The "Forsaken" Appreciation Thread

OnTheBacksofAngela · January 11, 2016, 06:16:09 PM

Hey guys, the n00b is here once again!

Anyways, Forsaken deserves some love. It's not super long like the Systematic Chaos epics and it is ranked pretty low for some people. Is Forsaken anyone's favorite? Ok, stupid question, but it is worth asking.

It's not too aggressive like Constant Motion and it isn't political like Prophets of War, but it is still nice! That introduction with Rudess sets the tone and Petrucci's riffing amazes me.

Petrucci plays a nice simple solo that isn't too flashy and fits well. Labrie is amazing here as well are the other members of the band. Can we show some appreciation for it? It is basically an underdog, and the music video is so nice!

pcs90 · January 11, 2016, 08:24:06 PM

The only song on SC that I like more than Forsaken is ITPOE Part 1. And, honestly, those are the only 2 songs I like as a whole on this album. I say that because it does have some other great instrumental moments.
Forsaken really doesn't have much noteable about it, but it's a nice short song, and I like Jordan's piano line.

OnTheBacksofAngela · January 11, 2016, 08:25:02 PM

What about Night and Ministry??
Repentance?

BlobVanDam · January 11, 2016, 08:31:42 PM

A great "single" that is quite underrated. JLB's vocals are really good on it, it's a catchy song, and it incorporates the DT trademark of odd time signatures seamlessly as they do so well without being alienating. And it has yet another JP killer solo.

pcs90 · January 11, 2016, 08:46:07 PM

Quote from: OnTheBacksofAngela on January 11, 2016, 08:25:02 PM
What about Night and Ministry??
Repentance?

Night: cheesy lyrics, awful MP vocals (I hate these with a passion if you haven't noticed haha), instrumental sounds recycled to me
Ministry: I really like the music, and the lyrics aren't bad either but for some reason I just can't get into it. The instrumental sections are some of my favorites on the CD though. Love the middle section especially, and how it transitions back to the slower rest of the song.
Repentance: Very boring. To be fair, the only song from the 12 step suite that I really like is Root. TGP is also not bad once I cut out some of MP's vocals in the middle section but the rest all rank very low for me. If The Mirror was actually a part of the suite, it'd beat all the other songs by a massive landslide.
So yeah, Forsaken is easily one of my favorites here.

Train of Naught · January 12, 2016, 01:08:29 AM

If I'd have to rank SC songs:

1. ITPOE (both, but my favorite part is pt. 2)
2. Constant Motion
3. The Ministry of Lost Souls
4. The Dark Eternal Night
5. Forsaken
6. Prophets of War
7. Repentance

Great album though, even though it's my #7 DT album, it's killer front to back. The only song I really don't like separately is Repentance, and it seems to work amazingly well in the context of the album.

Ben_Jamin · January 12, 2016, 01:13:30 AM

The Ministry of Lost Souls
Prophets of War
In The Presence of Enemies
The Dark Eternal Night
Repentance
Forsaken
Constant Motion

krands85 · January 12, 2016, 05:31:04 AM

Blob pretty much sums up how I feel about the song. I remember when I first heard the album at the time I was just getting into DT, I used to listen to Forsaken over and over. I much prefer the longer, more complex tracks in general these days, but Forsaken is still fun to listen to.

Quote from: Train of Naught on January 12, 2016, 01:08:29 AM
If I'd have to rank SC songs:

1. ITPOE (both, but my favorite part is pt. 2)
2. Constant Motion
3. The Ministry of Lost Souls
4. The Dark Eternal Night
5. Forsaken
6. Prophets of War
7. Repentance

Almost exactly this, except TMOLS and CM are swapped round.

MirrorMask · January 12, 2016, 06:57:06 AM

Just like for I Walk Beside You, here's another thread about an "easy" song where I jump in and profess my unconditional love for.

I absolutely adore Forsaken and it's probably my favorite song on the album, it's another fine example of how DT are able to craft short and concise songs full of emotions while still remaining grounded in their style.

I remember comparisons with Evanescence but all I hear when I listen to Jordan's keys are echoes of Awake, one of my favorite albums. Chorus is mindblowing and James' performance is top notch as always, on these kind of songs.

Didn't hear it live and would love to, I was lucky to get a relatively rare The Ministry of Lost Souls live (my other favorite song on the album, save for the wankfest that is the copy-and-paste jam in LTE style that makes up the solo section) but I missed out on Forsaken, hope I will get it next tour again!

ZirconBlue · January 12, 2016, 08:36:59 AM

I love the vocal harmonies on the line "fear within me".

Paintbox · January 12, 2016, 10:23:30 AM

I really like Forsaken, used to listen to it more when I found the album, which I really like a lot as well. As I said somewhere else some time ago, watching the making of and seeing how they worked on it made me appreciate it more than a lot of people seem to do. The instrumental sections are awesome in every track, especially Constant Motion, the intro of ITPOEpt1 and all of Repentance

CharlesPL · January 12, 2016, 12:00:32 PM

My ranking

1. ITPoE pt.1
2. The Rest

The worst DT album IMHO.

MirrorMask · January 12, 2016, 12:04:27 PM

If I had to rank this surely most divisive album...

Forsaken
The Ministry of Lost Souls (second because of that totally random solo section breaking the flow of the song)
In the Presence of Enemies
Repentance
Prophets of War
Constant Motion
The Dark Eternal Night

An album killed by the heavy songs, never before or after a DT album has let me down so much with the heavier songs, which I consider one forgettable, and the other downright terrible.

nicmos · January 13, 2016, 09:26:54 AM

If you just take it on its music and not the lyrics, it's great. If they had decided to marry different lyrics with it, I think it could have been an all-time favorite of their short songs. The music is really really good. But the lyrics are cheesy for sure, and that detracts from it for me. I still enjoy listening to it though.

Bertie_Wooster · January 13, 2016, 03:23:32 PM

I don't like the Halloween vibe of it. I also don't like the Halloween vibe of "a nighmare to remember"
I know this is the mood they were in since it was October when they wrote it but it isn't my cup of tea.
I do like the MP singing part in that song though.

bosk1 · January 13, 2016, 03:33:02 PM

"Halloween vibe?"

Ben_Jamin · January 13, 2016, 04:05:26 PM

It honestly reminds me of Evanescence and Cold by static-X (since both have the same rhythm and are a bit about vampires).

I enjoy the song but don't really seem to listen to it. I just wish they kept that last vocal line that was higher in the mix on the behind the scenes vid.

Zirreall · January 15, 2016, 06:21:52 PM

The song deserves a MUCH better video!

Lowdz · January 16, 2016, 09:12:50 AM

Quote from: Ben_Jamin on January 13, 2016, 04:05:26 PM
It honestly reminds me of Evanescence and Cold by static-X (since both have the same rhythm and are a bit about vampires).

I enjoy the song but don't really seem to listen to it. I just wish they kept that last vocal line that was higher in the mix on the behind the scenes vid.

I've always argued that they missed a trick here. A duet with Sharon den Adel would have killed. The lyrics cry out for it.

KevShmev · January 16, 2016, 10:40:49 AM

Quote from: bosk1 on January 13, 2016, 03:33:02 PM
"Halloween vibe?"

I get what he means. The main piano line is like something you'd hear in a spooky Halloween flick, and the song is about vampires after all.

Enigmachine · January 16, 2016, 01:19:01 PM

Quote from: Zirreall on January 15, 2016, 06:21:52 PM
The song deserves a MUCH better video!

I always thought Forsaken's video was considered DT's best music video (and I would agree with that) so this statement is odd to me.

Cable · January 16, 2016, 01:51:16 PM

Quote from: OnTheBacksofAngela on January 11, 2016, 06:16:09 PM

Petrucci plays a nice simple solo that isn't too flashy and fits well.

I wouldn't call the solo simple by any stretch. It has a sweep, and a fast legato section. Sure, it fits very well, with some space for sustained notes and some awesome phrasing. But it isn't simple.

Or at least is isn't easy for this guy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_QXPQlNCBM

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The "Forsaken" Appreciation Thread