Dream Theater Ranking the albums

 

Always the best part ranking the albums, or the impossible task depending on your point of view. I have been going through all their albums over the past four days and even took the courage to listen to the full Astonishing again. Before starting my countdown a small explanation on the fanboy in me. I was totally into the band during their early years. Later on this moved to just a good band I kept on following. Further apart from number 15 all albums have their charms and might please others more. So here's my list

15: The Astonishing The album that noone understood. Played it today probably for the last time in my life.

14: Scenes From A Memory Let the controversy begin. This album started of well with me, now bores me (to reincarnated death?). Also this is the first album where the band started to forget about the songs at times in favor of instrumental wankery.

13: A Dramatic Turn Of Events The first album without Portnoy sounds all smooth and well. Still no outstanding songs and several songs being extended far too long.

12: Black Clouds & Silver Linings Portnoy deserved to say farewell with a better album. The absolute highlight of this album is his AA recovery track The Shattered Fortress, which should make my favorite song top something. The bonus instrumental version of the full album never left it's cover.

11: Distance Over Time A pretty decent album, pretty to the point and pretty nice. But where are the absolute highlights of the album? It starts on decent level and finsihes at same level before you realize that was all.

10: Systematic Chaos It are the short songs that make this a better album. And of course The Ministry Of Lost Souls, which is a haunting beauty.

9: A Change Of Seasons Killer song, but not a full album. So it would only therefore be strange if making my top five. Now I use it as a breaking point. The albums that came before I do not really recommend as must hears. My top 8 following now are all necessary albums in progmetal (where 4 to 8 could vary a bit on other days)

8: Falling Into Infinity The commercial album that worked out well. Lots of great songs and the Desmond Child cooperation You Not Me might as well have been a hit. My best live memories are around this album as well, which always helps.

7: Dream Theater The self titled album is in total for me by far their best CD of the past 15 years. Only good songs, no wankery and a decent closing epic. Brilliant return to old form.

6: Octavarium This varied album has something to please everyone. Apparently not all fans thought that positive. Also the last album on Elektra and looking at my list it is fair to say that Elektra had more luck with the releases than Roadrunner had.

5: Train Of Thought Dream Theater going metal fitted them perfectly well. How nice to hear an album where you can bang on by DT. For me if you go this heavy it could have been shorter. But definitely one that kept the metalheads in their fanbase on board.

4: Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence A double album and still not holding one weak song. Disc two with the title track is sensational. Disc one has this nice balance of going all over the place from very heavy to a ballad. The best of the rest for me.

3: When Dream And Day Unite Definitely the album that had the biggest impact on me. Maybe the album that had the best songs on it. This debut album came out of the blue and was so good that it catapuulted the band straight among my favorites bands of the time. And yes Dominici was a strong vocalist too.

2: Images And Words Their Classic album that defined a genre and is an all time favorite for many. Pull Me Under actually scoring a hit is already sensational if you hear how heavy it pulls you under. My favorite line-up and the best concert I ever saw by them touring this album.

1: Awake And still I&W did not make it to my number one as this album is similar, but a bit darker and heavier, which in music often means better. Only killer songs and The Mirror/Lie being an all time high in their career. Their only album that lasts over 70 minutes and does keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Finally when going through Youtube I found this clip of a show commemorating 15 years of WDADU. James LaBrie struggling at times, but what an album that is also with a later lineup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW_877BdaL4 So now I am done for a while playing Dream Theater. The biggest surprise to me was how much I liked the selftitled album. All others ended more or less where I woudl have placed them in advance before hearing all again. Now tonight maybe some old school speed metal to cure my prog overdose. Please feel free to disagree with my choices, as long as it is done respectfully like Andy suggested with their metal album.