Thanks for following along. I'd be very interested in seeing what your top 10 is, as well as what you think mine is going to be

Huh. I saw in your Random Analysis blurb that Devin's Ayreon stuff was the first you heard? That's cool, me too. I was so blown away by his vocals on Day Sixteen: Loser that I felt like I had to find more like it. That led me to Addicted, which was some of the first real metal I'd ever bothered to take seriously, aside from a couple Metallica and Dream Theatre songs. One year and fifteen albums later I've got a new favorite artist (usurping Mew).

So yeah, cool.

Yep, The Human Equation was what led me to him. That whole "Motion personified alpha" part from Pain used to blow me away (it still does, but in less of a "WOW I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THIS" way and in more of a "Devin is so cool" way.)

The Loser bit is still one of his absolute heaviest of moments. I wonder if he'll pull that vocal out at all on Deconstruction.

Good analysis... I probably won't agree with the final outcome for top places but each to their own, if people don't like it, let them make their own page.

For me, Canada would be waaay down ...come to think of it there would be A LOT of Terria at the top 10. But once again your opinions are nice and refreshing

Cool idea! I will be definitely be following along with this.

I am not going to critique the order, as it is your list and you can put the songs in any order you want, but for now, I will just say the following songs listed thus far would be much higher for me:

83. "Terminal" (I am still not sure how to rank some of the mellow Ki songs against the many rocking songs in his catalog, but I know this would be pretty high up)
80. "Pixillate" (this would be in my top 20)
75. "Tiny Tears" (another top 20, maybe even top 10, song)
72. "Truth" (this is in my top 5)
63. "Gaia" (I adore the pacing of this song; one of my three favorites from Synchestra, and probably a top 30 song for me)
62. "Canada" (Another song with a great tempo)

Keep the songs coming! I can't wait to see what is coming next.

Thank you very much. I have to say, this forum is much more well receiving of differing opinions than the one I presented a Dream Theater list on. Man...it's good to see that we can agree to disagree.

Should have the first 50 done by the end of the day. 100-58 is currently posted.

p.s. - The pacing of Gaia is fantastic.

EDIT: The first half is entirely revealed. ^_^

Just a tidbit, I think it's worth noting that ironically DT was reluctant to appear on THE. I can count on one hand the things he's done that I've disapproved of, but one of those things is the way he treated Arjen Lucassen in Ayreon; after he agreed to do it he ignored the project for a while and only bothered to "whip something up" after being prompted repeatedly by Lucassen. Again, one of the very few times I've heard DT succumbing to a cliche star mentality like that.

I'm enjoying your list so far. The only thing I can say I'm absolutely shocked at is your placement of Color Your World--It's my favorite DT song ever. =]

Really now? I never heard that part of things. The most I had heard was his reluctance to work on other people's written work, but I thought that the atmosphere changed between the two of them once he was allowed to write his own music.

Ironic indeed that I was impressed and wow'd by a thrown-together 'whipped up' something. Helps his case out when we praise his natural skill.

BTW, where did you get that from? (just wondering, as I used to read all of the THE interviews I could find and that information is foreign to me)

[Octillus]

terminal is one of my favorite songs ever, so I disagree with its placement.

I do, however, distinctly remember when you first started this project, and remembering it being kinda silly. As it stands, I was wrong, and the depth you've gone into is pretty enjoyable. It's something I could see myself doing if I had the time or the patience, of which I have neither, so well done.


Life better be top ten.

Thank you. And yeah...you have nothing to fear about that song's placement.

Really now? I never heard that part of things. The most I had heard was his reluctance to work on other people's written work, but I thought that the atmosphere changed between the two of them once he was allowed to write his own music.

Ironic indeed that I was impressed and wow'd by a thrown-together 'whipped up' something. Helps his case out when we praise his natural skill.

BTW, where did you get that from? (just wondering, as I used to read all of the THE interviews I could find and that information is foreign to me)

It's in the same interview where Dev calls Infinity his best record and Physicist his worst (two more things I highly disagree with). I can't really remember where I found it, but it was straight out of his own mouth. It might also be the one with the interviewer from South Africa, who asks Dev if he ever thinks about touring down there?

I doubt it would appear on a THE interview (assuming Lucassen was the one interviewed) because he always seemed to treat everyone on his records with so much respect, as if it was an enormous privilege just to work with them. Not that Dev isn't like that, just not to that degree.

[Octillus]

I know that interview and I can tell you I really didn't get that vibe at all.

I think it was more like a realistic vibe with the whole thing. On the Human Equation dvd, Arjen talks about how he approached Devin to perform on the album,and Dev was like, well uh I kinda do my own thing, and Arjen was cool with that, so Dev sent tapes in.

In that interview, the vibe I got was the reality of it, Dev sent tapes in, and that's kinda where his involvement began and ended, it's not that he's being a "rockstar" he's just commenting on the fact that there's only so much involvement he actually had with that record.

However it may have been, I doubt that Devin was rude or blunt in the way that's being implied. It sounds like the vagueness of details might have made it sound that way.

(100-41 completed.)

To comment on the Ayreon album subject. I believe it's as Arjen says on The Human Equation DVD. Arjen originally wanted Devin to be one of the leading singers on the album, singing the character "Rage" but Devin said that he doesn't feel comfortable with singing lyrics and vocal lines written by other people. So Arjen suggested that Devin could write the lyrics and vocal lines himself and Devin thought that that's too good an offer to turn down so he did it.

Edit: Actually found this interview on Arjen's website. I believe it explains the process of Devin appearing on THE perfectly fine:

http://www.arjenlucassen.com/ayreon/ay_devin.html

I can't say I sat around and read them all, but I really like your descriptions of the songs. As for one in specific... Judgment. It's probably very hard for anyone to not feel this way about the song. It's just so monumentous.