Hi everyone, I'm a relatively long-time Brazilian fan and this is one of my first posts here. I've been into DT since 2002. First track I ever listened to was Hell's Kitchen and it didn't do much for me. Second track was ACOS version performed in Live Scenes and I instantly loved the band. I'll provide a direct [and unconventional] rank while trying to identify my top 3 preferred albums with respect to five criteria that are relevant to me: emotional, prog rock, metal, melodic, and songwriting elements. I hope this gives you a better picture of the reasoning behind my ranking.
It goes like this:
1. The Astonishing - Top 3 progressive rock elements ; Top 3 crazy/insane performance ; Top 3 melodic lines; Top 3 songwriting elements
I am in love with this album. It has not made it into my Top 3 Emotional DT Albums as yet due to the relatively short time I've been listening to it. I've gave it 15 full spins already. Beautiful and memorable melodies, some insane guitar, drumming, orchestration, piano and vocal lines, brilliant songwriting. Crystal clear production. All progressive elements DT are know for are there. Insane metal moments. What more can I ask for? The story line may not be the most original one, but, musically, TA is IMO their magnum opus. Indispensable tracks: The Gift of Music, Lord Nafaryus, A Savior In The Square, A New Beginning, A Tempting Offer, A Moment of Betrayal, The Path That Divides Us All, The Walking Shadow, My Last Farewell, Our New Order.
2. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence - Top 3 emotional album; Top 3 progressive rock elements album;Top 3 songwriting elements.
It gives me relief whenever I put it to play. It has such an embracing atmosphere that's hard to explain. Absolute favorite emotional and progressive rock album from DT. Songwriting is also very strong. Indispensable tracks: Blind Faith, Misunderstood, Disappear, About to Crash, The Test That Stumped Them All, and Losing Time.
3. Octavarium - Top 3 emotional album; Top 3 songwriting elements.
Sometimes I cry while singing along the first vocal verses of the title track. It is that emotional. All tracks are cohesive and enjoyable. Indispensable tracks: Root of All Evil, These Walls, Never Enough, and Octavarium. PS.: I doesn't really connect emotionally with Sacrificed Sons, despite having cried like a baby when I visited the 9/11 Memorial in NYC.
4. Scenes From a Memory - Top 3 emotional album;Top 3 progressive rock elements .
This is such a fun and enjoyable album to listen to star to end. Very accessible to a larger audience. Indispensable tracks: Overture 1928, Strange Deja Vu, Beyond This Life, One Last Time, The Spirit Carries On, Finally Free.
5. A Dramatic Turn of Events - Top 3 melodic lines;
It contains three emotional songs that make myself feel calm and relieved. Indispensable tracks: This is the Life, Bridges in the Sky, Far from Heaven, Breaking All Illusions.
6. Awake - Top 3 metal/aggression elements;
I cried the first time I sang this part in 6:00 "nobody knows what they want 'til they finally let it all go". Indispensable tracks: 6:00, Caught in a Web, The Mirror, Lifting Shadows Off a Dream.
7. Systematic Chaos - Top 3 metal/aggression elements;Top 3 melodic lines;
I think this is the best mix of aggression and melodic elements DT has ever experimented with. Indispensable tracks: ITPOE pt 1, Prophets of War, Ministry of Lost Souls, ITPOE pt 2.
8. Train of Thought - Top 3 metal/aggression elements; Top 3 crazy/insane playing
When it was released, it was among my favorite top 3 DT albums. But as my musical tastes evolved, it now sits around the middle of the rank. Indispensable tracks: As I Am, This Dying Soul, Endless Sacrifice, Stream of Consciousness, In The Name of God.
9. Dream Theater - Top 3 crazy/insane playing
As strange as it might sound, I get a lot of strong emotional responses whenever I listen to TEI. I almost always cry singing along Surrender to Reason and I get myself chills with this line from IT: "When flesh and blood are threatened. What are you willing to kill for? We seek to understand?". It is also one of the strongest ones in terms of craziness (piano/drum lines in IT, drumming in TEI, funny passages in TEM), barely top 3 in this respect. Indispensable tracks: The Enemy Inside, Enigma Machine, Surrender to Reason and Illumination Theory.
10. Images and Words
A couple of my all time favorite tracks are in this album. But I never felt it to be consistent enough to make me want to listen to this album from start to end. Indispensable tracks: Surrounded, Under a Glass Moon, Wait for Sleep, Learning to Live. PS.: Metropolis pt I is great, but I often skip this track for some reason.
11. Black Clouds and Silver Linings
The first show I attend from DT was in Sao Paulo 2010 during the BC&SL tour. It is a very atmospheric and enjoyable album, although I only really listen to regularly three tracks on it. Indispensable tracks: A Nightmare to Remember, The Best of Times, The Count of Tuscany
12. Falling Into Infinity
Strong emotional album. Almost made my Top 3 in this regard. I enjoying listening to the more mid-temp songs when I want to calm down. I don't enjoy that much the more rock'roll songs though. Indispensable tracks: Peruvian Skies, Hollow Years, Take Away My Pain, Trial of Tears.
13. WDADU
Only listened to this album about 5 times in 14 years as a DT fan, although I enjoy very much the more recent live versions of songs that appeared in Live at Budokan and Live at Luna Park. Indispensable tracks: A Fortune in Lies, The Ones Who Helped to Set the Sun, Only a Matter of Time.