I didn’t think this song needed an appreciation thread. Considering how well it’s done in the DT League and Survivors, as well as polls on the DT side of the forum, I thought it was pretty well known how beloved this song is. However, since the thread exists, I’ll put in my two cents.
Breaking All Illusion is a well crafted song that shows how amazing Dream Theater can be when they put more focus on melody and structure instead of on showing off (looking at you ANtR). This song is a masterclass in progressive songwriting and is far and away the best song of the Mangini era. It currently sits at number four in my own personal ranking, and when you consider that Octavarium, The Count of Tuscany, and A Change of Seasons are the songs in front of it, I would say it’s in good company. This is the band at their very best, perfectly blending melody, harmony, rhythm, virtuosity, technically, and emotion into a twelve and a half minute masterpiece. Hearing this for the first time told me that they would be perfectly fine without Portnoy, and to this day I get chills whenever I listen to it. I cannot say enough good things about this song. It’s the perfect Dream Theater mini-epic, and one of the best songs in their entire discography.