A Change of Seasons (vs) Octavarium: Explain your choice.

[serrano]

I like both... ...but ACOS sounds rather bad. That snare kills me! 
I don't hate Prater for I&W, but i really hate him for ACOS.

But only my personal opinion.

[theseoafs]

Octavarium is my favorite song. It's such a brilliantly executed concept, and the only DT epic that to me ever really sounded like a single song.

[Podaar]

My vote was  for ACOS. If for no other reason than the Another World movement.

"Oh come let us adore him
Abuse and then ignore him
No matter what, don't let him be
Let's feed upon his misery
Then string him up for all the world to see"

Is just brilliant and the vocal delivery is chill inducing.

Oh, and I really love the live cover section! It always amazes me how JP can effortlessly imitate every other guitarists style and tone.

[Jaffa]

It's interesting to me how many people in this thread are saying the exact same thing, about different songs.  "I like song A better.  Song B is great, but it lacks some of the magic of song A.  Song A flows better, while song B feels more like a patched-together collection of unrelated musical ideas.  Both songs are great, but song A just reaches higher peaks than song B.  Song A takes me on more of a musical journey than song B."

Not saying there's anything wrong with these things - I agree with all of them, and for me song A is ACOS.  It's just interesting to me to watch different people saying these exact same things about both songs.  Just a fun illustration of how different people's opinions can be.

[Gysten]

A Change of Seasons over Octavarium every day, especially in the winter when the right mood is set, to me it feels like a winter song, but that is not relevant. I think A Change of Seasons is better than Octavarium on every level, the lyrics is far better, the text is really emotional, the instrumental is better, And it have one of my favourite part of music ever. The Crimson Sunset.

[TAC]

I went with 8V.
And I LOVE ACOS.

The way 8V builds throughout each part is great.  I mean both songs are top notch. 8V just has ALL that Dream Theater has to offer, I find it more dimensional than ACOS.
But like I said..I LOVE ACOS!!

[lordxizor]

ACOS. It's just way better. Perfection from start to finish. Octavarium is very good, but I always skip the intro.

[krands85]

Octavarium for me. Both are phenomenal pieces of music and easily top 10 songs. There's just something that little bit extra special about Octavarium, though I couldn't really put my finger on what it is.

There's a lot of talk in other forums about the point at which you discovered Dream Theater influencing certain things, like your favourite album for example. This isn't normally relevant for me, since I&W is my favourite album, yet I didn't discover the band until 2005. But maybe it makes a difference with this poll, since Octavarium was the first album I heard by DT.

Another thing I've just thought of is the fact ACOS isn't on a proper album. 8VM is an epic album closer, tying in themes and ideas from the preceding songs, giving it that little bit extra sparkle for me.

[hefdaddy42]

I prefer ACOS, because it feels magical and epic in scope & composition, not just in length.  I like 8VM a lot too, but it isn't as special as ACOS; it's just a 24-minute song.

[MK_Ultra]

Octa, pretty easily. ACOS has never felt like one song (which seems to go against popular opinion?) while 8VM doesn't drag in any of its glorious 24 minutes. 8VM is so much more of a 'journey' for me, while ACOS sounds almost cobbled together, and ACOS' highs (I love you... goodbye) aren't anything like up there with Octavarium's (Medicate, the ~13 minute mark keyboard solo, the Full Circle verses and the whole of Intervals).

The first 3:48 of 8VM don't drag on but ACOS does Just curious as to what your criteria for "dragging on" is. Not nitpicking either, honestly curious.

I don't think I have any real 'criteria', I think it's entirely subjective. I guess I've never felt bored listening to 8VM, but I have with ACOS. 

[lanemeyer]

As has been discussed, 8V doesn't carry the emotional resonance that ACOS has due to it's lyrics. I find the "Full Circle" verses to be particularly annoying, both the lyrics and vocal melodies. 8V's intro is a little long, but I don't mind that too much. Backing vox by MP bring down the overall quality as well.... again, jmo.

ACOS, on the other hand, is pretty much flawless to me in all aspects.

[Jaq]

ACOS wins by a mile.

ACOS is Dream Theater doing a classic, album side long progressive epic, cohesive and well put together with an understandable lyrical theme. 8VM is the band, at times almost shamelessly, plundering the past of progressive rock to make a song that seems to largely BE about progressive rock. If the song is actually ABOUT anything, I've not a clue. 8VM isn't a bad song, don't get me wrong, and it gets gloriously epic at the end, but all too often for me it turns into "spot which prog band they're sounding like now." ACOS sounds like Dream Theater so it gets the nod.

[The Silent Cody]

I like ACOS more as I am a fan of more heavy DT sound, ACOS is just heavier than 8VM. But 8VM is a great, great musical journey, a song to remember

[Mr. Beale]

Octavarium. ACOS has a lot of cool sections and probably better lyrics, but it usually feels overlong. I have a hard time staying engaged with later section a lot of the time. 8VM of course amazing and without those hangups for me.

[Jarzombek]

A Change Of Seasons

The best song that DT have ever done.

[snapple]

ACOS because it's actually a good song.

[Orbert]

It's interesting to me how many people in this thread are saying the exact same thing, about different songs.  "I like song A better.  Song B is great, but it lacks some of the magic of song A.  Song A flows better, while song B feels more like a patched-together collection of unrelated musical ideas.  Both songs are great, but song A just reaches higher peaks than song B.  Song A takes me on more of a musical journey than song B."

Not saying there's anything wrong with these things - I agree with all of them, and for me song A is ACOS.  It's just interesting to me to watch different people saying these exact same things about both songs.  Just a fun illustration of how different people's opinions can be.

I agree with all of this (including the vote for ACOS).  Both are great songs, each masterpieces in their own way, and obviously different people find different things that resonate with them, for various reasons.

[manticore999]

Can't vote - I really don't care for either song.

[theseoafs]

Can't vote - I really don't care for either song.

[Orbert]

Can't vote - I really don't care for either song.

[Cranky]

For me, song A is Octavarium, and song B is A Change of Seasons.
from Jaffa's comparison, of course.

To me, Octavarium is so special to me, it is my favourite song of ALL time, for many reasons.
The lyrics are some of Dream Theater's best... They are so simple, but so whimsical and, just well put.
The music is just... Incredible. It flows from part to part seamlessly. There isn't a part that should be there, which is a common problem Dream Theater has with their longer songs.

The only problem I have really, is the intro is a little too long for some listens.. If I am not in the mood to just chill out, you know?
Otherwise, I enjoy it just as much as the rest of the song.. It really builds the suspense.

A Change of Seasons... Noooow, don't get me wrong, this was one of my all time favourites when I first found out about Dream Theater.
I love the intro, it got me hooked.. But, wait... There was something that came after it... Some sort of section that repeated way too many times and just ruined the feel for me. (The part with the distorted organ)
I will say that, whenever the vocals are present, it's one of the highest points in Dream Theater history. The vocals AND lyrics, I should say.
But, save the guitar solo section, the instrumentals are just incoherent and feel patched together. Like, literally, they feel like different parts patched together. And, that detracts a lot from me.

With that being said, If A Change of Seasons was cut down in time, I would enjoy it a lot more.

Hmm.. Maybe some sort of rating is in order.
A Change of Seasons 7.9/10 (It would be more if some of the instrumentals were cut down)
Octavarium 9.8/10

[CrimsonSunrise]

For me ACOS is the best piece of work.... by ANY band.

[The King in Crimson]

8VM

I just like it better. I like the various parts better than anything in aCoS and the last half is pretty much perfection.

aCoS has much, much better lyrics and it flows better as a single song, but still, 8VM is just great.

[reza_122]

I love ACOS very much,
bcoz it has a beautiful and poetic lyric,
it has great 'music harmonization' in 23 minutes song
very nice song .....

[The Letter M]

Went with ACOS, but it's awfully close. I hovered over the poll options for quite awhile, abandoned making a decision all day, and just now came back to it.

ACOS has a more cohesive epic feel, like Rush's "Hemispheres", Yes' "Close To The Edge" or Genesis' "Supper's Ready", while 8VM is a bit more disjointed and pieced together. Heck, TCOT feels more cohesive than 8VM does at times.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely *love* "Octavarium", and being the title epic of the first-new album they released after I became a fan, it holds a special place in my heart, but as the years have gone by, the intro has grown to be a bit long for me, and the lyrics have lost some of their novelty, but it IS fun to sing along to (especially "III. Full Circle" and "IV. Intervals").

ACOS is just totally epic to me, and it's non-stop awesome.

-Marc.

[Dream Team]

Still waiting for MP to post his choice and explanation . . .

[theseoafs]

Still waiting for MP to post his choice and explanation . . .

Why do you expect MP to spend his free time coming here to talk about a band he's no longer a part of?

[KevShmev]

Still waiting for MP to post his choice and explanation . . .

Why do you expect MP to spend his free time coming here to talk about a band he's no longer a part of?

If a man gets divorced, regardless of his relationship with his ex-wife (or ex-wives ), does he have to stop talking about his baby?

[Cranky]

Still waiting for MP to post his choice and explanation . . .

Why do you expect MP to spend his free time coming here to talk about a band he's no longer a part of?

If a man gets divorced, regardless of his relationship with his ex-wife (or ex-wives ), does he have to stop talking about his baby?

Well played, sir... Well played... 

[theseoafs]

Still waiting for MP to post his choice and explanation . . .

Why do you expect MP to spend his free time coming here to talk about a band he's no longer a part of?

If a man gets divorced, regardless of his relationship with his ex-wife (or ex-wives ), does he have to stop talking about his baby?

He shouldn't join the forum devoted to his ex-wife, if that's what you're asking.

[jsem]

Still waiting for MP to post his choice and explanation . . .

Why do you expect MP to spend his free time coming here to talk about a band he's no longer a part of?

If a man gets divorced, regardless of his relationship with his ex-wife (or ex-wives ), does he have to stop talking about his baby?

[jcmistat]

Both top 10 songs for me but ACoS easily wins. The Full Circle section in Octavarium I've learned to deal with but it doesn't do anything for me. I can connect more emotionally with ACoS, flows better though I listen to Octavarium much more.

[ddtonfire]

ACoS always feels like it has several spots it could/should have ended but instead keeps going.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

ACoS. It's better.

[snapple]

ACoS always feels like it has several spots it could/should have ended but instead keeps going.

Curious where that is in ACOS but not in 8V?