Ninjabait's Top 50 Albums (...and 10 other pretty cool albums)

[Crow]

We continue to have very backwards opinions 

[Ninjabait]

...aaaaand that's a wrap! Finally done.

02. Dream Theater – Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory

   I don’t really feel like I have to explain this one. It’s a classic for a reason. Great writing, killer melodies, and some of the band’s best riffs and solos period. With the exception of that moment in Home (you know the one), there’s nothing that makes me want to skip a part of this album. Every moment is the band firing on all cylinders.

01. Dream Theater – The Astonishing

Now this being #1 might come as a shock, given how completely divisive this album was. But this album has everything I look for in music. Great, catchy tunes. Wonderful orchestration and a strong classical approach. A diverse and unique blend of styles. Enough nuggets to give me something new to listen to every time I hear it. Killer riffs. I’ve heard nothing like this album before and nothing like it since. It’s totally unique blend of musical theater, opera, a dense Wagnerian mesh of leitmotifs, metal, and prog rock seems to tickle every musical itch I could ever have. The album has a totally unique approach to music and it always manages to keep me engrossed whenever it’s playing. I always find myself humming along or mouthing the lyrics to myself when listening. This album is James LaBrie at his best and has some of the best melodies ever penned by the band. Even with the odd moment here or there, this album never feels like it’s not doing what it set out to do. I’m always finding myself wanting to know more about the story, the characters, and the music. How they reflect every moment in the story in the music and all the reoccurring themes is something that I’m always amazed by and wanting to hear. Listening to this album feels like watching a great movie at the theater or going to see a great opera. Everything outside of it just drifts away and you just get lost in the experience of it all. That’s what this album is: an experience. And what an experience it is.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

....aaaaaand you lost me completely. 

[Crow]

well, that's your opinion i guess 

[mike099]

I enjoyed your list and hope to do one of my own soon.  Your number one really caught a lot of us off guard.

[Lethean]

Wow, really cool. Glad to see so many DT albums in there. I don't know if I could really rank a top 50, but if I did there would certainly be a lot of DT.

I'm totally down with The Astonishing being ranked that high.

[The Walrus]

#1 of all time? Ever? I wouldn't even expect that from Lethean. Very interesting pick. Certainly one of my favorite DT albums. Cool list, Ninja.

[Anguyen92]

That's such a facemelter of a #1 pick, but I applaud it.  I like The Astonishing a fair amount myself, but, imo, I would not put that above Awake and DT12, let alone my top 50 (that stated, I should at least wrap that up.  It's been like 1.5 year since my last post in that one.  I only have five albums to go, but I pretty much gotten lazy with my writeups and life got in the way to commit to writing lengthy enjoyable stuff of why I like so and so).

[Elite]

[Ninjabait]

That's such a facemelter of a #1 pick, but I applaud it.  I like The Astonishing a fair amount myself, but, imo, I would not put that above Awake and DT12, let alone my top 50 (that stated, I should at least wrap that up.  It's been like 1.5 year since my last post in that one.  I only have five albums to go, but I pretty much gotten lazy with my writeups and life got in the way to commit to writing lengthy enjoyable stuff of why I like so and so).

It's funny you say that, because Awake and DT12 happen to be down there with WD&DU and SC as some of my least favorite DT albums to date. That said, my music tastes are clearly SUPER different from the average proghead or metalhead or progmetalhead. I definitely like a lot of albums and genres and styles that people in these circles tend to look down upon.

Also, I'm totally amused by all the comments after that bombshell of a finale. It's like the perfect representation of how divisive the album was, with half of y'all being like "wat" and the other half being like "YEAH".

Wow, really cool. Glad to see so many DT albums in there. I don't know if I could really rank a top 50, but if I did there would certainly be a lot of DT.

I'm totally down with The Astonishing being ranked that high.

Well, that's not a bad thing at all! I had like 7/13 of their albums in my Top 50. I mean, look where we are

That appears to be the consensus about my list

[Train of Naught]

Dude, I already knew we have quite some overlap in tastes, but you lost me at The Astonishing but that's super cool. I thought I was weird for calling Odyssey to the West by Slice the Cake my favourite album ever within like half a year after its release (I still stand by that by the way, hate me all you want y'all). Especially cool to see Dum Spiro Spero and We Like It Here on the list, 2 albums I've been meaning to check out.

The list was pretty much over by the time I saw it this is definitely the quickest top 50 thread in the history of DTF

[Sacul]

I still find it hard to believe the lyrics to The Astonishing were written by the same man who wrote Metropolis pt. I 's.

[Ninjabait]

Dude, I already knew we have quite some overlap in tastes, but you lost me at The Astonishing but that's super cool. I thought I was weird for calling Odyssey to the West by Slice the Cake my favourite album ever within like half a year after its release (I still stand by that by the way, hate me all you want y'all). Especially cool to see Dum Spiro Spero and We Like It Here on the list, 2 albums I've been meaning to check out.

The list was pretty much over by the time I saw it this is definitely the quickest top 50 thread in the history of DTF

My tastes are all over the place, so there's a good chance that I will find at least something I can agree on with anyone.

I've heard Odyssey to the West once and it's a good album! I wouldn't put it in the top 100, but then again I've only heard it once. I definitely would say check out Dir en Grey, it'll probably be right up your alley.

I like to get things done haha. Didn't really feel the need to draw it out any

I still find it hard to believe the lyrics to The Astonishing were written by the same man who wrote Metropolis pt. I 's.

Probably unpopular opinion: I've never liked the lyrics to Metropolis Pt 1. It has some neat lines every once in a while but I don't think the song as a whole really works. 

[The Walrus]

I think Part 1's lyrics are nonsensical and silly... The Astonishing has tons of great lyrics!

[Crow]

MY MUUUUUSIIIIIC PLAAAAAYEEERRR

[Ninjabait]

The one thing that we can all agree on is that metal and prog tend to have terrible lyrics.  #diplomacy

Like, just look at Yes lyrics or Metallica or Judas Priest lyrics. Eesh.

[Train of Naught]

The absolute worst are those nonsensical overly scientific or astronomical lyrics #persefone #allegaeon still love the music tho

[Sacul]

I mean yeah Metropolis doesn't have the best lyrics ever, but they feel somewhat elaborate and creative even if they're kind of gibberish. The Astonishing reads like a disney-esque teenager fanfiction, filled with cliched characters and cheesy situations. But yeah:

The one thing that we can all agree on is that metal and prog tend to have terrible lyrics.  #diplomacy

XBOX IS A GOD TO ME

[The Walrus]

The one thing that we can all agree on is that metal and prog tend to have terrible lyrics.  #diplomacy

Like, just look at Yes lyrics or Metallica or Judas Priest lyrics. Eesh.

DEADLY WHEEEEEEEEELS

[Elite]

The one thing that we can all agree on is that metal and prog tend to have terrible lyrics.  #diplomacy

XBOX IS A GOD TO ME

I CAN HEAR YOU FUCK YOUR GIRLFRIEND THROUGH THE WALLS!!

[Ninjabait]

I mean yeah Metropolis doesn't have the best lyrics ever, but they feel somewhat elaborate and creative even if they're kind of gibberish. The Astonishing reads like a disney-esque teenager fanfiction, filled with cliched characters and cheesy situations. But yeah:

The one thing that we can all agree on is that metal and prog tend to have terrible lyrics.  #diplomacy

XBOX IS A GOD TO ME

Well, the lyrics on tA are much better at getting their intended message across than the lyrics on...most of Images and Words, now that I think about it. The band could probably read a little Pat Pattison, but honestly they're a huge improvement over psuedo-intellectual philosophical gibberish.

Also

FASTER THAN A LASER BULLET

[Evermind]

This whole list went too fast for me. One day it's #45, now it's #1 already.

I'd take Metropolis Pt. 1 lyrics over most of the Astonishing lyrics any day, to be honest. But hey, I don't like the Astonishing.

[Crow]

it's the third worst DT album imo (WDADU and DT12 being worse)

[The Walrus]

it's the third worst DT album imo (WDADU and DT12 being worse)

Yes, Black Clouds is indeed the third worst DT album.

[Ninjabait]

For me it goes:

01. The Astonishing
02. SfaM
03. 8varium
04. ADToE
05. SDoIT
06. ToT
07. I&W
08. FII
09. BCSV
10. Dt12
11. Awake
12. SC
13. WD&DU

[Crow]

it's the third worst DT album imo (WDADU and DT12 being worse)

Yes, Black Clouds is indeed the third worst DT album.

go home, katt

[The Walrus]

go home, katt

okay

[Crow]

for what it's worth i'd call black clouds fourth worst tho

[Elite]

for what it's worth i'd call black clouds fourth worst tho

Remove ‘fourth’ and I’d agree with you

[Lethean]

Wow, really cool. Glad to see so many DT albums in there. I don't know if I could really rank a top 50, but if I did there would certainly be a lot of DT.

I'm totally down with The Astonishing being ranked that high.

Well, that's not a bad thing at all! I had like 7/13 of their albums in my Top 50. I mean, look where we are

Not a bad thing at all.  I was happy to see it.  I'd have a hard time not putting everything but WDAD and SC on the list, to be honest. And I like SC a good bit; just not enough to feel compelled to have it on the list.

[Lethean]

#1 of all time? Ever? I wouldn't even expect that from Lethean. Very interesting pick. Certainly one of my favorite DT albums. Cool list, Ninja.

I could see myself ranking it that high eventually.  It still feels pretty new for me, whereas Six Degrees and Scenes have been at the top of the list for quite a while now, so I'd have a struggle for sure.  TA has probably my favorite vocal performance of all time, plus all the things Ninja mentioned, so it's certainly up there.

[The Walrus]

#1 of all time? Ever? I wouldn't even expect that from Lethean. Very interesting pick. Certainly one of my favorite DT albums. Cool list, Ninja.

I could see myself ranking it that high eventually.  It still feels pretty new for me, whereas Six Degrees and Scenes have been at the top of the list for quite a while now, so I'd have a struggle for sure.  TA has probably my favorite vocal performance of all time, plus all the things Ninja mentioned, so it's certainly up there.

That's some high praise. Like I said it's definitely among my favorite DT albums so I totally get it. I'd be curious to see your own top 50 list