Hi everyone! This is my first post
Too early to tell with The Astonishing ranking-wise, but here's where things are sitting now:
Top tier:
1. Awake
2. Images & Words
Solid tier (these are all very close):
3. SFAM
4. The Astonishing
5. DT12
6. Train of Thought
7. ADToE
8. Six Degrees
Meh tier:
9. Falling Into Infinity
Bleh tier:
10. Black Clouds
11. Octavarium
12. Systematic Chaos
Awake is untouchable for me. The only record of theirs that I feel intensity and raw urgency through. For all of the effort that went into the 'AA suite', MP already nailed the horror of addiction in The Mirror. Kevin Moore gave Space-Dye Vest a bleak, mournful atmosphere that was never really repeated. Lifting Shadows is surely JM's shining moment. And I wish JP could still throw out songs like Voices and Scarred...
The stretch of albums Ocata-Black Clouds are the only ones that I would say I dislike. I think Systematic Chaos was their nadir; it really had all of the band's worst tendencies on display- it was overwrought, underwritten, and just goofy in its lyricism and composition.
The Astonishing has its issues (mostly related to its concept and length), but as a whole it is an extremely strong and beautifully composed record. Memorable melodies are everywhere. I also like that it's a bold and provocative record, even if its lyrics are a little clumsy.
I've never listened through all of WDaDU.