What's your favourite Dream Theater album and why?

Somnus

With the new album out I thought I'd make a thread to find out what people think of the new album compared to the others and what's their favourite DT album.

For me, Awake and Scenes from a Memory are my favourite albums. Awake is so atmospheric, and there's no songs that could be taken out. All of the solo's and instrumental parts and James's voice at its best (before he f*cked it up). They're all amazing. Particularly Scarred, Space Dye Vest and Voices. But as a whole the album is a masterpiece in my opinion.

Scenes from a memory is amazing as a concept album. There's not a load of songs that I would listen to randomly, but when you listen to it in one sitting it fits together amazingly. Even the instrumental rants are good, such as in Beyond This Life, they have more feeling or something that I think is missing from later albums. Overall just a great feel and great story.

As for Black Clouds and Silver Linings, I'm enjoying the new album a lot. It's definitely grown on me the more and more I've listened to it. I wasn't mad about DT's new sound, the production on this and Systematic ChaosI wasn't mad on, but I've accepted it now and am enjoying it a lot more.
Parts of it like The Best of Times really remind me of Six Degree's.
Overall though I like it and think it's a big improvement on Systematic Chaos.

mp3guy

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, why?

The entire first disc kicks ass.

Kess73

Images And Words is my choice. It is the DT album that gets the most spins from me.

nix

Scenes From a Memory without a doubt.. like the doctor stated, it fits together amazingly. And theres also so many rockin standout songs!

Only gave the new album a few listens, still undecided on it at the moment.

GLaDOS

I said Train of Throught, just love the heavier edge to things. Great songs like As I Am, Stream of Conciousness and In the Name of God on It.

rainbow kirby

1. Scenes From A Memory
2. Images and Words
3. Train of Thought
4. Octavarium
5. Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence

Why SfaM? Probably my all-time favourite concept album. It just works together so well as a whole, and it's got a really nice flow to it. The songwriting and musicianship is great too.

Mushy

Had to say Train of Thought. I'm more into the heavy side of Dream Theater(its what I've known from when I first heard them). As I Am, an absolute cracker of an album opener. Endless Sacrifice, a 14 minute song that seems only 4 minutes. Honor Thy Father, as a lover of the drums, is bliss to the ears, despite the deafening sensation. Stream of Consciousness, possibly my favourite ever instrumental song written. In The Name of God is a hell of a long song, but flows very very well, and easily listenable. They should be fair reasons for me choosing this.

As for BC&SL, well its phenomenal. Nightmare To Remember is double bass I can stand to listen to. Skip to Wither, just jaw-dropping. Listen to it at least multiple times daily. Shattered Fortress is similar to ANTR for me. Best of Times, well anytime anyone comes similar to Rush, and do a good job of it, it cant be bad. Very personal song though, but still find it positivly focussed. I was halfly fearing Count of Tuscany due to its length, thinking it wouldn't flow well enough. Well **** me, it flows better than I ever could've imagined. Phenomanal tune, so BC&SL is very highly ranked by myself.

bigbadcon

I never really got into them...

Probably because the only album I have is Octavarium which by the looks of the poll is probably one of theyre worst.. Doh

Malice

Scenes From a Memory for me too.

stateofflux

mp3guy wrote: »

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, why?

The entire first disc kicks ass.

i don't like dream theatre that much but this does kick ass

Joe_Dull

Images and Words just about edges Train of Thought for me - absolutely stunning from start to finish. The range of emotions, styles and musical genius is staggering and I think it's a pity that they never really revisited the style of that album. Wish they'd ever come to Dublin

Mushy

Joe_Dull wrote: »

Images and Words just about edges Train of Thought for me - absolutely stunning from start to finish. The range of emotions, styles and musical genius is staggering and I think it's a pity that they never really revisited the style of that album. Wish they'd ever come to Dublin

They did, played Vicar Street. Maybe if they tour next year that isn't Progressive Nation, on a possible/hopeful leg of World Tour '10.

PattheMetaller

Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes From a Memory

However, having Black Clouds & Silver Linings on constant over the last few days, it is passing it. There's a lot of personal stuff on it for the band and is by far their strongest album since Train of Thought.

Oral Slang

PattheMetaller wrote: »

Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes From a Memory

However, having Black Clouds & Silver Linings on constant over the last few days, it is passing it. There's a lot of personal stuff on it for the band and is by far their strongest album since Train of Thought.

Yeah, have to agree there. Booked my flights to Progressive Nation in London for October, so really looking forward to seeing them there, should be a great gig!

PattheMetaller

Got my tickets for the Glasgow gig on the Progressive Nation Tour. Been into DT for years and this is the first time I'll have seen them live (obviously apart from DVD).:D:D:D

"The Count of Tuscany" is a classic and if they don't play "Octavarium" i hope they play it. "The Best of Times" is up there too and the sentiments in for Mike Portnoy can be applied to any one of us on the loss of our father.

Zerroth

Love Dream Theater. Like all their albums. Scenes from a memory does it the most because of the way it flows from start to finish.

_Arctic_

Well, Octavarium is the catchiest and easiest to get into IMO, but I really like Black Clouds and Silver Linings too. The Count of Tuscany is a beast of a song.

waltersobchak

wow im surprised train of thought is getting so much love on here... for me personally its their worst, to be honest i prefere the epic progressive side of dream theater, so for me images and words is the clear winner, this album is a masterpiece, every song is unbelievable, with so much diversity, and musicanship, althought scenes from a memory, awake, 6doit, and octavarium are also masterpieces, images and words just has too many classic songs to ignore...

Mushy

waltersobchak wrote: »

wow im surprised train of thought is getting so much love on here... for me personally its their worst, to be honest i prefere the epic progressive side of dream theater, so for me images and words is the clear winner, this album is a masterpiece, every song is unbelievable, with so much diversity, and musicanship, althought scenes from a memory, awake, 6doit, and octavarium are also masterpieces, images and words just has too many classic songs to ignore...

As much as I love the prog, ToT to me is just a masterpiece. Can listen to it non-stop, the songs flow welle enough, and not one song makes me want to switch. Am finding the same now with BC&SL, no complaints from me.

waltersobchak

Mushy wrote: »

As much as I love the prog, ToT to me is just a masterpiece. Can listen to it non-stop, the songs flow welle enough, and not one song makes me want to switch. Am finding the same now with BC&SL, no complaints from me.

to be honest i do think ToT is an awesome album and theres definately no such thing as a bad dream theater album.. even falling into infinity has some seriously good songs.. hollow years and peruvian skies being very high on my list of favourite dt songs, but theres something about the guitar tone on ToT that really grates on me, usually John Petrucci has a really awesome tone, but on ToT it just sounds really weak and kinda fuzzy,also the bass is turned down really way way way too low.. and for an album thats meant to be heavy and boombastic it makes it sound really weak, and i hate to say it but it sounds .. as bad as St Anger,

but BC&SL on the other hand is incredible and if this poll was done in 6 months.. id say my vote would definately change from Images and Words to BC&SL