Best Dream Theater album to buy?

[Reckoning Nite]

Hey guys, I asked for some help previously on this forum for a Mastodon CD, thank you guys for that. But now i'm looking to get a Dream Theater album. Which do you guys think would be the best purchase?

Just to let you know, I have the whole Octavarium album, I love the song Octavarium, and i also only have Constant Motion on their one other album. I know Dream Theater has a ton of albums, and to be honest I really would like to listen to their one song that's approx. 42 minutes long.

But I would still like to get your guys' opinion on which of their albums would you reccommend.

Thanks again. :cool:

[ROCKBANDFANATIC7526]

I would love to help, but I'll leave it to some of the others around here.

[Onslaught_fei]

Images and Turds

[ROCKBANDFANATIC7526]

That was going to be my suggestion as well.

[KingProgdor]

I&W and Awake are the first two that come to mind.

I also advocate the quality of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, so I'd pick that one up as well. Especially for the title track.

[Reckoning Nite]

I&W and Awake are the first two that come to mind.

I also advocate the quality of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, so I'd pick that one up as well. Especially for the title track.

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is the song i mentioned before right? The 42-minute one that's something like a bunch of sub-songs compiled into one track?

[Wiiman95]

2 Words.


1. WHOLE
2. DISCOGRAPHY

[KingProgdor]

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is the song i mentioned before right? The 42-minute one that's something like a bunch of sub-songs compiled into one track?

That would be it, yup.

It's the highlight of the album by and far, but the other five tracks are fantastic in their own right.


2 Words.


1. WHOLE
2. DISCOGRAPHY

Not really. I'd highly suggest staying away from Train of Thought and Systematic Chaos.

[Fizzeler]

I&W and Awake are the first two that come to mind.

I also advocate the quality of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, so I'd pick that one up as well. Especially for the title track.

I'll agree with this and also add Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory

[killer_roach]

It really depends, if you ask me.

If you're more of an old-school prog rock fan, Metropolis Pt. 2 and Awake are your best bets.

If you're more of a metal person, Train of Thought and Systematic Chaos might be where you want to start. Most DT fans don't like either album, but they're more accessible to fans of bands like Metallica.

If you have a taste for more hook-driven rock, Images and Words or Falling Into Infinity come to mind.

If you're a fan of heavy prog bands like Porcupine Tree and Rush, you probably want to check out Octavarium, Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence, or Black Clouds and Silver Linings (the latter especially for Rush fans thanks to the last two tracks).

A Change Of Seasons I'd pretty much just recommend to Dream Theater fans (although the title track is fantastic, the rest is just covers), and When Dream and Day Unite, well... that's for completists only.

EDIT: Just read through the original post, and I'd probably follow that up by recommending Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence or Black Clouds and Silver Linings.

[Lithuanian_Boy]

Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory

This is a must, my suggestions would also be:
Images and Words
Awake
A Change of Seasons

Those three albums are amazing, the only thing that I would recommend from A Change of Seasons is the title song. The rest are just covers.

[Evilbottom]

Images and Words
Awake
Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes From A Memory
6 Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
Falling Into Infinity
A Change Of Seasons (just for the title track)

Those are the only ones worth listening to. Get them in that order.

[ArmsAreLoud]

Images and Words is my personal favorite, but Awake and Metropolis Pt. 2 are also musts.

[macamatic]

IMO you can't go wrong with anything outside of the first album and the covers, but if I had to give you a list, in order:

Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
Octavarium
Images and Words
A Change of Seasons (title track is fantastic, ignore the rest entirely)
Awake

If you really like what you hear, you should also check out, in order:
Systematic Chaos
Train of Thought
Falling Into Infinity

You may as well give the debut a listen too, but don't expect to like it.

[Evilbottom]

IMO you can't go wrong with anything outside of the first album and the covers, but if I had to give you a list, in order:

Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
Octavarium
Images and Words
A Change of Seasons (title track is fantastic, ignore the rest entirely)
Awake


How much pot did you smoke before deciding that not only were Octovarium and BC&SL even worth listening to, but they were moreso worthwhile than I&W and Awake?

[killer_roach]

How much pot did you smoke before deciding that not only were Octovarium and BC&SL even worth listening to, but they were moreso worthwhile than I&W and Awake?

Depends on what you're looking for. Personally, apart from Pull Me Under and Metropolis Pt. 1, I find I&W to be one of Dream Theater's weaker albums. Awake is good, but it really lacks standout tracks. Octavarium isn't quite as consistent as Awake, but the title track alone more than saves it, and BC&SL, well... it's an album of pretty good epics.

Also, since the OP said he liked the title track of Octavarium, the rest of the album would be pretty easy to recommend...

[Mega-Tallica]

Get everything up to Falling Into Infinity. Everything after that is pretty much garbage compared to songs off Images and Words.

Check that: up to Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. That album was pretty good too.

[Evilbottom]

Also, since the OP said he liked the title track of Octavarium, the rest of the album would be pretty easy to recommend...

Not really, because that song is about the only decent thing about that album. The title track is pretty average, but the rest of Octovarium is complete and utter garbage. Not a single good song on it, just one half decent epic (which completely fails when compared to 6DOIT or A Change Of Seasons)


Personally, apart from Pull Me Under and Metropolis Pt. 1, I find I&W to be one of Dream Theater's weaker albums.

Under A Glass Moon? Take The Time? Another Day? Learning To Live? That album is full of brilliant songs, not a single filler

[a21schizoidman]

Awake > everything else they would release

[killer_roach]

Under A Glass Moon? Take The Time? Another Day? Learning To Live? That album is full of brilliant songs, not a single filler

I'll give you Under A Glass Moon, but not the others.

[ArmsAreLoud]

Eh, to each his own. Take the Time is one of my favorite DT songs, but I guess it's not for everyone.

[killer_roach]

It's a good song, yes, but it doesn't stand out for me as much as some of the later material (well, with the exception of Train of Thought, which was just abysmal).

Then again, I probably will go into one of my moods where I start playing Take The Time more often again... it's one of those that I like, but not love, but it definitely has its place.

[Xygnus]

That would be it, yup.
Not really. I'd highly suggest staying away from Train of Thought and Systematic Chaos.

ToT and Systematic Chaos have some good songs.

A album I'd say to stay away from is Falling Into Infinity, for obvious reasons. The first album isn't their best as well, but some songs are pretty good. And I'd advise on trying to get The Killing Hand from When Day and Dream Reunite. It's probably the best version of said song.

[Evilbottom]

A album I'd say to stay away from is Falling Into Infinity, for obvious reasons.
What obvious reasons are these? Falling Into Infinity might not be their best, but its a far cry better than their last 4 albums. I'd say its their fourth or fifth best album. Definitely worth a listen



ToT and Systematic Chaos have some good songs.

No they don't. Actually, SC has The Ministry of Lost Souls, which starts off well and has potential, but then just dissolves into generic instrument wankery.

[KingProgdor]

No they don't. Actually, SC has The Ministry of Lost Souls, which starts off well and has potential, but then just dissolves into generic instrument wankery.

ToT has 'In the Name of God' which is good with the exception of the soloing. Terrible stuff. D=

And I will admit to having a soft spot for 'Stream of Consciousness.'

[WhiffleBallTony]

Images and Turds

:)

[Xygnus]

What obvious reasons are these? Falling Into Infinity might not be their best, but its a far cry better than their last 4 albums. I'd say its their fourth or fifth best album. Definitely worth a listen

No they don't. Actually, SC has The Ministry of Lost Souls, which starts off well and has potential, but then just dissolves into generic instrument wankery.

I actually prefer their last 4 albums, which were... Black Clouds, Systematic Chaos, Train of Thought and Octavarium, right? And two of those four are considered to be two of the best DT albums yet. But of course, tastes are subjective.


As for Systematic Chaos, In The Presence of Enemies is one of my favorites, especially the first 9 minutes. The Dark Eternal Night is pretty good, as well as Stream of Consciousness.

[killer_roach]

Xygnus: Keep in mind that the people who say unequivocally that Octavarium and Black Clouds suck are typically the same people who want to see either Kevin Moore or Derek Sherinian back with the band. It's more a safe hedge rather than a statement about album quality.

In terms of the people who talk about "instrumental wankery", though... if you have a lead singer like LaBrie, especially in recent years, wouldn't you try to push as much of your musical complexity to the instrumental side of things too? :D

[Evilbottom]

I actually prefer their last 4 albums, which were... Black Clouds, Systematic Chaos, Train of Thought and Octavarium, right? And two of those four are considered to be two of the best DT albums yet.


Considered by WHO? Seriously, all of those albums are awful, especially by DT standards. Collectively from all those albums, I enjoy about 3 or 4 songs.

Also, as brilliant as the Kevin Moore era was, if he hadn't left we wouldn't have OSI and Chroma Key, which are also brilliant projects. Who cares what band hes in, its always awesome.

[killer_roach]

I'll accept the criticism of SC and ToT, but I'd rank BC&SL as probably the best album the band's done since Metropolis Pt. 2 (yes, I went there, putting it over my much-beloved 6DoIT).

As for Kevin Moore's post-DT work, OSI seems to be doing pretty well (liked the self-titled debut and Blood, not so much Free), and Chroma Key, while good, was just something I couldn't really get into. Definitely won't knock anybody who likes it, though; I can see the appeal. Just not for me.

[Lithuanian_Boy]

Which do you guys think would be the best to download illegally instead of purchasing?

fix'd

[macamatic]

How much pot did you smoke before deciding that not only were Octovarium and BC&SL even worth listening to, but they were moreso worthwhile than I&W and Awake?
None. And judging by your posts following this, I'd say that if anybody is on some kind of drug, it's you. Seriously, different people like different things. You are not the end-all be-all arbiter of what is good or bad. Get over it.

I personally think that Octavarium's title track is fantastic, along with pretty much all of BC&SL, which IMO (see that? It's called a ****ing opinion) is nearly as good as SDOIT. I enjoy listening to them more than I do I&W or Awake. Since the OP says he likes the title track from Octavarium, it's not unreasonable to think he might feel similarly. What is so difficult to grasp about that?

[Evilbottom]

None. And judging by your posts following this, I'd say that if anybody is on some kind of drug, it's you. Seriously, different people like different things. You are not the end-all be-all arbiter of what is good or bad. Get over it.

I personally think that Octavarium's title track is fantastic, along with pretty much all of BC&SL, which IMO (see that? It's called a ****ing opinion) is nearly as good as SDOIT. I enjoy listening to them more than I do I&W or Awake. Since the OP says he likes the title track from Octavarium, it's not unreasonable to think he might feel similarly. What is so difficult to grasp about that?

I respect plenty of peoples opinions when it comes to certain bands and genres that I'm not personally a fan of, but when it comes to DT I find it to be quite a black and white matter. They have good albums, and they have bad albums. Generally everyone I know, along with a large portion of the people who like DT on this forum, would agree that I&W and Awake are their best works, and Octovarium and Systematic Chaos are the low points of their career. Hell, while I might not like that a lot of people claim Octovarium as their best (I blame RB), I won't argue unless they start claiming it to be better than their earlier work.

[Lithuanian_Boy]

I respect plenty of peoples opinions when it comes to certain bands and genres that I'm not personally a fan of, but when it comes to DT I find it to be quite a black and white matter. They have good albums, and they have bad albums. Generally everyone I know, along with a large portion of the people who like DT on this forum, would agree that I&W and Awake are their best works, and Octovarium and Systematic Chaos are the low points of their career. Hell, while I might not like that a lot of people claim Octovarium as their best (I blame RB), I won't argue unless they start claiming it to be better than their earlier work.

Someone doesn't know the meaning of an opinion :p

[Evilbottom]

Someone doesn't know the meaning of an opinion :p

I do, its just the opinion that Octovarium is a good album is a ****ing stupid opinion.

[killer_roach]

I do, its just the opinion that Octovarium is a good album is a ****ing stupid opinion.

The only songs I really dislike off of Octavarium are Never Enough and Sacrificed Sons...

...granted, that's more than I dislike off of Images and Words, but that's at least somewhat offset by The Root Of All Evil and Octavarium.

The way you put it, you'd think Octavarium was another Systematic Chaos (consistently underwhelming and somewhat formulaic) or Train Of Thought (bordering on self-parody).

[Mega-Tallica]

I do, its just the opinion that Octovarium is a good album is a ****ing stupid opinion.

It is a good album, have you heard the 24 minute epic "Octavarium"?

That song alone makes the album worth a purchase.

[macamatic]

I do, its just the opinion that Octovarium is a good album is a ****ing stupid opinion.
That's impossible, by the very nature of an opinion. You know what's "****ing stupid"? You thinking that you can decide for others what they should or shouldn't like. It doesn't matter if it's music you love or hate, or even music at all. If it's an opinion, it's based on individual preference.

I could use the exact same logic to call your opinion "****ing stupid". If it can be reversed without any loss of truth (i.e. neither has any), it's not a fact.

[MrFruitLord]

That's impossible, by the very nature of an opinion. You know what's "****ing stupid"? You thinking that you can decide for others what they should or shouldn't like. It doesn't matter if it's music you love or hate, or even music at all. If it's an opinion, it's based on individual preference.

I could use the exact same logic to call your opinion "****ing stupid". If it can be reversed without any loss of truth (i.e. neither has any), it's not a fact.

You know what else is "****ing stupid"? All you guys being panzies over him not liking your sucky album. Get over it. Not everyone is going to be respectful of your opinion.

[killer_roach]

You know what else is "****ing stupid"? All you guys being panzies over him not liking your sucky album. Get over it. Not everyone is going to be respectful of your opinion.

I understand your opinion, but being that vitriolic about it doesn't help your cause.

I'm not going to say Octavarium is DT's best album, or close to it... I'd place it somewhere in the middle, along with IaW. I'll personally stick more with Awake, Metropolis Pt. 2, Black Clouds and Silver Linings, and Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence.

[macamatic]

You know what else is "****ing stupid"? All you guys being panzies over him not liking your sucky album. Get over it. Not everyone is going to be respectful of your opinion.
Wow...you're that beautifully improbable and infinitely detestable combination of arrogant and stupid which always seems to have a penchant for butting into places it doesn't belong. This "ignore list" thing is kinda fun.

[bubblegumpop]

To me, DT is very hit and miss, there are some good songs on an album, then they just really drag it on with really horrible songs, I would not suggest getting a full album, unless it was of course, Scenes from a Memory...

[a21schizoidman]

Wow...you're that beautifully improbable and infinitely detestable combination of arrogant and stupid which always seems to have a penchant for butting into places it doesn't belong. This "ignore list" thing is kinda fun.

he's just, you know, correct, you both are making a big deal just because, hold on, this might shock you:

OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS

quit arguing just because you hate each others favorites

[killer_roach]

Calm down, doods. Not wanting to referee any fights here.

[a21schizoidman]

Calm down, doods. Not wanting to referee any fights here.

you wouldn't look right as a zebra



...esp. as an economist

[macamatic]

he's just, you know, correct, you both are making a big deal just because, hold on, this might shock you:

OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS

quit arguing just because you hate each others favorites
What the hell are you talking about?

[ArmsAreLoud]

There are good opinions and there are ignorant opinions. It seems that mac has listened through the majority of DT's discography and as such is certainly not ignorant, therefore his opinion is by definition "good", even if it disagrees with the general consensus.