In Retrospect - Album of the Year 2003 - Nomination Phase

[skydivingninja]

Oh come on.  In what universe are Endless Sacrifice and Honor Thy Father considered good songs?  Okay, SoC is pretty good until the five minute mark, and TDS is the same way, but then they spiral into mediocrity.  I know its a Dream Theater forum but come on.  Its easily their second worst behind SC.

I mean, its got As I Am, Vacant, and ITNOG, and then four bad songs.  I'd hardly call it one of the best albums of 2003 when there were plenty of other bands who managed to make flawless albums.  

I can't think of a single flawless album from 2003.

I named six of 'em.

And Wolfking, if you like Y&T you aren't allowed to judge anyone's music tastes ever.  

[Zantera]

What's the point in arguing about something that's completely objective?
Thinking something is shit is one thing, but why try to force that onto others?
After all, judging by nominations I'd say there are several people who really likes the album, and after all, that's what counts. 

[skydivingninja]

Zantera, I'm not trying to force anyone to conform to my opinions.  I'm aware that music is subjective.  Considering how much people cite recent DT as their "decline," I'm just very surprised so many people are nominating it as one of the best albums of the year and I've explained why.  

[Dr. DTVT]

I'm going to back SDN here...ToT wasn't even the best album JLB sung on that year, and I don't know if it makes my top 10 in all honestly.  I realize I'm the only one nominating Frameshift because I'm probably one of only 3 people on DTF who owns it.  I would argue that Unweaving the Rainbow is JLB's best performance on an album, ever.  It's that damn good.  But we don't all own the same albums, so we have different opinions.  I certainly can't begrudge someone not including albums the don't own.

[Zantera]

I'm not really implying that I love ToT, I think it's a solid album for what it is.
In the end, nominations all comes down to several factors, the biggest is probably how much music each person listens to.
Compare someone who only listens to Progressive Metal with someone who listens to pretty much all genres out there, even though a lot of people here on dtf are open minded and listens to a lot outside of the Progressive-field, there's also people who knows what they enjoy and stick to that, and there's honestly no shame in that.

[ariich]

Oh come on.  In what universe are Endless Sacrifice and Honor Thy Father considered good songs?  Okay, SoC is pretty good until the five minute mark, and TDS is the same way, but then they spiral into mediocrity.  I know its a Dream Theater forum but come on.  Its easily their second worst behind SC.

You're a bad person.

HTF and SoC are great. It's the first three tracks that are a bit average.

[yorost]

Dream Theater - Train of Thought
Dead Soul Tribe - A Murder of Crows
Frameshift - Unweaving the Rainbow
Zero Hour - Metamorphosis

Hard to remember what was what from all these years.  I found a couple albums I should have voted for in previous years, but I'll leave a spot open in case I think of another one.

HTF and SoC are great. It's the first three tracks that are a bit average.

As I Am is laughing at you.

[skydivingninja]

Oh come on.  In what universe are Endless Sacrifice and Honor Thy Father considered good songs?  Okay, SoC is pretty good until the five minute mark, and TDS is the same way, but then they spiral into mediocrity.  I know its a Dream Theater forum but come on.  Its easily their second worst behind SC.

You're a bad person.

HTF and SoC are great. It's the first three tracks that are a bit average.

I can understand someone saying SoC is great.  I used to think that too, but HTF?  Huh?  I don't think I feel comfortable with you being a mod here when you have that kind of brain damage. 

[Gorille85]

Wow this was an awesome year... I'll need to think about it a bit.

[Global Laziness]

Wolverine - Cold Light of Monday

Fuck, for some reason I thought this came out in 2004, now I have to redo my lists for both years.

[yorost]

Zantera, I'm not trying to force anyone to conform to my opinions.  I'm aware that music is objective.  Considering how much people cite recent DT as their "decline," I'm just very surprised so many people are nominating it as one of the best albums of the year and I've explained why. 

Train of Thought has quite a few people that think it is one of their better albums, too.  I'm one of them, and I've seen plenty others around here that share the opinion.

Great: As I Am, Honor Thy Father, Vacant, In the Name of God
Very Good: Endless Sacrifice, Stream of Consciousness
Good enough: This Dying Soul

I definitely disagree that this album has four bad songs on it.  Would have agreed with you when I first got the album, though.  This album and Awake are both huge growers on me, to the point where each have gone from maybe the worst to the some of the best over time.

-----

Looking at your nominations, I love Opeth as well as Coheed and Cambria, but both of those albums are a little lacking to me.  While I do like them both, neither are top efforts to me and I rarely spin either anymore.

[orcus116]

All Train Of Thought did was prove DT isn't very good at writing metal. "In The Name Of God" turned out pretty sweet, though.

[Marvellous G]

Damien Rice - O
Dave Matthews Band - The Central Park Concert
John Mayer - Heavier Things
A Perfect Circle - The Thirteenth Step
Radiohead - Hail To The Thief

[jsem]

A.C.T - Last Epic
Outkast - The Love Below/Speakerboxxx
Kaizers Orchestra - Evig Pint
Opeth - Damnation
Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3

[skydivingninja]

Looking at your nominations, I love Opeth as well as Coheed and Cambria, but both of those albums are a little lacking to me.  While I do like them both, neither are top efforts to me and I rarely spin either anymore.

Go to hell
Go to hell
Go to hell
Go to hell
Go to hell
Go to hell
Go to hell
Go to hell

[Ravenheart]

I'm quite surprised at how many nominations Train of Thought is getting as well. It's basically the definition of forgettable.

[Fluffy Lothario]

Well, this year was a surprise.

1 The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium
2 Machine Head - Through the Ashes of Empires
3 Rob Dougan - Furious Angels
4 Metallica - St. Anger
5 The White Stripes – Elephant


A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step
The Strokes – Room on Fire
Serart – Serart
Muse – Absolution

[Jamesman42]

I'm quite surprised at how many nominations Train of Thought is getting as well. It's basically the definition of forgettable.

Welcome to dreamtheaterforums.org, where fans of Opeth, Porcupine Tree and Rush come to discuss things.

[pain of occupation]

is it just me thats tripping, or are people confusing objective and subjective?

[Jamesman42]

is it just me thats tripping, or are people confusing objective and subjective?

That is what is going on methinks

[Ravenheart]

EDIT: Nevermind, I see what you're talking about.

[skydivingninja]

is it just me thats tripping, or are people confusing objective and subjective?

That is what is going on methinks

I don't know what you're all talking about.

[antigoon]

Coheed - In Keeping Secrets
Mew - Frengers

[wolfking]

Oh come on.  In what universe are Endless Sacrifice and Honor Thy Father considered good songs?  Okay, SoC is pretty good until the five minute mark, and TDS is the same way, but then they spiral into mediocrity.  I know its a Dream Theater forum but come on.  Its easily their second worst behind SC.

I mean, its got As I Am, Vacant, and ITNOG, and then four bad songs.  I'd hardly call it one of the best albums of 2003 when there were plenty of other bands who managed to make flawless albums.  

I can't think of a single flawless album from 2003.

I named six of 'em.

And Wolfking, if you like Y&T you aren't allowed to judge anyone's music tastes ever.  

Well, TOT is my fav DT album, so I guess it's pointless arguing about this.  And Y&T 

[wolfking]

I'm going to back SDN here...ToT wasn't even the best album JLB sung on that year, and I don't know if it makes my top 10 in all honestly.  I realize I'm the only one nominating Frameshift because I'm probably one of only 3 people on DTF who owns it.  I would argue that Unweaving the Rainbow is JLB's best performance on an album, ever.  It's that damn good.  But we don't all own the same albums, so we have different opinions.  I certainly can't begrudge someone not including albums the don't own.

Unweaving the Rainbow is an amazing album, I have always liked that one, more people on here should really check it out.

[contest_sanity]

Dream Theater – Train Of Thought
Brave Saint Saturn – The Light of Things Hoped For
Enter The Worship Circle – Third Circle
Shane & Shane – Carry Away
Tourniquet – Where Moth and Rust Destroy

Was still heavily into my Christian music phase in the aught 3.

[pain of occupation]

The Bad Plus - These Are The Vistas
Between The Buried And Me - The Silent Circus
Ephel Duath - The Painter's Palette (jazz metal/avant-garde metal, oh yeah)
Madonna - American Life
Metallica - St. Anger

SPNKr, as somone that had a near identical 2000 list, i feel compelled (if not obliged) to inform you that it's actually illegal to like st.anger more than a real metal album from the same year, ie. enemies of reality.

it might actually be criminal to like st anger more than any release ever, but im not too sure on that...i'll go reserach it and get back to you.

[SPNKr]

^It'll take me a while to explain why I dig St. Anger. I have many more albums of 2003, but maybe not enough.. I don't focus on a single year for music. It's not something to study for. But basically I dig St. Anger because I understand it fully and that was very hard to do. I didn't try hard for that but I ended up jamming along to the album with my guitar and it grew on me from there.

Oh I can't forget to mention I finally got to watch the St. Anger Rehearsals DVD last night. Fantastic shit.

[Perpetual Change]

Zantera, I'm not trying to force anyone to conform to my opinions.  I'm aware that music is subjective.  Considering how much people cite recent DT as their "decline," I'm just very surprised so many people are nominating it as one of the best albums of the year and I've explained why.  

Recent? People have been complaining about Dream Theater's "decline" since FII came out!

I'm going to back SDN here...ToT wasn't even the best album JLB sung on that year, and I don't know if it makes my top 10 in all honestly.  I realize I'm the only one nominating Frameshift because I'm probably one of only 3 people on DTF who owns it.  I would argue that Unweaving the Rainbow is JLB's best performance on an album, ever.  It's that damn good.  But we don't all own the same albums, so we have different opinions.  I certainly can't begrudge someone not including albums the don't own.

I own it too. I do NOT think it's better than Train of Thought.

[millahh]

King Crimson - The Power to Believe
Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
Muse - Absolution
OSI - OSI
A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step

[Accelerando]

A.C.T - Last Epic
Outkast - The Love Below/Speakerboxxx
Kaizers Orchestra - Evig Pint
Opeth - Damnation
Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3

Finally! Some love for Outkast

[LCArenas]

Anathema - A Natural Disaster
Opeth - Damnation
A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step (Hey how was Mer de Noms back in the 2000 survivor? Hope at least somebody voted for that)
Dream Theater - Train of Thought
Evergrey - Recreation Day

[Jamesman42]

Wow, so much Evergrey love....awesome.

[wolfking]

Wow, so much Evergrey love....awesome.

Yep, thought that too.  Recreation Day is easily top 5 material of that year, possibly top 3, amazing, amazing album.

[Jirpo]

I love Train of Thought and its my favourite from 2003, and definitely in my top 5 DT albums. The last 4 songs are great, but my favourite from the album is actually Endless Sacrifice. As I Am is pretty good. The only song I don't like too much is TDS, but its not horrible.