plattopus
Gravity Eyelids
Peoples' definition of the phrase "career defining" is clearly different... so this thread will go nowhere fast.
I chose Awake as it's an album that has a nice mixture of the styles that DT have used from WDADU all the way to TOT. Sure, at the time they had no idea they'd go so heavy in the future, but we're talking in retrospect here. So for my argument, I define "career defining" as an album that sums up the essence of a band's sound in only one album. I don't think career defining means their breakout release.
As far as I'm concerned... career defining IS career representing. When you try to sum up (or define) DT's sound, you'd have to include old school prog metal from WDADU and IAW, the heaviness found in Awake, SFAM and TOT, and the melodic element most prominent on FII and SDOIT. Now if you look at any of those albums individually:
WDADU - for starters, there's a different smeggin' singer. also, it has ZERO in common with FII, SDOIT and TOT.
IAW - close, but lacks in the heaviness.
Awake - has the melodic songs, has the completely sick instrumental, has the heaviness, a fair slice of old-school feel... it's got the lot.
FII - apart from LITS and to a lesser extent Trial of Tears, the "progressive metal" element is completely missing. has the sick instrumental and the melodic songs, but also lacks heaviness. also Derek is the most unique DT keyboardist as far as sound goes, so he sticks out like a sore thumb a bit.
SFAM - this is easily in second place... it goes Awake, SFAM, daylight, IAW, more daylight, everything else. SFAM has it all, but isn't really as old-school as Awake, so it has less in common with WDADU.
SDOIT - see FII. has heaviness, but not nearly enough.
TOT - way too heavy and less progressive.
So I come to the conclusion that the album that define's DT sound over the length of their career is Awake.
But if we're talking about the band's breakout album, there's no doubt it's Images and Words. But if that's the angle we're talking about then it would be obvious for most bands.
I chose Awake as it's an album that has a nice mixture of the styles that DT have used from WDADU all the way to TOT. Sure, at the time they had no idea they'd go so heavy in the future, but we're talking in retrospect here. So for my argument, I define "career defining" as an album that sums up the essence of a band's sound in only one album. I don't think career defining means their breakout release.
As far as I'm concerned... career defining IS career representing. When you try to sum up (or define) DT's sound, you'd have to include old school prog metal from WDADU and IAW, the heaviness found in Awake, SFAM and TOT, and the melodic element most prominent on FII and SDOIT. Now if you look at any of those albums individually:
WDADU - for starters, there's a different smeggin' singer. also, it has ZERO in common with FII, SDOIT and TOT.
IAW - close, but lacks in the heaviness.
Awake - has the melodic songs, has the completely sick instrumental, has the heaviness, a fair slice of old-school feel... it's got the lot.
FII - apart from LITS and to a lesser extent Trial of Tears, the "progressive metal" element is completely missing. has the sick instrumental and the melodic songs, but also lacks heaviness. also Derek is the most unique DT keyboardist as far as sound goes, so he sticks out like a sore thumb a bit.
SFAM - this is easily in second place... it goes Awake, SFAM, daylight, IAW, more daylight, everything else. SFAM has it all, but isn't really as old-school as Awake, so it has less in common with WDADU.
SDOIT - see FII. has heaviness, but not nearly enough.
TOT - way too heavy and less progressive.
So I come to the conclusion that the album that define's DT sound over the length of their career is Awake.
But if we're talking about the band's breakout album, there's no doubt it's Images and Words. But if that's the angle we're talking about then it would be obvious for most bands.
