425's Top 50 Dream Theater Songs v. Singularities

[Crow]

Two good songs that I can't complain about, definitely.

[425]

36. Another Hand/The Killing Hand

I laugh at what I’ve done
I am the killing hand



Images:
This is one of the best songs on the debut album, and is an excellent first attempt to produce an “epic." To me, it seems very Iron Maiden and especially Rush inspired in sound, structure and lyrics.

The Another Hand intro sets the mood well and sets up the full band entrance, which is full of energy and great melodies. I love how DT can do this—just go on for several minutes instrumentally introducing a variety of great sounds and melodies. After a couple of minutes, James comes in and demonstrates why this specific version is on the list. Charlie is good but just not nearly as good as James. His vocal ability on all parts of this song is impressive, from clean first few lines to more aggressive verses as well. One highlight comes right after the first verse at 4:34 with the chilling scream.

Then James just attacks these verses that really do just have too many notes in a row for anyone to sing. And he slays on all of them. I want to mention so many highlights because all of them are really standout sections in this, one of his best performances ever, but there are really just too many to name. To say nothing of the brilliant riffs and instrumentals by the rest of the band.

The last vocal section is another where James sets himself apart. In the beginning, he sings cleanly so well. Then… “I’m in the valley.” More chills. Just stunning. And then he nails the last line, the one that Charlie did… rather weakly. Though I do want to say that I’m not a Charlie hater and that I think he’s a good singer, it’s just that there’s no comparison between the album version and the Marquee version in my opinion.

Really, it’s hard to specifically comment on any sections in this song because it’s so cohesive but so compact for a song with this many moods and sections. It really just seems like every part fits perfectly into place. James carries the vocal sections and the rest of the band, especially John, carry the instrumental parts. Just a spectacular song.

Words:
I’m not really sure what the story is about, since these are, after all, early John Petrucci lyrics, aside from that there’s a Killing Hand, he causes mourning (by killing people, probably?) then the narrator, who may or may not be the same guy that stopped him, actually is the Killing Hand. And he laughs at what he’s done.

In any case, the actual phrasing is often very beautiful, just like in other songs where I only have a vague idea what John is talking about, like Metropolis or Under a Glass Moon. My favorite lyrics are the entire “The Observance” section and the line “The wheels race back and scorch his mind."





35. Vacant

Her vacant eyes, black holes
Am I losing you?



Images:
This is Dream Theater’s saddest song. Disappear can eat its heart out (sorry, I like it but it’s not anywhere near my top 50 and doesn’t hold a candle to Vacant).

Jordan, James and the cellist really combine to make this a truly haunting three minute song. It may be simple, with only a couple of main themes and relatively simplistic piano playing being all that accompany the cello and James.

But this is so brilliant for its simplicity. James simply carries this song by singing his heart out all the way through, his voice just dripping emotion, and for good reason since the lyrics are so personal. He just pronounces each word, and carries each word slowly enough so that the listener is forced to feel its emotional weight. It’s just a heartwrenching song that leads well into Stream of Consciousness, but can also stand almost as well on its own.

Words:
These lyrics are chill-inducing just like the music. James did so well at translating what must have been one of the most emotional experiences of his life into a set of relatively simple but extraordinarily powerful lyrics. The way he sings it, as I said before about carrying each word, also accentuates the emotion held in them. Just a gorgeously sad set of lyrics for a gorgeously sad song.

[Crow]

Never even heard the Another Hand bit and TKH has never been something I like but WDADU just isn't my thing.
And yeah Vacant is definitely quite the sad song. I don't think anyone would argue Disappear is sadder since it has a hopeful ending, anyways.

[425]

Definitely give the Live at the Marquee version a listen. I cannot emphasize enough how much of a lift James gives this song on this performance. Before hearing the LatM version, TKH was never something that I liked either. The Another Hand bit isn't that important to the overall thing, it's just an alternate intro. The important factor is James at his prime instead of Charlie.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

The Killing Hand is great, but I prefer Charlie on vocals.

[Prog Snob]

Nice job including Another Hand with The Killing Hand. That was the version I heard first.

[hefdaddy42]

Another Hand is one of the finest pieces of music in the entire DT catalogue.  And then they ruin it with TKH.

But vacant is awesome.  Best song on TOT.

[JiM-Xtreme]

Glad to see some appreciation for the LAM version of Killing Hand, especially for James' performance. He certainly slays on that one. 

[Prog Snob]

Another Hand is one of the finest pieces of music in the entire DT catalogue.  And then they ruin it with TKH.

But vacant is awesome.  Best song on TOT.

It would be nice to see Another Hand incorporated into the set again somehow.  It's such a great piece of music.

[jakepriest]

Vacant is a great ballad. I've never cared and never will for WDADU songs.

[Sacul]

Vacant is awesome, but I think the Score performance is just brilliant. Anyways, in both cases James puts lots of passion and that's what matters. But Disappear is better IMO.

[425]

WDADU just isn't my thing.

I've never cared and never will for WDADU songs.

Look! John Myung wearing white!



Now that they're distracted, time to slip another WDADU song onto my list...





34. A Fortune in Lies

He said we both will be heroes
And I was led into temptation



Images:
This was a last minute addition to the list, subbing in for Behind the Veil, which has recently dropped in my acclaim, but I think it's very deserving. In truth it would probably be a few places lower, but as I've said, being on this list is more important than being in a particular place on this list.

The intro is iconic and energetic, showcasing both progressive and metal sides to the band. The entrance of the heavy riff is one of those great WDADU moments where a new musical theme just shows up out of nowhere. The vocal melodies in the first verse and chorus are very good, though they may be a bit rough around the edges. As a side note, Charlie does quite well on this song, but James I think does deliver the best performance of it on Live at the Marquee by nailing all the melodies and adding some great intonations as well.

The bridge leads well into that tremendous instrumental section, with Kevin's keyboard playing standing out above the heavy riffing by the rest of the band. Then... John comes in and just tears it up with a great guitar solo that leads right into the energetic last chorus, and this scorcher ends far too soon. Great five minute song and great introduction to Dream Theater for the musical world.

Words:
I've talked previously about early JP lyrics that are good but where it's hard to tell what he's talking about because he brings in all these great images but doesn't really string through them a unifying narrative, or at least one that can be easily understood. Still, there certainly are a lot of nice phrases in the song. "A trifling euphoria was such an untimely religion," especially is a well-written line. I also greatly enjoy the "He said we both will be heroes, and I was led into temptation" part.





33. This is the Life

This is the life we belong to
Our gift divine



Images:
This is really just a very pretty, uplifting song. The intro riff sets this type of tone before the song brings a sense of energy with the distorted guitar entrance. Then, it calms down again for the piano intro and first verse. The structure here is just really good, actually. Jordan and John (on those slow solos after the first chorus particularly) play very well and James is soulful as always, bringing the necessary emotional touch to the song.

This as well is one song where I actually love the use of doubled James' particularly on the second chorus, to hit a couple of different sounds and blend together to really from a really nice effect.

The bridge is the high point of the song due to the combination of some excellent playing from Jordan and beautiful vocal delivery by James. It leads well into John's very fitting guitar solo which is, also, beautiful. The last chorus takes it home with even more beauty, especially from James but really from everyone.

Words:
These are among my favorites of John's recent lyrics. A lovely refresher from lyrics that contain any sort of negativity at all. This is actually a set of lyrics that are just about loving life and living it to the fullest, without any hint of a cliche at all. Every part is stated poetically. All the words in this song, really, are gorgeous, especially when delivered by James.

[Crow]

I must be the only one who doesn't get TITL. Everyone else seems to love it 

[Prog Snob]

This Is The Life is such a great song.  Like I said in my Top 50, it took hearing the song live to realize how powerful it is.

[jakepriest]

This is the Life is great and Fortune In Lies is okay. I kinda enjoyed the Luna Park version with James singing.

[Sacul]

I must be the only one who doesn't get TITL. Everyone else seems to love it 

Same here.

[425]

I just want to add another brief remark about the ranking aspect of this list. I've been reiterating throughout the fact that it's more important that a song makes the list than where it sits on the list. I want to add to that the fact that this ranking is just a really rough average. There are a lot of DT songs that I like for different reasons and so it's hard for me to rank them since I may be in a particular mood for one type of song at a certain time and another type at a different time. I've done the best I can to get a rough average of where each song falls, but it's different depending on my mood. I say this now because once you scroll down just a tiny bit more you'll see a song that will probably make you mad to see this early. This is a song that I have to be in a particular mood to truly love, but when I'm in that mood, it's one of my very favorites. Usually, when I'm not in the mood, it's 30s or 40s. Still, it's a very special song to me and is perhaps more special than some songs that you'll see higher. I just had to rank on a rough average and I'm more rarely in the mood for this one than for a lot of others, so here it sits at #31.







32. Finally Free

A blinding light comes into view
An old soul exchanged for a new



Images:
This is one of Dream Theater’s most diverse songs, going through a wide variety of moods to provide the epic conclusion to the Scenes From a Memory concept album. At first, it seems like the story is merely coming to a happy ending in this song, with the hypnotherapists fairly soothing voice accompanying happy, symphonic music. But at 1:04, a new theme comes in along with thunder samples to tells us that something is wrong. We soon find out just how wrong.

The entrance of James’s voice into this song is dark for such a calm, piano driven song. In it, of course, we learn that The Miracle is the killer. The music lets us into his mindset, where he has gotten away with the murder and is able to live a placid life with Victoria and his brother gone.

Finally, the full band entrance occurs nearly 3 minutes into the song, taking us into a happy, carefree section. Just as on the rest of the song, James delivers sweet, sweet emotions and carries the section perfectly.

Suddenly, what we knew was wrong earlier returns in the darker section where the samples show us Edward’s deeds. This section is just heartwrenching.

And then… “One Last Time.” Chills. Beautiful reprise. They avoided those for the most part on this concept album, saving the one major reprise for the part where it hits hardest and does the best job of carrying emotional weight.

In the next section, James and Jordan do try to carry us to a happy ending with the building section full of religious joy leading to the acoustic guitar part, which is also placid. Then on the rising choruses James is able to make his brilliant exit from the album (just 4 years after the accident, can you believe it?). The band then plays us out through the lengthy finale, which does carry the more sinister tone to it. Sure, you thought the ending was happy, but that’s not what John’s guitar riff is driving into your subconscious. Nor Mike’s drum fills, which are, of course, excellent and what make this section memorable instead of a downhill point for the song.

The ending is good in the context of the album, but does come with the disadvantage of making the song difficult to listen to as a standalone piece, not that it’s something that most people will be doing often.

Words:
These are some of Mike’s best lyrics of all time. The opening Edward section provides all the impact of the big reveal while providing a tone appropriate to the voice of the character at the time. It’s almost like, from the way the lyrics are written, The Miracle is just as surprised to find blood on his hands as we are.

It’s important to note the “Friday evening" bit, because then Mike just twists the knife. This is possibly the meanest thing a lyricist has ever done, and it’s so bloody brilliant. He goes from “Friday evening, the blood still on my hands” right into a verse beginning with “Feeling good this Friday afternoon.” Just so mean. He tells us about the murder, then goes right into Victoria feeling so so happy, and we know it’s just hours before the murder! Harsh.

The sections of narrative (the ones without a character as a speaker) are also among Mike’s best lyrics. He really fills the song with emotion and provides an excellent conclusion to the story. Great lyrics.





31. A Change of Seasons

I was blinded by a paradise
Utopia high in the sky



Images:
The second epic to make this list. I know it’s rather low, but look at what I said at the beginning of this post—it’s relevant. I love this song, but it’s a bit flawed by less good transitions than the band’s other epics and the fact that a few parts are, I think, less memorable.

I. The Crimson Sunrise:
The intro to the song is gorgeous between JP’s guitar playing and Derek’s keyboard texture, and is the number one reason why I’m glad they revised the song between 1991 and 1995. This way, the song feels like it takes appropriate time to get started up and when the heavy riff comes in it doesn’t feel too sudden. This section, much like the ITPOE Prelude years later, is one of those great DT instrumental sections where they develop a number of themes and all the themes are really excellent and remind you why you love this band and have faith in their songwriting abilities. At least it does that for me.

II. Innocence:
The transition into this section is one of those slightly flawed ones I mentioned earlier, but I don’t really mind it because everything before and after it carries a similar mood and is good instrumentally. The return of the clean guitar to work with the vocals is a good stylistic choice; in fact this song is one of their best at switching appropriately between clean and distorted guitar. My favorite part of this section is the way the mood changes halfway through after having remained consistent with The Crimson Sunrise section to match the darker, “lost of innocence” lyrics. Just of note: I can hear Myung throughout all of ACOS, and he tends to be playing good stuff. I like it when that happens.

III. Carpe Diem:
This is one of the two quiet sections of the song that James really has to carry, which I think he does quite well in spite of the recent accident. This section is particularly interesting for the way the vocals are produced, with doubling used where necessary, particularly on the more emotional later section, and some good intertwined melodies with James harmonizing with himself. With samples weaving through it all to develop more of the ideas behind the song. The last section is particularly heartfelt, with James’s “oh”s providing a backdrop to the revelation that “she was killed."

IV. The Darkest of Winters:
Possibly the weakest section of the song along with Innocence. It is a very solid instrumental part with several very interesting sections like the keyboard solo or the unison and underlying bass part around the 12 minute mark, but it is not as impressive in its effortless development of a variety of themes as The Crimson Sunrise and The Inevitable Summer.

V. Another World:
This is the one that everyone love the most, and I can’t disagree; this section is quite good. James is once again asked to carry the song and does so beautifully and brilliantly. The first section just screams epic, with Mr. LaBrie’s voice and Derek’s keyboards dominating the sonic space, with just a bit of bass as well. James provides brilliant exposition while delivering an impressive and emotional performance. The build into “I’m sick of all you hypocrites” is brilliant, and that part is just as good as they say. James, again, just nails this particular section, giving it immense emotional credence. The ensuing guitar solo is another emotional center for this section and leads into another excellent James bit (“Now it’s time for them to deal with maaaaayyyy” —his voice is as sharp as a razor’s edge in that moment).

VI. The Inevitable Summer:
The section following Another World is another masterwork of a section. I love the calm vibe it employs at first, with the Johns serenading us through guitar solos and wicked bass parts.

Then there’s the train whistle thing and the heavy riff. Excellent. Just one of the best parts of the whole song. One of the most feel-good moments in the entire discography, it medicates, awakens and rejuvenates my soul. DT doesn’t let up, bringing in Derek to play a keyboard solo next right on top of this crushing riff. Then the Myung soloish thing into the wah-drenched riff. Just one great bit after another in this section. And it leads emotionally rather well into the finale, though it’s maybe the tiniest bit choppy as a transition.

VII. The Crimson Sunset
The guitar melody leads beautifully into James’s return, and though the music under his singing is fantastic, he really takes the lead and never looks back. The keys chiming in at regular intervals stand out in an especially good way, laying out the melody over which James is to impressively deliver the final lines of the song. Mike’s drum fills are also noticeably excellent. The return of the intro guitar part does a nice job of bringing things full circle, and I like the way it seems to end in a way where it doesn’t seem quite over. Great conclusion to a brilliant if slightly flawed epic.

Words:
These are undoubtedly Mike Portnoy lyrics, which means they come with all the earnestness in the world and a few of the flaws that can sometimes accompany that. There are some awkward phrases in this song, no doubt about it. Mike’s lyrics simply aren’t as poetic as John Myung’s or Kevin’s or John Petrucci’s at this time. But the earnestness that someone like him can convey overcomes whatever flaws his lyrics may have, in my opinion. Mike shares the message he wants to send and he does it very honestly and earnestly, which is what matters most to me, and very well in a lot of parts, with some nice phrases that express specific emotions quite well (“And I don’t need your sympathy to get me through the day”).

[ThatOneGuy2112]

You really do go all out with these write-ups. The devotion is impressive.

Though I'd still say ACOS lies far too low but I can understand the sentiments you explained in the beginning of your post. I feel the same way sometimes, you just have to be in the right mood for the right song for it to suddenly go up in the ranks. I think the reason I'd have ACOS much higher is because it covers so many emotions brilliantly that no matter my mood, most times I can listen to it and feel its full effects.

[Crow]

Two fantastic songs that should both be higher 
Also I totally listen to a lot of DT songs as standalone pieces. When ranking them on a song-by-song basis I don't like having to worry about context.

[Outcrier]

Seeing all these songs leave me curious about the top 10 

[jakepriest]

I would also place ACOS around the 30 mark. I like all the parts until Another World but the last instrumental part and ending really kill the song for me.

[425]

30. Stream of Consciousness



Images:
Stream of Consciousness comes out of Vacant with a very memorable guitar intro that quickly launches into just a huge epic opening that develops into the memorable main riff. This is my favorite Dream Theater instrumental. I have always liked the big four (non-Anasthesia) Metallica instrumentals, and this song has always felt inspired by but significantly superior to that formula.

This track is really characterized by the huge and heavy yet memorable guitar riffs and just beautifully energetic, ripping guitar solos that John brings to the table, but there's also a lot to be said for Jordan's almost symphonic keyboard work. He really sets the tone for the whole piece and provides a lot of the more interesting sections (though John gets credit for the awesome riff work that takes place shortly after the 3 minute mark).

Really, I also cannot give enough credit to Mike Portnoy for his performance on this track, as well. He really carries this long and complex song through its many sections and truly shines at several points throughout.

It's hard to enumerate all the great parts of this beautifully dark instrumental, especially since there are no vocal sections to break the 11 minutes up and give points of reference, but suffice it to say that there are a lot of sections that I greatly love and that contribute to this being one of my favorite songs and one of the first songs I think of when I think "prog metal." This also typifies that thing I talk about where I say that DT can just go on for a very long time instrumentally developing a bunch of great and memorable melodies that all work well in conjunction with each other as one coherent piece, and that is what I really love most about them.

Words:
The steady pace of this song combined with its dark, focused atmosphere (which is set particularly well by the intro/outro) and connection with the idea "conscience fading" in Vacant make the title one of the DT titles that is best tied with the music in my personal opinion.





29. Beneath the Surface

Until all that remained
Was buried deep beneath the surface



Images:
A really lovely, sad guitar-driven ballad. John's acoustic work throughout the song is really quite excellent and accompanied well by Jordan's atmospheric keys. James is the real star of this track, as he so often is on the ballads. In the early sections, he hits just the right emotional softness that he shows time and again that he can do so well. On the bridge and last chorus, he goes for more technically excellent singing and does so without breaking the emotional tone of the song.

The highlight of this oh-so-pretty song, though, is Jordan's Moog solo. I simply love the way he drowns James's vocal line under the Moog sound and then proceeds to play a solo that hits the perfect emotional tone and transition the song into the bridge without at any point being overplayed or anything. It certainly does catch attention and bring a new side to a relatively simple ballad.

Words:
The lyrics to this song are a great fit for the music and are among John's better lyrics. They aren't as multi-layered and complex as something like Space-Dye Vest, but they certainly communicate effectively and emotionally the idea of an emotional spark slowly fading out, being buried deep beneath the surface. Just beautiful.

[Crow]

Ehh. Can't complain about the placement of either of these. BTS has been growing on me lately considering everyone else seems to love it so much

[jakepriest]

SOC is too low.

[Prog Snob]

Both songs too low...obviously.  Still great to see them included though. 

[hefdaddy42]

29. Beneath the Surface

The lyrics to this song are a great fit for the music

I don't know, the music is major and sounds kind of happy/fun-time, but the lyrics are pretty depressing.

I still like the song, but I'm not sure I would say the lyrics fit the music. 

[Sacul]

29. The Answer Lies Within

The lyrics to this song are a great fit for the music

I don't know, the music is minor and sounds kind of melancholic/sad-time, but the lyrics are pretty motivational.

Fixed.

Oh, and SoC wouldn't make my top 90 . I think it's a bunch of riffs that doesn't even sound like a DT song.

[Evermind]

29. Beneath the Surface

The lyrics to this song are a great fit for the music

I don't know, the music is major and sounds kind of happy/fun-time, but the lyrics are pretty depressing.

I still like the song, but I'm not sure I would say the lyrics fit the music.

I daresay the lyrics are almost pretty opposite to the music in BTS. All my non-English friends were saying "oh, what an uplifting song to end the album" and when I showed them a booklet with lyrics... well, yeah.

[Crow]

Yeah the dissonance between lyric and music in BTS is just too jarring for me. Far From Heaven is a lot better about it because the music isn't as happy sounding, not as sad as Vacant or Disappear or anything but not so bright either.

[hefdaddy42]

Yeah the dissonance between lyric and music in BTS is just too jarring for me. Far From Heaven is a lot better about it because the music isn't as happy sounding, not as sad as Vacant or Disappear or anything but not so bright either.

I agree, I think Far From Heaven is much more effective in that regard.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Yeah the dissonance between lyric and music in BTS is just too jarring for me. Far From Heaven is a lot better about it because the music isn't as happy sounding, not as sad as Vacant or Disappear or anything but not so bright either.

I disagree. I think BTS is much more effective than Far From Heaven in that department. Yes, if you took out the vocals and listened to it as an instrumental track, it sounds much more uplifting, but it's Jame's delivery that really hit it home for me. That alone turns it from a cheery tune into a melancholic ballad. It's not totally depressing, but rather immensely bittersweet, and I can't help but think on it more deeply whenever it comes up on the album.

[425]

I agree with ThatOneGuy2112 about James's delivery on Beneath the Surface making the whole thing feel bittersweet, which is what the lyrics are, really, not depressing. I wouldn't be so quick to say that it absolutely does this better than Far From Heaven, though.

The whole thing with the lyrics of Beneath the Surface is that basically they've both realized that they don't really have feelings for each other anymore. It's not a Space-Dye Vest situation where she broke up with him and now he's "all mixed up." It's just sort of a love that's gone now, and it's a little sad for them that it's gone, but the very fact that they don't really care that much anymore makes it impossible for them to be depressed, thus the song is not depressed.

I've been remiss over the past few days in my updates, I believe I have two days to make up (Thursday and Friday). So to get back on schedule I'll do four songs today and four songs tomorrow, then back to two songs per day on Monday.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

The whole thing with the lyrics of Beneath the Surface is that basically they've both realized that they don't really have feelings for each other anymore. It's not a Space-Dye Vest situation where she broke up with him and now he's "all mixed up." It's just sort of a love that's gone now, and it's a little sad for them that it's gone, but the very fact that they don't really care that much anymore makes it impossible for them to be depressed, thus the song is not depressed.

I think that's what I like about BTS more. It can be taken in whichever way the listener wants to take it. Some will find it uplifting (the chance for newer possibilities for those in the lyrics) or it can be bittersweet and somber (since it tells the story of a love that ended, which, personally, is always something I hate to see happen and is even worse when you're in that situation).

Or perhaps it all depends on the listener's own personal experience. I can relate to BTS more so than FFH so maybe that's why I find it more effective. That's not to say FFH fails to convey a sad theme; it certainly does and I like it quite a bit as well.

[425]

I can certainly understand your perspective, and agree with what you say pertaining the emotional tone of BTS. I won't say any more about FFH vs. BTS, though, because of potential spoilers for my list.

Four more. WDADU haters may want to just stop after 26, though.

28. On the Backs of Angels

Tears fall from the shameless
Shelter me, guide me to the edge of the water



Images:
Yes, this song is a little like Pull Me Under. However, I think it is a more mature and stronger song, and I tend to prefer it.

The intro is another instance of this band brilliantly using guitar and keyboard parts to build slowly from a quiet beginning into an epic full band entrance that culminates after the symphonic keyboard section when John Petrucci brings in the heavy guitar riff, which is just excellent (as of course, is Jordan’s aforementioned playing and much of that which follows, he really shines on this track).

This, to me, signifies the real beginning of James’s much more sedate approach, where he sings well enough to the song but rarely seeks to impress with technicality or anything of that sort. While I’m not crazy about this change, I think he does nail these verses and once the chorus comes in he does begin to shine, though it helps that Petrucci gave him a great vocal melody and gives him an excellent guitar intro (shh I know it’s a lot like the PMU structure). I haven’t heard him sing that softly on a metal section in a while.

I love the piano break, and like that Jordan doesn’t overuse them in general, keeping them for certain songs and thus making them more special. Then John comes out of there with an excellent solo to bring things back around to the final chorus and truly epic outro that follows.

Honestly, this might be the best song with which to introduce someone to Dream Theater. It’s technical but doesn’t have any exceedingly long and wanky sections. James is good and probably rather inoffensive by the standards of those strange people who don’t like him. The song is itself catchy and complex.

Words:
These are some lyrics that I feel like I need to analyze more, to determine things like when John is being ironic and when he’s being literal, because it’s hard to tell, particularly with the line “selfless are the righteous.” But on the whole they’re solid, with some pretty strong symbolic imagery, though they are far from the band’s best.





27. Endless Sacrifice

Your light shines on my soul
While a thousand candles burn



Images:
One of Dream Theater’s most personal and emotional epics comes on the band’s heaviest album. The clean guitar/keys intro is a welcome break after As I Am and This Dying Soul, but is also a beautiful way to begin this track. James’s first verse is sung beautifully and is one of those instances where he just makes the listener feel the emotion of each and every word.

Then that chorus comes in, which is a huge epic moment. I particularly like the harmonics (I think that’s what they’re called? I’m talking about the beeps) that John uses, even though I know some people don’t particularly like them.

Before we know it, we’re on the second chorus, which is also excellent, and then the instrumental section. This happens to be one of my favorite of the band’s instrumental sections, because it introduces a lot of great riffs and musical ideas, never getting boring, but at the same time it maintains the tone of the song, only being at all silly once (with Jordan’s little break). The last minute or two is especially unison leading into the riff which changes a couple of times, building tension for James’s stellar entrance in the finale. James’s singing on this section and then the music of the outro that follows really contribute to the desperate tone of this song.

Words:
The words are very good. John uses tons of his trademark symbolic imagery to communicate a truly heartfelt message. A lot of good can be said about James’s delivery on this song but John really did give him a huge boost by writing such great lyrics. The prechorus from the first section of this song is my favorite section of the lyrics, because it so excellently communicates the desperation of this song.





26. Caught In a Web

Echos that deafen the mind
Will bury my voice in their wake



Images:
This is Dream Theater’s first really crushingly heavy song and also one of their best. The interplay between John Petrucci and Kevin to set the tone of this song is really excellent and part of why this is one of those songs with that excellent Awake atmosphere. At any point when one takes the lead, they excel and make the song catchier (John after the chorus, Kevin during the instrumental at about 4:00 even though John is very present there). There are just so many very catchy moments in the music, too many to name (how about right after “the thirst of desire found so easily)

The real star of the show, though, is James. His singing is excellent; beautifully brutal. The verses, the choruses all of it. The best sections are the faster verses that end with repeated lines, because James’s voice drips emotion and really just forces you to pay close attention to the music and the lyrics.

Best moment: 4:10. “WOOOOOAAAAAAAHHHH! Tried to live the life…” Though I also love the way the song has a Metallica-style (Leper Messiah) false ending.

Words:
First of all, even though the lyrics credit is James/John, knowing each of their respective styles from their corpus, I don’t need any confirmation or anything to tell you that these are James’s words with John helping him format them to the song. And just like most of James’s lyrics, they communicate in emotional imagery and are on the darker side for Dream Theater. There are several really great images that James gives us here, like “Would you despise the thrill if all you hide were mine” or “You can’t heal the wounds of my soul” or the line I quoted above. Really excellent lyrics (then again, all the lyrics on Awake are brilliant, yes, even “Mother Mary” and “Doubting Thomas”. Because nothing fucking breaks like a broken promise).





25. Only a Matter of Time

If faith is the answer, then we’ve already reached it
And if spirit’s a sign, then it’s only a matter of time



Images:
This is my favorite song from Dream Theater’s debut album and one of my very favorite of all Dream Theater songs. This song embodies the spirit of youthful optimism of which we would see more on the following album, but I think this is the most optimistic Dream Theater song.

The intro is an epic beginning and the song proceeds from there basically to tear through verse after verse. Maybe there are too many words in the lines. In fact I know there are—no human can reasonably be expect to sing this song. But if Kevin getting too zealous with his optimistic lyrics is this song’s primary vice, then I will take it.

Even though the vocal melodies cannot possibly have been written with an actual singer in the same building, there’s something really appealing about them. All of them are really memorable and catchy, and they’re boosted by some truly excellent music. I love the “In a dimly lit room part,” and of course once we get to the “A father’s benediction” part, I’m freaking out, and once James/Charlie builds to the album title… beautiful (yay, another “425 swoons over DT in the written word” section).

Then the best moment of the whole album comes at the end, when the bass/drums section comes in and then the outro keyboard melody is played over until until the song ends. Just as good of a fade (even though it doesn’t actually fade on the album) as the fades on the two albums that follow it (Learning to Live and Scarred).

On the James/Charlie issue, I think both of them do well in their own way and though there are parts where I prefer one or the other, there isn’t one that is a strong preference for me on the whole song. What I really want someone to do on this track is something that no singer can do with it, but both of these guys do better than they could really be expected to. My preferred version is the Budokan version, but that’s just because of the live energy and better audio quality, not because I have a preference for James over Charlie.

Words:
Honestly, these are among my favorite Dream Theater lyrics not written by John Myung and are very close to being my favorite Dream Theater lyrics period. I’ve said that Kevin was probably their best lyricist at this time, and these may be his best (though I’m not at all certain in saying that when Surrounded and Wait for Sleep exist. Choices, choices). I’m not in love with the spirit of his Awake lyrics and prefer the optimistic ones of this song and on Images and Words, but there’s no doubt that he’s a great writer.

There are really so many great lines in this song that it’s hard to pick a favorite. Regardless, I love the way Kevin sketches this portrait of a hugely optimistic young musician in a largely cynical world and I love the spirit he gives this character. I wouldn’t mention my personal religious views if it wasn’t relevant and I hadn’t already, but I’ll just say that even though I’m not religious, I love the religious implications of these words because they carry the optimism home. “Likely or not, it’s a dream that we keep and at odds with our senses we’ll climb."

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Don't care for Only A Matter of Time that much. The other three are excellent though.

My feelings for OTBOA are a rollercoaster though. When it first came out, I praised the hell out of it. When ADTOE finally came out, it became the dud of the album for me. And now I love it again.