Honestly, I can remember the simulisten of ToT on MIRC with mike portnoy and loads of comments were like "oh the metallica section" "oh the megadeth section" "DT abused its inspiration corner" and MP went a little crazy about it
BTW I was the first one disappointed how heavy it was sounding, rather than proggy like SDOIT and before...But you can't write the same thing over and over I guess !
Or you do ADTOE and people say it's I&W remaster with no inspiration...
It's pretty intense in the community haha.
Honestly, DOT was a grower for me, but as I wrote, barstool and AWE are wonderful, from composition to writing and voice melodies, plus emotion. Pure prog.
Songs like paralysed or invisible monster, even with great guitar solos, feel like a filler song I will not listen again.
My only regrets about DOT are 1) song order, I would have made it totally differently 2) Where the fock is the other half of pale blue dot ? it was nearly dance of eternity level