Author Topic: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 2 revealed!!)  (Read 52712 times)

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #525 on: January 09, 2022, 09:37:47 PM »
I have Stream of Consciousness at 41. Nice instrumental, and the best thing on TOT.

Funny. ITNOG destroys it.

Offline jammindude

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #526 on: January 09, 2022, 09:58:08 PM »
I have Stream of Consciousness at 41. Nice instrumental, and the best thing on TOT.

Funny. ITNOG destroys it.

SOC made my top 40. ITNOG barely cracked my top 100…just a few slots higher than Vacant. 2nd lowest of all TOT songs.
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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #527 on: January 09, 2022, 10:03:54 PM »
Interesting, so I'm still 50% on my top 50 songs making the overall top 50.

48. The Killing Hand
My ranking: #37

Tons of respect to TAC for putting this in the top five. There was a time when this was probably pretty close to my top ten, but that's an difficult group to join.

I love this song. It's a great proggy adventure, with tons of great melodies and instrumental excitement. The Live at the Marquee performance of this song is a top five DT vocal performance for me—the fact that it's dubbed in the studio does not detract from it at all. Charlie does okay on this one, but James made it his own.


47. The Dance of Eternity
My ranking: #61

This one was right next to Erotomania in my list. Both of them have a lot of standout sections. Erotomania has a clearer overall flow, but I think there is a logic to The Dance of Eternity, although it takes a while for it to reveal itself. The ragtime section is an awesome "only in Dream Theater" moment.

Also, I simply can't listen to this one and not listen to One Last Time.
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Offline Wim Kruithof

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #528 on: January 09, 2022, 11:22:19 PM »
48 the Killing Hand #19
47 Dance of Eternity #42

As I mentioned before, the Killing Hand has together with a Savior in the Square, the most beautiful intro of their whole catalog. The Killing Hand is my iPhone tune as well and it makes I don’t wanna answer the call, but keep listening to this tune. Gorgious, wonderful piece and the first song with different titled segments, if I am not mistaken. Even though it’s #19, it is very close to my all time top 10.
Wim pointed out something I don't see mentioned very often...

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #529 on: January 10, 2022, 02:27:51 AM »
I'll be the first to say that I find The Dance of Eternity to be extremely overrated. I mean, it's good (I had it ay #76), but out of context of the album and as a separate track it kind of sucks. It's this over-endulgent technical wank-fest, which is impressive (and fun to play on a guitar), but not a song I often want to listen to. On my list I actually had 7(!) instrumentals ranked higher than The Dance of Eternity. That includes Stream of Consciousness (I had it at #40), which I consider their second best instrumental track and - like HOF - the best thing on Train of Thought.

I had the Killing Hand at #26, mostly based on the fantastic rendition on Live at the Marquee. Looking at some of the songs I placed even higher, on a different day it might have ended up in my top 20 even. The Killing Hand is a prototype Dream Theater epic track, as far as I'm concerned. A lot of later stuff can be traced back to this song.

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Offline lovethedrake

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #530 on: January 10, 2022, 04:36:07 AM »
I'll be the first to say that I find The Dance of Eternity to be extremely overrated. I mean, it's good (I had it ay #76), but out of context of the album and as a separate track it kind of sucks. It's this over-endulgent technical wank-fest, which is impressive (and fun to play on a guitar), but not a song I often want to listen to. On my list I actually had 7(!) instrumentals ranked higher than The Dance of Eternity. That includes Stream of Consciousness (I had it at #40), which I consider their second best instrumental track and - like HOF - the best thing on Train of Thought.

I had the Killing Hand at #26, mostly based on the fantastic rendition on Live at the Marquee. Looking at some of the songs I placed even higher, on a different day it might have ended up in my top 20 even. The Killing Hand is a prototype Dream Theater epic track, as far as I'm concerned. A lot of later stuff can be traced back to this song.

Just chiming in to say Dance of Eternity is amazing and not overrated.   If I had a choice for 10 listens between it and SOC I would go 9 Dance of Eternity and 1 SOC.

Different strokes for different folks.   

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #531 on: January 10, 2022, 04:46:46 AM »
Just chiming in to say Dance of Eternity is amazing and not overrated.   If I had a choice for 10 listens between it and SOC I would go 9 Dance of Eternity and 1 SOC.

Well, I would probably go for 5 listen to each track and this is a strange way of comparing songs, so I don't know what you're on about. I also wrote that I think that in the context of the album, it's a good track and that I find it overrated when viewed away from the album. I think Stream of Consciousness is a better standalone song; TDOE relies on themes and motifs from Metropolis as well as the rest of SFAM to make it work. And again, in context of the album it's an impressive technical showcase. As a composition alone, Stream of Consciousness works better I believe.

Yet Erotomania is my highest ranked DT instrumental, so what do I know.
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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #532 on: January 10, 2022, 06:26:41 AM »
SoC >> TDoE (Objectively of course :biggrin:). TDoE is great for what it tries to accomplish within the album, but to me, SoC has better composition and writing.
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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #533 on: January 10, 2022, 06:40:59 AM »
The Killing Hand (#87)
Great song and Wim pointed out something I don't see mentioned very often: that intro on the studio version is really gorgeous.
TDOE (#14)
My favorite DT instrumental. Indeed, it's more like a giant instrumental passage of a song than a proper song, but every bit of it is totally amazing! :hefdaddy
« Last Edit: January 10, 2022, 09:09:19 AM by devieira73 »
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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #534 on: January 10, 2022, 08:11:20 AM »
Just chiming in to say Dance of Eternity is amazing and not overrated.   If I had a choice for 10 listens between it and SOC I would go 9 Dance of Eternity and 1 SOC.

Well, I would probably go for 5 listen to each track and this is a strange way of comparing songs, so I don't know what you're on about. I also wrote that I think that in the context of the album, it's a good track and that I find it overrated when viewed away from the album. I think Stream of Consciousness is a better standalone song; TDOE relies on themes and motifs from Metropolis as well as the rest of SFAM to make it work. And again, in context of the album it's an impressive technical showcase. As a composition alone, Stream of Consciousness works better I believe.

Yet Erotomania is my highest ranked DT instrumental, so what do I know.

I certainly agree with this. TDOE is almost a cathartic moment in the full album experience, whereas on its own it can feel somewhat unsatisfying, sort of like if someone plucked the instrumental section from Metropolis or another DT song and set it down on its own.

Personally, I tried to rank the songs based on how much I enjoy listening to them when I listen to them, which is usually in the full-album context, so songs from SFAM and TA got the benefit of it when they're "better in context." If I didn't use context as a factor, I would have put TDOE probably 10 or so spots below Erotomania, instead of one spot above it.
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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #535 on: January 10, 2022, 09:16:38 AM »
I’m gutted.  :lol
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #536 on: January 10, 2022, 09:18:08 AM »
I'd guess I've listened to TDOE way more often isolated on its own than in the context of the full album. I don't revisit SFAM as a whole very often to be honest, but this is one track I would definitely seek out on its own. I agree TDOE is a wank fest, but it's an example of good wankery IMO. It's something you listen to to be blown away by the musicianship. But it doesn't go as far over the top as some subsequent instrumental sections the band have done, as it seems like they were constantly trying to one up themselves instrumentally. TDOE is kind of like the boiling point for wankery. Anything higher and you get a mess.

Offline erciccio

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #537 on: January 10, 2022, 09:21:34 AM »
I'll be the first to say that I find The Dance of Eternity to be extremely overrated. I mean, it's good (I had it ay #76), but out of context of the album and as a separate track it kind of sucks. It's this over-endulgent technical wank-fest, which is impressive (and fun to play on a guitar), but not a song I often want to listen to. On my list I actually had 7(!) instrumentals ranked higher than The Dance of Eternity. That includes Stream of Consciousness (I had it at #40), which I consider their second best instrumental track and - like HOF - the best thing on Train of Thought.

I 100% agree! (#72 for me)

It sounds more like the instrumental section of a song a-la Metropolis, rather than a self-sustaining instrumental independent song...(no real lead motives, no real guitar solo, ...), and there is not a single autonomous "nice melody" in there...it's just a collection of cool riffs pasted together.

Fun, interesting, but very far from being perfect.

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #538 on: January 10, 2022, 04:23:03 PM »
48 The Killing Hand
Appeared on 20 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 4 (TAC)


Not surprisingly, this is the highest ranked song from the debut.  Great song for sure.


Back when I got into DT (I&W Era) I had I&W and Live At The Marquee, and also tracked down a WDADU. I played the hell out of The Killing Hand. It is so freaking epic. That Marquee version is freaking incredible.
Along with the bootlegs that were coming out at the time, I listened to basically nothing but Dream Theater for about a year and a half.
I like the WDADRu version for sure, but the part right before the "Only a prophet..." part (where they extended it out with Jordan) plays so much better with what they did with Kev, where it stops on a dime on a keyboard effect. Incredible.

Yes, as Wim said, the original studio version has such a great intro. I saw them play this at 2 shows in 1992 and it made a huge impression.

I'm glad it's representing as WDADU's top track, but #48 is way too low IMHO.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2022, 04:44:50 PM by TAC »
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #539 on: January 10, 2022, 05:13:34 PM »
#50. Stream of Consciousness - Me #33
#49. Pale Blue Dot - Me #116
#48. The Killing Hand - Me #35
#47. The Dance of Eternity - Me #71


I think SoC might be their best and most musical instrumental.  Great groove, fun to listen to. 

Pale Blue Dot just doesn't grab me at all.  Didn't make my top 100.   It just seemed like an unorganized mess the last time I heard it.

The Killing Hand is just classic.  Even in its original form I love it, but I agree that JLB made it his own and took it to a new level.

The Dance of Eternity has the title of being the most quintessential Dream Theater instrumental.  But it works better as part of the album.  And also, I can never unhear....."GNIP GNOP GNIP GNOP GNIP GNOP GNIP GNOP!!!"   :rollin :rollin :rollin
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Offline Trav86

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #540 on: January 10, 2022, 06:09:05 PM »

The Dance of Eternity has the title of being the most quintessential Dream Theater instrumental.  But it works better as part of the album.  And also, I can never unhear....."GNIP GNOP GNIP GNOP GNIP GNOP GNIP GNOP!!!"   :rollin :rollin :rollin

I’m glad it’s not just me!! What about “what a, phenomenon” during the Fatal Tragedy instrumental bit?
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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #541 on: January 10, 2022, 06:14:31 PM »
Today's songs got to these spots in very different ways.

46 The Great Debate
Appeared on 18 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 5 (Dream Team)


This finished at 46 despite being left off of eight lists.  Three top 10 finishes, and then three more in the top 20, helped a lot.  I had it at 66.  I have always thought that the intro of this song was totally awesome, but that the meat of the song is merely good. 


45 Panic Attack
Appeared on 24 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (bosk1)


This one, meanwhile, got to 45 despite no top 10 finishes, but appearing on 24 of the 26 lists helped a lot.  I had it at 95.  Good songs, but this seems way too high, IMO.

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #542 on: January 10, 2022, 07:28:54 PM »
62 The Shattered Fortress #40

I am one of the few that enjoys the last song of the suite. The meaning is executed amazing. After the big self-reflection and asking of forgiveness of Repentance, we see the person now ready to live their sober life. The intro using The Glass Prison riff during II. Reflections lyrics and using the sort of same vocal style, calls back to those lyrics in "the distant oasis before me", the person is now there. Then it going from the amazing solo into The Glass Prison first verse riff is such an adrenaline rush, which is perfect for describing the Freedom of becoming sober. XI. Receive recalls those two verses of This Dying Soul and The Root of All Evil, which to me is executed well to show the person willing to receive the advice and guidance from the 12 steps to help them live and be all they can be. Which ends with the person willing to be the helping hand for others that are trying to break their glass prison, to help them shatter the fortress. I also like how it ends with the intro to The Glass Prison, the This Dying Soul intro, and the drums and the synth sounds of The Root of All Evil intro. (This ended up being longer than I thought,  :biggrin:  )

61 Peruvian Skies (Did Not Rank)

I first thought this song was okay. I always felt it's Dream Theater's Metallica song, meaning it's their rocker song. I do not mind the live versions because it is an energetic song. It's a great live song, and if played I wouldn't be upset. I just do not enjoy it that much to want to listen to it, but since it is Dream Theater, I still will listen to the studio version occasionally.

59 (t) Lie (Did Not Rank)

Same thing with Peruvian Skies, I do not really seek out this song. I think this song has more of an impact as a follow-up to The Mirror on the album. The highlight of this song is the drumming, it's intense and it's what drives the song. The Breaking The Fourth Wall version really shows this with how Mangini drums the song, this is the version I prefer.

59(t) Lost Not Forgotten (Did Not Rank)

The song that I noticed JP has a favorite solo go to "riff". I hear it in Under A Glass Moons solo intro, this solo, and also in the outro solo of Space Dye-Vest live. Anyways, the song is still great. I like the intro use of the winds, makes me feel like I'm walking through the windy, desert sands, while seeing in the distance the city of Persia. I have to be in the mood to want to listen to it though. I am sure I will still enjoy if I heard it live.

58 Surrender to Reason #79

This sits at 79 for the way it plods along. This may be due to the production. If it had a different production like say, D/T or A View, than the song would be allowed to shine more. For me, the snare and the bass tone do not blend that well in certain parts of the song, where it would've been enhanced with a sharper snare for that bass tone. But there are sections where it does work and the production heightens the song, such as in the "Restless Angels" chorus. This is one song I do want to see live and to hear those sound differences might affect the presentation of the song.

57 Innocence Faded #87

I didn't enjoy this song at first, but it slowly grew on me. Mainly because of Score, and JLB hitting those high notes. I think this is a song that shows it's age and where it stands in time. The production of Awake has a sort of 90's tone and vibe to it, and Innocence Faded reflects this the most, in the sound and tone of the song and in it's lyrics. I like Kevin Moore's keyboard tone, JP's guitar tone, and the drumming for this song.

56 The Enemy Inside #99

Nearly missing my top 100, The Enemy Inside is an energetic song. It's pacing and onslaught represents the lyric topic well enough. It's sort of similar to how I view Lie and Peruvian Skies, but only this song is presented better for me. If anything, they should've just changed the snare tone for only this song because it works well for it, everything blends together good to bring that tense feeling. There are so many songs that have only been played on one tour that would be neat to hear, which I would not mind if the guys played a Mangini only set to play songs such as this one.

55 A Nightmare to Remember #49

I just love the atmosphere in this song. I also like the storytelling and use of scenery. When I went to the Distant Memories tour shows, I was not expecting this song and was pleasantly surprised to hear the intro thunder noises. I turned to my friend and said, "They're really going to be playing A Nightmare to Remember as their second song?" Hell Yeah", he looked at the set-list while I didn't and he kept telling me I will enjoy the set-list. It was great hearing JLB do the MP parts and he did an amazing job and I thought that's how they should've done it on the album.

54 6:00 (Did Not Rank)

This is a great drumming and rhythm song. Most of the songs that did not rank, I tend to not pick to listen to in my itunes or when out in town. When they come up on shuffle I may let them play, but this is another one I really have to be in the mood to listen to.

53 Sacrificed Sons #89

As I have said, my top 100 ranking really depended upon mood, especially for the songs beyond the top 50. This being one of them. It's not so much due to the topic matter, but more for the tempo of the music. The tempo fits the vibe and everything works. I enjoy it because the music fits the lyrics and the sound choices work.

52 Erotomania (Did Not Rank)

Unfortunately, I forgot to add this to my list and if I had remembered, it would've ranked in the top 20. What I love about this song is the keyboard tones Kevin Moore uses. When I first found out my dad had this cd in his cd rack, I instantly liked this song, I was around 14. The part I really enjoy and can put on repeat is at 2:38 - 4:22, I feel this could be the A Mind Beside Itself theme. I know this song started out as a riff introduced in Pull Me Under, but I like how they added that section described above to make it it's own song, which is where the main part of the song themes come in, and actually is what makes me enjoy the song, especially when listened to as a suite.

51 This Dying Soul (Did Not Rank)

I enjoy this song a lot, but just did not feel it enough at the time to rank it. I like how it transitions from As I Am and from The Glass Prison.  In regards to The Glass Prison, it comes off as a continuation of the music, which is what they did live when I saw them on the Gigantour, I wasn't into the band as much and only knew this one from Live at Budakon, never heard The Glass Prison yet, and was amazed and snapped that they flawlessly transition into This Dying Soul. I like crossfades and transitions like that in music.



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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #543 on: January 10, 2022, 07:42:13 PM »
I have The Great Debate at 55. It’s not one I listen to often, but it surprised me a bit the last time I did. I like it instrumentally, and I think the lyrics and vocal melodies hold it back a bit. It’s one that would have been cool as just an instrumental track (probably edited down a bit) with just the news clips to illustrate the stem cell debate.

Panic Attack is one of my least favorite DT songs, so it wasn’t rated.

Offline Cool Chris

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #544 on: January 10, 2022, 08:44:25 PM »
The Great Debate keeps 6D side one from being in the top 3 or 4 single discs the band has released. That song is a slog, the intro alone is a pain to sit through - I hate all those vocal clips - and nothing that follows is much better.

I love Panic Attack. #32
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Offline Ben_Jamin

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #545 on: January 10, 2022, 08:47:52 PM »
50 Stream Of Consciousness (Did Not Rank)

Another one I missed while arranging my list around. It would've sat nicely at number 15. This is my favorite Dream Theater instrumental, and it's due to the Budakon version and how that live albums relates to my life. But, what I really enjoy about it is the key, chord progression, and the main melody. I felt it fitting for the album as well, sort of being the centerpiece of the entire album, before concluding with the grand epic. I enjoy the bass and the drum work overall, which is where I also became a fan of John Myung and Mike Portnoy as a rhythm section.

49 Pale Blue Dot #90

I enjoy the atmosphere, and the way the tone gives off this mystical sort of existential vibe. I like the song structure and how the song flows as if it's a satellite drifting away from Earth. I like the intensity of the song, it was awesome live and sounded way better in person than it does on the dvd.
 
48 The Killing Hand (Did Not Rank)

A song that did not rank, but I do enjoy it. I prefer the live at Bucharest version the most. The energy of this version is great. I prefer the album introduction. Although, I do love Another Hand and it's a really beautiful musical interlude. This is one song where it gradually evolved into an even better epic than what is heard on their debut. For that reason, it's why I enjoy it. Even though it's not ranked, I consider it an amazing song.

47 The Dance of Eternity (Did Not Rank)

This is an awesome, musically complex song. It's great as it represents, "Love" as "Love is the dance of eternity", which this instrumental recalls the most of Metropolis Pt.1. I like how they based it around the instrumental of that song and made it just as complex. I like it's representation in the story of the love affair and the situation it causes. I didn't rank it because as a stand-alone song, it's alright. It was amazing live and to see it within the context of the story, and also to hear it followed by One Last Time as heard on the album. If I could rank it that way, based on Scenes, I would rank it a tad higher than where I ranked One Last Time.

46 The Great Debate #23

Mine was almost in the top 20  :biggrin: . There's a reason why I consider 6DOIT my favorite Dream Theater album, this song is one of those reasons. There's a lot I could say about this song, but I will keep it short. I like the symbolism of the panning of the lyrics and the samples in the left and the right. The atmosphere created in the introduction is very existential and creates that sort of vibe, it's an unsure, tense, sort of tone. The premise of "Moral guilt and science" colliding is a big reason I like the song. They do a great job of bringing that vibe to the song and relating it to the lyrics this way. You could say we are experiencing this very premise right now with what is going on, as many people are having The Great Debate right now, the bridge says it with, "Miracle potential, sanctity of life, faced against each other, we're divided." and I love how they present this musically, lyrically, and how JLB sings those lyrics. Then we get the instrumental ending which is also amazing as it sets the tone for how we are divided in this premise of "moral guilt and science" colliding in certain situations. Ending with the samples is a great artistic choice as it shows how even though they present the questions in the song, there are still debates and questions within this world amongst wheter these scientific advancements are ethical or moral.

45 Panic Attack #84

The energy and the beat in the verses create this sense of an odd pulsating heart beat, the rhythm of the lyrics also creates this tense moment. I find it kind of interesting how Never Enough gets flack for sounding like Muse, yet nothing is said much of Panic Attack, I hear a lot of Muse influence in this song as well, but it's not as obvious of a nod to a song as Never Enough is. It takes some structure and style similarities in the bass, rhythm from Hysteria, and also in the vocals sung in the chorus of Panic Attack. With regards to Panic Attack, they turn up the tempo, and we get an even more hysterical piece that has turned into panic. I really want to hear this song with Mangini, and sort of hope they play it this coming tour.

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #546 on: January 10, 2022, 08:56:52 PM »
I'm the opposite of all you people. You could drop TDOE from SFAM and it wouldn't make a difference to the story. It's fine as a stand alone.

Also, yes, this:

45 Panic Attack #84

The energy and the beat in the verses create this sense of an odd pulsating heart beat, the rhythm of the lyrics also creates this tense moment. I find it kind of interesting how Never Enough gets flack for sounding like Muse, yet nothing is said much of Panic Attack, I hear a lot of Muse influence in this song as well, but it's not as obvious of a nod to a song as Never Enough is. It takes some structure and style similarities in the bass, rhythm from Hysteria, and also in the vocals sung in the chorus of Panic Attack. With regards to Panic Attack, they turn up the tempo, and we get an even more hysterical piece that has turned into panic. I really want to hear this song with Mangini, and sort of hope they play it this coming tour.


Offline Cool Chris

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #547 on: January 10, 2022, 08:58:09 PM »
46 The Great Debate #23

There's a lot I could say about this song, but I will keep it short.

Too bad they couldn't  :biggrin:
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Offline Ben_Jamin

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #548 on: January 10, 2022, 09:29:41 PM »
46 The Great Debate #23

There's a lot I could say about this song, but I will keep it short.

Too bad they couldn't  :biggrin:

 :rollin
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Offline geeeemo

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #549 on: January 10, 2022, 10:13:09 PM »

I am behind.

54 6:00 -  48...When I first heard Awake, I was like "is this DT?  The singer is not the same! :D. " It was so edgy and different. But I always skipped 6:00. I thought the intro was weird. As a bit of time went on, I really just listened. And it got me! Such a groovy and fun song. I love samples.

53 Sacrified Sons 17. Again one of my first favorites. I just couldn't get over what cool music I had come across! Story telling and all the heavy, musical fun stuff. I was really getting into James Labrie.

52 Erotomania. not rated. I don't get this song. I skip. I did give it a listen the other day just because of this. It maybe could grow a bit.

51 This Dying Soul  not rated. Just liked other songs more.

Online devieira73

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #550 on: January 11, 2022, 05:50:08 AM »
Ben_Jamin, Panick Attack live with MM:
https://youtu.be/AJBKry9KEMA
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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #551 on: January 11, 2022, 07:43:26 AM »
Yeah I had TGD super high. Love that instrumental section and probably my favorite MP drumming.

Online devieira73

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #552 on: January 11, 2022, 08:20:47 AM »
46 The Great Debate (#47)
I love this song, the drumming (one of the most creative MP ever written), the instrumental (also the bass is amazing the entire song), the atmosphere, the theme... as a minor flaw, I still think this song sounds a bit long to get through.

45 Panic Attack (#22)
I think this one could be an amazing single as a first taste of Octavarium. A perfect heavy/fast DT song with a lot of classic DT elements. I hear Muse's influence on this song, but not like if DT was trying to redo a specific Muse song, like in Never Enough. I think that's why it gets less criticism.
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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #553 on: January 11, 2022, 08:50:05 AM »
Yeah I had TGD super high. Love that instrumental section and probably my favorite MP drumming.

Even higher than me! I was one of the 'top 10' people as well. The Great Debate ranked #7 on my list and it wouldn't have surprised me if that were the highest rank, so I'm pleasantly surprised others put it up high in their lists as well. Needless to say, I would have loved this track to end up even higher than it did, but in the top 50 is probably as good as it gets. If Six Degrees will be featured in full, it's a shame that this fantastic track will end up as the lowest ranked of the album. I think it's by far the best on SDOIT and (well, you can guess by my ranking it high) a top 10 DT song.

Panic Attack on the other hand.. I was one of the 2 people that didn't rank it. On my list using the ranking engine, it spat it out at #142. I do not get it, I find almost everything about the song annoying. It's one of a few Dream Theater songs I actually do not enjoy at all. But alright, others do like it, so I'll leave it at that :)
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline 425

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #554 on: January 11, 2022, 10:06:35 AM »
Interesting, two songs that would not have made it anywhere near here for me.


46. The Great Debate
My ranking: Unranked (approximately #117)

This song is in my "good but doesn't stand out" range, and while I'm not surprised to see it on the list, I'm a bit surprised to see it this high.

I like this song, and I think it has a lot of great individual parts. I enjoy listening to it. But I'm in the camp that thinks it meanders a bit, without really having a compelling structure to justify its 13 minutes. And I'm in the camp that finds the samples a little tiresome.


45. Panic Attack
My ranking: #79

I think this is a pretty cool song, although definitely not top 50 for me. I think there's an excellent pairing of music and lyrics here, not just generally speaking, but on the particular sections—"Rapid heartbeat pounding through my chest" comes with fitting music," as does "A stifling surge, shooting through all my veins." I also find it cool that the keyboards are really prominent despite how heavy the song is, and really add some air and melody.
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Offline Ben_Jamin

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #555 on: January 11, 2022, 11:01:57 AM »
Ben_Jamin, Panick Attack live with MM:
https://youtu.be/AJBKry9KEMA

I've seen that video. I mean I want to hear it live and hear how it sounds in a live setting with Mangini. The low ends of the drumming don't really come out in the live recordings, Distant Memories has great drums though that are close to the live sound.
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Offline Wim Kruithof

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #556 on: January 11, 2022, 12:25:05 PM »
46 the Great Debate #-
45 Panic Attack #34

The Great Debate, what to say about it. It's probably amongst my ten least favorite Dream Theater songs, definitely worst track of Six Degrees for me. I very much follow it's perspective and their point of view, but if I wanna dive in a debate, I'll use other devices than my recordplayer. Spinning a vinyl under the needle recommence I want to be carried away musically, not in a clone-debate. Dream Theater is able to make ethical statements which I adore as a musical piece, like Sacrified Sons. Or even In the Name of God. But this. Nop.

As mentioned above (or below, depending on your settings)... Panic Attack is merely influenced by Muse as well. I gave Octavarium a spin today and those were my exact thoughts also. But I don't care that much, since I used to listen to Muse and I really like Panic Attack. Myung strikes so hard during the intro, it's almost filthy.
Wim pointed out something I don't see mentioned very often...

Offline geeeemo

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #557 on: January 11, 2022, 01:13:03 PM »
50 Stream Of Consciousness - Not Rated. I don't enjoy the instrumentals as much as with vocals. I would usually prefer The Astonishing songs to most.


49 Pale Blue Dot -  46.   I want to like it more than I do.  But it was very enjoyable live.
 
48 The Killing Hand  - Not Rated


47 The Dance of Eternity  - 69. I have come to like it more and more. It used to be what I skipped on Scenes, but it really has all the themes and fun woven into it. I thinking watching the Mangini tryout added to it as well.


46 The Great Debate  - 26.  I really dig this one.  I love them doing a political song, but not choosing a side. I would be annoyed if they did. As I have said before, I enjoy samples and this was done so interestingly.


45 Panic Attack  - 79. I like the lyrics and enjoy it when I listen to it.  I get perturbed as it seems like when DT come on the radio, its always this song. (But recently we have gotten The Alien, which was great...Why not IM..?)

Offline jammindude

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #558 on: January 11, 2022, 05:22:17 PM »
46. The Great Debate - Me #102
45. Panic Attack - Me #47

The Great Debate was my least favorite from SDOIT from the day it came out. The build up is pretty cool, but the "Life to save life" chorus just never did it for me.  So it's like a build up into a disappointment. 

Panic Attack is a perfect marriage of music and subject matter.  Brilliantly executed!
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: Top 100 Dream Theater songs countdown (Top 50 now going!)
« Reply #559 on: January 11, 2022, 07:31:02 PM »
Today, we get two songs neither of which finished in anyone's top 10!

44 Another Day
Appeared on 22 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 16 (HOF)


This is the first song from Images & Words in the top 100!  Such a great song, one I had at 26.  Love the sax, love the guitar solo, love JLB's vocal performance, etc. Pretty much everything about this song is perfect.


43 Fall into the Light
Appeared on 23 of 26 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (DragonAttack)


Another killer song!  This was my 2nd highest ranked song from the Mangini era; I had it at 31. That middle section manages to scream Metallica without sounding derivative.