?'s 50 favorite pieces of music by DT v. We have a winner, goodbye to your liver

[Nekov]

Some great choices so far and some that wouldn't even make my top 50.

Overture 1928 / Strange deja-vu should be way higher in the list.

[Ruba]

CUT IN A WHAAAAAAALE!

ANTR has grown on me, but the three others aren't my favourites.

[Lolzeez]

Great update. Also,that A King To Remember thing is gold.

[?]

35. Lifting Shadows off a Dream

I firmly believe it's no coincidence that the songs with JM's lyrics include excellent bass work - I love the harmonics he plays in the intro. KevMo's playing is noteworthy too (as always ): those atmospheric strings and the organ in the chorus are just perfection, and the delay guitars by JP sound nice as well.

34. Finally Free

"You're once again surrounded by a brilliant white light..." Finally Free begins rather cheerfully but gets a darker turn soon. I love the different moods this song has and the interesting plot twist the lyrics offer - it's a great way to end a concept album. Also, the One Last Time reprise and the following JP solo =

33. Vacant

Vacant is pretty short in its 3-minute length and atypically for DT there are no guitars or drums. That, however, doesn't make it any lesser compared to other DT songs as it's highly emotional - the sad main melody and the fact that James is singing about his daughter make the song very touching. Jordan plays very beautifully, showing that he's not just a shredder, and I appreciate Eugene Friesen's cello here. I could've coupled Vacant with Steam of Crappiness (it isn't that bad but I couldn't resist using this title ) but unfortunately that song suffers from being way longer than it should.

32. On the Backs of Angels

Hearing OTBOA for the first time is one of the most precious memories of my DT fandom - like the majority of you, I was excited to hear what DT would sound like without MP and I was impressed by the song to say the least. Unlike the lead singles for the previous few albums, I bet OTBOA will be a future DT classic: it's melodic but has its edgier moments too, and DT's signature prog sound is prevalent. I tried to resist listening to this song too many times before the release of ADTOE and it was definitely worth it; it still sounds fresh!

31. Home

WOMP WOMP - Tool meets Middle Eastern music. As an Amorphis fan I had already been used to the sound of sitar and Arabic scales so it was easy for me to fall in love with Home. The references to Metropolis Pt. 1 are cool, the chorus is soaring and Jordan's solo is among the best ones he has played to date. The interlude including the infamous sounds could be a little shorter but overall Home is pure greatness.

[wasteland]

Good batch with a song that doesn't fit in my top 50. Anyway, why did you rank FF so low? Your writeup oozes love, but still it's only 33rd!

[?]

It's great but there are 33 better pieces

[wasteland]

The canonical answer

[BlobVanDam]

FF, and Vacant and Home are good choices (especially as Home isn't placed too high), but I don't like LSOAD (part of the half hour waste at the end of Awake), and I'm not a big fan of OTBOA. It's ok, but I find it to be very sterile and lifeless.

It's great but there are 33 better pieces

Always a valid reason with DT! There are plenty of songs I think are amazing that wouldn't make my top 20 because somehow they've written even better songs.

[Nekov]

Vacant and OTBOA are not my cup of tea however the other 3 are great choices

[Unlegit]

Always good to see A Nightmare to Remember. But These Wallsd Through Her Eyes are very underrated.

[?]

The next 5 songs are fairly popular here but the positions for a few of them may be controversial:

30. Pull Me Under

I'm not surprised Pull Me Under became the greatest hit DT ever had - the chorus is catchy as fuck (apologies for swearing but it is that good!) and the structure isn't too complex, although the song had to be shortened for the video. You're not a true prog metal fan if you're not able to recognize the song after the first 3 notes already! Pull Me Under also includes 2 of the 3 DT keyboard solos I can play myself, and the first 2 minutes of the song are pretty much the biggest portion of any DT song I can play on guitar. I know I suck!

29. Under a Glass Moon

Under a Glass Moon has to be the heaviest song on Images & Words. The intro is melodically interesting and the dissonant part at 1.06 adds a nice touch. Just like in every song on I&W, James' singing is excellent and the solos by both JP and Kevin are simply legendary. What else to add? BUY A PEN!

28. The Glass Prison

I bet neither Marco nor Blob is pleased to see this song at #28; the reasons for that aren't the same though! Although most DT songs take time to grow on you, you know you'll like The Glass Prison if it blows you away on the first listen already and that's what happened to me. The whole song is pure heaviness from beginning to end but that may also be off-putting to some listeners. I think TGP is loaded with great riffs (5.54 - ) and it's arguably the best opening any DT album has ever had. I could rank it even higher if the section at 11.25-12.50 didn't last so long.

27. The Root of All Evil

Another 12-step suite song that happens to be a kickass opener... The first minute of The Root of All Evil builds up a lot of momentum and prepares you for rocking awesomeness. The main riff rules, the chorus is really catchy and the instrumental section isn't too long - all these factors make TROAE my favorite 12SS song.

26. To Live Forever

To Live Forever is the first B-side to appear on my list and probably the most popular non-album DT song overall. This song has a dreamy vibe and it reminds me of Lifting Shadows (perhaps due to the delay effect on the guitar?) although that tune is more mellow. Although I usually don't care that much about song extensions on live releases I find the jam at the end of TLF on Live in Tokyo pretty nice. I think the studio version from the Awake sessions with the new lyrics in the final verse is the definitive one though.

[Ruba]

The previous batch was slightly better than this, but no bad songs around.

Finally Free  .

[BlobVanDam]

Love 'em all, except for TLF, which I still like, but it's not one I listen to much. And ranking it above the two best songs of the 12SS? Aw hell naw!

[wasteland]

Love 'em all, except for TLF, which I still like, but it's not one I listen to much. And ranking it above the two best songs of the 12SS? Aw hell naw!

Hell yeah you mean!

Seriously, though, I absolutely LOVE To Live Forever, was positively shocked when they played it in Huntington and would lobby for it being played regularly in the next tour.

One question: the song has been played a number of times with James between 1993, 1998, 2004 and the last year's single performance. Among those, in only three occasion the song was not followed by an extended outro jam (bringing the song-jam pair up to 13 minutes in most occasions): the first time it was played (NYC93 official bootleg), WDADRU's performance and the one off at Huntington. Why do you thing the song has always stimulated jams throughout the years?

[Nekov]

TROAE doesn't make my top 50 (sorry Blob) however all the others do. TGP could be higher in your list and of course I love to see TLF 

[BlobVanDam]

TROAE doesn't make my top 50 (sorry Blob) however all the others do. TGP could be higher in your list and of course I love to see TLF 

I ain't even mad. Just disappointed that you have cruddy taste in music.



However, if you'd said that about TGP...........

[?]

One question: the song has been played a number of times with James between 1993, 1998, 2004 and the last year's single performance. Among those, in only three occasion the song was not followed by an extended outro jam (bringing the song-jam pair up to 13 minutes in most occasions): the first time it was played (NYC93 official bootleg), WDADRU's performance and the one off at Huntington. Why do you thing the song has always stimulated jams throughout the years?

Interesting, I didn't know they had played a jam after TLF so many times... And ironically all the 3 performances without the jam have been recorded!

Maybe TLF is a fitting song for a jam: it isn't too heavy and doesn't already include a long instrumental section. I couldn't see a jam working in a song like Panic Attack or Under a Glass Moon.

TGP could be higher in your list

You ranked it #28 as well, shouldn't you be happy with its spot?

[Nekov]

While that is true you ranked TROAE higher than that so I'll stand by my words 

[DebraKadabra]

TLF

[cyberdrummer]

Controversial opinion: I rank TGP third in the 12SS. TROAE is top, and I'm a big fan of TDS.

[?]

Apologies if my writeups suck this time - as I mentioned in the chat thread, I lost them all thanks to my shitty phone and this morning I quickly tried to come up with something similar to what I had originally written about these songs.

25. Fatal Tragedy

Fatal Tragedy starts beautifully but gets gradually heavier, ending with some intense soloing. I like the epic choir sound Jordan uses and the "massive organ" () before the awesome heavy riff just rules. The "you can eat my ass and..." um, I mean, "There can be no turning back/peace of mind" bit in the chorus is also one of DT's best backing vocal moments ever. The solo trade-off section at the end could be a tad shorter but overall Fatal Tragedy has nothing I can complain about.

24. Hell's Kitchen/Lines in the Sand

Hell's Kitchen is an unusual DT instrumental as it focuses more on atmosphere than technicality. I like the mood of the song, JP's solo is beautiful and the epic ending is a great way to set the stage for Lines in the Sand. If HK is an atypical instrumental, then LITS is an atypical epic: it's very groovy and although there are numerous time signature changes the song isn't "in-your-face" proggy. Derek's intro lead is cool, his piano work is tasteful and JP's solo is among my favorites from him. The backing vocals in the chorus used to annoy me but I don't mind it anymore. I like how Lines in the Sand is a fun song musically but still has some deep lyrics, and together with Hell's Kitchen it forms a nice pair of songs you can chill out to.

23. The Mirror/Lie

Another pair - these 2 are like one song to me so it was impossible to separate them. The Mirror kicks in with the classic one-chord riff that simply crushes. Kevin's keyboards give the song some atmosphere and the "crystallic" sound he uses towards the end fits the song perfectly. Lie is a more straight-forward rocker; the lyrics aren't very popular around here but, being used to Kev's post-DT writing style, I find them really clever - I could never have come up wíth the idea of rhyming "Thomas" with "promise" and "coming"! James' aggressive vocals and JP's metallic riffing (plus his awesome solos) rule in both pieces - sorry TGP, but this is the most kick-ass 13+ minutes of 7-string stuff DT have put out!

22. The Great Debate

The Great Debate is one of the most mysterious-sounding DT songs, I really dig its vibe. The drumming in the intro is some of MP's best work and although some people don't like the samples I think they're used effectively here - the idea of panning the different sides to different channels is brilliant. I haven't been the biggest fan of DT sounding like other bands but the Tool-influence makes this song cool and is well combined with DT's own signature elements, such as the criminally underrated awesome unison.

21. Surrounded

Kevin Moore + piano - 'nuff said. Wait, did I use that already? Damn! Anyway, Kev's piano playing is always beautiful and obviously his synth work here is great too. I like the rhythm of the verses - DT always know how to add little complexities like this to their songs. JP's solo is short but sweet and James... holy crap! He's on fire and Surrounded is one of his top 3 vocal performances, showcasing his range brilliantly. Unfortunately the latter verses have always been hard for him live but I'm still looking forward to hearing the Luna Park version to get the bad taste the CIM rendition left out of my mouth.

[BlobVanDam]

Great batch, except for the inclusion of Lie dragging down The Mirror. I'm sorry, but Lie isn't even in the ballpark of the greatness of TGP. For me it's literally one of DT's very best song against one of DT's bottom 10 songs (it would be even lower if not for the existence of WDADU).

If you took The Mirror, and left it out in the heat too long until it melted into a puddle of crap, and had dogs pissing on it for about a week, you'd have Lie.


That was harsh. I'm sorry. Sorry that Lie is so terrible.

[Nekov]

I'm not a fan of Lie but all the others are pretty good songs. Or super awesome songs 

[?]

You all should be prepared for a few surprise picks tomorrow, at least one of them will shock many of you! Needless to say, Blob doesn't like that song!

[BlobVanDam]

Well that doesn't narrow it down at all.

[GasparXR]

I'm still looking forward to hearing the Luna Park version to get the bad taste the CIM rendition left out of my mouth.

I actually enjoy the CIM version. Sure, JLB sounds odd, but his vocal performance was actually pretty decent. The LALP version will undoubtedly be better because his average performance of the song in 2012 was better than the CIM version and reports of people who went/seen the show said his performance was higher than the tour average.

[wasteland]

Judging from the poor quality youtube video I have seen (and that now is no more), I would say that it was above any performance of the song.

[Nekov]

Having been at the Luna Park show I can tell you his performance was superb

[?]

I actually enjoy the CIM version. Sure, JLB sounds odd, but his vocal performance was actually pretty decent. The LALP version will undoubtedly be better because his average performance of the song in 2012 was better than the CIM version and reports of people who went/seen the show said his performance was higher than the tour average.

James' vocals aren't bad but definitely below average, and starting with the "heaven must be more than this" part they become very painful to listen to. However, the worst thing about the CIM version IMO are the extended solos - you just don't turn a beautiful song like this into a shredfest!

I listened to the Luna Park performance before the videos got taken down and it was definitely an improvement from CIM - May can't come soon enough!

[Lolzeez]

You all should be prepared for a few surprise picks tomorrow, at least one of them will shock many of you! Needless to say, Blob doesn't like that song!

Learning To Live at number 20.

[Nekov]

Or Scarred


or ACOS

[GasparXR]

Or Scarred


or ACOS

Or Not The Glass Prison

[?]

NOTE: I won't take any responsibility if you faint upon seeing #18

20. The Killing Hand

DT's first attempt at writing an epic wasn't bad at all although some may disagree. After a sweet acoustic intro the song kicks in with one of the most epic riffs JP has written and it's made even more epic by Kevin's synth string melody on the top. The Killing Hand has a lot of brilliant moments like the impressive unison and JM's awesome bass lead towards the end. My only complaint is that the way Charlie sings "haaaaaaaaaaaaaaand" at the end doesn't sound powerful enough. Fortunately James nailed that part and made other parts of the song even better in the Marquee version!

19. Speak to Me

I'll never forgive DT for not including this song on Falling into Infinity and giving mediocre stuff like New Millennium the green light instead! Speak to Me is a beautiful atmospheric ballad with a very soothing chorus and a nice melodic solo by JP. I like the use of drum machine here - the song wouldn't be as dynamic if MP played throughout it. If you're one of those who haven't paid attention to B-sides and you haven't heard this song yet, you need to correct that mistake immediately!

18. The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun

This song at #18? HELL YES. Screw the haters, TOWHTSTS is amazing! JP's intro lead is cool, the heavenly section with just keys and bass is something really unique for DT and with better production the riff at 2.53 could've sounded fucking heavy! The riff at 5.42 is awesome too and it's a crying shame that the catchy chorus didn't become a classic sing-along moment among all the DT fans. This song is an awesome journey that doesn't feel disjointed despite the numerous tempo changes - my only little gripe is that the line "my melting hands streaked the glass" sounds a bit awkwardly placed. I hope those who like TOWHTSTS will come out of their shells and those who don't will give it a second chance - this song deserves MUCH more attention!

17. The Count of Tuscany

When it comes to the quality of songwriting, The Count of Tuscany is the silver lining of BC&SL. The first 3 minutes and the ending are some of the best DT music ever and the stuff in between isn't bad at all, either. I used to find the ambient section boring but now that I've grown used to atmospheric stuff like that I love it. The lyrics have sparked a lot of discussion... well, they're not particularly great but they don't ruin the song for me.

16. Afterlife

Afterlife starts with a power metal-sounding intro but the first verse already sounds like classic DT. The vocal melodies are excellent, Charlie's singing sounds more natural than in the other songs on WDADU, probably due to the fact that he wrote the lyrics, and musically the whole song is probably the most maturely written on the album. Afterlife has a great balance of catchiness, atmosphere (3.39 ) and DT's signature technicality (DAT UNISON!) - I bet the majority of you could never even imagine ranking it this high but this song just has something irresistible to it that's hard to explain.

[wasteland]

This is SCIOCCHING indeed! :O Why in the world you ranked it so low??

[?]

I almost ended up ranking it above Afterlife and TCOT but in the end I thought those 2 are slightly better. Let's see how Blob reacts to these picks...

EDIT: There weren't enough exclamation marks in the thread title - that mistake is corrected now.