Man, that opinion was completely ridiculous. I'm really glad that we all seem to be pretty much over that "snobbishness" as a forum.
I'm not the biggest fan of the ToT-BC&SL run, but it's pretty much self-evident that there are multiple arcs to DT's fandom. Mainly, I can think of three main areas where new fandoms have jumped aboard and changed the make-up of the overall DT fandom pretty considerably:
1. People who got into DT in the early 90's or earlier, when DT were almost famous.
2. People who got into DT in the early 00's, when, thanks mostly to faster internet, people in general began exploring and sharing tons of music outside commercial channels
3. People who've just got into DT recently, thanks to them being featured in videogames and presented alongside newer bands signed to their label
yeah man I think alot of it boils down to, for most people i would think, what DT albums you were into when you were into them the most. For me Systematic chaos was the first DT album I eagerly anticipated since Octavarium, which was released as my DT fandom was established. For me, those two records are indefinitely Ingrained into my nostalgia, and I loved listening to those albums, despite how much flack (especially SC) they received, and I approached BC&SL in the same way.
I understand why DT fans put I&W, Awake and SFAM on a pedestal, and being a guitarist who tried to learn alot of that material, I can see where the praise is coming from. However, 9 times out of 10 i'm going to go to an album post-SFAM because I enjoy listening to them more.
In short: It's completely subjective.
So, how about that new album?
Cannot effing wait! although i will say this again just for my own sake, I vow to not listen to a single snippet of this album until release! no single! no samples/teasers!