The Astonishing -- Order and Pre-Order information

[countoftuscany42]

Luckily a roadrunner rep sorted it out for me; since I never got a confirmation the order didn't go through, and the initial charge was a placeholder to check for funds. Tried again and it worked, proud owner of an ultimate bundle now 

[Kotowboy]

There's no way they can know my PayPal info if I don't type it in, correct ?

I've had no emails or funds removed from PayPal.

[erwinrafael]

No HDTracks info yet?

[Progmetty]

so for $200 i get a download of a song that is already out on youtube but still have to wait until Jan 29th to hear the music, meanwhile reviewers get it at least a month 1/2 for free. makes sense    I would guess anyone willing to pay $200 for the ultimate box set wouldnt leak the album if they got the same copy the reviewers get.

(A) There's a reason reviewers get the music early.

I can't remember the last time I read an album review before it came out and then listened to the album thinking "That reviewer really nailed it". Most reviewers I've come across seem to have been chosen cause they write good, that's about it, they can write a cohesive smart looking article with a wider-than-average range of vocabulary, but there's nothing special about their "music evaluation" abilities if there's such a thing in the first place, they're more conventional bloggers than anything.

[rumborak]

More often than not, reviewers don't even listen to the whole thing. They are tasked with reviewing X new albums, and unless they personally have a connection to the music, it's often just "somebody told me XYZ about this band, I hear it confirmed".

[TL]

So basic CD version from a local music store then.

[rumborak]

I only plan on purchasing it in digital. All those editions are just dust collectors in my house.

[dream416]

Ordered the Limited Edition Box Set .....but haven't received my digital download of the single yet?   


Well that was quick......contacted RR & was sent the link right away.....great customer service.   

[fischermasamune]

I will get only the 2 CDs. Not sure if I should preorder or buy on release date.

[SupermanJLU]

Pre-ordered I went with The Astonishing Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set I cannot wait as I have never purchased a DT box set before. The NOMAC will be an awesome collectors item and what pushed me to get the set was The Astonishing written by John Petrucci book. I hope it contains the original story JP penned to paper as I would love to read it. And if it is jut a fancy lyric book I will be fine with that too

[The Paddies]

What I find highly annoying and even quite disturbing is this message on Facebook that says something like: "there is a specific component to the Deluxe Book Sets that is not only very cool but that we believe is CRUCIAL; a NOMAC 3d replica..." So there's only 4000 people who get to experience the whole thing by having to buy something that the band think is crucial? What is that all about? It's like writing a book with the last chapter as a special feature people have to pay for seperately. It's strange, isn't it?

255 euros for Holland: that's an elite price right there. :-(

[Train of Naught]

I think that's just hype/sales talk,  I can't imagine a replica of a NOMAC being crucial to the musical experience.












Unless it's a super-fancy 3D NOMAC-speaker which sends out extraordinary soundwaves.

[The Paddies]

I know. It's the sales talk that gives me the creeps. ;-)

[hipodilski]

255 euro, are you freaking serious?

And to add to this - 48 euro shipping costs from one EU country to another, are you freaking serious?!

[tristl]

i just ordered a special edition box set, 180€ including transport is a word, but i just had to have it

[Lowdz]

Kix is doing some good catching up on bosk and noxon when it comes to generating hype and providing helpful info. 3-way battle now!

I don't know who she is, other than clearly someone in "the biz".

Ah no big secret, I posted what I do in the 'say hi, newbies' type thread in the general discussion forum. I look after DT's UK press so hype and info would be about right.  Maybe the occasional well-timed clue but no spoilers or untimely leaks here either! And I want a boxset too!!

Awesome, welcome! I particularly appreciate the UK angle.

I don't check in on the newbie thread as often as I should.

Well Kix you could pass it up the line that RRs pricing structure for the UK sucks. Had it been the same comparable price to the US site I was all set to get the deluxe.

[ariich]

That's not RR's pricing structure, that's EVERYBODY's pricing structure.

[noxon]

Nobody is forcing you to spend that kind of money on the box, if you don't want to. Just like nobody is forcing you to buy VIP tickets. Think of it this way - this is for the hardest of the hardcore fans. The ones who wants to give back to the band. If you don't have the cash or don't feel that it's worth it, nobody will look down at you for not getting it, and there are several options which do not require you to pay that amount of cash.

UK has a VAT if i'm not mistaken. That alone adds 20% to the US salesprise REGARDLESS. If you buy it directly from the US, you will still have to pay those 20% in import taxes...

[thosava]

Do you know what it will cost to import  the deluxe box to Norway? It's already 175 euros, and i don't want to pay double that to import it... (Crazy norwegian import taxes)

[hipodilski]

Nobody is forcing you to spend that kind of money on the box, if you don't want to. Just like nobody is forcing you to buy VIP tickets. Think of it this way - this is for the hardest of the hardcore fans. The ones who wants to give back to the band. If you don't have the cash or don't feel that it's worth it, nobody will look down at you for not getting it, and there are several options which do not require you to pay that amount of cash.

UK has a VAT if i'm not mistaken. That alone adds 20% to the US salesprise REGARDLESS. If you buy it directly from the US, you will still have to pay those 20% in import taxes...

Yeah, nobody is forcing me, but the ADTOE collectors had like 12-15 euros shipping, the DT12 collectors had 25, and now they want 48. All for the same address, all from the same store. Does this look normal to you?

BTW the US also has taxes, both state and federal.

[Bertielee]

The regular double CD is 17.82 euros for France which is rather cheap. This means that there will be no deluxe edition somewhere around the 22/23 euros mark, right? That is, if you don't get the boxset, you won't have extended artwork and so on? Just curious.

B.Lee

[Evermind]

I'm with the guys who complain about shipping costs, even though I'm not ordering a deluxe edition this time around. I'm more than willing to pay reasonable shipping costs to Russia (up to £10), and in case of my favourite bands and musicians I'm up for paying a bit unreasonable shipping costs - I've paid €25 for The Theory of Everything and another €25 for The Diary huge earbooks ordering from Arjen's official site; and I went ahead and pre-ordered Avantasia deluxe edition box with $28 shipping cost; but eh, €48? I'm not up to that. Even considering all taxes, that's a ridiculous price.

[Kix]

From what I gather (I don't work in-house at the label), it's not purely a shipping cost. Often countries will manufacture locally/more locally, but in this case (the UK at least) it's not possible for the box set so they are being shipped/imported here first from elsewhere (incurring import charges etc). It's not that the office is making more profit, it's more expensive to have it to sell to fans here to start with.

[noxon]

The packages for the previous 3 albums were basically LP boxes. This one looks HUGE. The shipping WILL double because of that alone.

[Lowdz]

Nobody is forcing you to spend that kind of money on the box, if you don't want to. Just like nobody is forcing you to buy VIP tickets. Think of it this way - this is for the hardest of the hardcore fans. The ones who wants to give back to the band. If you don't have the cash or don't feel that it's worth it, nobody will look down at you for not getting it, and there are several options which do not require you to pay that amount of cash.

UK has a VAT if i'm not mistaken. That alone adds 20% to the US salesprise REGARDLESS. If you buy it directly from the US, you will still have to pay those 20% in import taxes...

I'm not complaining about the price, I'm complaining about it being the same price in sterling as it is in dollars. $125, £125, even though the exchange rate for $125 is £82.72. That is a big fu to your fans. And yes, it is my choice not to pay it and I will exercise said right. My other half was going to buy it as a Xmas present but I won't let her on principle.

[Lowdz]

I'm happy with the price of the double cd. When 6DOIT came out I paid nearly £30.

[Gpals71]

Do you know what it will cost to import  the deluxe box to Norway? It's already 175 euros, and i don't want to pay double that to import it... (Crazy norwegian import taxes)

I think you can add 25 % Vat to Norway. If you are lucky, youwon't be charged at all.

[countoftuscany42]

It kind of just dawned on me, but with the ultimate bundle you get the 2cd set and the deluxe box set, which on its own comes with the 2cd set. Does this mean the 2cd set is included twice? Or is the description just redundant. 

[liran95]

I don't know if it was posted here before (didn't read through the whole thread) but I've got a question:

1) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Astonishing-Dream-Theater/dp/B018WU6LXE/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1449391637&sr=1-1&keywords=dream+theater+the+astonishing
2) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Astonishing-Dream-Theater/dp/B018WU6LYS/ref=sr_1_2_twi_aud_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1449391637&sr=1-2&keywords=dream+theater+the+astonishing


The first one has a GNE sticker on it, while the 2nd one has a RRM one.
Now, I know that the 1st one is a physical copy and the 2nd is digital, but I've also found a physical one with the RRM sticker.

It may be silly, but do you guys think there's any difference between the two?

[ariich]

I don't know if it was posted here before (didn't read through the whole thread)

Not only did you not read the whole thread, you didn't even read the first 5 posts.

Also, Amazon UK are running a very limited exclusive pre-order offering customers the choice of a free patch (while stocks last) with their 2-CD purchase. There are two patches to choose from, representing the two sides in the story:

With The Great Northern Empire patch - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Astonishing-Dream-Theater/dp/B018WU6LXE/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1449215363&sr=1-5&keywords=dream+theater

With Ravenskill Rebel Militia patch - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Astonishing-Dream-Theater/dp/B018WU6LYS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1449215889&sr=1-1&keywords=0016861748975

[liran95]

I don't know if it was posted here before (didn't read through the whole thread)

Not only did you not read the whole thread, you didn't even read the first 5 posts.

Also, Amazon UK are running a very limited exclusive pre-order offering customers the choice of a free patch (while stocks last) with their 2-CD purchase. There are two patches to choose from, representing the two sides in the story:

With The Great Northern Empire patch - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Astonishing-Dream-Theater/dp/B018WU6LXE/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1449215363&sr=1-5&keywords=dream+theater

With Ravenskill Rebel Militia patch - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Astonishing-Dream-Theater/dp/B018WU6LYS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1449215889&sr=1-1&keywords=0016861748975

Ok, I SWEAR I read through one and a half page and didn't notice that.
Must be the fact that I've slept only 2 hours last night  :blus

[MirrorMask]

I can't imagine a replica of a NOMAC being crucial to the musical experience.

I certainly imagine how badass it would be to have the stereo pumping out the album while holding a NOMAC in your hands 

Weird that the options are: vinyl (ok, those who like vinyl are good), extra super ultra deluxe magical tetra-expensive box set and... the normal album. I would have went for something in between... I have a chain store very near to where I work, bought Iron Maiden's latest album there on release day, guess at the end of January I'll have a lunch break to remember and be done with it.

[CrimsonSunrise]

No HDTracks info yet?

THIS....  for me, it will probably be the 2 CD set, but I would also buy the FLAC in addition if available at HDTracks or elsewhere.  I think the box sets are cool, but I'm not a collectibles guy, and that's a serious pricetag.

[CrimsonSunrise]

Pre-ordered I went with The Astonishing Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set I cannot wait as I have never purchased a DT box set before. The NOMAC will be an awesome collectors item and what pushed me to get the set was The Astonishing written by John Petrucci book. I hope it contains the original story JP penned to paper as I would love to read it. And if it is jut a fancy lyric book I will be fine with that too

  Thought of your post when I read the description on the Limited Box set....

The Astonishing Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set here is a custom box that houses a collectible NOMAC replica, 4.2” in diameter, 3D printed. The Astonishing Lyric book in the form of a screenplay, 20” x 30” collectible poster. A double-sided 18” x 24” map of The Great Northern Empire of the Americas, set of 20 trading cards and 2-CD set.

[bugsyoz]

$286 of the Aussie folding stuff for the Ultimate Set Bundle.  There's goes two days of the Sydney Test....

B