Dream Theater - Prog or not?

For me, they are merely  a metal act with progressive tendencies.

I removed the 'merely' because that sounds to me as if being metal would in any sort of way indicate a lower value then being prog.

Raff wrote: Anyway, back to the topic at hand, I would be inclined to go for the last option. Personally, I believe true prog-metal to be other than DT and their many followers (which of course is not a value judgment at all) - Voivod, for instance, strike me as much more authentically progressive than DT, not to mention instrumental bands like Canvas Solaris or Gordian Knot.

Man Overboard wrote: You might not care for their "unique" songwriting style or lack of subtlety (I certainly don't), but you'd be a damned fool not to see that it's prog.  Just because it's prog doesn't mean you have to like it, and just because you like it doesn't mean it's prog.

I don't doubt your sincerity here but take a step back and consider that there are many member of PA who might find the terms you use to couch such an opinion a tad intimidating i.e. if I express my sincere opinion but disagree with this poster I am deemed a fool. Please don't allow us to hoist you by your own petard.

They are prog metal. Metal is rock. They are prog rock.

rushfan4 wrote: Sadly there are folks who don't think Rush or Kansas are progressive either.  It seems that at times the band must have originated in Mother Europe in order for a band to be considered progressive.

Come on, is this for real?

Edited by Camel666 - February 19 2010 at 02:48

Well, They are the epitome of Prog Metal. I mean, If it wasn't for Images and Words, prog metal would be a very different genre compared to what it is now. They are also prog rock because....well...progmetal is a subset of progrock whichever way you look at it.

In recent years, they have mixed their prog elements with an increasingly straight-metal approach. This is something that saddens me very much, and sometimes it is hard to like the band nowadays. But for every "constant motion" or "as I am", they go on and do something like Octavarium (the song) or the first section of "the count of tuscany" and they do redeem themselves in my eyes.

Bottom line, DT used to be a great prog band (up until rudess joined in), nowadays they have the occasional flashes of brilliance, but I feel they are not putting their potential to great use. Oh well....

Logan wrote: It certainly doesn't.  If music being Prog was dependant upon quality (rather than qualities), most of the bands in the archives, and a number of categories, would be discarded -- leaving only my, and people with similarly good tastes -- favourites. ;)  Anyway, there's not much worse than cookie-cutter Prog (Prog-by-numbers), and could Dream Theater ever be accused of that?

It certainly doesn't.  If music being Prog was dependant upon quality (rather than qualities), most of the bands in the archives, and a number of categories, would be discarded -- leaving only my, and people with similarly good tastes -- favourites. ;)  Anyway, there's not much worse than cookie-cutter Prog (Prog-by-numbers), and could Dream Theater ever be accused of that?

Edited by Logan - February 18 2010 at 20:16

No vote. Depends entirely on what you're talking about. Even their best albums (I love Awake, for instance) don't strike me as being genuinely progressive.