Stoney

Queen are part of rock history in the sense that they were definitely one of the bands that brought this genre to a significant global audience, but many had done so before them. They have always been a chart-topping group, and very often they came out with some crazy stuff that was entertaining and catchy "in an intelligent way," let's put it that way... The fact remains that if we want to be objective, we must also realize that the genius often attributed to them is more a result of fan exuberance than anything else. If you think that an album like this was groundbreaking for its time, well, then what do we say about Frank Zappa? And I'm saying this as a Queen fan who has played this album to death, along with practically all the others. In my personal history, they rightfully rank among the top 3, but in a global context (if we're not talking in terms of success and sales but rather music as a concept)...I have my doubts.

But why, out of all the people who criticize the DT, do you have to pick on me?

Ktulu, I continue to raid the reviews of whoever I choose. As long as there is a review of Dream Theater with such absurdly enthusiastic tones, I will leave comments like the ones I wrote above, for the good of you and the fans who get upset when someone tears down their idols (and I'm certainly not the only one doing this). I see no reason why I shouldn't, since there are people on this site who feel entitled to write heaps of nonsense whenever they want from the height of their musical experience, which consists of listening to a grand total of 2 Metallica albums and 1 Iron Maiden. Here it seems like everyone opens their mouth and expresses their opinions without looking anyone in the face; I at least have the decency to argue my positions. Regards.

sylvian. Let's assume for a moment that I don't know what grunge is. However, I'm sure the reviewer who says that Afterhours plays it doesn't know either, and I was precisely criticizing that. I didn't want to start a discussion about the term "grunge." Best regards.

"It's about a boy who finds himself, in a dream, flying with a girl." Oh yes... how original, sweet, and sensitive the Dream Theater are...

"Fear Of The Dark offers colossal nonsense in its tracklist such as Fear Is The Key, Wasting Love, The Fugitive, Chains Of Misery, The Apparition, and Weekend Warrior." What the hell album did you listen to!? Why do Maiden fans scream failure as soon as the band strays from the classic Mi-Do-Re piece with galloping rhythm? I mean, they have an entire discography of songs that are all the same, and the one time they took the liberty to go just a tad further, they got bashed... I really don't understand, or maybe I understand perfectly well, I guess. Bah.

Ktulu. I've left comments on the records I love, but I certainly haven't gotten carried away. Pretty obvious, right? I've also left comments on albums that I deemed valid when the reviewer bashed them, and I've even bothered reviewers who praised albums I like because I believed they judged them based on the wrong parameters (just look at the reviews of Meshuggah's albums, for example). Of course, when it comes to Dream Theater, that's another story; for me, they epitomize the decline of human music. I'd much rather accept Pausini since no one considers her the beginning and the end of the musical universe. But that's well known. And if you notice, I don't come to annoy people for no reason, only when I think they're crossing the line. The comment by DeadHorse just above is an example of how one can listen to Dream Theater while still maintaining an acceptable level of objectivity. If all reviews were in similar tones, I wouldn't write certain things.

Five stars for this album?!... this site has serious difficulties in maintaining an acceptable level of credibility. A review is not a child's essay like "talk about the last album you really liked," it requires a minimum of competence, knowledge (I don't dare say "culture") and seriousness. Such a rating does not express a mature or objective judgment on the album; it is merely the reviewer's opinion, an expression of their personal tastes, and therefore completely useless. Moreover, the only comparisons made in the review are with Metallica and other albums by Dream Theater themselves, and only from the perspective of aggression or instrumental technique. These, along with statements like "Portnoy is the best drummer in the world for those who didn't know," "metallic yet melodic atmosphere," clearly illustrate the mindset of the person who wrote the review: someone who started listening to music just yesterday. A striking example that should make one reflect on those who consider this band "niche" and "complicated."

"Describing 'St. Anger' by Metallica is not difficult, but it’s not easy either." Wrong, it’s easy: it sucks. See? Easy...

I find myself compelled to copy-paste a comment I just left on another review by an Italian group: "Honestly, I don't understand this 'let's save what's salvageable' attitude towards Italian music. I don't get why we should strive to elevate a sellout who has done half of something acceptable in their entire career when, for instance, the underground scene in Italy is teeming with incredibly talented bands that have a whole universe of things to say. It's really true that we are brainwashed by advertising and television..."