Images and Words

[Cedar redaC]

I was looking at the "Songs and Albums index" thread and I noticed that there wasn't a thread for what many consider to be the best album ever. Anyway, this is a great album and quite the masterpiece. One could say that basically all of what would become prog-metal was influenced by Images and Words.

What do you guys think?

[wasteland]

A shining milestone. Best DT album and my favourite album of all time. Featuring my two favourite songs of all times. Yes, I like it. 

[BlobVanDam]

More like Images and Turds, am I right?







Seriously though, fantastic album. It would be my 3rd favourite DT album behind SDOIT and SFAM, but it's a very strong album overall, and is an album solid of DT classics.

[Zydar]

My favourite DT album and a Top 10 album overall for me. In my Top 10 of DT songs I would have 3 songs from Images there (Surrounded and Another Day, with Learning To Live as #1).

[Scorpion]

Great album, my #5 album of all time.

[Mebert78]

Amazing album.  Every note and every lyric and every piece of booklet art combines to make an album that is as close to perfection as possible, in my opinion.  Dream Theater totally pioneered a new sound and style with this album and it will forever live in progressive metal history as a landmark moment for the genre.  It's ranked the #1 progressive metal album of all-time by fans on ProgArchives, and deservingly so. 

[perfey]

When I first got presented to DT in 2003 and then discovered Images and Words I couldnt stop listening to it. I have especially fond memories of Under a Glass Moon, that song I could listen day after day without getting tired of it. Its 1# in my DT-album ranking with all hits, no fills.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Amazing album. I think it might be on its way to replacing SFAM as my favorite DT album.

[54_diplomats]

I can't even begin to describe how great Images and Words is. The only album I like more is Awake.

[MoraWintersoul]

I think this album is the reason why at least 60% of us are here.

[Elite]

Indeed.

Favourite album of all time, containing 3 of my top 5 Dream Theater songs (Learning to Live (#5), Surrounded (#3) and Metropolis Pt. 1 (#1)).
Take the Time and Under a Glass Moon are in the top 15. This album is unbeatable by anything, ever.

[SeRoX]

Best album of all time for me. The only album which does not include a song I dislike, even a bit. 

[Mladen]

Images and words is one of those albums that got as close to perfection as it gets. My 2nd favorite Dream Theater album, right behind Scenes from a memory. Every song is a gem, the playing is remarkable, every band member shines - basically, what's not to like about it? A true classic.

[ColdFireYYZ]

Seriously though, fantastic album. It would be my 3rd favourite DT album behind SDOIT and SFAM, but it's a very strong album overall, and is an album solid of DT classics.

Its my 3rd favorite after SDOIT and SFAM as well. Not a single dull moment.

[Jaq]

There are probably albums that influenced an entire subgenre of music more than Images & Words influenced progressive metal, but right now I'm at a loss to name one. Images & Words crystallized the prog metal movement that had come into being around the more progressive acts in the metal area and gave it a direction. As a long time fan of the subgenre, from before it even really existed, I can say that the singular power I&W had was this: before it came out, a metal band with progressive leanings was said to sound like Rush, whether it was warranted or not. After I&W, the comparison became Dream Theater. It's second only to SFAM on my DT list, but it is unquestionably the single most important album in the history of progressive metal. While we would have had the genre without it, Images & Words became the blueprint for progressive metal from that point on and progressive metal would be a different sound indeed without it.

[krands85]

A shining milestone. Best DT album and my favourite album of all time. Featuring my two favourite songs of all times. Yes, I like it. 

This. Exactly this. 
 
Though I didn't immediately love the album, it took me quite a while to appreciate it's greatness. For a good time after I got into DT, the only song from I&W that I thought was really good was Metropolis. What was I thinking 

[Jaffa]

[Ħ]

It's good. I practically never listen to it anymore, though.

[Zook]

My favorite DT album and #2 album of all time. It's a masterpiece.

[Sketchy]

I think this album is the reason why at least 60% of us are here.

Pretty much. I love this album a lot, it's high on my list of "musically awesome shit".

[Ruba]

My 2nd favourite DT album, after Awake. All songs are at least great.

[TAC]

Amazing album.  Every note and every lyric and every piece of booklet art combines to make an album that is as close to perfection as possible, in my opinion.  Dream Theater totally pioneered a new sound and style with this album and it will forever live in progressive metal history as a landmark moment for the genre. 

What a ride it's been!

[Lolzeez]

Images and words is one of those albums that got as close to perfection as it gets. My 2nd favorite Dream Theater album, right behind Scenes from a memory. Every song is a gem, the playing is remarkable, every band member shines - basically, what's not to like about it? A true classic.

[Ben_Jamin]

Felt like ranking

1. Surrounded
2. Wait For Sleep/Learning to Live
3. Metropolis
4. Take The Time
5. Another Day
6. Pull Me Under
7. Under A Glass Moon

UAGM being last means nothing. I just find myself rarely listening to it but when i do I enjoy it.

[Scorpion]

Rankingz:

1. Metropolis
2. Learning to Live
3. Surrounded
4. Wait for Sleep
5. Take the Time
6. Under a Glass Moon
7. Pull Me Under
8. Another Day

Still enjoy the whole album, though.

[Zook]

1. Surrounded
2. Take The Time
3. Metropolis
4. Under A Glass Moon
5. Learning to Live
6. Another Day
7. Pull Me Under
8. Wait For Sleep

[Cedar redaC]

1. Pull Me Under, Another Day, Take The Time, Surrounded, Metropolis, Under A Glass Moon, Wait For Sleep, Learning to Live

[Zook]

[nightmare_cinema]

Images and words is one of those albums that got as close to perfection as it gets. My 2nd favorite Dream Theater album, right behind Scenes from a memory. Every song is a gem, the playing is remarkable, every band member shines - basically, what's not to like about it? A true classic.

Couldn't have put it better myself, including the ranking second behind SFAM (though ToT often threatens to rank equally with I&W for me). I regularly listen to it all the way through and I don't do that with many albums. Also I've seen the whole thing live which was immense. And it has the most perfect climax of any DT album, I'd take that F# over 17.21 in TCOT or the final part of 8VM any day. Just love it.

[54_diplomats]

Well since other people have posted their rankings...

1. Learning to Live
2. Metropolis, Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper
3. Take the Time
4. Under a Glass Moon
5. Wait for Sleep
6. Another Day
7. Surrounded
8. Pull me Under

Although Pull me Under is ranked last, it's still a fantastic song just not as good as the others.

[Western Ninja]

1. Learning to Live
2. Under a Glass Moon
3. Take The Time
4. Pull Me Under
5. Metropolis
6. Wait for Sleep
7. Another Day
8. Surrounded

Never really got Surrounded. It's a good song, but I never really rated it.

[Rattlehead]

Truly an amazing album... 

1. Take The Time
2. Learning To Live
3. Under A Glass Moon
4. Metropolis
5. Pull Me Under
6. Surrounded
7. Wait For Sleep
8. Another Day

[BlobVanDam]

Well, if all the cool kids are doing it..........

1. Take The Time
2. Metropolis
3. Under A Glass Moon
4. Another Day
5. Pull Me Under
6. Surrounded
7. Wait For Sleep
8. Learning To Live



And also, deal with it.

[Buddyhunter1]

1: Learning To Live
2: Pull Me Under
3: Metropolis
4: Surrounded
5: Take The Time
6: Another Day
7: Under A Glass Moon
8: Wait For Sleep

[Dacling]

1. Wait for Sleep/Learning to Live
2. Take the Time
3. Metropolis Pt. 1 The Miracle and the Sleeper
4. Surrounded
5. Under a Glass Moon
6. Another Day
7. Pull Me Under

Also that's not fair to any of the songs on the album when they are all amazing.