Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy On Prog Nation, Band’s Legacy – Win A Signed CD!
Posted by Bram Teitelman on Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at at 2:41 pm
Appealing to metalheads, prog-rock fans, and technical music geeks alike, Dream Theater has been cutting a unique path through heavy music for over 20 years. Their 10th album, Black Clouds and Silver Linings, will be out on June 23.
When Metal Insider found out that the band was rehearsing for their world tour underneath our offices, we had to venture down and catch up with someone. Drummer and unofficial group spokesperson Mike Portnoy spoke to us about the band’s legacy, the Progressive Nation tour, and his side projects.
One lucky winner will be chosen at random to receive a limited radio-only EP featuring three versions of the album’s first single, “A Rite of Passage,” autographed by Portnoy. To enter, sign in and leave a comment stating your favorite Dream Theater album before June 20. One entry per person – multiple entries will be disqualified.
Black Clouds and Silver Linings is your 10th album. Did you have any idea that Dream Theater would last as long as it has?
We dreamed that it would and hoped that it would, but even after a few years together, our future was uncertain. The early days were filled with a million obstacles; false starts, bad contracts, and lineup changes. In the early years of the band, the future was always uncertain, but somehow we endured it, and persevered, and here we are, almost 25 years later. Like Metallica said, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
It seems like you might have gotten a little more acceptance within the metal community upon signing with Roadrunner. Have you noticed that at all?
Roadrunner has surely helped, but we’ve always dabbled in the Metal community. We’ve done tours with Maiden and done festivals with Slayer and Pantera, so that’s always been a side of us. Even before Roadrunner, Dave Mustaine hand picked us to co-headline Gigantour. So maybe they’ve helped us get more acceptance with that side of the band, which is good, because we’ve always been a metal band. But our problem is that we’ve always been too progressive for the real metalheads, and we’re always too metal for the real prog purists. So as much as we’ve been able to float between the two worlds, I don’t know if we’ve ever been fully embraced by either world.
Systematic Chaos debuted in the Billboard Top 20. Are you feeling any pressure to top it?
It’s not our goal, but it would definitely be nice. Every time you do a record, you want to keep getting better and bigger, and make new fans.
The album is coming in three different versions. Do you feel like that’s a necessity to do to sell more records and combat downloading?
I think the label feels that’s a necessity. We don’t necessarily feel that as artists. Personally, I would have loved to have done special editions for all of our albums, but in the past, it was hard to try to convince the labels to do it. Now it’s the opposite and the labels are trying to convince the artists to do it to combat downloading. The labels are kind of scrambling to get these extra products out there to keep people buying. It’s kind of a win-win situation for everybody, because it works out right for the fans, and they get that much more bonus stuff to get their hands on. As a fan, and a collector, I love it, and I think it’s awesome. The fact that the label is enabling us to do it, I’ll have no shortage of suggestions about what we can do for bigger and better releases, and I’m glad that they’re supporting it now.
This is the second year for your Progressive Nation tour. How has the experience of curating your own tour been?
The first one was awesome. It was definitely time. There are so many other packages out there every Summer, but none of which really give the platform for progressive or musician-oriented music. And also, the work “progressive” doesn’t just mean Dream Theater or Symphony X; it spans this entire range of music that goes from DEP all the way to Porcupine Tree and everything in the middle. There are so many types of progressive music now. So something like Progressive Nation can really offer everybody from Opeth to 3 an audience to play for.
It seems like the lineup this year is a little less commercial than last year’s. Was that intentional?
It was never commercial-minded to begin with, much to the chagrin of my manager and agent. They would love to have a Progressive Nation filled with Avenged Sevenfold and The Mars Volta, but to me, it’s not about marquee names. Yes, Opeth has their audience, and Zappa Plays Zappa has theirs, but the opening two positions are wild cards that I can just pick whoever I want, so a band like Bigelf or Unexpect, who are doing the European tour, or Pain of Salvation and Beardfish, I didn’t pick them for marquee value, I picked them for their musical value. And really, I want to give them the opportunity to play for our audience. To me, it’s not about these bands bringing in their audience. I want to give the exposure to a band like Beardfish or the Unexpect or Bigelf. They wouldn’t be able to play to a few thousand people every night. And I also want to expose our fans to these bands.
You’ve played entire albums while on tour in the past, including Metallica’s Master of Puppets and Iron Maiden’s Number of the Beast. What do you have in mind this time?
The only rule of that was that we had to be playing two nights in a row in a city, and as of now, there’s no two-night stands on the upcoming tour. But I still have that list in the back of my head for if the opportunities arise. As soon as we get handed a few more two-night stands, I know exactly what the next few will be.
Have you practiced them yet?
I haven’t even told the other band members yet. When we need to learn and practice them, I will.
Two side projects of yours have reformed recently. Did you feel a need to do something apart from Dream Theater?
Both projects were on the shelf for a while. Liquid Tension hadn’t done anything for almost ten years, and last summer we got together and played some shows. There’s a live DVD and CD box set coming out from those shows. And Transatlantic had broken up and been on a hiatus for about eight years, and only just recently got back together a few months ago to do a live album, so in both cases, those were reunions that happened, and now they’re both active again.
Tags: Dream Theater, Mike Portnoy, Roadrunner Records
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June 4th, 2009 at 3:03 PM
my fave is systematic chaos i like all there stuff but thats my fave
June 4th, 2009 at 3:21 PM
Systematic Chaos
June 4th, 2009 at 3:27 PM
My favorite DT album is Scenes From a Memory. Great interview!
June 4th, 2009 at 3:29 PM
Definately would have to be Awake. I started listening to DT during Images and Words, and was the first in line at the store when Awake was released. I actually got to see them live for the first time during the Awake tour in Austin Texas with Fates Warning, and I was totally blown away. I couldn’t believe how amazing they were. Every album they released since then has been amazing, but Awake will always be my favorite.
June 4th, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
June 4th, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Definitely Awake
June 4th, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Six Degrees is killer
June 4th, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Scenes From A Memory !
June 4th, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Octavarium
June 4th, 2009 at 4:19 PM
Scenes From A Memory. It’s brilliant!!
June 4th, 2009 at 4:23 PM
systematic chaos is awsome!!!
June 4th, 2009 at 4:23 PM
Octavarium for the title track alone!
June 4th, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Talented band.
keep it metal.
June 4th, 2009 at 5:13 PM
systemaic chaos
June 4th, 2009 at 5:51 PM
systematic chaos rocks my inner being !!
June 4th, 2009 at 6:24 PM
Images and Words. Every song is perfection.
June 4th, 2009 at 6:50 PM
A tie between Awake & Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence! From what I’ve heard of this new one though it may be number 1!
June 4th, 2009 at 8:34 PM
I LOVE Images & Words! LOVE LOVE LOVE!
June 4th, 2009 at 8:34 PM
Octavarium, to me it had everything I love about this band, epic songs, melodic lighter songs, heavy songs. I think this album truely showed the diversity this band is capable of. Second would be 6 Degrees. Can’t wait for the new album.
June 4th, 2009 at 9:18 PM
scenes from a memory pt 2
June 4th, 2009 at 9:57 PM
awake! This was the first dream theater album I ever heard and started my love for progressive music. I went from dream theater to rush to zappa!
June 4th, 2009 at 11:54 PM
Octavarium
June 5th, 2009 at 4:07 AM
Octavarium !! Its perfect, 10/10 for me
June 5th, 2009 at 4:32 AM
IMAGES AND WORDS!
June 5th, 2009 at 7:36 AM
It’s hard to name only one fav album of DT, I am a fan through years and it’s really difficult to single out just one release. Just because, for me Dream Theater is not just another particular band, it’s really something more. But for this case, I am gonna tell “Awake”, just because these days that album fits me mostly.
June 5th, 2009 at 7:40 AM
Been there since AWAKE, and still going
June 5th, 2009 at 10:15 AM
My favorite has to be Train of Thought…great album.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:36 PM
My fav is Scenes From a Memory! It’s brilliant!
June 5th, 2009 at 12:37 PM
It’s close, (sorry Images and Words) but Scene’s from a Memory is one of the best albums of all time!
June 5th, 2009 at 1:16 PM
Images and Words
June 5th, 2009 at 1:32 PM
My favourite album is Octavarium.
June 5th, 2009 at 1:40 PM
“Images and Words” rules!
June 5th, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
June 5th, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Well it’s very hard to name just only one… Scenes From A Memory!!!!!!
June 5th, 2009 at 10:38 PM
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory
June 6th, 2009 at 2:23 AM
Train of Thought
June 6th, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Scene from a memory is my favorite album by Dream Theater!
June 6th, 2009 at 5:09 PM
My favorite album is the classic Images And Words.
June 7th, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Every DT album is amazing. But my favorite one is Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.
June 8th, 2009 at 10:37 AM
Metropolis pt2: Scenes from a Memory
June 8th, 2009 at 1:02 PM
Every album is awesome and very different for each one… but to me Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is complet and show all the nuances the band can achive!!
The Glass Prison…the best song!
June 9th, 2009 at 12:00 PM
My favourite is Falling Into Infinity
However, Metropolis Pt2: Scenes From a Memory, Octavarium and Systematic Chaos are really good. These guys are improving on each new album. I can’t wait for this one.
June 10th, 2009 at 1:02 PM
Probably would be awake for me since that’s about the time i started listening to them. plus i was like 15 and that’s the age when you really just obsess over cds and can listen to them on repeat for days and months and really have the time to “LIVE” them
June 10th, 2009 at 9:15 PM
I love Octavarium! It’s literally THE PERFECT album!
June 10th, 2009 at 9:19 PM
Images and Words \m/
This is where it all began for me and remains my favorite still today. Looking forward to the new one!
June 10th, 2009 at 9:24 PM
Favorite album would be Awake
June 10th, 2009 at 9:24 PM
Scenes From A Memory, after 10 years still their best. Hands down.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:26 PM
Train of Thought – Their whole album collection is awesome but Train of Thought is just in your face Progressive Metal.
But I am always hoping the their next album will top their last. I can’t wait until June 23rd Black Clouds & Silver Linings here I come…
June 10th, 2009 at 9:26 PM
My all time favorite DT album would have to be Train Of Thought, I listen to that album nonstop whether it be a live version of the songs, or the studio versions.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:28 PM
Train of Thought.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:32 PM
If I have to pick one album, I’d say my favorite is Awake.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:55 PM
Scenes. From. A. Memory.
The most perfect album to have ever graced my ears.
June 10th, 2009 at 10:13 PM
Favorite album: Octavarium – it’s a bona fide masterpiece!
June 10th, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Fav: Scenes from a memory, without a doubt!
June 10th, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Scenens From a Memory has to be my favorite album followed by Octavarium.
June 10th, 2009 at 10:28 PM
My favorite Dream Theater album is also my favorite album of all time. EVER. For me, nothing beats Train Of Thought. Spectacular musicianship and skull crushing riffs; it’s the album that inspired me to really learn and play music, it’s the reason I am the person I am today.
June 10th, 2009 at 10:29 PM
My favorite album is of course SFAM. It’s pretty cool.
June 10th, 2009 at 11:07 PM
Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes From A Memory
June 10th, 2009 at 11:10 PM
Awake is my favorite album, and has been since 1995.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:24 AM
I really like what I’ve heard so far (5 covers & AROP)! Looking forward to getting the special deluxe edititon! Going to see them on June 27, in Wettingen, Switzerland!
June 11th, 2009 at 1:26 AM
& my album fave is SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE
June 11th, 2009 at 3:00 AM
My favorite Dream Theater album is Scenes From a Memory, I hope to hear some of it in the concert on the 13th!!
June 11th, 2009 at 3:07 AM
Scenes from a memory wins for me
Roll on tomorrow night in Leeds, and then Saturday night in Southampton
June 11th, 2009 at 3:15 AM
My favourite is the actual new songs. Right now the 4 covers and Rite Of Passage.
Full album maybe Six Degress, it’s hard to pick one for me, because I like them all.
June 11th, 2009 at 3:18 AM
SCENES FROM A MEMORY.
most flawless album ever created by humans.
June 11th, 2009 at 3:23 AM
I absolutely loved Images and Words. Everything on that album was perfect and LaBrie’s voice was excellent on that album
June 11th, 2009 at 3:31 AM
Scenes From A Memory. It’s just too perfect.
June 11th, 2009 at 3:35 AM
Images And Words. It is their best album
June 11th, 2009 at 3:36 AM
Awake is DT’s best, IMO.
June 11th, 2009 at 3:52 AM
Train Of Thought does it for me.
June 11th, 2009 at 3:57 AM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Disc 1 is incredible enough on it’s own but the 42 minute epic on disc 2 makes this album stand out above the rest.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:51 AM
Octavarium!!!!!
June 11th, 2009 at 4:52 AM
It has to be Images and Words for me. Although I love almost everything they’ve done, and I’m really looking forward to BC&SL.
Got to throw in that Score has a personal sentimentality for me having been at the concert (I found myself on the DVD!).
\m/ on!
June 11th, 2009 at 4:52 AM
FOr me it’s Train of Thought – It was the first DT album I ever heard and nothing has ever caused me to become so shocked and stunned at how amazing one group of musicians can be. Truely epic (and also highly highly underrated…?) album.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:01 AM
My favorite album is Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence, you got epic songs like “Glass Prison” (my first DT listen ever) and “Blind Faith” on the first CD and then “Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence” taking up the entire 2nd disc. The greatest album ever.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:04 AM
God damn it! That´s a tuff one… I don´t really know which is the best. In my opinion 1999-2005 season is the best, so i pick it up one, and it will be Scenes Degrees of Octavarium Train (with Linnings):-)…
June 11th, 2009 at 5:05 AM
Well I love them all, and it is a very difficult to point just one. But if I have to do it, I think that six degrees of inner turbulence is my choice, just because it has so much music in itself.
: )
June 11th, 2009 at 5:06 AM
Definitely OCTAVARIUM. Awesome work …
June 11th, 2009 at 5:07 AM
My Favorite album is Train of Thought, It was my first time hearing you guys, and i was hooked for life!!! Now everyone of my friends and family listen to DREAM THEATER!!!! Even my grandma
June 11th, 2009 at 5:09 AM
I would have to say that my favourite Dream Theater album is “Metropolis: Part 2 – Scenes From A Memory”. It’s nothing short of a masterpiece.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:10 AM
im gonna have to say octavarium. It was full of so many good songs and brilliant ideas. The title track is epic and is one of the most traditional prog-influenced songs i’ve heard since A change of seasons. i still can’t figure out how JP is able to follow jordan on the unison for “Never Enough”
June 11th, 2009 at 5:11 AM
Awake for me. Erotomania still stays my favorite instrumental track of all times!
June 11th, 2009 at 5:14 AM
My favourite is Scenes From a Memory. For me it is an album that everyone should have on their collection.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:15 AM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:15 AM
My favorite Dream Theater album is without a doubt Metropolis Pt. 2 Scenes from a Memory. I listen to it so much
June 11th, 2009 at 5:16 AM
I would say train of thought. That album had just about everything that makes me love Dream Theater. You have the heavy song This dying soul, then you have the mellow “In the Name of God” and you have the spiritual song As I am and Honor Thy Father.
Cant wait to see them On August 28 In Las Vegas
June 11th, 2009 at 5:29 AM
Images & Words
It never gets old
Los
June 11th, 2009 at 5:29 AM
You ROCK!
“Images and Words”!!!
June 11th, 2009 at 5:30 AM
Train of Thought
June 11th, 2009 at 5:32 AM
Scenes From A Memory.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:35 AM
My favourite album is “Awake”.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:40 AM
Octavarium. I can listen to that album over and over again all day.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:06 AM
Hard to pick one favorite album, but since my favorite song is Solitary Shell (I have a son with Autism) I’d have to say Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:08 AM
My favorite album is most definitely Images & Words. Cheers to great metal!!
June 11th, 2009 at 6:08 AM
I’ll go for “Images & Words”!
If it was for a livealbum, it would’ve been “Live @ Budokan”!!
June 11th, 2009 at 6:20 AM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. It has such a wide spectrum of hard and soft, melodic and edgy. not to mention the second disc really speaks to me since I have had many mental health issues, and the album has really helped me in my recovery from those issues. Overall a great album that I feel has really stood up against all the others over the years.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:22 AM
When Dream and Day Unite.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:25 AM
Awake! The album has mood, and plenty of it.. its something they havent necessarily matched, even with the turmoil and tragedy in recent years.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:30 AM
My Favorite Dream Theater Album is Octavarium. I walk Beside you is me and my girlfriend’s song. This album I think is musicly Dream Theater’s best and it also has much sentimental value for me. It was also the first album I got, and I have been a fan ever since.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:32 AM
Octavarium
June 11th, 2009 at 6:32 AM
Images and Words
June 11th, 2009 at 6:35 AM
My favourite album is “Six degrees of inner turbulence” since it captures every side that dream theater has, from metal side (The glass prison) to light side (disappear) and even has the longest track that they wrote so far that for me is the ultimate epic song which is the title track
Thank you so much for all the music that you´ve been write for all these years!
June 11th, 2009 at 6:42 AM
Images and Words for the favorite, but love them all !!
June 11th, 2009 at 6:44 AM
Awake is my favorite.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:46 AM
Octavarium
June 11th, 2009 at 6:48 AM
My favorite album is “Images and Words”, because that when I started to listen to Dream Theater. But I love them all.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:52 AM
images and words is my all time favorite album
June 11th, 2009 at 6:53 AM
id have to say AWAKE its like a greatest hits cd so is Images and Words but those are my 1 and 2 and special shoutout to Once In a Livetime i love those too and im still waiting for my LTE BOXSET THAT SHOULD HAVE SHOWN UP BY NOW
June 11th, 2009 at 6:56 AM
Images & Words was without a doubt the album that got me into progressive music, and is my favorite DT album. Loved it the first time I heard it, still love it, and will probably do as long as I live. Thanks DT!
June 11th, 2009 at 6:57 AM
Scenes From A Memory
June 11th, 2009 at 7:08 AM
Falling into Infinity is my favourite in the last month, It’s too hard to pick one! Systematic Chaos rocked, the concert equally so. Awake is gold but for now I guess I have to go with Falling into Infinity…
June 11th, 2009 at 7:22 AM
Octivarium,,, But real faves are all the Live DVD’s. Score especially.
June 11th, 2009 at 7:23 AM
Images And Words all the way.
June 11th, 2009 at 7:29 AM
Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
June 11th, 2009 at 7:30 AM
I would have to say my favorite Drem Theater album of all time would have to be Metroplis Pt 2: Scenes From A Memory
June 11th, 2009 at 7:42 AM
I know I’m the fish out of water here, but Falling Into Infinity has some of the greatest DT melodies ever.
June 11th, 2009 at 7:44 AM
Octavarium without a doubt!
June 11th, 2009 at 7:44 AM
With every Dream Theater record there´s the feeling of the wide range musicianship that Dream Theater stands for. And for me, Six Degrees Of Inner Trbulance is the one which cathces this huge feeling perfectly!
June 11th, 2009 at 7:51 AM
Octavarium, it’s more or less perfect.
Love the interview!
June 11th, 2009 at 7:54 AM
SFAM, especially when played in it’s entirety live.
June 11th, 2009 at 7:54 AM
Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
June 11th, 2009 at 7:57 AM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence for the most part, but I love rocking out to Train of Thought.
June 11th, 2009 at 7:58 AM
Metropolis part 2: Scenes From A Memory is an album that shows the diversity this band is capable of. It got epic songs like Home, melodic lighter songs like Overture 1928, and some heavy parts mixed with some prog parts.
June 11th, 2009 at 7:59 AM
Scenes From A Memory..A masterpiece.
June 11th, 2009 at 8:04 AM
I like “Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence” best. But I love al their albums.
And I can’t wait to hear the new one. ^^
June 11th, 2009 at 8:06 AM
Wow this is a tough one, but out of all their albums so far I would have to say the Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From a Memory has to be my favorite since it impacted my life in a massive way.
June 11th, 2009 at 8:17 AM
Train Of Thought
“The metal was flowing”
June 11th, 2009 at 8:31 AM
My favorite would be Change of Seasons if it were considered an album. I know it’s really only a single with some covers but the title song totally rocks and the rest is just icing that makes for a great and complete album.
Besides that my favorite probably has to be Awake. Such a complete masterpiece while each song stands on it’s own perfectly.
June 11th, 2009 at 8:32 AM
My fav DT album would have to be: Scenes From a Memory
June 11th, 2009 at 8:56 AM
i love everything but metropolis pt.2 scenes from a memory was the shiiiiiiit.!.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:04 AM
Awake !!
June 11th, 2009 at 9:06 AM
Well, I love every DT Album. But Awake is the one album I have to listen from start to finish!!!!
So Awake’s my fav
June 11th, 2009 at 9:11 AM
Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory
June 11th, 2009 at 9:20 AM
Dream Theater’s albums are all very unique and creative, but the most of those things was scenes from a memory
June 11th, 2009 at 9:24 AM
Train of Thought
June 11th, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Octavarium.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:31 AM
I’d have to say score, with the orchestra, one of the greatest parts of dream theater’s history, always gives me chills listening to it.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:32 AM
Images and Words
June 11th, 2009 at 9:33 AM
Asking me to choose my favorite DT album is like asking me to pick my favorite child. For the sake of this contest, I think I’ll have to go with Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:36 AM
The Glass Prison got me into DT but my favorite album is Scenes from a Memory. I get chills every time I listen to it. Octavarium is a close second but there is no touching Scenes in my eyes.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:38 AM
I can never decide which is my favorite Dream Theater album (Scenes from a memory, awake …) but I think I will go with Images & Words
June 11th, 2009 at 9:51 AM
Black Clouds Silver Linings
June 11th, 2009 at 9:56 AM
they are all my favorite, on different days. i can always find something to fit my mood. i still haven’t listened to anything but all the albums for like two years solid. (though i have been a fan for about 5)
anyways, rather than picking a favorite since i can’t, i’ll have to say that the one i don’t listen to as much is falling into infinity. but it is growing on me.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Systematic chaos was awesome! every cd dt puts out is amazing!!!!!
June 11th, 2009 at 10:10 AM
I would definitely have to go with Awake. Not only was the music incredible, as it has been on each album since and prior, but it also has quite a sentimental value for me as I had the honor of meeting and interviewing Mike Portnoy and James LaBrie at Tower Records in Paramus, NJ on October 4, 1994, the day Awake was released. At the young age of 17, I’m sure one could imagine that I was absolutely in my glory that day, almost as much as Portnoy seemed to be when he got to cross Abbey Road for the first time.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:13 AM
My favorite Dream Theater album is Awake. It’s a dosage of everything that I love about Dream Theater and then some, retaining both accessibility and replayability ever since I’ve first heard it. I love Awake.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:20 AM
My favorite is defiantly Train of Thought. \m/
June 11th, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Depends on the day because they are all amazing, but lately, I think I’d have to say Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Awake.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Images and Words
June 11th, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Images and Words! <3
the best cd i ever heard.. i have a DT tattoo on my right arm and under the majesty symbol its stands “learning to live”
LOVE IT, LOVE YOU, LOVE DREAM THEATER<3
June 11th, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Metropolis Part II: Scenes from a Memory
June 11th, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Best DT album ever is Octavarium. Its refreshing every time I listen to it, song s I didn’t like before become new favorites. Also I notice something new about the album every time, parts I might have missed in Octavarium or Sacrificed Sons become brought out. It’s just the best overall album ever produced by Dream Theater and it was my first.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:41 AM
IMHO Scenes from a memory… today I was listening to that
June 11th, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Images and words
June 11th, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Awake
June 11th, 2009 at 10:44 AM
although it may seem like I’m lying, Falling Into Infinity is by far my favorite. Knowing all that the band went through at that time, and they still created a solid record (imo). It’s things like that that make me love Dream Theater.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Awake, definitely my fave.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Ask me an easy question pleasejjj. All albums are great let me think!!! i’ll go for train of thougth cause it’s heavy from the begining until the end.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Images & Words = magic
June 11th, 2009 at 10:53 AM
When Dream and Day Unite
It’s pretty rare that WDADU is a DT fan’s favorite album. The boys have come so far since the release.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:01 AM
I love OCTAVARIUM is marvellous
June 11th, 2009 at 11:02 AM
I like all the work from DT but my fave is Scenes From A Memory
June 11th, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Metropolis Pt2: Scenes from a Memory
June 11th, 2009 at 11:11 AM
AWAKE IS MY FAVORITE ALBUM !!!RULES!!!!
June 11th, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Images and Words
June 11th, 2009 at 11:21 AM
My favorite album is six degrees of inner turbulence.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:28 AM
My favorite album is Train of Thought. I really connected with some of the songs on that album. Plus its heavy!
June 11th, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Favorite album would have to be Scenes From A Memory.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:44 AM
My favorite album is Images And Words.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Awake is my favorite. DT are my favorite band though, so it’s tough to choose just one!
June 11th, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Scenes From A Memory.
Owns any album by any band.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:50 AM
As of RIGHT NOW my favorite DT album is Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence. But from what I heard about Black Clouds & Silver Linings, I hope this new album will be even better
June 11th, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Dream Theater is a collection of world class musicians. Choosing only one album is like saying they only sometimes hit the mark. So, with that, my Train of Tought is; choosing only one is Systematic Chaos Falling into Infinity with Black Clouds and Silver Linings. When Dream and Day Unite, I think back to Images and Words and Awake to Scenes from a Memory, appreciate thier growth as musicians and avoid Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence by choosing only one album. After all, Dream Theaters collective work IS the Octavium of musicianship.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Scenes From A Memory
June 11th, 2009 at 11:54 AM
My favorite DT album is Images and Words
June 11th, 2009 at 12:07 PM
My favorite album would have to be Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence! The title track is easily one of my top 5 DT tracks, and the rest of the album is just amazing, especially “The Glass Prison” and “Disappear”.
-M.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:20 PM
systematic chaos for sure. each and every song brings a strong emotion which mezzmerises you.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:32 PM
My Favorite is definitely Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory. I love the story and thought that went through to creating this album. So artistic and imaginative.
-Jake
June 11th, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Absolutely Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. That particular album combines a degree of literary quality in the lyrics with ever-spectacular musicianship, and it brings a depth of theme to the disc as a whole that might be lost on a different album. I felt as if every word and every note on that album meant something to the context of the song and even to the overarching message of the album, which gives the listener the ability to find something new and consequently have a more complete picture of what the band was trying to achieve on every listen, and that sort of intellectual complexity on a number of different levels and not necessarily just technicality appeals to me.
Also, very solid interview.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:34 PM
I cannot say what my favorite album is, because it would suggest that I enjoy one more than the other. Not only in the musical aspect, but after taking music theory really appreciating the technical aspect!
This is probably the most creative band and hopefully will be for another 25 years
June 11th, 2009 at 12:35 PM
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory, although there isn’t one Dream Theater album that I even come close to disliking. It’s very hard to choose because every album is so diverse. I find every song and album to be AMAZING! They are by far my favorite band, and nothing seems to get old. I am overly excited to hear the new album. A Rite of Passage is awesome and all the covers are great. The wait is killing me!
June 11th, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Systematic Chaos
June 11th, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Octavarium
June 11th, 2009 at 12:44 PM
The original version of Scenes from a Memory. The one that you get from Ytse Jam when you buy the studio album, disc 2. The mixes on that album have more of a fuller feel than the main released version of Scenes.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:45 PM
My favorite Dream Theater album is a tie between Scenes From a Memory and Falling Into Infinity.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes From A Memory cuz it began a whole new sound for Dream Theater. Doing the Liquid Tension Experiment projects and adding Jordan Rudess to the band was the best thing that ever happened to the band.
Although their early stuff is great too =]
June 11th, 2009 at 1:04 PM
My favorite Dream Theater album would have to be Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:05 PM
Octavarium, because it is the perfect balance of heavy DT and softer DT, and also when I gave it a good listen at first, I felt like the songs related to my life in a weird way.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:10 PM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence for sure.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:11 PM
A Change of Seasons
June 11th, 2009 at 1:11 PM
I think their best album is Metropolis Pt. 2, but my favorite is Octavarium. It’s just a musical masterpiece from beginning to end.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:16 PM
Mostly likely, Scenes from A Memory. I love the fact that its a concept album with not one bad song on it and quite a few spine chilling Petrucci Solos and probably my favorite keyboard parts by Rudess.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:19 PM
Images and Words
It’s hard to name only one – the fact that I still discover new lines and fall in love with songs whenever I backtrack and listen to other albums again means my favorite album in their catalogue keeps changing too, but I&W consistently crops up. It is an excellent blend of melodic and heavy and an album I have often used to introduce friends to Dream Theater.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:20 PM
Images and Words! Great album start to finish
June 11th, 2009 at 1:23 PM
My favorite album is Systematic Chaos, and my preferred song in this album is Prophets Of War. The set is magnificent. Harmonies, singing, words… I Love It…
June 11th, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Awesome, going to see the band in Leeds tomorrow night. My favourite album is probably Scenes from a Memory; it’s the first one by the band I heard and it absolutely floored me. Listening to it brings me right back to my final school days.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:46 PM
I would have to say Scenes From A Memory.
Besides being the first album I heard from DT, it also opened up a door to wonderful world of progressive music. Never had I actually payed any attention to separate instruments before and this band had so much to offer – musical brilliance, intriguing long epics and most of all, five interesting personalities. Looking back, since discovering Dream Theater through Scenes From A Memory, my life has gone nothing but uphill, I’ve met new people, started a musical hobby, focused on things that truely matter in life…
Hope that explains why this album has such special meaning.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:47 PM
Even though none of my favorite Dream Theater songs are on it, my favorite album is Scenes From A Memory. This album first sparked my interest in the band. From start to finish, it is a recording & production masterpiece! If you “Take the Time” to listen to all of the little nuances they put in there, you will see what I mean.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:49 PM
Even though none of my favorite Dream Theater songs are on it, Scenes From A Memory is my favorite album. From a recording & production standpoint, it is truly a masterpiece. If you “Take The Time” to listen to all of the little nuances that the band threw on that album, you’d see what I mean.
June 11th, 2009 at 2:14 PM
My favorite album is of course Scenes from a memory is amazing !!!
June 11th, 2009 at 2:18 PM
I don´t have a favorite album because
…I love all the albums from dream theater
June 11th, 2009 at 2:21 PM
My favorite album has to be a tie between images and words and the epic 1 song change of seasons! I’ve been listening to Octavarium a lot lately and thats coming in pretty damn close too! but who am I to kid? everyone album you guys produced was never a let down! I love this damn band! Looking forward to hear the new one!
June 11th, 2009 at 2:23 PM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is a masterpiece of music. Each song on it is some of my favorite DT stuff, with no exceptions. My favorite songs of the album would have to be Blind Faith, War Inside My Head, and Solitary Shell.
June 11th, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Train of Thought Definately!!!
June 11th, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Metropolis Part II:Scenes from a Memory
June 11th, 2009 at 2:43 PM
A Train of Thought. Dark, heavy prog!
June 11th, 2009 at 2:46 PM
I have buy all studio albums from Dream Theater. I just needed to hear first opening seconds from this album, after that i knew i have discover the most complete masterpiece ever. The album which become my personal favourite, was Train Of Thought. I think in TOT Mike Portnoy really wanted to express himself the way he always wanted. I think all five of them played most perfect and happiest ever. The heavier part suited Dream Theater very well. After making this particular album, they had opened the latch for more and more masterpieces to come.
June 11th, 2009 at 2:51 PM
If I were to pick just one album, it would have to be Metropolis Pt. II: Scenes From a Memory. Not only was it a turning point in the bands career (with the newly attained creative freedom from the label, as well as Jordan joining the band), it is one of their most balanced albums. It has a perfect blend of crunching riffs, soaring melodies, beautifully crafted ballads, all arranged and executed flawlessly. Lyrically it is a very interesting story that one can get lost in and contains much heart. Metropolis Pt. II is an album that showcases just what Dream Theater is all about and is the perfect introductory point for new fans!
June 11th, 2009 at 2:55 PM
I’ll have to say Train Of Thought. Love that album to death!
June 11th, 2009 at 2:56 PM
My favorite DT album up to this day is SFAM
June 11th, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
June 11th, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Man you people are way off. Every single album and every single song that this band produced is simply amazing and when asked to choose a favorite one is like asking a painter to ask what is their favorite painting that they created. It just is hard. BUT, if I would have to choose one…It would be Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence for the fact that every single song on that album is amazing and the 42 min long “song” is aweeesome.
June 11th, 2009 at 3:20 PM
I’d have to go with Metropolis, Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory, with both Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence and Train of Thought not far behind.
Although I love every album put out so far, and I’m sure you won’t disappoint with Black Clouds & Silver Linings.
(Yay for sucking up!)
June 11th, 2009 at 3:35 PM
SFAM is my fav. But only because its the first album of their’s I’ve heard. I like all albums for different reasons.
June 11th, 2009 at 3:38 PM
Definitely Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
June 11th, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence – it touched my life deeply
June 11th, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Favorite Dream Theater CD: Awake
June 11th, 2009 at 3:53 PM
My favorite album is Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence, and my first DT show was on that tour.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:04 PM
My favourite album is Metropolis Part II:Scenes from a Memory
It’s like a movie in my mind…
June 11th, 2009 at 4:07 PM
I seriously love everything Dream Theater has ever done but if I had to pick a favorite it would probably be…
Systematic Chaos.
It definitely has the most plays from me I believe.
But yeah, I love everything they’ve ever done and I don’t think they will ever make something that I don’t like. Hahaha.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:17 PM
My favorite album with no doubt is Images And Words!
It’s pure epicness from beginning to end.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:17 PM
I would have to say Awake right now, but it changes frome time to time. Hopefully BC&SL will take the top spot in a couple weeks!
June 11th, 2009 at 4:22 PM
scenes from a memory
June 11th, 2009 at 4:23 PM
AWAKE! It really was an eye opener for me personaly!
June 11th, 2009 at 4:24 PM
After learning of Dream Theater about a year and a half ago, I have since purchased every album and regret none of them. For the past two months, I’ve listened to one particular album full through as many times as possible in a week, and no other albums. After this long exploration, I have to say that the one that stuck out to me the most was Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (If I had to choose a disc; Disc 1) The musicianship is demonstrated through restraint, not runs, and feeling, not frenetic fills. To think that they could produce this incredible album after Metropolis, Part II: Scenes From a Memory is astounding and really shows Dream Theater’s skill.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:24 PM
SFAM made me fall in love with this great band.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Im a huge fan of all their music. i really like When day and dream unite. the music on that album is amazing. i love them all for so many different reasons. thats why im working on my sleeve tattoo getting every album cover/art from their albums on my arms. but if i had to pick one album i would say Metropolis Part II:Scenes from a Memory :] AMAZING!!
June 11th, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Octavarium.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Probably Scenes from a Memory!
but i love almost every album…
June 11th, 2009 at 4:39 PM
Surprisingly, Falling Into Infinity takes the cake for me right now. Lots of stellar songs on that album.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Six Deegrees of Inner Turbulence. It really is a good representaion of the band and shows their different styles. but A Rite of Passage sounds awsome, so it might be Black Clouds & Silver Linings:P..can’t wait:D
June 11th, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Train of thought
June 11th, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory is my favorite. It’s what got me into the prog music scene, and is still my favorite album of all time.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:58 PM
hmmmm tough one, but ill have to go with AWAKE!!!
June 11th, 2009 at 5:04 PM
Tough one. But, I’d have to go with the one that started it all for me. That would be…’Images and Words’ back in the spring of 1992 or 1993.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Images And Words is my alltime fav
June 11th, 2009 at 5:15 PM
SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE!!!
June 11th, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Awake. By a LONG shot!
June 11th, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Images and Words! It defined modern progressive metal.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Scenes From a Memory has got to be number one for me. it was awsome live and the music, like most DT, is above all. top that with a full story to follow as you listen, somehow including instramentals that fit perfectly with the tone of said story, and you have your masterpiece.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:44 PM
It has definitely got to be Scenes from a Memory. I have a feeling it will change to BC&SL though.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Awake!
But also Scenes From A Memory & Six Degrees…
June 11th, 2009 at 5:59 PM
its such a hard question but i would have to say six dagrees due to straight dreamtheater sound throught the whole album =)
June 11th, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Simply amazing album from start to finish. And I feel its their most unique blend of styles as well as perfectly composed songs.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:18 PM
Images and Words!
June 11th, 2009 at 6:31 PM
Falling Into Infinity. Yes, you read that right.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:40 PM
Scenes from a Memory
June 11th, 2009 at 6:45 PM
It’s really a hard decision, as I think all Dream Theater albums are awesome, but I guess I’ll go with Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence too, since it’s the first album I listened to, and I just love the songs and their diversity.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:48 PM
Damn, it is gonna be so hard to choose one favourite album. Really, I have a list of favourites, including Images and Words, Scenes From a Memory, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, Train of Thought and A Change of Seasons (though really that’s just for the title track).
… I think it’s gonna have to be Images and Words. Funny choice for a metalhead, really but there you go.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:49 PM
I like all Dream Theater, so I will reach in the hat and pull out……….Train of Thought.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:56 PM
I would have to say that the change of seasons EP is my favorite becuse that song was the first Dream Theater song i ever heard and it remains my favorite but as far as an actual album, i would have to say Train of Thought or Scenes From a Menory.
June 11th, 2009 at 7:02 PM
Scene from a memory
June 11th, 2009 at 7:22 PM
My favourite Dream Theater album has to be Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Every album is amazing though!
June 11th, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Train of Thought!!! YAY!!!
June 11th, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Favorite album is Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
June 11th, 2009 at 8:18 PM
Images and Words. Not as technically complex or virtuoso as their later stuff, like SFAM, but goddamit, it was the first Dream Theater album I really got into, and still has some of their best songs, in my opinion. Besides, no piece of music will ever kick more ass than the very beginning of take the time. \m/
June 11th, 2009 at 8:22 PM
Scenes from a memory, hands down
June 11th, 2009 at 8:24 PM
One?
Here’s three: When Dream and Day Unite, Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulance and Octavarium
June 11th, 2009 at 8:31 PM
I have a hard time picking out an absolute favorite; they’re all incredible in their own rights. However, I think “OCTAVARIUM” really did the best job at featuring a little bit of everything from the multi-faceted band. I also loved “Scenes From a Memory” as I’m a sucker for concept albums, and “Six Degrees,” disc 2, which was almost like a mini-concept. I also have a soft spot for “Awake,” as that was my first DT album.
June 11th, 2009 at 8:35 PM
My favorite album is Images and Words. I was 15 years old and I use to listen to it everyday on my way to school in Rio, Brazil. My first DT concert I was 17.. 1997 also in Rio. Since then Ive moved to US and now I cant miss one single concert. Thanks DT for been my favorite band though my whole life. =)
June 11th, 2009 at 8:41 PM
Train Of Thought, since I hold it near and dear to my heart cuz it was the 1st album that got me into them. I’ve never been the same since then. Thanks !
June 11th, 2009 at 8:51 PM
Image and Words is my favorite.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:10 PM
Octavarium is one of the greatest pieces of music ever
June 11th, 2009 at 9:26 PM
Al of the Dream Theater releases are good in different ways…..But a true return to harder edged prog heaven is the release of Train Of Thought….That is my favourite….I do remember when pull me under was in heavy rotation on the radio stations in the early years….I have been a fan since then….They are a no glitz…no Bs straight forward prog metal band that is true to what they do….Each one is a virtuoso in the respective fields….Long live DT!
June 11th, 2009 at 9:26 PM
i love them all but i’d have to say scenes from a memory no question
June 11th, 2009 at 9:28 PM
I have to go with “Awake”
June 11th, 2009 at 10:14 PM
Scenes From A Memory is just epic, once you start playing it you have to listen to it from start to finish.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:32 PM
My favourite album of Dream Theater is Scenes from a memory, which was the album I discovered DT with. I love how all tracks are tied together, I hope they do another concept album like that !
June 11th, 2009 at 11:01 PM
Train of Thought, I had been a fan for botu 2yrs but live in a area where it’s hard to find certain bands and one day by accident found Train of Thought and bought it on the spot without knowing or hearing anything bout it and thought it was awsome
June 11th, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Scenes from a Memory is my favorite album by far, with I&W close on its heels.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:07 PM
I have been a fan since “When Dream and Day Unite”. (Still have it on cassette). But my favorite is a toss-up between “Scenes From A Memory” and “Awake”. Go DT~!
June 12th, 2009 at 12:09 AM
My favorite DT album has to be Systematic Chaos. It takes everything I love about the progressive and emotional elements that captivated me with Octavarium. At the same time, Systematic Chaos brings the heaviness and brutality that made my blood pump from Train of Thought. Systematic Chaos is, as MP said, the very epitome of the Dream Theater sound.
And allow me to say this; Win or lose this contest I will be at my local CD retailer on June 23rd to buy, listen, and be awestruck by the beauty that is Black Clouds and Silver Linings.
June 12th, 2009 at 12:20 AM
Systematic Chaos, surround sound, had hoped the new release would have a surround sound version. Have bought the deluxe version, looking for the silver ticket!
June 12th, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Good interview, especially the subtle possibility that there just might be more shows to the upcoming tour, perhaps even a two night stand in some city. Portnoy says “as of now”, so there is hope San Diego, or Anaheim might get a show.
Favorite albulm is the unsurmountable “Awake.”
June 12th, 2009 at 12:44 AM
Favorite album is definitely Scenes from a Memory. PLEASE do another concept album!
June 12th, 2009 at 12:53 AM
Awake. Except Space Dye Vest, everything else is fantastic, Drums, Vocals, Solos, what more could u want!
June 12th, 2009 at 1:18 AM
The best DT album is Train Of Thought. I’m into the crunch. Octo is a close second.
June 12th, 2009 at 1:25 AM
Each one has elements that make it almost impossible to pick a favorite……have to say whatever is next!
June 12th, 2009 at 3:55 AM
IMAGES & WORDS!!
SCENES FROM A MEMORY:METROPOLIS PT.2
June 12th, 2009 at 4:19 AM
Images and words
June 12th, 2009 at 5:58 AM
My favorite is Awake (this week, anyway).
June 12th, 2009 at 7:14 AM
“SCENES FROM A MEMORY.” Its Rock Opera, and I love it!
—-T
June 12th, 2009 at 8:38 AM
Images and Words, though it wasn’t an easy pick. SFaM and ToT are very close seconds.
June 12th, 2009 at 9:08 AM
Scenes From a Memory. Absolutely masterful. Pure genius from beginning to end.
June 12th, 2009 at 10:01 AM
awake. just everything about it is amazing to me.
June 12th, 2009 at 10:07 AM
At this point in time…Octavarium…it always fluctuates since there isn’t a bad DT album out there, but my other essential favourites are Scenes, Images, Awake and Train of Thought.
DT for the win!!!
Come to South Africa already!!!!
June 12th, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Difficult choice…but Train of Thought is brutal and tends to spin more than the others.
June 12th, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence!
June 12th, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Scenes From a Memory.
June 12th, 2009 at 11:13 AM
My fav would definitely have to be six degrees of innerturbulence. though i do really systematic chaos. I have the limited edition copy.
June 12th, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Systematic chaos is my favorite DT album of all time. Thats my favorite all around album but my favorite song is definitely Forsaken off of Systematic Chaos.
June 12th, 2009 at 11:54 AM
My favorite DT album is always the next one. It’s like Christmas
June 12th, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Images & Words is my favorite . It’s a classic .
June 12th, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Scenes From a Memory ist my favorite, it is just unbelievable great
June 12th, 2009 at 1:57 PM
i like THE DARK ETERNAL NIGHT
June 12th, 2009 at 2:42 PM
MY FAVORITE DT ALBUM IS SCENES FROM A MEMORY!!!!!!!
June 12th, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Awake is the best DT album. Such a dark atmosphere.
June 12th, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Scenes from a memory
June 12th, 2009 at 4:27 PM
My favourite album is Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.
June 12th, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Images & Words!!!!!
June 12th, 2009 at 4:45 PM
My favorite Album!!! Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence…
A fan since 1994, i was 12 years old.
June 12th, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
June 12th, 2009 at 5:17 PM
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
June 12th, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Scenes From a Memory-such a glorious album.
June 12th, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Metropolis Pt Two: Scenes From A Memory wins hands down, any song on it could beat 95% of my 30gb itunes library.
June 12th, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Always a toss up for me between Images And Words and Scenes From A Memory. Today it is Images and Words.
June 12th, 2009 at 6:02 PM
It’s hard to pick just one because I love them all, but if I had to, I would go with Scenes from a memory, because it’s the album that really introduced me to Dream Theater. I still remember the first time I heard it in my bedroom, shutters down, lights off: just me and my dogs listening to what would be my favorite album ever! =D
June 12th, 2009 at 6:06 PM
Images and Words. All eight songs are DT classics.
June 12th, 2009 at 6:42 PM
Scenes From a Memory I think! It’s hard to name one favourite album, but I think it would have to be this
June 12th, 2009 at 6:57 PM
It’s hard to beat perfection. It’s still “Scenes From A Memory” for me!
L8r… John
June 12th, 2009 at 7:52 PM
These days it is Scene From A Memory!
June 12th, 2009 at 7:59 PM
It’s a really Hard desicion but I chose Octavarium, Because it’s a kind of summary of all virtousity, versatility, subtlety and power of DT…It’s a piece of art.
June 12th, 2009 at 8:48 PM
Awake!
June 12th, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence all the way!
June 12th, 2009 at 9:20 PM
Awake. \m/
June 12th, 2009 at 9:44 PM
Train of Thought. Grabbed me; held on to me; dragged me through a field of awesome; and left me bleeding 32nd notes on the ground.
\m/ \m/
June 12th, 2009 at 11:31 PM
It’s so close between Images and Words and Scenes From a Memory. I was gonna go with SFAM, but I think I’ll go with Images and Words. That’s the first DT album I bought back in 93 and every song is classic.
June 12th, 2009 at 11:37 PM
Metropolis Pt Two: Scenes From A Memory!!!!!!
June 13th, 2009 at 2:02 AM
My favorite one is “Scenes From a Memory”!
June 13th, 2009 at 2:27 AM
My favorite album at this point is Train of Thought. Heavy!!
June 13th, 2009 at 2:38 AM
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
June 13th, 2009 at 3:18 AM
A favorite DT album? What an impossible question…I’ll say Images and Words, because it is so iconic. I memorized every lick, beat, and sound on it when I was a kid. But again, what a question…
June 13th, 2009 at 5:20 AM
My favorite album is: train of thought
June 13th, 2009 at 6:19 AM
My favorite albums: Images & Words and Train of Thought
June 13th, 2009 at 7:06 AM
definitely,Scenes From a Memory…..
June 13th, 2009 at 7:46 AM
My favourite has to be Images & Words
June 13th, 2009 at 7:46 AM
My favourite album is Awake!!
June 13th, 2009 at 8:49 AM
My favorite is Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory. I’ve collected almost 1,000 albums from all over the world but there’s no album that can beat the quality of Scenes From A Memory. My favorite track from the album is Overture 1928 which I’ve never seen live so far. I really hope when DT comes to Asia again, they bring a lot of music, lot of fun, and of course a lot of memory….
June 13th, 2009 at 11:09 AM
I listened to metropolis pt 2 so much it has to be my favorite so far
June 13th, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Octavarium is the pinnacle of DT music. Front to back it’s perfect
June 13th, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From A Memory
It’s a great album that opened me up to concept albums and progressive music.
June 13th, 2009 at 2:50 PM
my favorite DT’s album has to be Train of Thought. Nice interview.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Images and Words
June 13th, 2009 at 5:31 PM
My Favourite album would have to be Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
June 13th, 2009 at 6:53 PM
It’s hard to pick a favorite because I love them all. But I think that Metropolis 2: Scenes From A Memory is my all-time favorite!
Keep up the excellent work gentlemen!
June 13th, 2009 at 7:25 PM
My favorite is Live At Budokan. A really great mix of a lot of really great music. And I love live albums.
June 13th, 2009 at 11:37 PM
My favorite album is Once in a LIVEtime, it has such a wide variety. I love it.
June 13th, 2009 at 11:47 PM
Octavarium is my favorite album.
June 14th, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Awake ftw! Nice to see a few songs on the set lists from the tour so far.
June 14th, 2009 at 1:40 AM
I think that Train of Though was their best, until Black Clouds came. I have heard Rite, Nightmare, Count and Fortress. The Shattered Fortress is my new fav song, but Black Clouds still is a close winner with Train of Though and Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes Fom A Memory in second place.
June 14th, 2009 at 2:33 AM
SCENES FROM A MEMOY of course….
but A change of season is my favorite song ever….
June 14th, 2009 at 4:43 AM
Awake for sure… it was the very first album I listened of these guys and the one that makes me listen the rest of them… Anyway I love every album the have released… And I’ve read here ACOS is their best song without a doubt
June 14th, 2009 at 4:47 AM
Scenes from a memory
June 14th, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Falling Into Infinity
June 14th, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Very difficult to choose one album every album is a favorite. But, I would have to choose Metropolos Pt.2 : Scenes From A Memory.
June 14th, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Train of Thought.
June 14th, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Scenes from a memory is my favorite album. A very difficult decision.
June 14th, 2009 at 5:04 PM
has to be six degrees- glass prison rocks
June 14th, 2009 at 9:37 PM
Images and Words
June 14th, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Images and Words is my favorite. With LaBrie onboard, the band releases the classic masterpiece that started it all… perfection that never gets old. Awake pulls a close second.
June 15th, 2009 at 8:36 AM
Got to be Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence purely because it’s Dream Theater at the most experimental, progressive and hard rocking – pure uncomprising, epic and fast-paced progressive metal.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:50 PM
This is a very difficult question, but I think my most favorite album is Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory. This album has everything. I’ve played it so many times I had to go to the shop last week to buy another copy, my first cd was damaged from playing it all the time. Personally I think that over 100 years people will talk about Bach, about Freddie Mercury’s Bohemian Rhapsody and Dream Theater’s Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory.
June 15th, 2009 at 1:15 PM
Falling in to Infinity
June 15th, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Images and Words. My first DT album, I just can’t forget the effect the first Pull Me Under notes had on me. I was just 15 in 2005 (I’m 19 now), and I told myself : “Wow. Is that prog metal ? That’s huge.” In the 6 following months, I bought all the others DT albums, (beginning with A Change of Seasons and Awake), and it became my favourite band of all time.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:14 PM
DT is the soundtrack of my life since the release of Images and Words and each single album has been my favorite for a long time. These days I would say it is still Systematic Chaos.
June 15th, 2009 at 5:57 PM
Images and Words!
<3
June 15th, 2009 at 7:51 PM
Scenes from a Memory is my favorite, but they are all excellent!
June 15th, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Octavarium. I love all the albums, but Octavarium was my first, and therefore holds a special place in my heart.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:03 PM
Six degrees of inner turbulence is my favourite. Each track is vastly different from the rest, with each song representing a different side of their writing style, therefore enabling the album as a whole to encompass the major adjectives present in of all Dream Theater’s music: (in order of appearance) heavy, progressive, experimental, conceptual, soft and epic.
June 16th, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Scenes From a Memory! It’s awesome.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:11 AM
Scenes from a memory is by far the greatest album. It was the first one that was made by the current members and it was the begining of what is now truly dream theater epicness.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:53 AM
LOVED SCENES FROM A MEMORY..A MASTERPIECE, WITH NO DOUBT! BUT SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE IS THE ONE!
June 19th, 2009 at 7:18 AM
WHEN DREAM AND DAY UNITE, I gather all my IMAGES AND WORDS before I’m no longer AWAKE, and in A CHANGE OF SEASONS FALLING INTO INFINITY and erasing my SCENES FROM A MEMORY, because within SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE my TRAIN OF THOUGHT will explode into an OCTAVARIUM causing SYSTEMATIC CHAOS, and I will never see those BLACK CLOUDS AND SILVER LININGS…
I’m sorry, I just love them ALL!!
But if I have to pick one, I’d say it’s SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE. Probably..
June 24th, 2009 at 4:21 PM
My favorite album is Systematic Chaos!
June 28th, 2009 at 6:08 PM
My favorite’s DT album is Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
July 13th, 2009 at 1:30 AM
i dont think DT has a bad album
if i have to choose the weakest album i would say ‘Falling..’ but this is only weak compared to their other albums not to music in general
best album: scenes and of course images