The Astonishing Poll (Come on, you all knew this was coming...) [Act 1 vs Act 2]

[BlobVanDam]

First impressions: which disc/act of The Astonishing do you prefer?
The poll should let you change your vote if you change your mind after better digesting the album, so don't be shy!

Someone was gonna do it.

[Darkstarshades]

Feel like Act 2 ends too quickly.

[pcs90]

I love both!

[rumborak]

Act I so far.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

Act I is a little less plot reliant, and if you're listening straight through its ideas obviously come off fresher. So I have to go with that.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Both are very different, but I'm extremely fond of melodic, orchestrated music so I picked Act I.

[ariich]

Initially I preferred Act II. Act I is a bit over-long, and really feels like two Acts (Three Days really feels like a closer, in story and music). But after a couple of listens, Act I settled in more, and I realised that Act II loses steam towards the end. So I like them both pretty equally now.

[Zydar]

Initially I preferred Act II. Act I is a bit over-long, and really feels like two Acts (Three Days really feels like a closer, in story and music). But after a couple of listens, Act I settled in more, and I realised that Act II loses steam towards the end. So I like them both pretty equally now.

This. At first I was like "Act 1 has too many ballads" but then it started to settle on me more than Act 2.

[TioJorge]

I voted for about the same because I'm still pretty 'meh' on both of them aside from a couple tracks that I really like. I honest to goodness really wish I wasn't so against concept albums, let alone of this magnitude. I suppose I just need to accept that's my preference though, and it's something I've been going against for a while, from DT to The Dear Hunter to Coheed and Cambria, it's apparent that I simply like single based songs more than I do (mostly) convoluted stories that I either can't follow (Hi BTBAM) or seem just waaaay too intricate for me to mull over. Eh. It's not a big deal but back in the day I loved this shit. Now it literally feels like work.

That's not to say I don't like the music because a lot of it is really awesome and gorgeous. It's just that with albums like this, and TA magnifies this aspect about twenty fold, you really need to dive head first into the story and especially listen to the album entirely to truly get the most out of it. It's odd because I have no problem listening to full albums over and over if they're single-based-songs, or if it's a concept album that isn't huge. But when it's like this it's just overwhelming, quite frankly. That's the word I've been looking for...overwhelming. I still think my favorite is Ravenskill overall but Act of Faythe comes really close and I quite enjoy the techno-babble breakdowns with the NOMAC segues for some reason.

All in all, this is going to be an album where I'll come back five years from now and still be soaking it in because I'm going to listen to it that little; which isn't to say I'm not spinning it because I dislike it. I'm spinning it that little because it's got that much content. I do agree that a portion of it flows together a bit too well, and the orchestra and very apparent 'musical' vibe doesn't really help to differentiate each track (for good reason though), but it's certainly got a big personality. I may not be an avid DT fan anymore or listen all that much but god damn do these gorgeous fellows have a vision and they followed it to the T in this release. Complete tenacity and gumption.

I'm going to end this by saying that this album should be the exact definition of "Rock Opera" (Or if you wanna be really specific, which I know you proggy motherfuckers are, "Progressive Metal Opera"). Seriously, I have vehemently abhorred that definition of what has always been to me simply "concept albums", but apparently that's been a synonym for a while. Nope. Now, it's just this. This album is literally a rock opera. Not a concept album. A rock opera.

...that was way too much for the question posed. Oops. This was a mini-therapy session for me. Sorry. It's like asking someone how they're doing today and the person just revealed that their uncle touched them when they were little and that's why they have problems with intimacy.

[lucasembarbosa]

Act I FTW

[Sir Walrus Cauliflower]

I chose Act I. It's actually a pretty tough decision, but after listening last night I went back and revisited separate tracks that really stood out to me, and those were primarily in Act I. Loving the whole thing, though.

[LCArenas]

I actually was more surprised by Act II to be honest.

[V_R11]

Act I FTW

This. I got a little bored during act 2

[wolven74]

The story is good throughout, but the music is definitely better in Act I. Our New World is the best song from Act II, possibly the most fun song for the whole album.

[hefdaddy42]

I have only listened through once. So for right now, I like both equally.

[DragonGuitar]

Mmmm, I prefer the overall tone of Act II I guess, because its heavier, but Act I has the most standout songs for me. It seems easier to pick less plot reliant songs from Act I as well, so you don't have to listen straight through as much. So kinda tied, but I guess I will go for Act I

[Enigmachine]

Act One by quite a way so far. I feel that the songs feel a bit more full and work on their own there. I also think the tracks from Hymn of a Thousand Voices onwards were a bit underwhelming in regards to how grandiose I expected the conclusion to be. May be just fatigue though.

[Rickharris1011]

Act I, but only because it has so much more content and takes place over a bigger span of time.   I think when you subtract Astonishing (which has more of a curtain call/encore feel) from Act II it's about twice as long  It's kind of more like a 3 Act musical.  Descent - 3 Days makes a perfect Act I.  Sojourn - Road to Revolution a Perfect Act II.

Act II is really growing on me, though, especially Hymn of 1000 Voices.  really powerful.

[425]

Right now, on the heels of my third listen, I'm going to go for Act II. Act I is good, but very long and occasionally same-y. Act II feels more diverse and feels to me like it has more standout tracks.

There's definitely a fatigue, because this thing is very long, which I think is detrimental to Act II in some ways. But I'm going to go with Act II. Moment of Betrayal, Heaven's Cove, Begin Again, My Last Farewell and Hymn of a Thousand Voices are all highlights.

[Chino]

Option 4: I'm not sure yet.

[Outcrier]

It's an easy win for Act 1. Just going by the most notable and loved tracks, we have:

Act 1

The Gift of Music
A Better Life
Lord Nafaryus
A Savior in the Square
Three Days
A Life Left Behind
Ravenskill
A New Beginning

x

Act 2

Moment of Betrayal
Our New World

It's not even fair, it's like Brazil x Germany 

[BlackInk]

Voted Act I. More memorable moments.

[Progmetty]

Yeah Act I, Act II is Reloaded and Revolutions, I still like it but not as much as Act I.

[Evermind]

It's an easy win for Act 1. Just going by the most notable and loved tracks, we have:

Act 1

The Gift of Music
A Better Life
Lord Nafaryus
A Savior in the Square
Three Days
A Life Left Behind
Ravenskill
A New Beginning

x

Act 2

Moment of Betrayal
Our New World

I like how you pretty much mentioned all my favourites (well, except When Your Time Has Come, but still). Yeah, I voted for Act 1 for that reason basically.

[BlobVanDam]

The more I listen to the album, the more sure I am with my answer of Act I. Take out Our New World, and I could easily do without it entirely.

[T-ski]

can't find the neither option.

[Enigmachine]

can't find the neither option.

'I like both acts about the same' suits you fine. The thread is about how much you like the acts relative to each other, not to point out that you like the new album or not.

[T-ski]

can't find the neither option.

'I like both acts about the same' suits you fine. The thread is about how much you like the acts relative to each other, not to point out that you like the new album or not.

"which disc/act of The Astonishing do you prefer?" 

I prefer neither.  Saying 'I like both acts about the same' implies I like both acts, which is untrue.

[ariich]

can't find the neither option.

'I like both acts about the same' suits you fine. The thread is about how much you like the acts relative to each other, not to point out that you like the new album or not.

"which disc/act of The Astonishing do you prefer?" 

I prefer neither.  Saying 'I like both acts about the same' implies I like both acts, which is untrue.

No it doesn't, it says that you like them equally, which is true (you rate both quite low). That's like saying that preferring one over the other implies that you hate the other one.

[BlobVanDam]

can't find the neither option.

'I like both acts about the same' suits you fine. The thread is about how much you like the acts relative to each other, not to point out that you like the new album or not.

"which disc/act of The Astonishing do you prefer?" 

I prefer neither.  Saying 'I like both acts about the same' implies I like both acts, which is untrue.

No it doesn't. It means the amount of like you have for both parts is the same, even if that amount of like is zero.

Trust me, I'm a doctor.... no wait, I mean, I made the poll.

[TioJorge]

A poll doctor.

[54_diplomats]

Definitely prefer Act 1. Act 2 is kinda weak aside from the beginning.

[Segue Myles]

Feel like Act 2 ends too quickly.

Quickly, and abruptly.

I was very underwhelmed by the last track, which I found sad as disc one end really well.

[ariich]

Feel like Act 2 ends too quickly.

Quickly, and abruptly.

I don't understand this at all - for me the ending is drawn out for too long. Once everything is resolved there's then like 3 songs before the album actually ends. Could have done with being wrapped up far more quickly.

[KevShmev]

I like them both a lot, but I think both Act finishers could have been better.  I wanted to hear that chorus to The Road to Revolution more than once, and while I love the last 80 seconds of Astonishing, it feels like they tried to jam too many of the themes into that one six-minute song, making it sound like it jumps from theme to theme before having that great ending.