Sometimes people lump 8V and SC together...I totally don't see any similarities of any kind. Octavarium is my all time favorite #1 Dream Theater album of all time, and SC is just a mess. Other than The Dark Eternal Night (which I absolutely love) I never listen to it. ITPOE Part 1 is OK, Forsaken is terrible. Constant Motion is a pretty cool riff, but the chorus is awful (I think I wrote those lyrics when I was 12 after listening to Motley Crue for a week). Already gave my love to TDEN. Repentance is better when it's played with the rest of the 12SS, but it's the weakest part of the suite, and not very good on its own. Prophets of War is the worst song in the entire DT catalog. I've grown to like TMOLS a bit more than when I first heard it, but it's still forgettable. And ITPOE Part 2 is just silly. ITPOE is my least favorite DT epic...and actually the only one I actively don't like.
In fact, I'd say that about sums up this album for me. I have some DT albums I like better than others, and some that I'm luke warm on...but I just actively dislike Systematic Chaos, and it's the only DT album I can say that about. BCSL is a close second, but at least I can claim ambivalence towards that one.