do you like systematic chaos?

[jonnybaxy]

I don't understand why people don't like it? It gets a lot of hate and I want people to explain why, its my fourth favorite album

In the presence of enemies (part 1) I like it I don't understand why people don't

Forsaken, I also like it (i even learnt it (drums))

Constant motion, i like this I think its catchy

The dark eternal night, I understand its heavier (least favorite on album) but still like it

Repentance, its good when you listen to all of 12 step suite

Prophets of war, I like this its also catchy

The ministry of lost souls, i like this aswell and the lyrics

In the presence of enemies (part 2) i like this, good way to end the album.

[Jaffa]

I like it, but it's still one of my least favorite DT albums.

[SystematicThought]

It's grown on me in the past few years. It was my first DT CD that I ever got.

I look at it as a CD where the band was just letting loose and having fun. It's a fun record not to be taken as the next ACOS. The songs and lyrical content are just fun.

[chrisbDTM]

I like it, but it's still one of my least favorite DT albums.

[Cable]

I like it, but it's still one of my least favorite DT albums.

+1.

Probably my least favorite, with a fair share of stinker parts in songs IMO.

[RuRoRul]

It was one of the earliest DT albums I listened to, and I've always liked it, so I can't really help with an explanation as to why some people don't. I have found I've come to appreciate most other albums more and more and Systematic Chaos a bit less, so that I now would rank it towards the bottom of the DT albums rather than the middle-top where I used to.

My biggest problem with it was basically that so much of what was good was concentrated on just two songs. In The Presence Of Enemies, which was once my absolute favourite and still is one of their best in my opinion, and The Ministry Of Lost Souls, a song I particularly love the instrumental section of. Forsaken, Constant Motion and Prophets Of War, while I like them all, are weak - average DT songs (and I like Dream Theater very much, so an "average" DT song is one I consider very good), and while I do really like The Dark Eternal Night it's a song with its own very specific sound that I don't find myself coming to as much as more normal DT songs. So even though half the album by time is taken up by songs I really like, they're still only two songs and so it comes across as an album of mostly sub par DT songs.

But most people that don't like Systematic Chaos don't think much of ITPOE and hate The Ministry Of Lost Souls, from what I've seen, so it can't just be the same issue of only two great songs and the rest being a bit weak.

[DebraKadabra]

Where's the "maybe" option?  I like some parts of SC (TDEN, Repentance and ITPOE are my favorites) but others just fall really flat IMO.

[Dark Castle]

I love it, my friend made me listen to it, and now we just show "WHAT THE EFF, HOW DO PEOPLE HATE THIS" when we listen to it 

[Adami]

No. It has one great song and a few good moments.

ITPOE 1: I like the vocal parts, but most of it just seems uninspired and prog metal DT by numbers.
Forsaken: I like the piano bit, but absolutely nothing else. The vocals are just terrible (to me).
CM: Not a terrible song, just kind of pointless.
TDEN: Can't stand this song. Low point for DT IMO
Repentance: Best song on the CD. Great song all in all, even the ending. Although the MP super low octave talking bits are a bit of a drag down.
PoW: Meh. Kind of a fun song, but I never have a desire to listen to it.
TMoLS: I really like the guitar/keyboard work during the first verses/chorus. The intro is lame, the instrumental section and everything following is lame. Vocals are super bland. ...........imo.
ITPOE 2: Eh. I like the intro, the rest is forgettable.

[Ħ]

I didn't vote.

It's not a good album and it's not a bad album. It's just meh. That's my opinion of it.

[bosk1]

I like it a lot, but it has a few songs I don't like very much.  It's a great half an album.

ITPOE (both parts):  Great
Forsaken:  Great
Constant Motion:  Great
The Dark Eternal Night:  Good

I don't listen to the rest of the album.

[FsF]

In relation to other bands and albums, i'd have to say yes. In relation to my other Dream Theater albums? It's probably my least favourite, so a no.

Voted yes though.

[MetropolisWatches]

I'm sure I'll get some flack for this, but I think it's a hell of a lot better than Black Clouds (their weakest album.) 

[jonnybaxy]

I've reset the poll and added a 'meh' option 

[Zook]

Where's the "It's ok" option?

[jonnybaxy]

I'm sure I'll get some flack for this, but I think it's a hell of a lot better than Black Clouds (their weakest album.)

WDaDU....

[MajorMatt]

When it came out I rocked the fuck out to CM, I like ITPOE although, as my dad pointed out the intro is a complete Rush rip off. I actually like TMOLS and Repentance at the right time. But, it's their weakest album IMO, WDADU is better. There again I am a Status Seeker fan so I may be in the minority 

[jonnybaxy]

There again I am a Status Seeker fan so I may be in the minority 

I like status seeker and a fortune in lies but thats as far as it goes 

[johnnysuperfan]

I never had any problem with Systematic Chaos. Great album as is all DT cd's. I have it on vinyl too 

[Zook]

I'm sure I'll get some flack for this, but I think it's a hell of a lot better than Black Clouds (their weakest album.)

WDaDU....

I agree. I like Systematic Chaos more. Also, I don't listen to WDADU much, but when I do, I quite enjoy it, regardless of production and CD. BC&SL is definitely their weakest.

[jonnybaxy]

I've seen this album get so much hate but its got no votes for dislike 

[Zook]

The goats haven't crossed the bridge yet.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I don't hate it. I used to, but I was also 17 and an asshole, so...

I think it's got a real character to it and lovable cheesiness. It's endearing. That being said, the second half lags a bit. I'm voting "meh".

[54_diplomats]

I like it, but it's one of my least favorite albums. Then again it's not saying much since I pretty much like every single DT album.

ITPOE (both parts) - Probably in my top 20, especially because of pt.1. The song is fantastic.
Forsaken - I don't hate it nor do I like it.
Constant Motion - Quite possibly my least favorite Dream Theater song.
The Dark Eternal Night - This song gets too much hate, it's a fun song and I like the chorus.
Repentance - This one has been growing on me lately, no real opinion yet (I didn't like it at first though).
Prophets of War - Another fun song. I really enjoy listening to this and I actually like MP's vocal section.
The Ministry of Lost Souls - This song would be so much better if it was a bit shorter. I like it though, especially the vocals.

[skydivingninja]

I loved it when I first bought it, but I wasn't listening to it anymore after like six months.  Its DT's worst album.  No song is really amazing, and there's a lot of ruined potential.

ITPOE1: Its all right.  Not bad, but not amazing anyway.  Decent opener.
Forsaken: I actually kinda like this song.
Constant Motion: Studio version is just sort of bland.  I had fun with it live, though.
TDEN: Puke.  No thanks.  Doesn't play to DT's strengths at all.
Repentence: I like it.  Its nice and unoffensive.
Prophets of War: Its got a good riff, but the potential for greatness is wasted in trying to sound too much like some weird disco-hybrid of Muse and Queen.
Ministry of Lost Souls: Its got a pretty decent first half, but then that stupid instrumental section has to waltz in and ruin everything.  Just no point in listening to the song.
ITPOE2: Same problem as Ministry.  The "Heretic" section is actually pretty damn great.  After that it becomes a very routine, DT-by-numbers song that doesn't have the same kind of catharsis as better DT 20 minute-plus epics (read: all of them)

[Phoenix87x]

No

[KevShmev]

I don't dislike it, but there is very little on this album that brings me back to it on a regular basis.  The biggest problem is not only are there no truly great DT songs in it, but some of their least best/worst songs ever on it, too.  I even tried listening to Forsaken and Constant Motion again recently, and it is really is a shame that two great JP solos are wasted in mostly otherwise forgettable songs.  The worst DT moment ever is a close contest between the "HHHHHUUUUHHHH!" at the end of CM's 2nd verse (that sounds like the Bruce Willis thing on Friends ) and "Forevermore, into the night blistering." Both moments coming from the same song is not a good thing.  And like I said, it is a shame, because JP's solo in that song is aces, but it is just wasted.  It's like a really ugly girl wearing a very pretty dress.

[Jaq]

Yes, even though I think Repentance is boring and Prophets of War is silly. It's in my bottom half of DT albums, but I still like the lion's share of the album, and have no problem with Constant Motion or TDEN. Or the instrumental break in TMOLS. I admittedly rarely come back to it, but I'll be honest, it gets played more than BC&SL and Octavarium. Sometimes I want a punchy yet proggy album, and if nothing else, SC is that.

[mrjazzguitar]

Yes of course I like it. Its an album by my favorite band. Sure, some parts aren't as strong as what is on some other albums, but overall.. its DT! It was the first album I really looked forward to and followed the release of. It is easily my least listened-to album lately, but here we go -- putting it on now

[WheyWaffles]

I like it.  Not as many cheesy moments as BC&SL.  Not in my top 5 albums of theirs, though.

[WildeSilas]

I've made my feelings about it clear elsewhere, but since it's on topic here: This album contains TMOLS, which is IMO the most uninspired DT song ever written. For me, it exemplifies everything that was wrong with the band when MP was kind of running things and JLB and JM were mostly out of the picture. Obvious, repetitive, uninspired melody, and the apex of instrumental wankery in the middle section that I suspect is the poster child for why conventional music fans simply can't stand prog-rock. Absolutely pointless, silly lyrics that belong on an overly dramatic Meatloaf album, or godIdontknowwhere.

So much potential for the album with the whole "non-concept" thing, but I just feel like JLB was pushed out, JM was bored, and the other guys were just phoning it in at this point. BCSL is another step down that ladder IMO, but this was the first album where I really felt like the wheels were falling off. As has been said before - thank the gods for MM.

[TheGreatPretender]

I think it's one of DT's best albums. It's just got so much meat to it, it's melodic, it's heavy, it's progressive, every musician has some amazing parts on it.

And frankly, I think the piano melody in Forsaken is the best piano melody in any DT song since Kevin Moore left the band.

[ResultsMayVary]

I like it, but it's still one of my least favorite DT albums.

This.

I hardly listen to the CD anymore, though.

[orcus116]

Voted meh. There is at least 30 minutes of enjoyable music on it for me.

[darkshade]

I voted YES

The only song I don't care for is Prophets of War. The rest is anywhere from good to amazing, but not spectacular and awe-inspiring as usual in DT's music; except for some moments in ITPOE. It's in my bottom 3, but somebody's gotta be on the bottom.