The Shattered Fortress discussion thread

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Awesome song. "FLY NOW BE FREEEEEEEE!" is probably the best JLB moment in the whole album, and the TROAE reprise is incredible.

[ReaPsTA]

I love this song. Could it be better? Sure. But it's a really great conclusion to the 12-step saga.

[BlobVanDam]

The reprises and reworking of old sections works perfectly for the most part. There is a chunk in the middle where the transitions to other sections doesn't work, but once it hits the TROAE main riff and guitar solo, it's smooth sailing again and a strong outro. But for the most part, the reusing of old material is handled perfectly.
The intro riff is new, but very obviously a tie in to the saga, then on old TGP riff, then a nicely reworked TDS solo, then reusing a riff and creating a new verse over it, then reusing another old riff while creating new melodies over that too. I also love the reworked heavy CBBB riff just before the keyboard solo.

[emindead]

Oh, and did anyone else thought JLB was going to attempt an F# at the end of the song?

attempt? actually he did!

SeRoX, you can listen to an F# in "Learning to Live". There's NO WAY James hit an F# in "The Shattered Fortress"... or my copy is broken, like my Images & Words with "Pull Me Under".

[SeRoX]

Oh, and did anyone else thought JLB was going to attempt an F# at the end of the song?

attempt? actually he did!

SeRoX, you can listen to an F# in "Learning to Live". There's NO WAY James hit an F# in "The Shattered Fortress"... or my copy is broken, like my Images & Words with "Pull Me Under".

no no no

no one is guilty.
It is just my huge imagination...

[Jamesman42]

I know the song basically reprises the other four songs, but this song is still just that; a song. And it is an amazing song that takes those awesome older riffs, and breathes new life into them. You can definitely feel the epic ending of something great from the general atmosphere of this song.

4.8/5

[Perpetual Change]

Oh, and did anyone else thought JLB was going to attempt an F# at the end of the song?

attempt? actually he did!

SeRoX, you can listen to an F# in "Learning to Live". There's NO WAY James hit an F# in "The Shattered Fortress"... or my copy is broken, like my Images & Words with "Pull Me Under".

no no no

no one is guilty.
It is just my huge imagination...

SeRox is right. It IS in F# (I think). It's just not an F#5. In any case, does anyone know what note James hits on "Fly and be FREE"?

[antigoon]

i think it's a C#

[Perpetual Change]

i think it's a C#

C#5, I'm guessing? That's still pretty good. Nothing like his g#5 in 8va, though.

[emindead]

Oh, and did anyone else thought JLB was going to attempt an F# at the end of the song?

attempt? actually he did!

SeRoX, you can listen to an F# in "Learning to Live". There's NO WAY James hit an F# in "The Shattered Fortress"... or my copy is broken, like my Images & Words with "Pull Me Under".

no no no

no one is guilty.
It is just my huge imagination...

I has problems understanding your sayings.

[SeRoX]

So we can be getting excited and more excited about hearing this song live in BC&SL world tour.

No doubt; we can hear lots of G# and C# and yeah maybe F#

[tri.ad]

i think it's a C#

Yup, I think it is. I just compared the two notes and the F#5 is quite a bit higher. Still, the C# is very badass.

[Progmetty]

I think the deep voice spoken words section during the mellow TDS reprise part would have been very touching and emotional if it was just done in Portnoy's normal voice, the deep voice thing is kinda off-mood imo.
Otherwise great closer to the saga, I love it, the main TDS riff @ 3:31 surprisingly kicks even more ass without the ts ts ts ts sound JR plays in the original TDS.

[Amoniz]

My 3rd favorite song on the album, behind TCOT & ANTR.
The first verse & the TROAE riff section are awesome.
Overall, it's one of the best 12-step songs, & the only thing
I don't really dig into, is perhaps the keyboard solo in the middle.

[faemir]

the main TDS riff @ 3:31 surprisingly kicks even more ass without the ts ts ts ts sound JR plays in the original TDS.

I love that bit   Though 8:26 is the best  

[RaiseTheKnife]

i think it's a C#

Correct, he hits a dirty C#.  This song is gonna DESTROY live.   Freakin' killer.

[RaiseTheKnife]

Anyone else notice after the "Root of All Evil chorus" reprise there is a small build before JP's solo that is identical the build leading into the outro solo in Razors Edge in Octavarium.  I did a double take when the build didn't resolve into the Fminor/C#minor transition.

[Progmetty]

MP's subliminal homophobia "help guide me and keep me straight", he's been looking at JP funny lately heh
Kidding aside I love the lyrics, I love JLB's delivery on all the lines mentioned in this thread but my favorite is his delivery on "I am RESPONSABLE!"

[zxc]

Love the guitar solo 10:29 onwards, and the "I am responsible" bit.  One of the best parts in the album, along with the agony/misery part of ANtR and TCoT (whole thing).  I don't like the wooaa bit though

[faemir]

This thread needs more people who have listened to all AA suite songs together 

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Man, James LaBrie sounds here like he should have sounded in lots of SC material.

"LOOK IN THE MIRRAH, WHAT'S THAT YOU SEEY?!"

[hefdaddy42]

Except for a couple of weird transitions, it's really good. On first listen it sounded like a straight-up medley, but it overcomes that. Most of the transitions actually work well, and the old riffs and lyrics are reworked enough that they dont feel like rehashes. The slowed-down, more groovin TDS riff is lovely. The original content is cool too.

This.  I love JP's solo leading into "Responsible" and that whole section, actually.  JLB is fantastic on this song, and the ending crescendo into the intro from The Glass Prison put a huge smile on face.

This is going to be ferocious live.

[MetalMike06]

They do a good job of spicing up the old riffs, but I do agree that it sounds very "disjointed" much of the time, like they're just trying to throw the old riffs together just for the sake of using the old riffs. There are indeed some great parts though.

[TioJorge]

It's nothing near what I was expecting, but I don't think anything could live up to that. Either way, it's a wonderful ending, but I don't see it as anything more than that. I enjoy it thoroughly, but as many others, was expecting something a bit more original. However, the last two minutes of the song (starting at..."I am RESPONSIBLE"...heh) force me to change my pants every time. Emotional song, well constructed, beautiful, but could have been something more. That said, I still luff it.

[Phantasmatron]

I agree with everything TioJorge just said.

Word for word.

[~InConstantMotion~]

I love it, I just wish they would've used the wah riff from TGP, I can see where it would fit perfectly.

[antigoon]

The combination of the three glass prison riffs (i think) under JR's solo is the most bad ass thing this band has ever done.

[Nick]

I fucking *love* this song. My favorite off the new album. All the musical refrains were amazing, and I love the alterations and different ways they did them. Just power and majesty all the way through, and a fantastic conclusion to the saga.

[antigoon]

I fucking *love* this song. My favorite off the new album. All the musical refrains were amazing, and I love the alterations and different ways they did them. Just power and majesty all the way through, and a fantastic conclusion to the saga.

Agreed on all counts.


Wait, what?!

[bosk1]

Anyone else notice after the "Root of All Evil chorus" reprise there is a small build before JP's solo that is identical the build leading into the outro solo in Razors Edge in Octavarium.  I did a double take when the build didn't resolve into the Fminor/C#minor transition.

Heh.  That's cool.  I hadn't noticed, but I will look out for it next time through.  I love stuff like that.

[Phoenix]

The combination of the three glass prison riffs (i think) under JR's solo is the most bad ass thing this band has ever done.

This

[Basekick]

btw would someone who has the actual copy like to share the names of the steps in this song?

X. Restraint - Beginning to "Not self-righteous hate"
XI. Receive - "Now that you can see all you have done" to "Help guide me and keep me free"
XII. Responsible - Starts at "I am responsible" to the end

Back on topic here, I absolutely LOVE this song.  I can understand the hate coming from hearing a lot of the same material, but they have done some amazing reprises of old songs that just make me giddy inside.  The TGP/TDS riff reprise at 5:23 is AMAZING, the outro that matches in intro of the entire suite, the solo over TROAE, etc.  It's such a powerful force of a song and I have fallen for it.

Sorry for you haters out there.

[Phoenix]

btw would someone who has the actual copy like to share the names of the steps in this song?

X. Restraint - Beginning to "Not self-righteous hate"
XI. Receive - "Now that you can see all you have done" to "Help guide me and keep me free"
XII. Responsible - Starts at "I am responsible" to the end

XII would have sounded better as Responsibility IMO

[ariich]

The combination of the three glass prison riffs (i think) under JR's solo is the most bad ass thing this band has ever done.

GOD I LOVE THAT BIT!

Seriously, every time I hear the song, as soon as the first chuggy riff comes in straight after "Not self-righteous hate." I can't stop myself from commencing the headbanging!

I really hope I get to hear this song live!

[faemir]

The combination of the three glass prison riffs (i think) under JR's solo is the most bad ass thing this band has ever done.

GOD I LOVE THAT BIT!

Seriously, every time I hear the song, as soon as the first chuggy riff comes in straight after "Not self-righteous hate." I can't stop myself from commencing the headbanging!

I really hope I get to hear this song live!

well going to PN09 is a good way to make sure you don't.