decypher wrote: The Odyssey is ok but like all Symphony X stuff that I have heard so far, typical "symphonic 'progressive'(?) power metal cheese" - I just hate that typical neoclassical thing like "Kings of Terror" (hehe, such a title makes me think they must be swedish!) and a very obvious and shallow kind of "complexity", DT is a different class.

Symphony x makes good cheese!, DT has their share of cheese too..

I like both none the less!... and so you voted for DT i guess???

decypher wrote: and a very obvious and shallow kind of "complexity", DT is a different class.

Oh that's right, Octavarium is much much much much more complex song than The Odyssey.

Oh please, don't make me laugh

Majestic_Mayhem wrote: Yep, John Petrucci has that jazzy "edge" compared to Mike Romeo.

But the edge of Romeo is mich sharper ... he really rocks.

I think that Octavarium is really well composed and contains some stunning parts, great musicianship. The Odyssey is simpler ... but also much more interesting. And the different parts really work in the context of the story, which can't really be said for Octavarium.

Xymphony wrote: decypher wrote: and a very obvious and shallow kind of "complexity", DT is a different class.   Oh that's right, Octavarium is much much much much more complex song than The Odyssey.   Oh please, don't make me laugh

Octavarium is Extreamly complex in concept.

This is a page that explains the concept of octavarium. It talks about the whole album, but goes into detail about the song twards the bottom.

Octavarium, although both Songs are FAR form being masterpieces... Actually far from being great songs...

There should be a poll bout the real masterpieces:

A Change of Seasons vs The Divine Wings of Tragedy

Totally agreed...

Yet, The Odyssey is in fact a very quality song, however i have some problems with that album, mostly about sound (esp. drum). I can not get into some songs, though their composition and performing is splendid...

decypher wrote: You can laugh as much as you like, no problem. For me it's not about complexity (which actually is an advantage for Symphony X, regarding to their very simple song structures around the (mostly very good) instrumental parts - it's the Malmsteen-Thing, boring songs, good solos, next one please - sounded 1985 like it did 1995 and 2005 and will sound the same in 2015). (I do like "Accolade") Yep I voted for DT (of course), even though they definitely made very cheesy songs in the past, I just think they have much more variety to offer than the neoclassical-lalala-stuff from symphony x, which seems far more limited to me than DT's style.

I agree with most everything you said.  Symphony X lacks variation.  Octavarium is a wonderfully composed song.  The piece is always building and has a lot more character to it than The Odyssey does.  I see Octavarium as a much more passionate piece because it's a song that is an invention all to Dream Theater.  I don't see much passion with Symphony X basically narrating a Homer Poem.  That's like Iced Earth being passionate over a comic book.

The complexity of Octavarium is far beyond that of The Odyssey.  With Octavarium we have excellent chromatic and modal passages.  With Octavarium we have more time signatures and hemiolas. With Octavarium we have a more variant song structure.  With The Odyssey, we don't really have any of that. 

I also agree with Ed.  A Change of Seasons vs. Divine Wings of Tragedy.  (As usuall I'd vote for Dream Theater.)

I think Dream Theater is a more talented band, but i have to go with the Odesey as being the better epic. 

The Odyssey is a much more variant and innovative song.

The rhythm section (guitar and drums) of the Odyssey is more complex and diverse.

That's a joke too.  John Myung is exponentially better than Mike LePond.  LePond is a straight rythymn bass player.  The only melodic line he has is the the tapping part of Egypt back on V.  LePond's bass lines add nothing to the music of Symphony X.  John Myung on the other hand plays parts that are reasonably separate from Petrucci's guitar line.  Myung uses much more of his bass and plays much more melodic lines.  The unison part in the insturmental section of Octavarium alone is enough to show the bass playing in Octavarium is exponentially better than the bass playing in The Odyssey.

Do you really want to compare Mike Portnoy to Jason Rullo?  Rullo inevitably uses a four on the floor beat with his bass drum.  Rullo isn't variant.  He may be underrated by some, but to say that his work is more complex and diverse than Portnoy's is rubbish.  Portnoy has consistently shown the ability to throw fills in unconventional spots in songs.  Portnoy is a master at creating different solos.  I don't even really catch Rullo's solos, but Portnoy never fails to create a solo that surprises the listener.

Octavarium, because I usually vote for Dream Theater over Symphony X!

Nah, Jus' Kiddin'. I really like Octavarium over the title track, the Odyssey. You know why? Despite the lack of originality and the lack of proper melody, I still find the overall epic to more better and more creative than the Odyssey. The usage of the Pink Floyd entrance, Genesis-like phrases, along with more melodic Dream Theater riffs (As compared to harsh Michael Romeo chug-chug riffs ), more melodic singing by Labrie (Even though I find Russell Allen's voice to better on this song that on the entire Odyssey album, I which I must say was not a good one ).

Overall, despite the lack of originality, Dream Theater pulls off this epic very well, it is among my favorite songs of 2005 because of that.

Also here, we are comparing different styles. As mentioned before, Symphony X is a Neo-Classically influenced band with a lot of Neo-Classical Symphonic sections, the beginning of the epic sounds like Lord of the Rings soundtrack music! While, on the other hand, even though Dream Theater on this song uses strings and a small symphony, they still manage to sound like Dream Theater, which is the more Jazzier style as compared to Neo-Classical Metal.

I wouldn't want to vote in this poll as it is to compare styles, but I see Dream Theater desperately needs help!

W.Chuck wrote: AtLossForWords wrote: The Odyssey is a much more variant and innovative song. [IMG]style="WIDTH: 397px; HEIGHT: 245px" height=119 src="smileys/smiley36.gif" width=17> The rhythm section (guitar and drums) of the Odyssey is more complex and diverse. That's a joke too.  John Myung is exponentially better than Mike LePond.  LePond is a straight rythymn bass player.  The only melodic line he has is the the tapping part of Egypt back on V.  LePond's bass lines add nothing to the music of Symphony X.  John Myung on the other hand plays parts that are reasonably separate from Petrucci's guitar line.  Myung uses much more of his bass and plays much more melodic lines.  The unison part in the insturmental section of Octavarium alone is enough to show the bass playing in Octavarium is exponentially better than the bass playing in The Odyssey. omg, that's so sad... Can't you even read? I've extra written (GUITAR AND DRUMS)... I wouldn't have written that if I would have meant the bass too... PLEASE read a text carefully before making a mock of you... AtLossForWords wrote: Do you really want to compare Mike Portnoy to Jason Rullo? Rullo inevitably uses a four on the floor beat with his bass drum. Rullo isn't variant. He may be underrated by some, but to say that his work is more complex and diverse than Portnoy's is rubbish. Portnoy has consistently shown the ability to throw fills in unconventional spots in songs. Portnoy is a master at creating different solos. I don't even really catch Rullo's solos, but Portnoy never fails to create a solo that surprises the listener. same here... I talked about THE ODYSSEY!!!!!!... NOT about both of them in general!!!...in general Mike Portnoy is much better, but in the Odyssey Jason Rullo is simply amazing, just listen to the song carefully in a bass mode and listen carefully to the drums! I don't know what's wrong with you? Are you ignoring some words to show off in your answer how bad Symphony X and how great Dream Theater is, like you always do, when there is any opportunity?

So in your musical world, a rythymn section is made up of guitars and drums, not bass and drums?  I'm sorry, but when there is a discussion over a rock/metal band, and I hear someone mention rythymn section, I think bass and drums.  Why, because that's a what a rythymn section is.

So Rullo is selectively better than Mike Portnoy?  Did Mike Portnoy just decide not to be as skillfull in the song Octavarium?  If Mike Portnoy is better than Rullo, why wouldn't that be evident when two songs are of comparable quality are being compared?  Maybe if it's The Odyssey vs. You Not Me, I could understand that.  This is Octavarium vs. The Odyssey, I think it's fair to compare these drum parts by technique.

W.Chuck wrote: AtLossForWords wrote: W.Chuck wrote: AtLossForWords wrote: The Odyssey is a much more variant and innovative song. [IMG]style="WIDTH: 397px; HEIGHT: 245px" height=119 src="smileys/smiley36.gif" width=17> The rhythm section (guitar and drums) of the Odyssey is more complex and diverse. That's a joke too.  John Myung is exponentially better than Mike LePond.  LePond is a straight rythymn bass player.  The only melodic line he has is the the tapping part of Egypt back on V.  LePond's bass lines add nothing to the music of Symphony X.  John Myung on the other hand plays parts that are reasonably separate from Petrucci's guitar line.  Myung uses much more of his bass and plays much more melodic lines.  The unison part in the insturmental section of Octavarium alone is enough to show the bass playing in Octavarium is exponentially better than the bass playing in The Odyssey. omg, that's so sad... Can't you even read? I've extra written (GUITAR AND DRUMS)... I wouldn't have written that if I would have meant the bass too... PLEASE read a text carefully before making a mock of you... AtLossForWords wrote: Do you really want to compare Mike Portnoy to Jason Rullo? Rullo inevitably uses a four on the floor beat with his bass drum. Rullo isn't variant. He may be underrated by some, but to say that his work is more complex and diverse than Portnoy's is rubbish. Portnoy has consistently shown the ability to throw fills in unconventional spots in songs. Portnoy is a master at creating different solos. I don't even really catch Rullo's solos, but Portnoy never fails to create a solo that surprises the listener. same here... I talked about THE ODYSSEY!!!!!!... NOT about both of them in general!!!...in general Mike Portnoy is much better, but in the Odyssey Jason Rullo is simply amazing, just listen to the song carefully in a bass mode and listen carefully to the drums! I don't know what's wrong with you? Are you ignoring some words to show off in your answer how bad Symphony X and how great Dream Theater is, like you always do, when there is any opportunity? So in your musical world, a rythymn section is made up of guitars and drums, not bass and drums?  I'm sorry, but when there is a discussion over a rock/metal band, and I hear someone mention rythymn section, I think bass and drums.  Why, because that's a what a rythymn section is. Oh damn...I KNOW THAT AND THAT'S WHY I WROTE (GUITAR AND DRUMS) EXACTLY BEHIND IT... AtLossForWords wrote: So Rullo is selectively better than Mike Portnoy?  Did Mike Portnoy just decide not to be as skillfull in the song Octavarium?  If Mike Portnoy is better than Rullo, why wouldn't that be evident when two songs are of comparable quality are being compared?  Maybe if it's The Odyssey vs. You Not Me, I could understand that.  This is Octavarium vs. The Odyssey, I think it's fair to compare these drum parts by technique. are you serious? Of course he is as skillfull, but the achievement counts and not what he would be able to do otherwise... And your last part is totally senseless I compare both songs by technique, what the drums do. And if Rullo does a better job, he's better in that song. In general (symphony X vs Dream Theater) Mike Portnoy would definitely win, but this time we just compare 2 songs, nothing else just those 2 songs and only that what happens in those 2 songs counts, nothing else!

If you know that a rythymn section in metal/rock is bass and drums, WHY DO YOU CALL A RYTHYMN SECTION GUITAR AND DRUMS?

It's not much of a rythymn section is there isn't bassist.

I think Mike Portnoy wins in this case too.  Does Rullo do anything as delicate in The Odyssey as Portnoy does at the beginning of Octavarium most specifically the second movement of the song.  Does he do anything as complex as the instrumental section following the third movement?

Ya well im gonna agree with the other guy the bass and drums are the the rhythm section. and as far as Rullo having a better performance than Portnoy not a chance in hell !

[IMG]style="WIDTH: 397px; HEIGHT: 245px" height=119 src="smileys/smiley36.gif" width=17>

The Odyssey is far better than Octovarium

And it does justice to Homer’s poem.