So in my last discography review, I chose to just rank the band's albums instead of ranking and rating a bunch of random shit, mostly because I felt that it was a lot of unnecessary work for very little payoff. Sure, just ranking the albums is not the most original thing, but I found it to be a lot more satisfying to wrap up a journey in this way. Then it came to me, how about doing exactly that for the other bands I have done discography reviews on in the past. With some time to spare (thanks to a slow period in album releases and a lack of inspiration), I now start a quest to do a "From Worst To First" ranking on all other 10 bands I have reviewed every single album of.
The first band I gave this review treatment to was Dream Theater, and I have to admit that there was not any real good reason to why I did so. I love progressive metal, and they are more or less the creators of the genre, so that might be the answer? Well, I don't know, I love the band, and going through their discography once more was fun. A whooping five years have past since I did close off this discography review, and some of those opinions I uttered back then have not stood the test of time all that well, so these rankings might be a surprise if you tried to figure out the order basing from those reviews.
Some final disclaimers before I start, this is a ranking of all the band's 13 full length albums, so no live albums, singles, or EPs (sorry "A Change of Seasons"). Also, this is my list and my opinions, so I am neither wrong or right here, and neither are you. Feel free to rank the albums yourself, either in the comment section, or on Twitter (@ForsakenGates). Let's get to the rankings!
13. Falling From Infinity
Thanks to pressure from their record company, "Falling Into Infinity" became a slight mess of an album that was divided in what it wanted to do. The more commercial sound is not well suited for the band, leaving an album that feels bland and unimaginative. It still has its moments though, like the heavy nature of "Burning My Soul" or the soothing "Peruvian Skies", and it does sound better than what I remembered, but against such stiff competition, it just does not hold up. This is certainly an album that is not rising any time soon.
12. The Astonishing
When I reviewed this album back in 2016, I was blinded by all the hard work and effort the band had put into this project, missing the obvious fact that the music itself was very bland and dull. I still admire the length the band went for, a very ambitious Shakespearean concept record with a website that was filled with information to back it up. The problem is that the band was a little too ambitious, ending up with a double album (or quadruple LP) that spanned over 2 hours and contained 34 tracks, with only a handful of them being memorable. It is an astonishing blob of theatrical music that may be impressive, but it is a lot of work for such little pay off.
11. When Dream And Day Unite
The debut record is a rough outing for the band in almost every aspect. The production is far from sleek, the song writing is not the sharpest, and singer Charlie Dominici is an even weaker link than James LaBrie ever was. It is still an album that showed what the band could be capable of in the future, showing tons of excellent technical abilities that most bands would only dream of performing. The instrumental piece "Ytse Jam" is the perfect showcase for the band, to prove to the world that they will be a force that could be counted on. An interesting start, with a few fumbles along the way.
10. A Dramatic Turn of Events
This is the first of the Mike Mangini albums, but since this album was written before the band found their new drummer, it was a little simplified so that anyone could keep up with their tempo. "A Dramatic Turn of Events" is a pretty unspectacular album that still has some stand out moments, like the opener "On The Backs of Angels" and the epic "Bridges In The Sky". I just have a couple of questions. Why in the hell is there three ballads in this album? And how does it come that they all suck? And what in the hell is that rope connected to?
9. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
For a band that made a name for itself thanks to its technical skills, "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" might be the most complex of all Dream Theater records. A double album that goes on for over one and a half hours, with the title track being over 40 minutes of itself. This is a meaty record to swallow, and I still to this day have trouble getting it all down in one meal, but there is definitely enough ear candy in here that makes you come back to this record. "The Glass Prison" is reason enough to revisit this technical enigma of an album.
8. Systematic Chaos
The title of this record is pretty accurate, because "Systematic Chaos" is crafted with a lot of chaotic elements that should not go together, but they do... most of the time. No other album in the Dream Theater discography has a bigger gap between the highs and the lows, going from bland mainstream attempts ("Forsaken") to insane thrash like madness ("Constant Motion"). This sandwich has some great bread in the two parter "In The Presence of Enemies", but the filling is a mixed bag, making it a little less tasty. I just hope those giant ants on the cover does not attack me for not loving their record.
7. S/T
The self titled release was described as a rich chocolate cake by the band, and while I do not fully agree on that description, it is still a meaty record. It is a sneaky good record that may fade away when you mention the band's other records, but it is far from a push over, containing some really nice tunes like "Behind The Veil, "Surrender To Reason", and "The Enemy Inside". This self titled record may not blow you away, but it gives you a solid amount of good progressive metal, giving you a nice, happy little sugar rush. Huh, I guess that cake comparison is not that far off after all.
6. Octavarium
I really should put this album on the number 8 spot, because of reasons, but "Octavarium" is a little too good for me to do so. It is obvious from the get go that the band had a clear idea with what they wanted to do with this record, and they execute it really well. "Octavarium" has an impressive range of songs that tie together real nicely into a rock solid record. Just the fact that the mellow "These Walls" can be in the same room as the frantic "Panic Attack" is an impressive feat, and adding a bunch of other good tracks just adds to the awe. The power of eight is strong with this one.
5. Train of Thought
Without any question the band's heaviest album, "Train of Thought" was a dark experience that saw Dream Theater in one of their moodiest performances, but it might also be one of their more diverse albums, showing an impressive range of heavy, catchy, epic, and haunting. Feels like this album has been forgotten over the years, outshined by other outings, but I still think its heavy nature makes it stand out, as a big stone golem that can squish you with a single punch. It is a train that stops for nothing, delivering the metal goods to your ears.
4. Black Clouds & Silver Linings
The last hurrah from Mike Portnoy is a great one, a six song assault that worked on a simple premise, writing great and solid progressive metal. The band definitely went with quality over quantity here, presenting some extremely fine tunes that still sticks with me today. I can definitely go without "The Best of Times" and "Wither", but the remaining four songs are a wonderful group of prog metal goodness, from the angelic "A Rite of Passage", to the symphonic "The Count of Tuscany". It is a simple record, with a lot of complex candy hidden within.
3. Awake
It is easy for "Awake" to be in the shadow of "Images And Words" since it was the first record after, but this record holds up just as well with some of the sleekest sounds that we have heard from the band. There is just something special with this album, something with its vibe that makes it incredibly enjoyable through and through. While there are few songs that truly stands out ("6:00" and "Lie" does so the most), it is the whole package that makes "Awake" such a mesmerizing record. The flow is exquisite, and all of the songs feel like they belong together. This is certainly a unified album that just works, from first to last second.
2. Images And Words
The most well known Dream Theater album is not the best one, but it is one I keep coming back to time and time again (have to "Take The Time" you know, haha). "Images And Words" is obviously highlighted by "Pull Me Under" (rightfully so), but the fact that this record also have songs like "Take The Time", "Another Day", "Learning To Live", and "Metropolis - Part 1 (The Miracle And The Sleeper)" is just silly. It is the album that showed exactly what the band was capable of, an album that defined an entire genre, an album that is one of the most important metal records in general. However, if the ultimate highlight "Metropolis - Part 1..." showed us anything, it was that the band could get even better.
1. Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
There are few concept records that I hold higher in regard. The epic saga about Nicholas and his therapy sessions is the band's magnum opus for a reason. It is a multi layered storybook of emotions that has a fantastic pace and flow, both in tale and in music. Once this bad boy has started playing, you just cannot get away from it, you have to finish it to the very end. Everyone is on their A-game, giving performances that is as close to perfection that you can get. The goosebumps are always close by whenever this is on, and it is a feeling that will never get old, no matter how many times that record has been spun. A true progressive masterpiece.
And as a bonus, here are my ten favourite songs from the band, in alphabetical order.
A Change of Seasons
This is how you do a 20+ minute magnum opus
A Nightmare To Remember
Not too shabby for a song about a car crash
Bridges In The Sky
A very underrated goody from the new era of the band
Constant Motion
It spins me round and round, and I can't let go
Finally Free
That ending... THAT ENDING!
Home
Just an epic win, all the way through.
Metropolis - Part 1 (The Miracle And The Sleeper)
So many epic moments in here
Panic Attack
A scary hell ride through riffs and solos
Pull Me Under
The only hit the band ever made is still as grand today as it was back then
Take The Time
There is always time for this classic
Stay Metal
Robert "Sharkruisher" Andersson
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