Artistic expression can be extreme. I have to be in the right frame of mind to approach most things. That honestly was not the reason I avoided them. In fact we used to joke about some of their earlier lyrics and how intentionally extreme they were. Seems like early album has a line "Mutilated corpse fucking your cunt, maggots for a cock". Obviously intentionally extreme. Yet in death metal vocals VERY few people that ever heard them sing it would actually know that was what they said.

That wasn't why I didn't listen to them. I'd simply become curious about new paths I hadn't explored before. It was usually technical skill and virtuosity that drug me along. Metallica was unlike anyone when they came out. So for years they were my favorite. I think they started drifting away from why I liked them after Cliff Burton died. Yet the path of following virtuosity lead me to prog metal. I ended up like Dream Theater a lot because as a musician I'd watch them perform and mentally realize what the 5 of them were doing sometimes LIVE and my mouth would drop open in awe... It was watching people that no matter how much I practiced it was very likely I could never reach their technical level and even if I could on my instrument what is the likelihood of finding 4 other people at that level too. Now there music is not for everyone. I sometimes jokingly call them the musicians band... here is why...

Most of us can draw stick figures... so when someone that can draw better comes along we like their art. Those artists in turn have artists that they admire and may consider beyond their skills in some technical ability. When it comes to skill in playing their instruments DT to me is perhaps one of the most skilled bands I've ever seen as a whole. There are tons of virtuosos in other bands... but I know of no other band that has all of them being top in their field and pushing that to the limit in performances... as a musician I stand in awe of what they are pulling off. Honestly I don't know how they do some of what they do.

That said... I found them. I like prog metal a lot and they have inspired others. So I've gotten to where I am not just looking for technical anymore. I mostly get excited by new stuff. Find me someone who doesn't sound like anyone else. Those are the people that excite me. It doesn't have to be just metal either. Though I still do revert to other styles. For the past few years I've really liked Opeth quite a lot, though their last few albums are going in a direction that doesn't appeal to me that much. It is GOOD but not really my thing. The Albums Black Water Park, and Ghost Reveries though I think are pretty bad ass... lots of textures... I describe their songs like eating a 5 course member... "don't like this serving? wait a couple minutes" :) Death Metal vocals in many songs mixed with a lot of good clean folk style vocals that are the same guy. Weird melodic acoustic stuff suddenly in the middle of some raging death metal song. I find the changes in textures really appealing. I didn't notice them much at first... I had them in my collection but hadn't really gotten into them. Then one day they just clicked. The past few albums starting with Heritage they've gone in a very different direction.

Almost like they are trying to resurrect 60s and 70s psychadelic prog rock. :P