Dream Theater Vs Symphony X
- Thread starter mattt
- Start date
petrucci_dude
teh shredz0r
HAHA.
atm for me it's Symphony X. Seeing as I have three equal fave bands!
But... for longevity and what each band has done for me as a player and musician and writer, I must vote DT, even though currently SymX is way out in front.
atm for me it's Symphony X. Seeing as I have three equal fave bands!
But... for longevity and what each band has done for me as a player and musician and writer, I must vote DT, even though currently SymX is way out in front.
As much as I like DT, i'll have to go with Symphony X on this one.
To me Symphony X have always been a bit more consistent. From "The Damnation game" onwards they've hardly put a foot wrong imo.
The "V" album in particular is just pure pwnage from start to finish!
There's also the fact that Michael Romeo and Russell Allen =
To me Symphony X have always been a bit more consistent. From "The Damnation game" onwards they've hardly put a foot wrong imo.
The "V" album in particular is just pure pwnage from start to finish!
There's also the fact that Michael Romeo and Russell Allen =
Keeper of the Seven Cheese
Metallic Progressor
My opinion on this can change everyday. But today it's Dream Theater.
Both bands own noses as much as a jew that's been running.
Both bands own noses as much as a jew that's been running.
petrucci_dude
teh shredz0r
As much as I like DT, i'll have to go with Symphony X on this one.
To me Symphony X have always been a bit more consistent. From "The Damnation game" onwards they've hardly put a foot wrong imo.
The "V" album in particular is just pure pwnage from start to finish!
There's also the fact that Michael Romeo and Russell Allen =
Very true man. Good post.
But I must also add:
Petrucci and Rudess =
Celestial-Todd
The Incredible Bulk
My opinion on who is the "better" band changes everytime I listen to each band. Currently I would say that Paradise Lost is SLIGHTLY a better album then Systematic Chaos but that's only because they do "heavy" better then DT do.
Plus, Russell Allen has one of the best voices in metal
Plus, Russell Allen has one of the best voices in metal
FerretallicA
HMAS Slagdestroyer
If DT were "consistent" they'd be criticised for not being "progressive" enough and not doing enough new things or growing stale. Whenever they do anything that sounds similar to something they've done before it's slammed upon in an instant. How SyX manage to not only avoid criticism but actually be praised for the same thing is beyond me. They do pretty much the same thing album after album but just tighten their sound a bit each time.
I still like SyX a lot but Dream Theater FTW
By the way anyone that likes Symphony X should listen to Adagio. They're a French band that basically do "Symphony X" better than Symphony X.
SymX_AUS
Member
The Apparition
Porpoise McSalamander
I don't think there's any rule that says you have to do something completely different every time you make an album. This has definitely worked against DT. I love the band but i don't see doing something "different" or being progressive as taking influence from a different genre or different bunch of bands every album.
You can see which bands DT are trying to replicate on each and every section of their music. They basically admit this themselves. The band chart their songs out by naming each section after the band the part sounds like! You can see Portnoy going through this on one of his instructional DVD's and you can see the parts are named Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, Metallica etc
This has resulted in some pretty lacklustre results over the years as i don't think DT really ever developed their "own" style. They are pretty much a combination of every major progressive band up to the 90's. They take influence from truly unique bands and throw it all into a big prog soup and that's DT.
Honestly i think Symphony X have developed a style that is more their own than DT. Sure they have never gone out on a limb and done something radically different but why should they? I think every album has enough change to make it interesting and they are just amazingly consistent songwriters and performers with barely a bad or even average song to their name. I don't think the band has ever gone out of their way to say "we are a progressive band". It's the fans who label them that, and the fans who have started this ridiculous argument on two bands who don't really sound alike and obviously have two completely different approaches to making music.
And there you go. I've been suckered into this stupid debate once again!
You can see which bands DT are trying to replicate on each and every section of their music. They basically admit this themselves. The band chart their songs out by naming each section after the band the part sounds like! You can see Portnoy going through this on one of his instructional DVD's and you can see the parts are named Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, Metallica etc
This has resulted in some pretty lacklustre results over the years as i don't think DT really ever developed their "own" style. They are pretty much a combination of every major progressive band up to the 90's. They take influence from truly unique bands and throw it all into a big prog soup and that's DT.
Honestly i think Symphony X have developed a style that is more their own than DT. Sure they have never gone out on a limb and done something radically different but why should they? I think every album has enough change to make it interesting and they are just amazingly consistent songwriters and performers with barely a bad or even average song to their name. I don't think the band has ever gone out of their way to say "we are a progressive band". It's the fans who label them that, and the fans who have started this ridiculous argument on two bands who don't really sound alike and obviously have two completely different approaches to making music.
And there you go. I've been suckered into this stupid debate once again!
petrucci_dude
teh shredz0r
That's DT's style though man, they even admit it on the Live at Budokan DVD..
They say something about being a big melting pot of sounds, influences and styles.
No one does the melting pot better than DT.
They say something about being a big melting pot of sounds, influences and styles.
No one does the melting pot better than DT.
FerretallicA
HMAS Slagdestroyer
petrucci_dude
teh shredz0r
Keeper of the Seven Cheese
Metallic Progressor
FerretallicA
HMAS Slagdestroyer
They may not always adhere to the same strict formula but they still have enough of their own style as to be distinct. I think the fact that so many bands (eg- Andromeda, Ice Age, Circus Maximus, Sun Caged, Empty Tremor, Ivory Tower, Shadow Gallery etc etc etc) are considered "Dream Theater clones" is testament enough.
The main thing I think Symphony X has over Dream Theater is accessibility. You can say to someone "check out 3 Dream Theater songs" and have no idea what they'll be listening to. Maybe they get lucky and pick some of the more distinctive DT tunes a'la "Pull Me Under", "Dance of Eternity" and "Sacrificed Sons". If they listen to something like "The Spirit Carries On", "You Not Me" and "The Silent Man" they won't have a clue what the big deal is. Say "check out 3 Symphony X songs" and you can be pretty confident they're going to get the picture whatever songs they choose. Then again the same can be said about something like AC/DC or Motorhead. I'd consider their one-sound-fits-all approach to be a fault as well even if they may put out a few classics along the way.
FerretallicA
HMAS Slagdestroyer
I was just thinking of the example of Metallica... finding a good sound and sticking to what you know isn't always such a bad thing
The Apparition
Porpoise McSalamander
I disagree. Dream Theater have accessibility by the bucket loads compared to SX. Just look at DT's career. The pretty much made their mark in the early 90's through MTV and radio play with Pull Me Under. Even though they were a progressive band it was obvious their intentions were to become a mainstream act. Another Day was written to be their chart topping ballad. Since they cover a wide variety of styles, ballads, heavy stuff, prog rock, instrumental virtuosity it's a given that they are going to appeal to a wide variety of people.
If you look at a DT audience it's made up of a wide variety of people from different musical backgrounds. Prog rock fans, prog metal fans, metal fans, rock fans etc
Symphony X have never made videos released singles or any of that stuff. To me Symphony X fit perfectly in the middle. They don't jump on trends, or just release an album in a different style because they recently got into some new bands. Within their style, they cover a wide range of stuff. Listen to the song the Odyssey and tell me you could predict that song? DT have tried the symphonic thing a few times and in my opinion failed.
I, like you, like bands who are unpredictable and experiment too. But i also like bands who stick to their guns because i wouldn't want every band in the world to approach music with the same attitude as DT.
Celestial-Todd
The Incredible Bulk
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