Rank these Prog Metal Masterpieces

1. DREAM THEATER - Images and Words
2. FATES WARNING - Perfect Symmetry
3. CYNIC - Focus
4. WATCHTOWER - Control and Resistance
5. QUEENSRYCHE - Operation: Mindcrime
6. VOIVOD - Nothingface

(updated for my personal ranking)

1. QUEENSRYCHE - Operation: Mindcrime
2. DREAM THEATER - Images and Words

Had that Watchtower album at one point, but never could get into it. Haven't heard the others. That Voivod album is on my want-list though. Someday.

1. FATES WARNING - Perfect Symmetry
2. QUEENSRYCHE - Operation: Mindcrime
3. DREAM THEATER - Images and Words
4. WATCHTOWER - Control and Resistance
5. CYNIC - Focus
6. VOIVOD - Nothingface

I'm surprised to see FATES so high on your list Shawn! To me musically, even taking off the vocals, that album is just written so well.

From the list...Each band has way better albums (IMHO).
1. VOIVOD - Nothingface
2. WATCHTOWER - Control and Resistance
3. CYNIC - Focus
4. FATES WARNING - Perfect Symmetry
5. QUEENSRYCHE - Operation: Mindcrime

man, I forgot Dream Theater 

They'd be between Cynic and Fates Warning

Temple of Blood wrote:

I'm surprised to see FATES so high on your list Shawn!  To me musically, even taking off the vocals, that album is just written so well.  

I'm surprised that you're surprised...I've been a FW fan since 1991 or so...

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

I'm surprised to see FATES so high on your list Shawn!  To me musically, even taking off the vocals, that album is just written so well.  

I'm surprised that you're surprised...I've been a FW fan since 1991 or so...

I knew you were a big FW fan but didn't think you would put them over QR (like I do).

James B. wrote:

From the list...Each band has way better albums (IMHO).

Really? Like which ones? I know CYNIC didn't have a better album.

I named the ones that were generally the most "prog" and popular.

Queensryche - O.M.
VoiVod - Nothingface

Don't own the others. Never got into DT or FW much and tho I owned the WatchTower disc at one time I eventually traded it off cuz I never listened to it.

Temple of Blood wrote:

James B. wrote:

From the list...Each band has way better albums (IMHO).

Really?  Like which ones?  I know CYNIC didn't have a better album.

I named the ones that were generally the most "prog" and popular.  

Maybe I should have stated , "Most of those bands" 

IMHO. "Rage For Order" is more progressive and better than "Mindcrime" But my opinion doesn't always match the majority.

I like "Awake" better than "Images And Words"

The first 3 Fates Warning are more to my liking than anything afterwards.

I'll give ya Cynic and maybe Watchtower.

"Rrroooaaarrr", "Killing Tecnology" and "Dimension Hatross" are better than "Nothingface"  Also just my opinion.

DT
QR
VV
FW

Haven't heard the others. As I've stated I'm somewhat of a "FW h8r" but their later prog era has really caught on to me. Symmetry is a pretty good album.

Queensryche followed by Dream Theater. I don't have nor have heard any of the others.

I'm surprised there aren't more aficionados of Images & Words. It's certainly dated and nothing close to what they did on Awake and SFAM, but even the epic Metropolis Pt. 1 has to be one of the most memorable prog metal songs released. That midsection is crazy, insane shit that branded me like a cow the first time I heard it.

Queensryche
Fates Warning
Voivod
Dream Theater
I don't have the others myself.

Only have Dream Theater and Queensryche. Of the two I'll easily take Dream Theater. I'm not much of a Ryche fan and I think O:M is of the most overrated albums on the planet.

Not familiar enough with Voivod and Cynic, and completly forgot this Watchtower record I bought some years ago. So:

1. FW - Perfect Symmetry



2. Queensryche - OM (for Eyes of a Stranger and I Don't Believe in Love mostly. I'll take any of their "classic" albums (including Promised Land) over Mindcrime any day)
3. Dream Theatre - IaW. The band has one album I like - the debut. This one I somewhat enjoy. After that count me in as a hater.

I'd hack the thread and put Psychotic Waltz after Fates though.

And I have to say I hardly ever listen to Dream Theater. I bought that mainly on the strength of Pull Me Under (a killer song) but the rest of it is rather mundane to me. I wouldn't call me a hater of the band,they're very talented. It's just the sort of music that I don't really get into.

corplhicks wrote:

I'm surprised there aren't more aficionados of Images & Words. It's certainly dated and nothing close to what they did on Awake and SFAM, but even the epic Metropolis Pt. 1 has to be one of the most memorable prog metal songs released. That midsection is crazy, insane shit that branded me like a cow the first time I heard it.

I was a late-bloomer when it comes to DT in general. While I had heard of them, I didn't get interested until Train of Thought and have gradually been back-tracking. I only picked up Images & Words a couple of years ago. Had I been there from the beginning or got it as a new release, I might feel differently about it.

Queensryche, Fates, DT - haven't heard that Voivod in years and don't remember it. Never heard the Watchtower one.

1. DREAM THEATER - Images and Words
2. QUEENSRYCHE - Operation: Mindcrime
3. FATES WARNING - Perfect Symmetry

Haven't heard the others.

1. QUEENSRYCHE - Operation: Mindcrime
2. CYNIC - Focus
3. DREAM THEATER - Images and Words
4. FATES WARNING - Perfect Symmetry
5. WATCHTOWER - Control and Resistance
6. VOIVOD - Nothingface

I've never heard Nothingface, or much from Voivoid that has interested me, so their spot is irrelevant on my list.

James B. wrote:

From the list...Each band has way better albums (IMHO).
1. VOIVOD - Nothingface
2. WATCHTOWER - Control and Resistance
3. CYNIC - Focus
4. FATES WARNING - Perfect Symmetry
5. QUEENSRYCHE - Operation: Mindcrime

man, I forgot Dream Theater 

They'd be between Cynic and Fates Warning

Did you edit your post to point out you'd forgotten to add Dream Theater instead of just adding Dream Theater to the list?   

I can't believe most of this forum hasn't heard Watchtower or Nothingface.   

1. Voivod- Nothingface
2. Watchtower- Control and Resistance
3. Cynic- Focus
4. Queensryche- Operation: Mindcrime
5. Fates Warning- Perfect Symmetry
6. Dream Theater- Images and Words

BearOnUnicycle wrote:

I'd hack the thread and put Psychotic Waltz after Fates though.

I debated putting PSYCHOTIC WALTZ and others like DEPRESSIVE AGE on there but on a board where people haven't heard VOIVOD and WATCHTOWER ... what's the point?

1. VOIVOD - Nothingface
2. FATES WARNING - Perfect Symmetry
3. DREAM THEATER - Images and Words
4. WATCHTOWER - Control and Resistance
5. CYNIC - Focus
6. QUEENSRYCHE - Operation: Mindcrime (Never was a big fan of this one.)

Top 4 could easily switch positions on any given day of the week, depending on which one I'm more into at the time. Haha! Never was a big fan of Operation: Mindcrime. I much prefer Rage for Order or The Warning.

Temple of Blood wrote:

BearOnUnicycle wrote:

I'd hack the thread and put Psychotic Waltz after Fates though.

I debated putting PSYCHOTIC WALTZ and others like DEPRESSIVE AGE on there but on a board where people haven't heard VOIVOD and WATCHTOWER ... what's the point?

And I love Psychotic Waltz and dig Depressive Age as well.