In total, Systematic Chaos demonstrates the cold, hard fact that Dream Theater is the most prominent progressive metal band on Earth. The band has not only paved the way for similarly inclined artists like Spock's Beard, Porcupine Tree and a host of others, but has gone some distance in rehabilitating the much-maligned prog-rock genre. "As a metal band," explains guitarist John Petrucci, "we've taken elements of music that aren't deemed cool by younger people into a more modern light."