Train of Thought just kicked by butt . . .

[Dream Team]

 . . . on the way into work. Honestly had not listened to much of it outside of the awesome ITNOG in quite a while, but decided to put it in. Hadn't listened to TDS in well over a year but that was one of the songs that put its foot up my backside. MP's drumming is phenomenal on this album and blows MM out of the water IMO (flame shield on). GREAT album for listening in the car.

[lithium112]

TOT is awesome! I love the direction DT took with the metal songs on this album. ITNOG, TDS and HTF still maintain a lot of structural complexity, while keeping it  . And I love SoC. Dunno if I'd be able to make a fair comparison between MP and MM based on just ToT vs ADTOE but MP's drumming is certainly killer. It would be cool to see MM in a similar context.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

Lmao @ blows MM's playing out of the water.

To the second poster: from what I understand, Annihilator was really heavy so I'd check them out to hear MM's heaviest side. There's a video on YouTube of him doing some crazy shit in the studio for them too.

[Scorpion]

Four songs of the record are good (Vacant, Endless Sacrifice, Stream of Consciousness, In the Name of God - in the order from least liked to most) whereas the three other range from 'quite okay' (As I Am) to bottom 20 (Honor Thy Father).

All in all, a very good metal album, but one of the weakest in DT's discography. Still an enjoyable listen though, and the album that got me into DT.

[BlobVanDam]

A great album. As I Am is one of DT's best straightforward metal songs, TDS is an ass-kicker follow up to the AA suite, Vacant is a hugely underrated song (and possibly their most emotional ballad), SoC is one of DT's better instrumentals (though I like some others more), and ITNOG is easily a top 5 DT song for me.
HTF is a good heavy song, although I usually need to be in the mood for it, and I find Endless Sacrifice to be uninteresting, but nothing on the album I really dislike. The album succeeds at exactly what DT set out to do with it.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

There's a video on YouTube of him doing some crazy shit in the studio for them too.

Here is the video on YouTube of him doing some crazy shit in the studio for them too.

[El JoNNo]

A great album. As I Am is one of DT's best straightforward metal songs

This is true yet the song disappoints me. James just doesn't go metal on this one, and the last chorus he should have vamped it up a bit.

[wolfandwolfandwolf]

I really don't like TDS, but everything else is great with me.  Especially ITNOG.

[Kotowboy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=00GXRzoJbiI

This is good too...

[Adami]

Let's see, I think TOT ranks 9th for me. A little better than WDADU.



Overall, don't like the production, especially the rhythm guitar tone. Don't like AIA, TDS, HTF, a whole lot. Can't stand ES. Vacant is okay. SoC is cool. ITNOG is great except for the last vocal part before the battle hymn of the republic (coolest name for a song ever).

[SeRoX]

In the sense of genre, this album sounds really metal. Many say James doesn't fit the sound of this album. I couldn't disagree more. When his operatic voice and the metal sound unite it sounds something different we've not heard too much.This is the thing experimental. Is it bad? Absolutely not. It's completely different. For me, it's amazing. Especially on the In The Name Of God, this song is like a hymn thanks to his voice and his style.

Overall, I rank this album in the middle of their albums. Pretty decent and enjoyable. As I Am is OK, Endless Sacrifice and INTOG are awesome and Vacant is a lost gem which is mostly escaped observation. The rest is "meh".

[RuRoRul]

Best Dream Theater album 

[TheGreatPretender]

In the sense of genre, this album sounds really metal. Many say James doesn't fit the sound of this album. I couldn't disagree more. When his operatic voice and the metal sound unite it sounds something different we've not heard too much.This is the thing experimental. Is it bad? Absolutely not. It's completely different. For me, it's amazing. Especially on the In The Name Of God, this song is like a hymn thanks to his voice and his style.

I agree with this completely.

It's really awesome that DT actually decided to make a full on 'metal' album. I think The Glass Prison was the first time they've ever went THAT heavy and with that type of energy. (Lie and Burning My Soul weren't as energetic, I thought). And I felt like it really set the sound for what became Train of Thought. I love it. When I'm in the mood for something with a lot of balls, ToT is my go to DT album.

[Jaffa]

Train of Thought is one of my very favorite Dream Theater albums.  Generally I rank it second behind Images and Words, though lately I think I'd probably put it at third behind Scenes from a Memory as well.  Either way, though, it is a tremendously kickass album. 

Also, Vacant -> SoC -> ItNoG is one of my favorite three-song runs of all time. 

[Pols Voice]

Every song is good except for Honor Thy Father.

[Dark Castle]

It doesn't really click with me, and I don't really like how the metal sound and James Labrie's vocals clash on many of he songs.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

blows MM out of the water

Yeah... I agree, Mangini's 10 albums with DT pale in comparison to Train of Thought.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

It doesn't really click with me, and I don't really like how the metal sound and James Labrie's vocals clash on many of he songs.

I agree with you 100%. It's a combination that just doesn't go well. James' operatic style can go well with other Dream Theater riff driven stuff, just not the most extreme direction of the ToT album. It just sounds awkward. I actually really like the album, but there's always that awkwardness about it.

It's like, you put the disc in, As I Am hits you in the face with this attention-grabbing introduction, all these heavy riffs with detuned (or baritone?) guitars come plowing through and then...this guy with a high register voice starts singing and it takes all the air and energy out of the song. It just doesn't sound right. The songs just demand a different vocal type. It's not his fault or anything he did wrong, he's just not the right vocal type or well rooted enough in that style.

[TheGreatPretender]

I think LaBrie sounds awesome on Train of Thought. He's got a very unique voice and it really sucks that some people can't associate it with Metal. His past 2 Solo albums were even heavier, and I think he sounded great on them.

[Buddyhunter1]

Best Dream Theater album 

I second this. Also, This Dying Soul > Endless Sacrifice > Honor Thy Father is a freaking AMAZING three-hit punch.

[Adami]

I think LaBrie sounds awesome on Train of Thought. He's got a very unique voice and it really sucks that some people can't associate it with Metal. His past 2 Solo albums were even heavier, and I think he sounded great on them.

He sounds good on a few parts of ToT. But it has nothing to do with how metal it is. It has to do with who the vocal lines are written for. This is around the time (it seems) that Portnoy and Petrucci started writing their melodies for either themselves or for someone else they imagined. DT haven't seem to be writing to Jame's strength for a long time. Matt on the other hand knows exactly how to write for James.

[TheGreatPretender]

He sounds good on a few parts of ToT. But it has nothing to do with how metal it is. It has to do with who the vocal lines are written for. This is around the time (it seems) that Portnoy and Petrucci started writing their melodies for either themselves or for someone else they imagined. DT haven't seem to be writing to Jame's strength for a long time. Matt on the other hand knows exactly how to write for James.

Well, As I Am and Endless Sacrifice, I thought James sounded Fantastic. And everything on Systematic Chaos, I'd say was written to James' strengths, so that 'for a long time' statement, I wouldn't say it applies. Well, aside from Dark Eternal Night, but in that case, they used distortion to make it fit.

[Adami]

Well we clearly have differing opinions on DT's last 4 or 5 albums lol.

[TheGreatPretender]

Well we clearly have differing opinions on DT's last 4 or 5 albums lol.

Clearly. But hey, I don't care. It just means I enjoy their last 4 or 5 albums more than you do. 

[Adami]

Well we clearly have differing opinions on DT's last 4 or 5 albums lol.

Clearly. But hey, I don't care. It just means I enjoy their last 4 or 5 albums more than you do. 

Awesome. Shall we make love now?

[TheGreatPretender]

Awesome. Shall we make love now?

Sorry dude, I don't like it AnnaLee...

[Adami]

Awesome. Shall we make love now?

Sorry dude, I don't like it AnnaLee...

Oh come on dude it's a new millennium, suffer through a trial of tears once in a while. Your love is burning my soul, I've got major erotomania. I won't leave you too anally scarred, but you definitely won't be the silent man while I'm ramming you. This is mostly going to hurt you, not me. But for you, I'll take the time back there and do it slowly. I've convinced myself that the answer lies within your anus. But don't have a panic attack my man. I'll get you off one last time before I go home. But don't have blind faith in what I'm saying, I'll prove it to you. Back there I will be constant motion, and I will leave your bung hole vacant when I'm done. I will listen to your outcry, but the believe me the pain will fade. Though you'll feel far from heaven, beneath the surface you'll think that this is the life.

Now bend over.

[TheGreatPretender]

Riiiight... Anyway, let's get back on the proper train of thought and discuss what the topic is really about.

[Jaffa]

...

Adami just ruined half of Dream Theater's songs for me in one paragraph. 

[Adami]

Homophobes.

[Jaffa]

Hey, I have no problem with anal sex.  I just don't want it to jump up as a mental image every time I listen to my favorite song.

(Also, I just noticed the typo in the thread title and am now picturing a pair of buttocks growing a foot and using it to kick this album.)

[TheGreatPretender]

And I don't want to experience it. I'm not a homophobe, I'm more of a ripmyrectumphobe.

[Evatallica]

Errrrrrr okay.... lol. Anyway, TOT is one of my all time favorite DT albums as well. ItNoG is my all time favorite as well as others such as TDS, ES, and SoC. As I Am is pretty good, just somewhat simple for DT. HtF is really good but just a little too heavy for me lol. I also love Vacant as it leads into SoC beautifully

[obscure]

Friggin awesome album... brilliant!!!

Every song is good except for especially  Honor Thy Father.

fix'd

[Pols Voice]

LaBrie sounds good on the album. I'm glad DT doesn't have a stereotypical "metal" vocalist, because then I wouldn't like the band nearly as much.

Every song is good except for especially  Honor Thy Father.

fix'd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McAeQiLmEYU