For Rush, their "return to form" came two albums earlier, with Vapor Trails.

My vote goes to Rush, anyway...

The funny thing is that ADToE was definitely a return to form for me (probably top five), but it was short lived, as I found the following, eponymous, album incredibly disappointing, and it’s easily one of my least favourite DT albums. I do very much like The Astonishing, though - so I guess the self-titled album was just a misstep…. 

Over on The Rush Forum, Clockwork Angels is often considered a return to form after the kind of uninspired, boring blues rock of Snakes And Arrows and the compressed-to-all-heck modern rock of Vapor Trails. Not that those albums are totally despised, but CA is generally more well regarded than anything since Power Windows. At the very least, it's considered a return to their prog heyday, as a concept album with multiple 6 and 7+ minute mini epics.

Yes. None of them are very interesting, at least to me.

IMO, the writing on VT is better than S&A and CA. Not one throwaway. Songs like "Freeze" and "Earthshine" hark back to GUP and PoW better than anything on the next two albums.

So what happens if they discuss the remixed Vapor Trails? Then does it get the accolades? 

Exactly my sentiments as well, with the exception of the fact that I didn't like The Astonishing. To me, that was the only true dud in DT's discog

Remixed VT is generally preferred over there, but still doesn't have the reputation of CA. To be fair, VT is generally considered far better than Roll The Bones, Presto, and Test For Echo regardless of the mix. So in the sense that the 90s were pretty hit or miss for Rush, and in the sense that they literally came back from a nearly career-ending hiatus to make it, VT is a great comeback for the band. It's just that CA goes further to return to the glory of their golden years in its scope and execution.

EDIT: I should also add that, while the synth era (roughly Signals through Hold Your Fire) is loved by many, the general consensus over there (and most places I find) is that Rush's golden period was from 2112 through Moving Pictures, give or take Signals since it still had Terry Brown on production duties.  It's that era of more direct influence from British prog like Yes and Genesis which Clockwork Angels recalls better than anything since Moving Pictures itself. And that's why the album is so well regarded and considered a return to form.

CA was a return to form indeed.

I would also think that the views of a Rush forum might be quite different from those who are not. I don’t know any Rush superfans, or even any who are enough of a fan to be a member of a forum or group dedicated solely to Rush. So from my point of view, I have never encountered anyone (until now) who has considered Clockwork Angels a return to form, and from other comments here, I guess I am not alone in having that (anecdotal) experience.

There is no right or wrong answer, of course. Everyone likely has a different idea of when Rush lost form, and when they returned to form - and obviously there will be some who insist Rush never returned to form, because they never lost it (or, conversely, because they never had it).

The same goes for ADToE for DT. This was certainly a return to form for me, but for some fans it is where the band completely lost the plot, and it is apparently unlistenable. We all hear and experience different things. So I’m definitely not having a go at anyone who has a differing opinion, so much as expressing my surprise as (until now) I’d never realised anyone considered Clockwork Angels a return to form!

Fair enough. To me it's the idea that CA wasn't a return to form that's surprising.  It's all I remember hearing about when it came out, and even progarchives has it rated as the best Rush album since Signals. But as you said, we all hear things differently. I was expecting more pushback from calling ADTOE a return to form, as a lot of people were very upset when Portnoy left. I justify that one more by the fact that it kind of feels like Images And Words 2 in places than it necessarily being better than what came before.

In no dimension, no time and space, is Clockwork Angels better than Grace Under Pressure. 

I know quite a few people who love the "synth era" and rate Signals and P/G as their best albums (even over Moving Pictures).

To me it's Power Windows that CA doesn't quite pass. I'm a synth era fan, but GuP has always left me a little colder than the two around it. All three rank over HYF for me though. Signals is my favorite of these, and it just misses my top three: 1. A Farewell To Kings, 2. Permanent Waves, 3. Moving Pictures.

Anyway it's all better than Roll The Bones!

Does not matter, Rush.

And I have ALWAYS been a massive fan of VT, that is the return to form album of the prog rock power trio, guitar, bass, drums.

I guess what you call colder, I'll call meaner. Signals was my favorite Rush album for ages (definitely has Gedd's best bass tone, and the Oberheim), but P/G has major league cojones: Every single song is a calculated kick in the rear. I love it.

Sacro_Porgo wrote: Anyway it's all better than Roll The Bones!

Presto > RTB. "Show Don't Tell" > everything on RTB. 

GuP took ages to grow on me. I still think Kid Gloves and Red Lenses aren't quite up to the standard of the rest of the album, especially of Between The Wheels, Distant Early Warning, and Red Sector A. Kid Gloves does have a ripping guitar solo though, and Red Lenses is fun if nothing else.

Totally agreed on that second part!

In total agreement. Every word you say. Looking forward to the new Dream Theater album as well.

The Astonishing is right up there with Six Degrees for me, as my favourite DT album. I love them both. This was my ranking on 10 May 2019, and it’s not greatly dissimilar today.

My absolute favourite DT release, though, is the first I ever heard - A Change of Seasons. 🤗🥰