Porcupine Tree vs Dream Theater

^ so close, thanks and corrected.

Here's how I see it:

Fresh off of their stomping of The Flower Kings (link) The Dream Theater gang continue their strut down the alley of Progressive Bad Assness cocky and still full of themselves.  They don't notice that they're walking into a trap.

Out of nowhere, Colin Edwin leaps from a second story building, hurtling towards John Myung.  Unfortunately, Myung's years of martial arts training serve him well allowing him to gingerly step to the side, avoiding Edwin completely.  Unfortunately, Edwin doesn't do nearly as good of a job avoiding the ground, effectively taking himself out of the fight.

With the element of surprise gone, Steven Wilson takes on the daunting trio of Charlie Dominici, James Labrie and John Petrucci.  Steven would hold his own at first, using a broken guitar string as a garrote against James LaBrie, though little did anyone know, LaBrie's surgically reconstructed throat was apparently surrounded by a sheath of surgical steel rendering Wilson's attack ineffective at best.  This serves to only piss off John Petrucci who promptly eats Steven Wilson and Charlie Dominici.

Mike Portnoy sizes up the pair of Harrison and Maitland and starts posturing by hitting as many things as he possibly can with his sticks.  In a move, vaguely reminiscent of the first Indiana Jones movie, Gavin Harrison wails a stick at Portnoy in the midst of the flourish, hitting him square between the eyes and removing him from combat.

As the keyboardists were getting ready to duke it out, Kevin Moore gets a call from his girlfriend breaking up with him.  He promptly storms off angrily into obscurity, singing about his hurt in a flat and uninteresting voice.  Derek Sherenin watches with a certain amount of amusement as Moore leaves then turns towards Richard Barbieri sizing up the opponent.  As Sherenin studies the situation, Jordan goes into a series of convulsions, with his beard quivering menacingly Rudess begins to scream at Barberi, advancing towards the man.  As he gets closer and closer, Barberi first looses the ability to stand then the ability to hold his bladder. 

Winner - Dream Theater


Edited by Roland113 - December 20 2009 at 13:53

While I enjoy Dream Theater and recognize their technical abilities, their playing and songwriting lack subtlety and nuance. Not quite as bad as "Dragonforce" but solos are technique for technique sake, and often leave me cold. 

Both have made their own respective big impact on prog music. Dream Theater is the more important band and their best albums are better than Porcupine Tree's best albums. Porcupine Tree has definitely been the better band since the turn of the century, and I don't think any of Dream Theater's songs have matched the power of "Trains" and a handful of other songs. Plus Porcupine Tree do a better job in the production department. So I guess they're about equal overall.

Porcupine Tree have a great groove, Dream Theater however do not. You've gotta have a groove in my opinion. 

Just for precision's sake, SW did appear of Systematic Chaos, but his contribution consisted of apologizing for disliking DT's music (every guest had to apologize for something, that was the concept). Which is quite a clear message about: a) SW's opinion of DT's music; b) the fact that DT and SW are friends; c) both being able to be iroinc about one's opinion of each other's.

PT have tonnes of evolution in their sound. There is a big difference between even On The Sunday of Life and the second disc. SW dropped the little pop ditties (Jupiter Island, Linton Samuel Dawson) by the time of Up The Downstair. 

Kashmir75 wrote: infandous wrote: I'm not sure how you compare these groups, as they are nothing alike.  However, it is worth pointing out that Mike Portnoy loves PTree, but Steven Wilson doesn't much care for Dream Theater.  Of course, my impression is that I'd much rather hang out with Portnoy than Wilson, as Wilson strikes me as an arrogant sort. If we are comparing lyrics, PTree by an incredibly wide margin.  If we are comparing music, I'd say I prefer PTree, though DT certainly have the edge in terms of technique and instrumental skill.  But PTree just write better songs, better melodies, and have much more palatable vocals for my taste.  Though to be fair, neither bands vocals are all that great to my ears. SW can't dislike DT all that much, because he agreed to do a guest spot on 2007's Systematic Chaos album, and PT have toured with DT before. I think he's on good terms with Portnoy.  I agree that PT have better lyrics and melodies. DT obviously outdo them in technical virtuosity, but they need to know when to cut it back sometimes.

Well, I didn't say he disliked them personally.  Just their music.  He has stated this in interviews. He respects them as skilled musicians, but their music doesn't do anything for him (I'm paraphrasing here, as I don't remember his exact words, but that was the gist of it).  I think he and Portnoy get along fine, as Portnoy loves PTree music.

I agree about DT.  But that is what they do.  I can enjoy it for what it is, when I'm in the mood.  Though I must admit that the consistency of modern prog bands does make me think that the early prog bands and their attempts to change their sound and stay relevant, were far more progressive (even if the results didn't appeal to me).






Edited by infandous - December 11 2009 at 09:55

Of course Dream Theater is the better band. Porcupine Tree is just boring crap.

Kashmir75 wrote: I'm curious. Which of these has offered 'fan service' over the last decade, I wonder? PT don't seem to care much what people's expectations are. They just make the music they want to. And I applaud them for that. DT polarise their fans more and more with each release, so I don't think they listen too much to the fans either. And they shouldn't. Listening to the fans: big mistake.

Well, I could certainly be wrong, but that's just from my own personal observation. Dream Theater doesn't seem to have done much in regards to advancing their sound in the last few years (aside from perhaps making their influences more and more evident with each album). Not to mention Train of Thought, an album designed almost entirely around fan response to their heavier songs during live performances.