Author Topic: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums  (Read 12385 times)

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Offline SeRoX

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #70 on: February 24, 2019, 02:15:51 AM »
Well, here we go since DoT is out. (Warning: This is early DoT affect. This ranking may change)

1- Awake
2- Images & Words
3- Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulance
4- Scenes From A Memory
5- Falling Into Infinity
6- Distance Over Time
7- Train Of Thought
8- The Astonishing
9- Octavarium
10- When Dream & Day Unite
11- A Dramatic Turn Of Events
12- Systematic Chaos
13- Dream Theater
14- Black Clouds Of Silver Linings

I don't think it'll go down in time. But can't decide now if FII is better or not.
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Offline Bertielee

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #71 on: February 24, 2019, 02:43:43 AM »
Here's my list :

1- I&W
2- Awake
3- SFAM
4- D/T
5- ToT
6- FII
7- 6DoIT
8- TA
9- ADToE
10- DT12
11- 8vm
12-SC
13- BC&SL
14- WDaDU

WDaDU could have been higher but I absolutely can't stand the sound of it, so much so that I haven't listened to it in ages.

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Offline Infinite Cactus

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #72 on: February 24, 2019, 02:21:25 PM »
1. Awake 10/10
2. Images and Words. 10/10
3. Falling Into Infinity 9.5/10
4. When Dream and Day Unite 9.5/10
5. Black Clouds And Silver Linings 9/10
6. Distance Over Time 9/10
7. Octavarium 8.5/10
8. Scenes From a Memory 8.5/10
9. Systematic Chaos 8/10
10. A Dramatic Turn of Events 8/10
11. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence 8/10
12. Dream Theater 7.5/10
13. Train of Thought 7/10
14. The Astonishing 6/10

Offline romdrums

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #73 on: February 28, 2019, 12:15:42 PM »
Awake
SDOIT
I&W
D/T
ADTOE
FII
ToT
SC
SFAM
WDADU
DT12
8V
BCSL

Not sure where to put The Astonishing because I haven't had time to sit down and listen to it all the way through.
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Offline RAIN

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #74 on: February 28, 2019, 12:33:08 PM »
01   Awake
02   A Change of Seasons (EP)
03   Train Of Thought
04   Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulance
05   Black Clouds & Silver Linings
06   Systematic Chaos
07   Octavarium
08   Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory
09   Falling Into Infinity
10   Images And Words
11   Distance Over Time
12   A Dramatic Turn Of Events
13   Dream Theater (self-titled)
14   The Astonishing
15   When Dream And Day Unite

Offline lovethedrake

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #75 on: February 28, 2019, 01:03:45 PM »
SFAM
I&W
SDOIT

Awake

D/T
FII
The Astonishing

TOT
DT
BC&SL
WDADU

Octavarium

ADTOE

SC


Offline MetropolisWatches

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #76 on: February 28, 2019, 09:35:08 PM »
It's hard to do, but I'd have to break the albums down to four tiers:

Images and Words
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Awake
Scenes From a Memory
--
Distance Over Time
The Astonishing
A Dramatic Turn of Events
Falling Into Infinity
--
Dream Theater
Train of Thought
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
--
When Dream and Day Unite
Black Clouds and Silver Linings

Offline oceanic156

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #77 on: March 02, 2019, 05:59:09 AM »
Changes, often, but here's mine:

Tier 1 (Incredible):
Awake
Images & Words

Tier 2 (Fantastic):
SFAM
Train of Thought
Distance over Time

Tier 3 (Great):
Six Degrees
The Astonishing

Tier 4 (Good):
ADToE
Dream Theater (ST)

Tier 5 (Meh):
Octavarium
BC&SL
Falling Into Infinity

Tier 6 (Bleh):
Systematic Chaos
WDaDU

Besides Awake being my solid #1 and SC/WDaDU being at the bottom, these shift around quite a bit from year to year of listening.

Offline Robber Soul

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #78 on: March 02, 2019, 02:05:34 PM »
01) Images & Words
02) Awake
03) Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
04) Scene's From A Memory
05) A Dramatic Turn of Events
06) Dream Theater
07) Systematic Chaos
08) Falling Into Infinity
09) Train Of Thought
10) Octavarium
11) The Astonishing
12) Black Clouds & Silver Linings
13) When Dream and Day Unite

Offline Dream Team

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #79 on: March 02, 2019, 02:43:36 PM »
Don’t have D/T yet?

Offline TheCountOfNYC

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #80 on: March 02, 2019, 02:52:02 PM »
As of right now...although this could change in a few months once I’m used to D/T.

01: Scenes From a Memory
02: Octavarium
03: Images and Words
04: Distance Over Time
05: A Dramatic Turn of Events
06: Awake
07: Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
08: Train of Thought
09: The Astonishing
10: Black Clouds & Silver Linings
11: Dream Theater
12: When Dream and Day Unite
13: Systematic Chaos
14: Falling Into Infinity
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Offline ThatOneGuy2112

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #81 on: March 03, 2019, 05:20:58 PM »
May be subject to change if my thoughts on the new record change in the future. As of now:

Fantastic - 9/10
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Scenes From a Memory
Images & Words

Great - 8 or 7/10
Awake
Octavarium
Train of Thought

OK or Decent - 6/10
Falling Into Infinity
A Dramatic Turn of Events
Distance Over Time
Dream Theater
Systematic Chaos

Meh or Dislike - 5/10 or below
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
When Dream and Day Unite
The Astonishing

For now it sits comfortably between ADTOE and DT12. I think if not for BAI, DoT would easily be the best album in the Mangini-era.

Offline mariner

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #82 on: March 04, 2019, 11:51:34 AM »
1.  Images and Words
2.  Scenes From a Memory
3.  Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
4.  Octavarium (yes, I have it THAT high)
5.  A Dramatic Turn of Events
6.  Distance Over Time
7.  Train of Thought
8.  Awake
9.  Systematic Chaos
10.  Black Clouds and Silver Linings
11.  The Astonishing
12.  Dream Theater
13.  Falling Into Infinity
14.  A Change of Seasons (ranked this low because of all of the covers, which are cool, but...)
15.  When Dream and Day Unite

Offline darkshade

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #83 on: March 04, 2019, 06:24:27 PM »
01. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence [10/10]
02. Awake [10/10]
03. Images and Words [10/10]
04. Train of Thought [9.8/10]
05. Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory [9.7/10]
06. Octavarium [9.5/10]
07. Black Clouds & Silver Linings [9.2/10]
08. Distance Over Time [8.5/10]
09. A Dramatic Turn of Events [8.2/10]
10. Falling Into Infinity [7.9/10]
11. Systematic Chaos [7.3/10]
12. Dream Theater [6.2/10]
13. The Astonishing [5/10]
14. When Dream and Day Unite [4.5/10]

DOT has potential to move up in rating, but might not move up in ranking.

Offline TheCountOfMinnesota

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #84 on: May 17, 2019, 02:22:49 PM »
Ooh, this is fun!  My current ranking, from favorite to least favorite.

1 - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
2 - Images & Words
3 - Awake
4 - Distance Over Time
5 - Scenes From A Memory
6 - Systematic Chaos
7 - The Astonishing
8 - A Dramatic Turn of Events
9 - Octavarium
10 - Falling Into Infinity
11 - self-titled
12 - Train of Thought
13 - Black Clouds and Silver Linings
14 - When Dream and Day Unite

Well, that was a little more difficult than I expected.  The only album I truly do not enjoy is WDaDU.  BC&SL is super low, but I absolutely love The Count of Tuscany.  TOT I think is marginally stronger overall, although there isn't a similar standout track to me off of that album.  I honestly haven't spun TOT in probably 8 years and should give it another listen.  Since joining this forum, I get the sense that lots of people love TOT.
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Offline t-bone2112

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #85 on: May 24, 2019, 09:26:22 PM »
It's been awhile since I've done a ranking and it has probably changed since the last time.

Brilliant
Images and Words
Falling Into Infinity
Scenes from a Memory
Six Degrees
Black Clouds & Silver Linings

Great
A Change of Seasons
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
Dramatic Turn of Events

Good
Train of Thought
The Astonishing

OK
When Dream and Day Unite
Dream Theater

Don't Care For
Awake
Distance Over Time

Let the flaming begin.....

Offline vazquez

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #86 on: May 26, 2019, 05:55:41 PM »
Amazing

I&W
SFaM

Very very good

The Astonishing
D/T
aDToE
ToT
Awake

Can listen skipping some few songs

DT
SC
Octavarium

Can listen a couple songs from

WDaDU
FII
SDoIT

Can't listen

BCaSL
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Offline WildRanger

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #87 on: March 20, 2021, 09:37:41 AM »
My ranking and ratings:

1. Images and Words (5/5)
2. Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory (5/5)
3. Awake (4.5/5)
4. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (4/5)
5. Train of Thought (4/5)
6. Octavarium (3.5/5)
7. Black Clouds & Silver Linings (3/5)
8. Falling Into Infinity (3/5)
9. Distance Over Time (3/5)

That's all. Not a fan of other albums, I would rate them below 3 stars.

Offline Kotowboy

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #88 on: March 22, 2021, 05:02:42 AM »
It's hard for me to rank them all since a lot of them fall into ( the light ) the "pretty good" tier.

But my #1 is still Octavarium and my least fave is probably WDADU.

Top 3 :

1.Octavarium
2.Scenes
3.Six Degrees

Bottom 3 :

12. Awake ( Yes I just find it boring )
13. Systematic Chaos
14. WDADU

Online Stadler

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #89 on: March 22, 2021, 06:44:02 AM »
   
Images and Words (1992)

Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)
Octavarium (2005)
Awake (1994)
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002)

A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011)
Systematic Chaos (2007)
Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009)
Falling into Infinity (1997)

Distance over Time (2019)   
Train of Thought (2003)
Dream Theater (2013)

The Astonishing (2016)
When Dream and Day Unite (1989)

The first couple and last couple are clearly where they are, and that won't likely change. I'll always say I&W is one, just out of loyalty, WDADU will always be last, simply because of the vocals.   But within the little groups, things could change on any given day.  Two through five are very close (Awake will never be two, and Octavarium and Metropolis will never likely be five, but still that whole group is virtually equal).  The next two groups are, within themselves, basically interchangeable.  I couldn't really rate which is better, SC or BC&SL.

Offline Squa7ch2112

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #90 on: March 22, 2021, 06:55:15 AM »
Well, talk about a bump!

I can do a top 3, maybe a top 5 if I try hard enough. My tastes are always changing but my top 3 is pretty much going to always stay the same.

1. Images & Words
2. Awake
3. Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
4. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
5. Train of Thought


Offline WildRanger

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #91 on: March 22, 2021, 08:14:58 AM »
   
Images and Words (1992)

Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)
Octavarium (2005)
Awake (1994)
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002)

A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011)
Systematic Chaos (2007)
Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009)
Falling into Infinity (1997)

Distance over Time (2019)   
Train of Thought (2003)
Dream Theater (2013)

The Astonishing (2016)
When Dream and Day Unite (1989)


Why is Train of Thought so low?

Offline darkshade

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #92 on: March 22, 2021, 08:18:21 AM »
   
Images and Words (1992)

Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)
Octavarium (2005)
Awake (1994)
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002)

A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011)
Systematic Chaos (2007)
Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009)
Falling into Infinity (1997)

Distance over Time (2019)   
Train of Thought (2003)
Dream Theater (2013)

The Astonishing (2016)
When Dream and Day Unite (1989)


Why is Train of Thought so low?

I more or less agree with this list, but yea, I would put ToT in the bottom of the 2nd tier, it's one of their best albums, and maybe switch SC and BC&L and move ADTOE a little lower.

Online Stadler

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #93 on: March 22, 2021, 09:35:58 AM »
It just doesn't click with me; I'm a metal guy, I guess, but that's not what I listen to Dream Theater for.  When they devolve into Metallica territory, they lose me.  I'm a melody guy, too.  You'll notice that the albums around it are in the top tier, and unapologetically so. 

Offline pg1067

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #94 on: March 22, 2021, 09:52:16 AM »
This will probably be inconsistent with what I've done before.

1-3.  SFAM, I&W and 6DOIT -- probably in that order, but they're largely interchangeable.

4.  Awake -- excellent album, but not on the same level as the top 3.

5-8  (in chron order) TOT, 8VA, ADTOE and DT12 -- fairly interchangeable in terms of rankings; each has a couple of duds, but they're overall really strong albums.

9.  BC&SL -- half of it is quite enjoyable (Wither, TSF and TCOT); the other half is forgettable.

10-12.  WDADU, FII and SC -- each has a couple of bright spots, but they're overall hiccups in an otherwise excellent catalog.

Not ranked:  The Astonishing -- if I did rank it, it would be in the bottom group, but I still don't feel like I've given it a reasonable chance, so I don't feel like it's fair to rank it.

I don't think anything has changed here except that TA firmly occupies the #14 spot, and I'd probably move WDADU out of the bottom group with FII and SC.  DOT does not crack the 5-8 group, so I'd put it in the 9-11 group with WDADU and BC&SL.
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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #95 on: March 22, 2021, 10:05:23 AM »
1A) & 1B) Images and Words (1992) & Awake (1994)
3) Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)
4) Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002)
5) A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011)
6) Train of Thought (2003)
7) Dream Theater (2013)
8)Falling into Infinity (1997)
9) Octavarium (2005)
10) The Astonishing (2016)
11) Distance over Time (2019)
12) Systematic Chaos (2007)
13) Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009)
14) When Dream and Day Unite (1989)

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Offline darkshade

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #96 on: March 23, 2021, 06:49:35 AM »
It just doesn't click with me; I'm a metal guy, I guess, but that's not what I listen to Dream Theater for.  When they devolve into Metallica territory, they lose me.  I'm a melody guy, too.  You'll notice that the albums around it are in the top tier, and unapologetically so.

The only obviously Metallica inspired thing they do is the opening track. Sure, there's more emphasis on heaviness and riffs, but there's tons of great melodies throughout the album as well and quite a variety of sounds (and Myung has never been so present in the mix without a distorted sound since.)
Then you have Vacant, one of their most beautiful songs, and ITNOG, one of their best shorter epics.

To me, the "metuul" sound is forced after Octavarium, and the power and bigness of their post-Scenes metal sound (TGP, all of ToT, Panic Attack, etc..) was lost when MP left, MM just doesn't fill the sound behind JP and JM like MP did.

Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #97 on: March 24, 2021, 10:17:31 AM »
1- Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
2- Images & Words
3- A Dramatic Turn of Events
4- Scenes From A Memory
5- Awake
6- Train of Thought
7- Black Clouds and Silver Linings
8- Octavarium
9- Systematic Chaos
10- Falling Into Infinity
11- Dream Theater
12- Distance Over Time
13- When Dream and Day Unite
14- The Astonishing


Some qualifications:  SDOIT and I&W often move back and forth in these lists, but I haven't heard anything from this band to topple either one of those from where they are now.  Who knows what the future will bring?  I never thought Fates Warning would make my favorite album of theirs (Theories of Flight) more than 30 years after my previous favorite, No Exit. Long Day Good Night is very solid too, not quite the masterpiece that is ToF but I'd put it right up there with Fates Warning's best albums.  Definitely a top 5 album for me and they've been around for closing in on 40 years now.  That gives me hope that Dream Theater still have another SDOIT or I&W in them.  And no, I'm not asking for clones of those albums, I am referring strictly to the quality of the albums in general.


What is sort of new(ish) for me in this list is that over time and as Dream Theater has now released 3 more albums after ADTOE, that album has continued to age extremely well for me.  I think it's easily the best music they've produced post-Portnoy.  Yes, the production is a bit lackluster compared to what came before AND after it, but musically, for my money that album delivers the goods every time I listen to it.  It's exactly the kind of music I listen to Dream Theater for and what pulled me under in to becoming a fan way back in '92 when I first heard Pull Me Under.

Offline Mladen

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #98 on: March 24, 2021, 10:33:39 AM »
I haven't ranked the albums in years. My list goes probably something like this...

1. Metropolis pt 2: Scenes from a memory
2. Images and words
3. Awake
4. A Dramatic turn of events
5. The Astonishing
6. Six degrees of inner turbulence
7. Systematic chaos
8. Train of thought
9. Black clouds & silver linings
10. Octavarium
11. Distance over time
12. Dream Theater
13. When dream and day unite
14. Falling into infinity

Even most of the ones at the bottom are fairly good, though. At this point, if a new album doesn't end up in the bottom five, I am happy.  ;D

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #99 on: March 24, 2021, 10:35:30 AM »
1 - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
2 - Scenes From A Memory
3 - Images & Words
4 - Octavarium
5 - A Dramatic Turn of Events
6 - Train of Thought
7 - Distance Over Time
8 - Black Clouds and Silver Linings
9 - Awake
10 - Falling Into Infinity
11 - Dream Theater
12 - Systematic Chaos
13 - The Astonishing
14 - When Dream and Day Unite
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Offline kirksnosehair

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #100 on: March 24, 2021, 11:02:06 AM »
It pleases me greatly to see all the love that ADTOE is getting.  I think it's Dream Theater's best songwriting since 6DOIT






Offline Dream Team

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #101 on: March 24, 2021, 11:03:53 AM »
It pleases me greatly to see all the love that ADTOE is getting.  I think it's Dream Theater's best songwriting since 6DOIT

Agreed

Offline MHStrawn

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #102 on: March 25, 2021, 09:33:55 AM »


95+: Classic - Must Have

85-95: Very good - Must Have for DT Fan

75-85: Good - Worth having

65-75:  Meh - for collectors

<65: Bleh - for completionists only

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #103 on: March 25, 2021, 09:51:05 AM »
Everything after 6DOIT is "For collectors"?   That seems a bit harsh, even for a non-fan.  Even if it's not your favorite, just the title track makes Octavarium more than just "for collectors". 

Offline pg1067

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Re: My ranking of the Dream Theater albums
« Reply #104 on: March 25, 2021, 10:03:44 AM »
Everything after 6DOIT is "For collectors"?   That seems a bit harsh, even for a non-fan.  Even if it's not your favorite, just the title track makes Octavarium more than just "for collectors".

I find it odd that 74/100 only qualifies as "meh - for collectors."  Even more odd is that albums scoring 65, 75, 85 and 95 would fall, simultaneously, into two different categories.  In other words, an album scoring a 75 is both "meh - for collectors" AND "good - worth having."  Awake is, at the same time, both "good - worth having" and "very good - must have for DT fan."

FII and SDOIT are only 1-2 points into the "good - worth having" range.  Otherwise, MHStrawn seems to think only three albums (plus side 1 of ACOS) are worth much of anything.
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