Somthing that is often brought up by prog fans is, who is better, Dream Theater or Symphony X. Probably the two most influential bands of the genre, with some of the best musicians in the history of music. Both bands bring different elements to the stile. Dream Theater brings more elements of thrash metal, and Symphony X brings more elements of power metal. Who ever you pick you have give respect to both of these bands for holding up all of these years and making the music that they want to make, and influencing almost every other prog metal band or artist to ever write a song after them.

Dream Theater. although i couldn't discuss on a musical level to say that they are 'better', i do like them more, and they were one of the 2 first metal bands i listened to, so they're kinda specil fr me for that reason but other than that, i think that are really good, having the musical background that it's members have, and how they have changed over the last years and have been able to make different types of albums. Symphony X,on the other hand, i haven't heard much, so... yeah i go with DT all the way

We all know DT is going to win.
Still, I voted for SX because they are a little more power. I can't stand "pure" prog.

I picked Symphony X b/c Russell Allen has a great voice that he uses really well, and I love Michael Romeo's guitar style. Like others have said, they are more "power" than DT, which gives SX huge bonus points for me

This is a really tough contest to pick a winner. On current for over the last 5 or so years I would have to say Symphony X, they are managing to stay fresh and evolve their music to develop into something special. Dream Theater are outstanding and very hard to over look here but I have found the last few albums a little lacking in emotion and passion, while symphony X just seem to be improving with each album and show no signs of slowling.

Dream Theater, listen it for years now, and i can't stand symphony x.

No doubt Symphony X because I prefere old DT albums but since Symphony X criate Odissey , useing anciant hellenic myths into albums its would be sin vote for DT(Sorry Blood Tears)
I also like muiscaly Symphony X better

Symphony X is better. Listen to "The Odyssey" and you know why.

I voted for DT, although I like Symphony X too

Symphony x . i think romeo is far more 'interesting' than petrucci.

I voted for Dream Theater, although it was a difficult decision. DT to me is just a more powerful band in my opinion. The songs to me feel like their is a lot more passion and emotion in them compared to Symphony X.

Written by [user id=37538] on 22.04.2009 at 10:41

Symphony X is better. Listen to "The Odyssey" and you know why.

No.... I dont think that song is any good at all. I hate the way its structured and i find it to be incredibly boring. Now if you want to listen to a real Odyssey, listen to In the Presence of Enemies Pts. I & II back to back. That my friend is the real version of the Odyssey

Russel Allen and Michael Romeo might be amazing, but I still go with DT, because imo, EVRYONE in DT is amazing. On top of that, I honestly feel that the change in DT's style has swayed them away from stagnation in the genre. Stagnation for Symphony X, imo, is something that they have become all too familiar with. Paradise Lost was a good album and all, buuut, it does sort of repeat past styles. For Dream Theater, if we take, say, their last three releases, Train of Thought is a very different approach to anything they had done before that. That gives this album a unique sound in their career, and in my opinion it's amazing. Octavarium was more radio friendly, but Panic Attack and The Answers lie within are both very good songs. Octavarium, the song, is a testament to their mastery as prog musicians. Systematic Chaos? Well, they basically took ToT and Octavarium and meshed them together. Both radio friendly with a hint of agression and all in all a unique release all of it's own. So for me, Dream Theater is what wins it.

I have found that even though I crerated this poll I cannot really pick between the two, they are both so great. These are the prog metal masters, they not only make complex music but they make it so you are able to enjoy it.

Written by Bad English on 22.04.2009 at 10:30

No doubt Symphony X because I prefere old DT albums but since Symphony X criate Odissey , useing anciant hellenic myths into albums its would be sin vote for DT(Sorry Blood Tears)
I also like muiscaly Symphony X better

Don't worry about me, I love SX too. Although my vote is for DT just because I love them better and overall, they made better records.

Just remember when SX started to release records, DT had already 2 masterpieces.

Written by BloodTears on 28.04.2009 at 12:18

Written by Bad English on 22.04.2009 at 10:30

No doubt Symphony X because I prefere old DT albums but since Symphony X criate Odissey , useing anciant hellenic myths into albums its would be sin vote for DT(Sorry Blood Tears)
I also like muiscaly Symphony X better

Don't worry about me, I love SX too. Although my vote is for DT just because I love them better and overall, they made better records.

Just remember when SX started to release records, DT had already 2 masterpieces.

DT start at 80's so in those days all bands recordet masterpoicies but S X they hav song Odyssey 22 minutes yourney to the Greece , hellenic sea, myths n legends rise again

Well it was a hard choice 'cause both bands are great. I ended up voting for Symphony X. I prefer their take on progressive metal, the more power metalish approach. DT can bore me sometimes if I'm not in the mood for that kind of music.

I think the Symphony X is better because they have more epic songs.

Written by BloodTears on 28.04.2009 at 12:18

Just remember when SX started to release records, DT had already 2 masterpieces.

ah, yes. that there is another good reason why DT kicks SX ass

Written by tulkas on 28.04.2009 at 22:19

Written by BloodTears on 28.04.2009 at 12:18

Just remember when SX started to release records, DT had already 2 masterpieces.

ah, yes. that there is another good reason why DT kicks SX ass

We can even say 3 if we consider Awake was much better than SX first record.

Symphony X are awesome, Dream Theater is a classic also!

I think Dream Theater has more classic records than Symphony X, and Dream Theater's debut beats SX's debut by miles. But in my opinion Paradise Lost is much better than the last couple of records Dream Theater has released. But based on number of amazing records, I'd have to vote for Dream Theater.

For me the answer its easily Symphony X. To me they are more energetic and so much better when they peform live.

Easy one...of course DT
i'm into symphony-x too but i think they are sometimes a little bit cheesy, i think of them more as power than prog...i've been a DT fan for a long time now and even though i don't like much their last 2 albums, awake, images & words, 6doit, falling into infinity... masterpieces

They're both really great thus bore me at times...
However i think i prefer Dream Theater, lyricwise.

Dream Theater.. Mainly because of the very good performance of the band.. I like the way that drums, keyboards, guitar and vocals are performed in Dream Theater. Specially keys and drums.. Not to mention how I liked Octavarium and Train of Thoughts.. They are two of my favorite Progressive Metal albums..

Written by Hamird on 29.11.2009 at 13:25

Dream Theater.. Mainly because of the very good performance of the band.. I like the way that drums, keyboards, guitar and vocals are performed in Dream Theater. Specially keys and drums.. Not to mention how I liked Octavarium and Train of Thoughts.. They are two of my favorite Progressive Metal albums..

Are you saying Symphony X's performance is unsatisfactory? Or that it's worse than DT's?

Written by K✞ulu on 29.11.2009 at 15:17

Written by Hamird on 29.11.2009 at 13:25

Dream Theater.. Mainly because of the very good performance of the band.. I like the way that drums, keyboards, guitar and vocals are performed in Dream Theater. Specially keys and drums.. Not to mention how I liked Octavarium and Train of Thoughts.. They are two of my favorite Progressive Metal albums..

Are you saying Symphony X's performance is unsatisfactory? Or that it's worse than DT's?

I didn't say that Symphony X are not good performers.. But comparing to Dream Theater, yes, I'd say so..

Dream Theater, hands down. Then again, I am a DT fanboy and they are my favourite band. Symphony X is a great band but nothing compared to DT. First of all, I absolutely worship all the members in the band. I still to this day discover parts in the songs which makes me think "what the hell are they doing?" (in a good way). They just amaze me. "Images and Words" will probably always be my favourite album and just as Arian was saying, the band still evolves and every release is different from the other.

Micheal romeo's guitar work shatters any thing produced by dream theater. also dream theater are sell outs. their only good song in my view are "glass prison" which doesnt even compare to the master pieces such as inferno, smoke and mirrors, and evolution. symphony x shouldnt even be compared to drwam thater for dream theater isnt even on the same level of talent as symphony x.

Symphony takes my vote.