Originally posted by Moose Knight
Umm...DT never fingertaps, and they use about as much synth/electronic effects as Tool does, so your post doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
The solo from Blind Faith sounds finger tapped in some places to me. And Tool uses electronic effects, yes. Hardly any synth, though. Personally I really don't like synth much, even when Pink Floyd used it, but that's just my personal bugbear.

Unless you're talking about Symphony X, but what's wrong with fingertapping anyway? Van Halen did it, so does that mean that the technique is restricted from anyone else using it? Because you're not making any sense in your denunciation of one of the most talented bands ever in favor of something that is, at best, satisfactory.

And what's wrong with a band being pretentious anyway? If Dream Theater says that its better than everyone else (which they don't), it wouldn't matter anyway, because I've never heard of a more talented band.
I always get the impression with bands like Dream Theater that their music is a vehicle for them to show how technically adept they are at their instruments. The don't seem to know the power of understatement. I prefer bands that aim to write good music, good songs, and don't feel the need to produce the full range of their ability at every opportunity. That's just my opinion, though. I'm not saying it's the only opinion.