I went through a process similar to AboutToCrash.
In my first listed, I really liked the heavier songs, but it felt like too many ballads. Like SFAM with Through My Eyes played 5 times. Already in my second listen (that same day, the release) I started listening to more stuff beyond the most obvious, and looking at the lyrics, I started making more connections. For example, it took me a while to figure out if Faythe had died or not, and what was up with Daryus' deafness. When I understood the story, I liked it. As positive and borderline cheesy as it is, it's better than a bloodshed finishing with no characters alive. I liked that things could improve and effectively change without any heads being cut in a revolution. And I think Ahrys, and his sacrifice and change of heart, were interesting (that, of course, after I understood what went on!).
Now I like the ballads too, and think most of all are good, and well placed. Pretty much every song has clicked, even Astonishing, Losing Faythe (I like the second half), and even the NOMAC tracks are fine. I consider it to be among my top 5 DT albums, perhaps in the third position.