Elite's Top X DT Songs v2: Top 20 LEAST favourite DT songs (Finished!)

[aXygnus]

Next one is probably This Dying Soul, after that... I have no idea

[Tomislav95]

TSF is probably in my Least 5 favorite. And I don't know why, it just seems uninspired and forced. Unlistenable to me.

[Elite]

Next one is probably This Dying Soul, after that... I have no idea

No, This Dying Soul was just saved by being replaced with The Shattered Fortress. I said so in the first sentences of the last write-up

[425]

I actually like The Shattered Fortress quite a lot. It's not the masterpiece that The Glass Prison is, but it's still an excellent closer to the Suite IMO. I would also rank it third in the suite behind TGP and The Root of All Evil.

I do generally agree that Black Clouds & Silver Linings is among the band's weakest albums. It's frustrating because it feels like the whole is actually less than the sum of its parts. While the first three songs flow fairly well, the last three being all 12-20 minute epics is really just too much. I find while I like those songs on their own, they can be tiring in the context of the album.

Anyway. I disagree with you in regards to TSF, but I'm definitely still interested to see where your list goes next.

[Elite]

10. I Walk Beside You

And here we have what's probably one of the band's more 'accessible' or even 'mainstream' songs. Having said that, it's especially weird that the band never really released this track to the full public. Well, it probably isn't really, because I believe this is a bad attempt at creating a catchy song. While crafted pretty neatly conforming the styles and structures a radio-friendly song should do (apart from the vocals arguably entering too late for it ever to be played on the radio), this song doesn't really interest me at all. Although it's still Dream Theater, in the sense that it sounds like Dream Theater, mainly because of James LaBrie's voice, it doesn't really resemble anything Dream Theater had done up to this point. Add to this that it feels completely misplaced on an album full of seemingly random songs (yes, Octavarium is also in the bottom 3 of DT albums for me) and we have a song I never want to listen to. I suppose it's alright as background music, but for me, it doesn't hold anything interesting and is as forgettable of your average contemporary radio hit. I'm sorry for the people who do like this track, because I'm sure there are some, but I can't help but feel the band just took a lazy attempt at writing a hit song, but then never actually cashed it in. Although I don't mind the band 'exploring' new territories, this is about the most un-DT-song they have ever written and it's not even a really good one at that, at least for me.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

It's been way over a month. Please try to wrap this thing up.

[Elite]

Sure thing. I can just go ahead and post the remaining 9 without write-ups?

[Destiny Of Chaos]

Sure thing. I can just go ahead and post the remaining 9 without write-ups?

I mean, you can take a few more days space out the rest of your list if you want. But if you think that you don't have time, then just post the rest.

[Elite]

Okay, let's see how many replies I'll get with the next pick:

9. In The Name of God

Yes. You read that absolutely right. In The Name of God is my 9th least favourite Dream Theater song. I seriously do not understand how people can rave over this song like it's the best thing ever and neither do I understand how the hell it ended up in the top 4 of the DT The League that was completed recently. This pick here is probably the most controversial in my whole list, but I can't make a top 20 least favourite DT songs that would accurately reflect my own tastes without including this one, so the controversy here is unfortunately necessary. Really, I wanted to like this song, I really did, but I gave up on it after it never really gave me anything. There is one thing though; the ending is absolutely fantastic, but it's not enough to save the song. It doesn't really go wrong at the beginning, but it seems like an endless tirade of verses and choruses, mostly because it moves so slowly. The verses are probably okay at best, but the chorus is so dull and drags the song down even more, because it's slower and completely powerless to me. Then my biggest gripe about the song is the completely out-of-place wankfest that DT calls a solo. It's really this moment in DT's complete discography that I detest most of all. Here come a couple of clichees: it's only fast to show-off, it's soulless, it has nothing to do with the rest of the song and it's boring. And that's really what I think about that solo section. So, what we have left is a song with 'okay' verses, a dull chorus, a solo section/bridge that I severely dislike and a good outro - and that's enough to land it at #9 on my least favourite DT songs. I haven't listened to this song in at least 2 years, nor to I intend to do so anytime soon. I'm sorry, I really am, but I also really don't understand the hype.

Go ahead, kill me.

[Tom Bombadil]

Wow. Didn't see that coming, although I totally agree with your points on the solo section. Other than that I think it's a great song. Still, I like the controversial picks. They make things interesting.

[Onno]

Dude, I know where you live.

[?]

ITNOG is a top 15 song for me I find the instrumental section interesting thanks to JM and MP's work underneath the soloing and I think DT have had much "wankier" sections in many songs.

[jakepriest]

9. In The Name of God

Go ahead, kill me.

I hate you...

[Elite]

9. In The Name of God

Go ahead, kill me.

I hate you...

What a fantastic first forum post!

[Onno]

  But welcome anyway 

[eviljust]

Totally agree with you Elite.

[Tomislav95]

I like IWBY and ITNOG.

[425]

Wow. First IWBY, which is one of those songs that isn't too popular but I'm all "aww, I love this one!" And then ITNOG.

Well, these lists wouldn't be fun without people making highly controversial picks, so… thanks for bringing the fun, I guess. Though I'm a bit scared of what's to come...

[aXygnus]

In The Name of God on bottom 10

wat

that's all I have to say

[Rattlehead]

The only problem I have with ITNoG being this low is IWBY being higher... 

[Outcrier]

16. The Count of Tuscany

From the moment the song starts, it goes downhill very quickly and never up again. A very disappointing ending to a disappointing album, as far as I'm considered. I would love to never hear this song again volutarily; and definitely not in a live setting. It's even worse there.

This is exactly what i think about TCoT, just a forced long song, not an epic like ACOS or 8varium

[senecadawg2]

I do think ITNOG is overrated, but I have fun with it nonetheless.

[FrostbiteZ]

Okay, let's see how many replies I'll get with the next pick:

9. In The Name of God

Yes. You read that absolutely right. In The Name of God is my 9th least favourite Dream Theater song. I seriously do not understand how people can rave over this song like it's the best thing ever and neither do I understand how the hell it ended up in the top 4 of the DT The League that was completed recently. This pick here is probably the most controversial in my whole list, but I can't make a top 20 least favourite DT songs that would accurately reflect my own tastes without including this one, so the controversy here is unfortunately necessary. Really, I wanted to like this song, I really did, but I gave up on it after it never really gave me anything. There is one thing though; the ending is absolutely fantastic, but it's not enough to save the song. It doesn't really go wrong at the beginning, but it seems like an endless tirade of verses and choruses, mostly because it moves so slowly. The verses are probably okay at best, but the chorus is so dull and drags the song down even more, because it's slower and completely powerless to me. Then my biggest gripe about the song is the completely out-of-place wankfest that DT calls a solo. It's really this moment in DT's complete discography that I detest most of all. Here come a couple of clichees: it's only fast to show-off, it's soulless, it has nothing to do with the rest of the song and it's boring. And that's really what I think about that solo section. So, what we have left is a song with 'okay' verses, a dull chorus, a solo section/bridge that I severely dislike and a good outro - and that's enough to land it at #9 on my least favourite DT songs. I haven't listened to this song in at least 2 years, nor to I intend to do so anytime soon. I'm sorry, I really am, but I also really don't understand the hype.

Go ahead, kill me.

To each his own. I for one will be extremely happy if they play it on their upcoming tour

[MoraWintersoul]

The only problem I have with ITNoG being this low is IWBY being higher... 

This. I like ITNOG, but I know why some people wouldn't. I like IWBY, and I know why some people wouldn't, but I wish everyone would like it

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

ITNOG is the closest I've ever come to actually disliking a DT song.

[Elite]

ITNOG is the closest I've ever come to actually disliking a DT song.

Really? Wow!

Totally agree with you Elite.

Also this, wow!

I honestly thought this would attract just 'wat's and 'You're insane' or stuff like that, but it's good to know there's people who think similarly. On to the next:

8. The Answer Lies Within

Like 'I Walk Beside You', I feel The Answer Lies Within does a similar thing; aim at catchiness and then completely forfeit that in the distribution of the song. I'll keep this write-up short, because it will be almost the same as the one for I Walk Beside You. The reason it's lower on my list is mainly because it's slower and therefor it gets harder for me to keep my interest levels high. While IWBY actually holds a little catchiness in the chorus, there's nothing I find memorable about The Answer Lies Within. JLB's vocal performance is very good on this song, I must admit, but like almost every single song in this list, I haven't really heard it in ages and that's due to the replay factor; this song just isn't interesting enough for me.

[425]

I want to react negatively because I like this song, but… in the context of Dream Theater's entire discography, I can't say it isn't bottom 10. So I do think it's a good song, but I agree very much with your placement of it.

[Tom Bombadil]

Totally agree with your write up here. I think it's a good song, but like you said, it doesn't have good replay value. I rarely listen to it these days.

[Nearmyth]

I really just like the song for it's melancholic piano line, and the Octavarium theme reference after the 2nd verse. Besides that, yeah it's in their weaker songs but I've always liked it.

I Walk Beside You... Is a great song to me. I hated it at first for being mainstream and "U2" sounding, but then I actually listened to it... The bridge with the descending bassline and the harmonies is beautiful, and the high notes on the 3rd chorus by James are astounding. I can see why it would be rated so low though, I feel like you either love it or hate it.

ITNOG, reading your write up it makes sense, but listening to it, I can't help but disagree. Took a while to grow on me, I think it's good because it's just so ballsy (like most of ToT of course).

And lastly TSF, I think it's great as a suite closer, but not so great as an individual song. Can't say I disagree with your placement, but i do like it.

I am intrigued to see your number 1, that's for sure

[?]

TALW is pretty boring indeed...

[Elite]

7. Repentance

My least favourite part of the AA Suite certainly isn't a really bad song, but it's too repetitive and even boring for me. My first gripe with it is that it's built solely on the riff/guitar thingy that fuels the majority of verses in This Dying Soul. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, since most of the verses are alright, but with JLB singing some very uninteresting vocal lines throughout, it doesn't exactly make for a good start. The biggest killer in this song for me is the part with all the people speaking. Initially I found this very interesting and I totally understand where the idea comes from, but it grew old on me pretty quickly. Combined with a mediocre beginning and a lack of any climax whatsoever, Repentance is way too long a song for what it really does for me and I have lost interest in it completely.

[?]

"Boring" is a good description of the second half of this song, too

[aXygnus]

I like both TALW and Repentance... 

[Bolsters]

I think The Answer Lies Within is decent enough. It doesn't deserve the amount of hate or indifference it gets IMO. Completely agree about Repentance though.

[425]

I agree completely with this choice. This is like a good 7 minute song that was stretched into an almost 11 minute song. And I agree that the section with all the other people talking is the part that needed to probably be cut most. The solo is very good but that's the only thing that stands out about this song.