Lucien's Top 30

[Lucien]

I decided follow the trend of newer members presenting their favorite songs by Dream Theater.

EDIT: Changed to top 30.

Edited out the original 3 choices, as they no longer represent my opinion.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

Please check this thread out and let me know if you'd like to be added to the list.

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=35386.0

[Sycsa]

Someone jumped the gun, eh?

[Lucien]

Bumping this because my turn is coming up in a decent amount of time.

You will all be very surprised at this list.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

inb4 raw dog
inb4 burning my soul
inb4 all of wdadu

I think I've got it covered....

[Lucien]

inb4 raw dog
inb4 burning my soul
inb4 all of wdadu

I think I've got it covered....

I wasn't even thinking of Raw Dog, or Burning My Soul. Some WDADU stuff is going on it yes. Some of every album is going on it.

[aprilethereal]

cool thread so far.

[Elite]

definitely. Contestant for thread of the year so far.

[Joshin U]

Is this really a thread in anticipation of making a (or continuing this) thread in the future?

[aprilethereal]

You mean like RR's announcements for announcements?

[Lucien]

Is this really a thread in anticipation of making a (or continuing this) thread in the future?

I'm just waiting for Destiny of Chaos to say it's my turn.

[Joshin U]

Is this really a thread in anticipation of making a (or continuing this) thread in the future?

I'm just waiting for Destiny of Chaos to say it's my turn.

Completely understandable. And as we learned from RR, it really helps build anticipation! 

[Lucien]

I have been given the A-OK to start my Top 30! 


30. The Dark Eternal Night- Drifting beyond all time... This is the song I'm listening to right as I begin the Top 30. I like this song a lot, and I think the fantasy lyrics were a nice change from the somewhat serious lyrics of the previous 3 albums. This song isn't a song I would call AMAZING (you'll hear me praising songs later), but it is a very fun song to listen to. NO! ONE! DARED TO... The opening riff is awfully catchy, and thanks to BlobVanDam, I can only think of the Mario overworld theme.

29. Panic Attack- This song was my first "metal" Dream Theater song, for Octavarium was my first DT album. I absolutely loved the song when I first heard it, and impressing people by singing it on Rock Band 3 was always fun, but it hasn't aged extremely well and I don't listen to it as much. I mostly listen it for the first 3 minutes or so. It took me forever to realize that the section where you hear the first lines of lyrics was in the time signature of 5/8. (NUGGETZ) I do really enjoy this song whenever I decide to listen to it.

28. Beneath the Surface- Oh, 12 string guitar, how you make ballads so great. The lyrics of this song are so sad, but if you aren't listening to them, it sounds like a very optimistic song. "Then I forgot why I longed to be so close." THOSE LYRICS ARE SO SAD. I love that, even though the song is very simply structured, it doesn't feel poppy, it just feels structured like a ballad should be. Then the keyboard solo comes around, with the drums and everything, and it feels so optimistic yet the song is so SAD. Oh, how you make me feel so mixed up.

27. Misunderstood- When I first heard this song, I really enjoyed the first part of the song, all light but tense at the same time. Then it starts building up.. Jordan does his sound effects, sparse, quick drumming, bass... More lyrics... From God to God save me, BOOM. Suddenly I like the song 10 times more. The buildup is just so great. The song bases itself on what it has built up to be, so it's like climbing a plateau, and reaching the top, where it stays very much built up, then you get to the other side of the plateau and you see the whole world.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Interesting. I think the only ones here that would be on my Top 50 would be Panic Attack and Beneath The Surface.

Following.

[425]

TDEN is a brilliant choice, just a fun monster of a metal song. I. AM. THE. LAAAAAST.

Panic Attack is good but I don't think I'd place it as high as you did. Still, I have no actual complaints about the song.

BTS is a song that I've only heard a couple of times (I only got ADTOE very recently) and haven't fully gotten into yet. It's a good ballad but it has yet to really touch me.

On Misunderstood, I agree with you about the buildup [and breakdown]. The best part for me, too, is when the second chorus kicks in. I'm not a huge fan of the outro, which brings it down for me, probably to the bottom of or out of my top 50, but it's not as grating as it was for me at first.

[Tom Bombadil]

Not a huge fan of TDEN or Panic Attack, but I love the inclusion of Beneath the Surface. I find that song is extremely underrated. Also love misunderstood.

[iamtheeviltwin]

All good picks.  I think TDEN was the only one that wasn't in my top 50.

BTS is one of the best ballads the band has ever done, pitch correction be damned. 

[?]

BTS appeared in my top 50 (in the top 15, to be more precise) and I also like Misunderstood, but TDEN isn't my cup of tea at all and Panic Attack is kind of meh. However, I'm looking forward to see some great stuff among the remaining songs.

[aprilethereal]

Ignore this post

[Lucien]

Don't expect any new songs to be put here until saturday or sunday, as I am out of town currently.

[Ruba]

Misunderstood is awesome. 

[Lucien]

TIMMEEEE to update! 

26. Fatal Tragedy- I SHUT THE DOOR... Those lyrics feel so right in this song... Also the wankery of this song is worth mentioning, especially the reference to The Dance of Eternity near the end of it. The transition from Through My Eyes into this song is basically flawless.

25. The Killing Hand- Dream Theater's first epic, and a great way to start off Dream Theater's tendency of making one every two albums or so. As others have said about this song, it's very well constructed, and is a very themed composition. The buildup to I AM THE KILL-ING HAAAANNNNDDDDDDDD is very well done.

24. Hell's Kitchen- The beginning is a bit slow, and the name is very misleading in comparison to how this instrumental sounds. However, this song is great in that it's ending is amazing. I usually don't listen to this song all the way through on it's own, as it is basically just a big buildup for its own ending. This ending is one of the better endings to a Dream Theater song, and its usefulness for the end of Instrumedley is undeniable (where I usually listen to it).

23. The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun- I doubt you were expecting this on my list. This is one of those songs that you listen very little to, and if you do, it is only one part of the song (in this song's case, the introduction.). The introduction is the shining star portion of the song, the gourmet entre. It sits among a pile of a food you don't know exactly how to describe. Then, as you start eating it, you start enjoying it, realizing how undeniably similar it tastes to several other foods on the menu of the restaurant you are eating at, but simply a bit more abstractly presented.

tl;dr TOWHtStS' intro is the big thing about the song, but if you keep listening, you find out it is undeniably Dream Theater (and undeniably awesome.)

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

All fine choices, though The Killing Hand is the only one in my Top 50.

[Bolsters]

Hell's Kitchen nice seeing it so high.

[Ruba]

Ignore this post

I won't  .

Not really liking Fatal Tragedy, but the other three:  .

[Lucien]

I WANT TO PUT THE ENEMY INSIDE ON THIS LIST.


But I won't. It's too new. But IT IS AMAZING.

[Lucien]

Update 3. 


22. On the Backs of Angels- Might as well say the same thing everyone else has about this song. Dream Theater did not want their fans to worry that they were any less than they were with Portnoy. What can we say? They aren't any less. This was a great song to use as proof that Dream Theater still can be themselves during a crisis. The chorus is catchy, it follows a simple ABABCB format, as to be expected with most singles, and displays all the proggy deliciousness of Dream Theater. The major complaint of this song, and of most songs on the album, however, is that it is too safe. Well, they kind of had to be that way considering the anxiety of the fanbase towards a new member. Case closed.

21. Only a Matter of Time- If there's any song on WDADU that would deserve radio attention, it would definitely be Only a Matter of Time. It just feels so much like a progressive song that could become popular. This is the song where the beauty of Dominici's vocals shine. 3:41 deserves attention as it is such a great instrumental section. The whole song just feels so upbeat and optimistic. Some complain that the lyrics of this song are a bit wordy, and I agree that the song is definitely a vocal workout, but it sure is a fun one. This is my favorite (and last shown) song off of WDADU, and it makes for a great album closer. One of Dream Theater's best, in fact.

20. The Root of All Evil- One of my favorites from Octavarium. Starts off where the title track left off, then comes the awesome heavy riff, and then the the awesome vocals. There is plenty of room in the mix to breathe, and it sounds wonderful. Special mention goes to one of my favorite vocal lines in Dream Theater's history: "Take all of me... the desires...". It then returns to the awesome riffs and continues. My favorite of the 12-step-suite.

19. Disappear- The Dream Theater song that creeps me out the most. Hello. Such an easy-going chord progression, wonderful vocals, keyboard effects at the beginning of the song.. Then the chorus. With headphones, it sounds like James is talking right into your ear. There is not much to be said about this song.

[Tom Bombadil]

Disappear! o

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I think you're purposely picking songs that aren't on my list.

Except Disappear, that song is wonderful.

[Bolsters]

Disappear! o

[Podaar]

I'm always pleased to see Disappear on anyone's list. 

[Lucien]

Oops, I forgot to do one for the past couple of days. Sorry. 

18. Outcry- The anthem of A Dramatic Turn of Events. Starts off with a sort of slow melodic intro with keyboards... then suddenly BOOM. The entire band joins in. Guitar riffing, keyboard riffing... Then the vocals start. I love the vocals and lyrics of this song. In fact, the only thing I don't like about this song is some of the unnecessary wankery, but that's a Dream Theater norm.

17. The Count of Tuscany- The introduction is amazing. The heavier driving section with a delicious 3 measures of 9/8 and two measures of 4/4. The ambient section. Then ending. Everything about this song is AMAZING. There's only one problem with this song, in fact. THE LYRICS ARE CHEESIER THAN POWERWOLF. Enough said. Really, there's basically nothing else to be said about the song. The music is amazing, but the lyrics are very, very cheesy. Otherwise, it would be much higher on my list.

16. The Dance of Eternity- Oh look, it's the craziest thing Dream Theater has ever done. TDoE took a while to grow on me, I don't even remember liking it the first time I listened to it. Now I very much enjoy it and I can even remember most of the song without listening to it. As most of us say, it does kind of go downhill after the ragtime solo, and I often don't even listen to it all the way through. The bass solo is great. The wankery fits the mood of the song, and most of it doesn't sound out of place. In general a very twisted, aimless song, that I somehow enjoy.

15. Under a Glass Moon- I had no clue what to expect when I decided, while going through bits of their discography, that I should try this song. OH MY GOD. Those first chords instantly told me I would fall in love with this song. The vocals in this song are great, the drumming just makes so much sense in this song, and then suddenly... That very cool part ("waiting for the lamb's arrival") that I still don't know how to describe. Ahhh... I love this song. Oh yeah, there's also the guitar solo, one of JP's best.

[?]

I didn't see the last few updates, so this is my obligatory "TOWHTSTS " post.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

THE LYRICS ARE CHEESIER THAN POWERWOLF.

This made me lol.

Good choices, though Under A Glass Moon would not be on my list.

[425]

Outcry - 

The Count of Tuscany - A bit higher than I would have it, but still a good choice

The Dance of Eternity - 

Under a Glass Moon -