the mood and emotion throughout are fantastic, but the rest of the instruments don't do much except keep the beat going. If you take The Dance of Eternity or any of the songs in the 5 step suite (along with many other DT songs), the instruments have a lot more free reign and all get their moments to shine.
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JLB surely does contribute leagues to the amount of emotion in the song (same could be said for all of SFAM imo), but I just thought that some of the instrumentation shouldn't be glossed over either is all.
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I'd say that my favourite version of THE is the live version, precisely because not all of the focus is on the vocals - instead, we have an amazing guitar solo at the end that is extremely emotional as well and kinda gives the song... well, an awesome guitar solo.
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I love that you give some love to Behind the Veil, but Learning to Live is far too low.
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It's the part right at the end of the chorus when (is it Labrie or Pornoy?) screams "AS I AMMMMM! YEAH!". Besides that one part, I don't see the connection.
It's definitely James. Both he and Mike have pretty distinctive tones to their voices. At least, I've never really had trouble telling them apart when neither is drowned in effects.
As to your update... my flippant response would be "lolnope." My more serious response would be: This is around where I would put Wither, and all the of the rest are good but I would put them significantly lower. Only As I Am I think would have a possibility of making my top 50 though.
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Two more of my least favorite DT songs here, woo :heart
And Wither is at least a nice breather on BC&SL though taken on its own it's nothing special IMO. Erotomania is always nice to see though.
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Two more of my least favorite DT songs here, woo :heart
And Wither is at least a nice breather on BC&SL though taken on its own it's nothing special IMO. Erotomania is always nice to see though.
I'm guessing the two are "As I Am" and "Behind The Veil" right? I take it you don't care for some of their more heavier material?
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#35: Beneath The Surface- I loved it when this album first came out, but some of the love has worn off slightly. It's amazingly emotional and the final minute or so after the solo usually makes me tear up a little. The solo is great as well, the only main complaint I have is that the song doesn't have the best replay value; especially once the emotional aspect starts to wear off a bit. It can also get a bit boring. Still, it's a very underrated gem that I feel often gets overlooked.
#34: Panic Attack- I feel like this song is slightly overrated. I wouldn't call it one of the best, but it's still a great DT song. I also feel like this is the perfect introductory song for someone just getting into DT. It has most of their elements all in one, isn't that long of a song and remains to be catchy at the same time.
#33: The Enemy Inside- I think of this song along the same lines as Panic Attack. It's a great introduction to the band, it's fast, it's heavy, and sums up most of what the heavier side of DT is all about. It's a very well written song and definitely should have won the Grammy. Oh, well.
#32: Sacrificed Sons- I originally had this at #30, but I moved it down two spots at the last second. It's fantastic and emotional, but I feel like it takes a while to get started. The chorus is amazing, though, and the last few minutes is great as well. Is it just me, or do the voices in the beginning kind of freak you out a bit? If I'm by myself in a dark room and play the song on my headphones, it gives me the creeps. Maybe it's just me.
#31: Under A Glass Moon- This was a grower for me when I originally bought Images and Words. It definitely paid off though. This is definitely an underrated classic, albeit with a couple of small problems. Despite being only 7 minutes, this song feels twice as long. It's not necessarily a bad thing, though, as I usually find something new I like every time. This song is nothing ground breaking, but it definitely deserves the praise it gets among DT fans.
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This is a much better update for me than your last one! The only one that wouldn't make my top 50 is The Enemy Inside and that track is still close. Under a Glass Moon is my favorite of this set and I'd put it a fair bit higher, but this is an okay spot for it too by me!
I will disagree that Panic Attack is the perfect introductory song. It's a fair bit heavier than the mean of DT. I would probably (other things equal) introduce someone to the band with On the Backs of Angels.
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This is a much better update for me than your last one! The only one that wouldn't make my top 50 is The Enemy Inside and that track is still close. Under a Glass Moon is my favorite of this set and I'd put it a fair bit higher, but this is an okay spot for it too by me!
I will disagree that Panic Attack is the perfect introductory song. It's a fair bit heavier than the mean of DT. I would probably (other things equal) introduce someone to the band with On the Backs of Angels.
True, but the thing about Panic Attack is that it has a great hook, and people love hooks. And while yes, it's heavy, it's not heavy heavy, like something from ToT. What I'm trying to say is that it's not a dark song, like something off Awake. It's relatively lighter in tone, so it gets away with being heavy a bit. Let's face it, DT is as far removed from "mainstream" and "power chord" rock and metal than almost any band. However, Panic Attack has some elements that are found in commercial rock and metal, especially the verses. What makes it stand out from the mainstream though, are the drums and bass mostly.
I do agree with "On the Backs of Angels", though. It's basically the "Pull Me Under" of later DT.
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Panic Attack is always a pleasant surprise whenever I go back and listen to it. A lot of great, great moments on it, namely the solo and chorus, it all feels so delightfully dramatic.
TEI is also one of my favorite, heavier DT songs now. Other picks are also great, if not maybe slightly high.
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#30: Fatal Tragedy- Now we're getting to the songs that I consider "favorites". I usually group this song in with "Through My Words", as it just makes sense. Anyway, this song is fantastic. It starts to get a bit stale towards the end, but the first half is gold. Still, not really much to complain about here, I love this song.
#29: Outcry- I feel like this song is a bit underrated. It might not have the best hook, but it's pretty epic all the way through and has sort of a "grand" type of feel to it. It becomes a little dry after repeated listens, but the song is pretty consistent all the way through. The solo is awesome, too.
#28: On The Backs of Angels- Definitely the "Pull Me Under" of latter DT, although it's much, much better. One could argue that this song is the quissential DT song, and I would agree to some extent. It has pretty much everything. The piano solo is a great moment and feels so natural. The song just flows so well and while it might not be amazing, there's nothing really to complain about here.
#27: Misunderstood- The opening minute or so feels like heaven. The slow build up to a powerful chorus is fantastic. I would say that the only thing this song is missing is a little substance, as it can feel a bit hollow. I kind of wish they did more with this song and made it longer. Unlike most people, I actually love the outro.
#26: Take The Time- A gem of the early DT catalogue. There's really nothing to complain about here and it's pretty much everything DT was able to offer at this point. Fantastic vocals, fantastic song structure and just great energy throughout. It does give me a bit of that 80's hair metal vibe, but, hey, I'm not complaining. This song is fantastic, there's just 25 songs I like more.
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Fatal Tragedy has never really done it for me, and the horrible outro drags down Misunderstood considerably for me. The other ones are really great choices, though (though how Take the Time gives off a "hair metal vibe" is beyond me...)!
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I think it has more to do with the sound of the instruments and overall tone. The album as a whole gives me a slight 80's vibe, I mean it was made in 1992 after all, which can still be considered the very end of the 80's era of rock. It's one of the reasons why the album feels a bit dated to me.
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Two more of my least favorite DT songs here, woo :heart
And Wither is at least a nice breather on BC&SL though taken on its own it's nothing special IMO. Erotomania is always nice to see though.
I'm guessing the two are "As I Am" and "Behind The Veil" right? I take it you don't care for some of their more heavier material?
BtV and Through Her Eyes. Heavy stuff is good tbh, though not TDEN. As I Am I am just meh on.
TTT is one of my favorites and way way too low here but oh well :'(
OtBoA is a song that's so quintessentially DT that it's kind of dull in that regard, since it has absolutely no surprises and does nothing you couldn't find better in a different DT song.
edit: oh I missed a set of songs.
TEI is the only one I don't really feel belongs this high but it's not bad I guess. The rest I can't really complain about, all good stuff.
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On The Backs Of Angels is just way too generic sounding to me. But going back to it I often think "huh this is actually pretty good though." So idk, never really made a top 50 for me. But the rest :metal
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I absolutely adore Misunderstood's outro. It's such tasty, heavy chaos, I can't help but fall for it. Once again, nice picks, though OTBOA might be a bit too high for me.
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Really solid choices here. I've got to say OTBOA is a great song overall, and the experience is enhanced by listening to the isolated instruments sections.
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Sorry for being a little late, I was busy today. A controversial choice today, but some popular ones as well.
#25: Scarred- Scarred is such a great song, however I do not think it is as amazing as some people say it is. I love the tone of the song and the lyrics. The first half is amazing, the second half is pretty good, but I start to lose interest around 8 minutes in. Still, some parts of this song are some of the best DT has ever done.
#24: A Rite of Passage- Controversial choice here. I think the chorus is absolutely amazing and, like it or not, I LOVE the solo. That thrash riff that comes in after the second chorus is amazing, and the solo that follows is awesome. This is the way you combine thrash and prog. I also like how the last chorus changes up the lyrics a little bit. This song just flows so well and I don't understand the hate for it at all.
#23: The Bigger Picture- This song is both a ballad and a heavy song, which is done so well. Both the verses and choruses have so much emotion in them, especially from Labrie, where he shines here. Some people don't like his vocals, but I think he's one of the best things about the band. You can tell he understands emotions and feelings perfectly. He just has that voice. The part where he sings "With this treasure found another shipwreck's washed ashore, I am carried by a current on a slow and steady course" gives me chills every time. Such a beautiful song that should have been longer than 7 minutes.
#22: Space Dye Vest- The first time I heard this song I remember thinking "what is this?". However, the thing I learned when it comes to music is, if you get turned off by something because you don't understand it (not because it bores you) then keep pursuing it...it's probably good. This song is so beautiful and is unlike anything they have ever done. It starts to lose me a bit towards the end, but overall this song is a fantastic view into DT's emotional song writing abilities.
#21: Finally Free- Fantastic ending to a fantastic album. The build up is amazing and the tone throughout is very emotional for me. The stock sounds are kind of "meh", though, but I really like how it implies that (or this is the way I interpret it) the hypnotist was the one that killed Victoria. I think it's an amazing twist and the ending, where Nicholas wakes up and gasps, is truly haunting. Overall, this song pretty much encompasses what "Scenes From a Memory" is all about. The only slight problem I have with it is how long the outro riff plays. It's basically the same thing for a few minutes. It's ok, though, still an amazing song.
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I don't really hate AROP, it has some things going for it such as the riff and chorus, but the instrumental section and solos I'm' not really fond of. It's not bad, but not really anything special.
These others are fantastic picks, though Scarred would probably be higher for me.
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All great choices! It's a fair bit higher than I would personally put AROP, but I'm definitely okay with that because SOMEONE ACTUALLY PUT AROP HIGH ON THEIR LIST!
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#20: The Dance of Eternity- Fantastic song on all accounts. When thinking of "Scenes From a Memory" as one full song, I think of this as the solo. I love the compositions here and the constant time signature changes are amazing. This is how you write an instrumental song. Not too short of a song, not too long, just perfect. I really have nothing bad to say about this song, except that Labrie isn't here. But I guess the fact that it's an "instrumental" makes it ok.
#19: Never Enough- Ok, I know a lot of you are going to disagree with me, but this song has one of my favorite choruses they have ever done. This song is a great change of pace from DT's deeper, more emotional stuff. A great hard rocker, that I really have nothing bad to say about. Also very catchy.
#18: The Root of All Evil- Yes, what a great song we have here. It's only real drawback is being a little too short, especially being a 23 tep suite song. I love everything about this song and the solo is one of my favorites. Wish it was a little more epic, but it's not a big deal.
#17: One Last Time- I like "One Last Time" better than "Finally Free" and "The Dance of Eternity"? Can this possibly be? Well, let me explain. It's very short, simple and to the point. However, underneath all of that, this song is just so beautiful, so lovely, that I just couldn't put it any lower than this. The chorus is in my top 5 DT choruses of all time, it's just amazing. I love listening to this song and "Finally Free" as one song, because it flows better, with this song being a kind of intro to FF.
#16: The Glass Prison- Not the best of the suite, but pretty damn close. This song is almost perfect. It's long, it's crazy, it has standout performances from every member of the band, and it's just a classic all around. I love the "Help me; I can't break out this prison all alone" part, the time signature is amazing. I always lose the beat, but I love it so much. A fantastic start to the suite and definitely a classic among classics in DT's catalogue.
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This is about where I would put TDoE, OLT, and TGP. TDoE is my second favorite DT instrumental, second only to SoC. I love how it manages to be both technical and "catchy*" at the same time. OLT is a beautiful piece, and one of my favorites from SFaM. My personal favorite part is the piano solo at the beginning. TGP is non-stop metal done right; it manages to be heavy while retaining interesting melodies. Overall, these are some great picks.
*This is not the ideal word for what I am trying to describe; rather than possessing catchy melodies, the constant time changes make this song really click, especially in a rythymic sense.
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Heh, yeah, I don't agree with any of this. One Last Time and The Glass Prison are top 50 worthy but too high here. The rest are good but wouldn't make my top 50.
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Wow, I just realized something. I wrote numbers 30-26 twice. If you look back earlier in the topic, I made that mistake. It's ok now, I'll fix it, but I thought I was going crazy when I only had 10 more songs on my list, but I was at #15.
#15: The Count of Tuscany- I have to admit, it took me a while for the middle section of this song to grow on me, but I love it now, it's almost like meditation. The lyrics are obviously this song's weak point, but it's just an amazingly written song, so I'll let it slide. The song is 19 minutes and pretty much feels that long, but it's not a bad thing. This song feels like a journey into the fantastical and the unknown. I love it.
#14: Bridges in the Sky- This song has everything. Heavy, melodic, emotional, I could go on all day. The chorus still makes me tear up sometimes, as it just hits that emotional cord inside me. Definitely one of my favorite DT choruses. A fantastic song from beginning to end, even if it does flounder slightly in the middle.
#13: The Mirror- I usually listen to this song combined with "Lie", as it makes a great epic. This song ends too quick. Still, it's an amazing song that explores the dark depths of alcohol abuse and can be seen as a precursor to the 12 step suite. Nothing to complain about here. The tone throughout the whole album "Awake" is amazing and really shines through here. Probably one of the darkest songs DT has ever recorded.
#12: This Dying Soul- The best song of the 12 step suite. It's pretty much perfect. It's great to headbang to, while at the same time has so much emotion in it, especially in the chorus. I actually like the "Blackened" part, especially the "break through the prison wall" part right after. It's like a remix of the latter half of "The Glass Prison". Nothing bad to say here.
#11: Surrounded- Ugh...I hate putting this song so low. Yes, even I feel that #11 isn't doing this song justice. This song is special to me, and no song DT will ever do will replace this song with the way I feel about it. It's just so magical, so uplifting, so innocent. It's basically a perfectly constructed song. Hard to believe that (as much as it hurts to admit this) I like 10 songs better than this one.
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The Count of Tuscany is an awesome song, and since English is not my native language, I can enjoy it without cringing at the lyrics.
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The only 8V I could see being this high (besides the title track itself) is probably The Root of All Evil. I always forget how much I love that chorus. The Glass Prison is all kinds of kick ass as well.
Surrounded might honestly be my least favorite I&W song. Great song still, but the album is so goddamn amazing that everything else in it just seems to shine even brighter.
Glad someone else likes TDS as much as I do. :tup It's not perfect to me, but I never get the hate that it gets.
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I agree with The Count of Tuscany and Surrounded this high. The other three are really good songs but they'd be towards the bottom of my top 50, not towards the top. But overall this is a great batch of songs. :tup
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#10: Strange Deja Vu- It might be kind of cheating, but I think of this song paired up with both "Regression" and "Overture 1928". It just makes such a perfect song. This song is so proggy, but still maintains some of that DT heaviness, while still being very melodic, especially in the chorus. I also LOVE the "Back on my feet again" part.
#9: Hollow Years- Here is the only song on this list from "Falling Into Infinity". It's such an amazing song, and has one of the best choruses DT has ever done. It flows so well and is pretty much prefect in my eyes. Sure, it's simple, but that's kind of the beauty of it. I think I need to listen to FII more.
#8- Endless Sacrifice- Such an amazing song. It's 12 minutes, but it goes by so fast. It starts off slow (and sweet) but then this song is constantly switching around and doing all sorts of crazy stuff. I love it, and always find new things every time I listen to it. Also, the lyrics are phenomenal.
I'm only doing 3 today, in order to make the top ten more epic. Tomorrow I'll do 2, then every day I'll do 1 until I get to the final song. Anyone want to guess what will be in my top 7?
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Well you better make damn sure Metropolis Pt. 1 makes an appearance. :P
Overture 1928 is such a great instrumental. JP's performance and the solos he manages in this short time span are among some of the most emotional he's ever done. I've also developed an affinity for Hollow Years recently. Sure it's a ballad and among DT's more accessible at that, but it's so melodic and the lyrics just get stuck in your head.
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Well you better make damn sure Metropolis Pt. 1 makes an appearance. :P
Overture 1928 is such a great instrumental. JP's performance and the solos he manages in this short time span are among some of the most emotional he's ever done. I've also developed an affinity for Hollow Years recently. Sure it's a ballad and among DT's more accessible at that, but it's so melodic and the lyrics just get stuck in your head.
Well...you may be disappointed
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Two good choices and then the wrong SDV. :biggrin:
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Ok, here's a question regarding all these "Top X DT songs": How many songs has DT officially released at this point? Doing a top 50 seems to exclude only about maybe half of the songs?
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Ok, here's a question regarding all these "Top X DT songs": How many songs has DT officially released at this point? Doing a top 50 seems to exclude only about maybe half of the songs?
Yeah, 50 is almost half. I believe they have released a little of 100 songs, I'm not sure of the exact count, though. The top 50 threads are just for fun. Heck, I wish I was following one right now.
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you post a lot D:
Scarred - best DT song way too low etc. I can't not point this one out
AROP I dislike a fair bit, it's basically right on the border of "I'm meh to this" and "I hate this", same as YNM is for me
TBP is the best DT12 song, which makes it "okay"
SDV and FF are both in fair enough positions and I love seeing both of them this high anyways
TDoE is a song I wish was shorter and I'd like it more, Never Enough seems too high but i like it
TRoAE is too low here, but this is literally only me saying this
One Last Time being this high kind of baffles me? It's good but. Sure.
TGP is in its rightful place too
TCoT is a song I will never like as much as other people, it's the best BCaSL song tho
BitS = yay <3
The Mirror being this high is a minor victory even if I like it way more, seems to be getting a lot of love lately really for which I am pleased
TDS is... not the best 12-step song, but it's still a good heavy song for sure
Surrounded is another of those songs that I like a lot but not as much as other people seem to and I don't know why
SDVu is such a "there" song on SFAM to me that I never take notice of it and probably underrate it a hell of a lot
HY - yes please listen to FII more, it has three bloody fantastic songs and several other good ones too. HY is okay but not even close to top 10 for me
ES is definitely not going to garner complaints for me, I think the instrumental section drags but outside of it it's basically flawless and really powerful and I can never tell if it or ITNOG is my favorite ToT song.
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Endless Sacrifice is a great choice, song is often overlooked. Still, can't help but to dislike the instrumental section.
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#7: Blind Faith- This song is very special to me. Actually, every song from this point on is basically perfect in my eyes, so I have nothing bad to say about any of them. Blind Faith is probably the most well constructed song DT has ever done. Also, THAT UNISON! I love the way it starts off soft, then gradually builds up. The pre chorus gives me chills, also.
#6: In The Name Of God- Epic is what I think of when I hear this song. This song is bad ass, probably the most bad ass song DT has ever done. The lyrics are amazing and thought provoking, the solo is phenomenal. Yup, everything's perfect here. There is one thing I do find kind of funny, though. The ending takes FOREVER. This song is like the 3rd LotR film, it has like 3 endings. It's not a bad thing because the song is amazing, but it is funny.
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Two songs that would be exactly one spot higher for me. Awesome songs all around. In the Name of God was the first DT song I ever heard, so I still have a somewhat soft spot for it, even though I don't rank the rest of Train of Thought anywhere near as high.
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The instrumental section of BF is one of my favorites from DT. Them riffs and melodies. :hefdaddy
And the riff from ITNOG :metal One of Petrucci's best for sure.
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#5: Voices- Easily the best song on Awake. This song is a masterpiece, plain and simple. They haven't done another song that can be so dark, so melodic, and so heavy at the same time. Every single member shines here in some of their best moments. This song definitely deserves all the love it gets and is one of the best DT songs out there.
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I've just never gotten Blind Faith. Used to hate it, now I'm meh on it. I love the unison and some of the atmosphere stuff JR does but there's too much cheese and an incredibly weak chorus for me to really enjoy it.
Eggnog is totally awesome though. And so is Voices. It's actually #3 on Awake though but that's just me :U
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Voices is fantastic. Not my favorite from Awake anymore, but definitely up there. :tup
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#4: This Is The Life- My favorite "short" DT song. This song makes me tear up almost every time and the entire song just builds and builds until it reaches the epic "what will they say after you're gone?" part. Everything is amazing about this song, definitely one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. Period. This is actually my favorite video of it on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afZ6pDRPV5o
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This is The Life is a great song. Not top 5 though.
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This high is a bit much, but it's a great song and probably my favorite ballad off of ADTOE (we consider it a ballad here, right?)
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This one's kind of grown on me a little and might be top 50 by now, but I doubt I'd have it anywhere near this high either.
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#3: Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence- I think this song flows perfectly. It's 42 minutes, but doesn't feel like it. My favorite parts are About to Crash, About to Crash Reprise and Solitary Shell. This song is amazing all the way through and really feels more like an experience than an actual song.
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#3: Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence- I think this song flows perfectly. It's 42 minutes, but doesn't feel like it. My favorite parts are About to Crash, About to Crash Reprise and Solitary Shell. This song is amazing all the way through and really feels more like an experience than an actual song.
SDOIT is my 3º as well, with the same favorite parts :hifive:
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I so wholeheartedly agreed with your placement of TITL in Top 10 (I had it at #7) that I didn't see SDOIT coming. Can't agree with this choice, sadly. :)
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SDOIT is just too disjointed and bloated for me to enjoy it. I like some of the pieces but the whole is less than the sum of its parts here.
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Sorry I'm late...busy day today.
#2: Octavarium- This song is basically the pinnacle of DT's song writing. It's a masterpiece. As you can see, there is one more song I like better than this one. Whether it's actually a better written song...I'm not sure. But all I know is that Octavarium is one of the best songs I've ever heard, period. Almost every single section of this song is phenomenal. The ONLY THING I would change is the intro, which goes on far too long, I usually just skip it. But that doesn't stop this song from beging amazing. The story it tells, the symbolism, the metaphors...it's so amazing. I can talk about this song all day, because I get goosebumps on practically every section. This song is well deserving of the #2 spot, and I can guarantee that it will always have my respect, no matter what age or what other bands I listen to down the road. Truly a masterpiece.
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Six Degrees is fantastic, as is Octavarium. :metal
But come on, that intro is absolutely gorgeous. It might be too obvious of a Pink Floyd nod, but something about it sounds so magical and I think it lasts the perfect amount of time; it doesn't last so long that you're sick of it but not so short you're hungry for seconds.
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For me the closest 8VM has to skippable parts is, well, most of medicate and a big chunk of the full circle instrumental. The intro is great. Never really can complain about seeing this one high up, it's one of their better epics.
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Six Degrees is fantastic, as is Octavarium. :metal
But come on, that intro is absolutely gorgeous. It might be too obvious of a Pink Floyd nod, but something about it sounds so magical and I think it lasts the perfect amount of time; it doesn't last so long that you're sick of it but not so short you're hungry for seconds.
I disagree. The intro is about 4 and a half minutes...which is the length of an average song. It wouldn't be so bad if there were actually notes being played. I would say that the one amazing thing about it is that you wait for the song tp start up and when that first note hits...it feels like heaven.
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Six Degrees is fantastic, as is Octavarium. :metal
But come on, that intro is absolutely gorgeous. It might be too obvious of a Pink Floyd nod, but something about it sounds so magical and I think it lasts the perfect amount of time; it doesn't last so long that you're sick of it but not so short you're hungry for seconds.
I disagree. The intro is about 4 and a half minutes...which is the length of an average song. It wouldn't be so bad if there were actually notes being played. I would say that the one amazing thing about it is that you wait for the song tp start up and when that first note hits...it feels like heaven.
I guess you're not too into ambient music then. :biggrin:
We're talking about a band that's made 20+ epics in the past. 4 and a half minutes is pretty short for them and while, sure, one can argue that it's still too long, it's a different experience when actually listening to it. It honestly doesn't even feel like 4 minutes, and I think that's part of the beauty to it.
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Octavarium just wouldn't be the same without intro. I'd rather have Medicate part trimmed down, the intro is perfect the way it is.
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I personally wouldn't want any section of the song trimmed up. I always thought it was paced very well. The intro really sets the tone for the song, and everything just builds from there.
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Medicate is my favorite part. The reprise of the main theme with great vocals by labrie :hefdaddy I also agree that 8V is perfect as it is and doesn't need to be trimmed down
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Ok so here we have it the number one song...which I will post tomorrow. Let's see if anyone can guess it.
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I've not been commenting for a while but I'm still following. Octavarium is a great choice. Can you do a recap of everything you've posted so far in one post? It'll make it easier to guess because I will be able to quickly reference a list to know if you've already named something or not.
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If Metropolis isn't number 1 you have bad taste. :P
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#50: The Dark Eternal Night
#49: I Walk Beside You
#48: Innocence Faded
#47: Another Day
#46: Repentance
#45: Learning to Live
#44: The Spirit Carries On
#43: Constant Motion
#42: The Best of Times
#41: The Shattered Fortress
#40: Wither
#39: As I Am
#38: Erotomania
#37: Behind The Veil
#36: Through Her Eyes
#35: Beneath The Surface
#34: Panic Attack
#33: The Enemy Inside
#32: Sacrificed Sons
#31: Under A Glass Moon
#30: Fatal Tragedy
#29: Outcry
#28: On The Backs of Angels
#27: Misunderstood
#26: Take The Time
#25: Scarred
#24: A Rite of Passage
#23: The Bigger Picture
#22: Space Dye Vest
#21: Finally Free
#20: The Dance of Eternity
#19: Never Enough
#18: The Root of All Evil
#17: One Last Time
#16: The Glass Prison
#15: The Count of Tuscany
#14: Bridges in the Sky
#13: The Mirror
#12: This Dying Soul
#11: Surrounded
#10: Strange Deja Vu
#9: Hollow Years
#8: Endless Sacrifice
#7: Blind Faith
#6: In The Name Of God
#5: Voices
#4: This Is The Life
#3: Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
#2: Octavarium
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If Metropolis isn't number 1 you have bad taste. :P
Well you better make damn sure Metropolis Pt. 1 makes an appearance. :P
Well...you may be disappointed
There's your confirmation for the latter half of your statement. :lol
Either way, my bets are on ACOS.
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I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's "A Nightmare To Remember".
A very interesting list so far. Some choices I definately wouldn't have seen coming.
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I'm going to guess that you and I are best friends and say Breaking All Illusions.
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you not me
build me up break me down
raw dog
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Ok, so here it is...my number one song DT has ever done.
#1: A Nightmare to Remember- Before I tell you what I think of this song, first I have a few things to say. I listen to DT a lot these days, so my list is constantly changing. There are two songs I regret 100% not putting on this list. "Breaking All Illusions" and "The Great Debate". I always shunned TGD because the beginning always bored me to death. However, I've been listening to it more and more recently and the song is actually really good after the long intro. The chorus is amazing and this song probably would be in my top 30 if I was to make another list. BAI I kind of neglected as well, because the album as a whole took a really long time to sink in and BAI was just the song that most recently grew on me in the last week or so. It really is a great song and would actually probably be in my top 20 if I made another list.
Anyway, now that that is out of the way, I will get to ANTR. This song is pretty much perfect in my eyes. It's not overly long and I have just enough time to listen to the entire thing on my way to and from work. The intro slowly builds in and the thing I love about this song is that it actually gets better the farther into the song it gets. The chorus is better than the verse, the second verse is better than the chorus, the second chorus is better, then the "Lying on the table" part is the best so far. The best part of the song is easily the "beautiful agony" part, easily my favorite section in ANY DT song, period. It's so beautiful, in such a morbid way. So full of despair, such emotion is put into the vocals. I have to give a shout out here to both Labrie and Petrucci, because they make this part what it is. The rest of the band does great here as well, but especially those two. The solo is, of course, phenomenal. Everything about this song is amazing, and I think it will always be my number one DT song. Octavarium is pretty much on par with this song, but I feel like it's not my song, since I feel like it's everyone's favorite. With ANTR, I can say that it is my song that nobody can take away from me. You'd be hard pressed to find ANTR as anyone else's number one song, and with the uniqueness, comes a special feeling. Either way, I'm excited to here what you guys think, and if ANTR IS your number one song, I'd love to hear what you like about it as well.
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Terrible song imo, it made my top 5 worst Dream Theater songs. :lol But this was one of the most unique lists I've seen, so props for that!
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There's no way I would put it at #1. However, I guessed correctly, which makes me happy.
It might make my top 50, but it feels bloated and the lyrical content is sort of unfitting for as dramatic as the song makes it out to be. It seems it should be about a war, or serial killer, not a wedding and a car crash. It does have some great riffs and the drum part is fun as hell to play, but I don't think it holds up to the quality of a lot of other DT material. The "Over and over, scene by scene" section definitely takes away from how seriously I can take the song. Overall, I enjoy it, but I don't see it beating out many other songs from their catalog.
Interesting list, though. It's certainly unique, and there are a lot more surprises than some lists have.
Edit: Serial killer, not cereal
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cereal killer
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cereal killer
I wouldn't mind a song about that either :rollin
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Honestly I can't be sure if ANTR would even break my top 50. It has some parts that are actually pretty cool and the riffs are great, and then parts that are almost cringe-worthy and I just can't take them seriously, especially for the subject matter that it tries to convey. I'm in love with the Beautiful Agony section, but not fond of the idea of it having to be shoe-horned into a wildly inconsistent song. It's not bad, but on the whole, somewhat average for DT.
Real interesting and unique list. Though Metropolis' absence on here is somethin' else. :P
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Top ten for me. But I still am disappointed by the absence of Breaking All Illusions.
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Top ten for me. But I still am disappointed by the absence of Breaking All Illusions.
I mentioned BAI and TGD in my ANTR post. Check it out.
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Wow great pick! I don't get the hate for this song, only cringe-worthy part is the portnoy growls. But everything else about this song is orgasm :metal
I think the meandering serves its purpose and the song works as a journey and an experience. I may be slightly biased though, because this is one of the songs I first listened to that got me into DT and a lot of the prog scene haha. :tup