The Shattered Fortress discussion thread

[reneranucci]

Posting in this thread just to say that the monster JR solo in the middle of the song is awesome.

Ah, and that TSF is my favorite song after 1 listen. Too many incredible moments to mention.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Posting in this thread just to say that the monster JR solo in the middle of the song is awesome.

Ah, and that TSF is my favorite song after 1 listen. Too many incredible moments to mention.

Yeah, it's a very groovy solo.

[7StringedBeast]

I really like this song and I think its great.

It seems like for this one though, they were all sitting around in the studio saying "arright let's just get this stupid suite over with"  because it does seem like a real rush and that all the parts were just kinda thrown into a blender and TSF came out.  I really enjoy the song, but it doesn't seem like they put the songwriting efforts into it like they did with the previous songs.  This is just the impression I got from listening to it.

[ReaPsTA]

I like the fact it moves so quickly. It's amazing how much content you can get into a song when you don't meander. In 13 minutes it says a lot.

[Shadoshi]

I like the fact it moves so quickly. It's amazing how much content you can get into a song when you don't meander. In 13 minutes it says a lot.

I completely agree. I wasn't expecting much from it at first, but I came out of the song thinking about how amazing it would to hear with the rest of the suite in front of it. I find it to be an amazing ending.

[wasp2020]

It'd be interesting to hear what somebody who's never heard the AA saga before thinks of this song.

Interesting....  some might find it a bit jumbled...but it would be a different perspective than ours.

Even weirder, what would they think if they listen to the saga essentially backwards, song by song?

[bosk1]

It just hit me earlier today that the fade-in at the beginning and the way the song transitions from one reprise to the next reminds me of an album commercial where they basically just splice together a bunch of samples from the entire album.  For instance, go to https://www.dreamtheater.net and watch the tv ad promo video for Greatest Hit.  Or find the one for SC.  That's what TSF totally reminds me of (not that that's a bad thing).


BTW, this is the first time I've been to .net since the album release, and I have to say, the site design similtaneously made me want to vomit and made my eyes hurt.  Blegh!  /tangent

[glaurung]

BTW, this is the first time I've been to .net since the album release, and I have to say, the site design similtaneously made me want to vomit and made my eyes hurt.  Blegh!  /tangent

Reading this made me want to go look at it and I instantly regretted this decision.

[Chico]

I am very disappointed by the song. I was looking forward to a great epic but instead I got a mix of all the other songs. FAIL.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

As I said before, I think its interesting how "The Shattered Fortress" seems like it's for existing DT fans only. There's no way you'd have a clue what's going on if BC&SL was your introduction to the band.

Terrific closer though. Instead of doing what many thought they'd do - closing things off with a 20 minute, entirely original epic with maybe a few references to old riffs - they basically made a medley of old riffs with a few new vocals.

And its ending is awesome. TGP reprise gave me chills.

[blackngold29]

As a conclusion to the 12 steps suite I thought this song was absolutely perfect. As a stand-alone I can see where people would have an issue with it.

[OsMosis2259]

yeah stand alone it might be like kind of confusing for some people but i think as a closer it rocks 


it goes by really quickly too 

[Scard]

As I said before, I think its interesting how "The Shattered Fortress" seems like it's for existing DT fans only. There's no way you'd have a clue what's going on if BC&SL was your introduction to the band.

Terrific closer though. Instead of doing what many thought they'd do - closing things off with a 20 minute, entirely original epic with maybe a few references to old riffs - they basically made a medley of old riffs with a few new vocals.

And its ending is awesome. TGP reprise gave me chills.

if by that you mean the intro of TGP at the end of TSF, then YES.  I was so impressed

[Nic35]

As I said before, I think its interesting how "The Shattered Fortress" seems like it's for existing DT fans only. There's no way you'd have a clue what's going on if BC&SL was your introduction to the band.

Terrific closer though. Instead of doing what many thought they'd do - closing things off with a 20 minute, entirely original epic with maybe a few references to old riffs - they basically made a medley of old riffs with a few new vocals.

And its ending is awesome. TGP reprise gave me chills.

if by that you mean the intro of TGP at the end of TSF, then YES.  I was so impressed

When I heard for the time, I said to myself 'Wow, it ends how it began'




And then

[staveoffzombies]

I gotta say though....taking up 50+ minutes of a concert for the entire suite isn't something I'd necessarily want to be there for...it's too much.

[Nic35]

I gotta say though....taking up 50+ minutes of a concert for the entire suite isn't something I'd necessarily want to be there for...it's too much.

They should play the first and last song of the suite, which are the best. That would be great.

[Pyroph]

I gotta say though....taking up 50+ minutes of a concert for the entire suite isn't something I'd necessarily want to be there for...it's too much.

Why? They're all songs that could be played.

I like the fact it moves so quickly. It's amazing how much content you can get into a song when you don't meander. In 13 minutes it says a lot.

Yeah, I know I've heard people say this for TCOT, but damn this song flies. It's over so fast.

The JP solo during the TROAE is so godamn good.

[Jamesman42]

I know some people have complained that the transition into the TROAE bit seems forced. Well, I feel the exact opposite. It feels natural to me, and that's the way, uh-huh uh-huh I like it.

[zxc]

I think this is perhaps the song with the most divided opinion as of now.

[BlobVanDam]

It just hit me earlier today that the fade-in at the beginning and the way the song transitions from one reprise to the next reminds me of an album commercial where they basically just splice together a bunch of samples from the entire album.  For instance, go to https://www.dreamtheater.net and watch the tv ad promo video for Greatest Hit.  Or find the one for SC.  That's what TSF totally reminds me of (not that that's a bad thing).


BTW, this is the first time I've been to .net since the album release, and I have to say, the site design similtaneously made me want to vomit and made my eyes hurt.  Blegh!  /tangent

Yikes, and I thought that site looked bad before. The site still looks like it was made in 1997 too.

[7StringedBeast]

BTW, this is the first time I've been to .net since the album release, and I have to say, the site design similtaneously made me want to vomit and made my eyes hurt.  Blegh!  /tangent

Reading this made me want to go look at it and I instantly regretted this decision.

OMG it's a complete design nightmare!!!  One that I will remember.  Ah thank you 

[j]

OMG it's a complete design nightmare!!!  One that I will remember.  Ah thank you  

-J

EDIT: Your sig just made me laugh again!    Impressive!  

[Ben_Jamin]

I gotta say though....taking up 50+ minutes of a concert for the entire suite isn't something I'd necessarily want to be there for...it's too much.

They might end up doin a one-off show with this suite. They'll record it and release through Ytsejam records. Then the Shattered Fortress will only be played on other shows.


I just made a quick track of these songs, making them flow into one another. I must say If you place the build-up intro of The Shattered Fortress in the last remaining seconds of Repentance it's a tight transition, well all the transitions are cool.

[MirzekDT]

This song has completely blown me away, I love all the songs from the new album but this might be my favorite... The beginning is just perfect, also the Repentance theme and TDS "Now that you can see all you have done" are absolutely mindblowing... I will never get how can someone complain about the reusage of older material it is done absolutely awesome and it all is a bit different than it was on original songs

[chrisbDTM]

i like the little connections for example, this little drum fill where MP hits the snare and tom at the same time

4:20 of TSF

refer to 6:35 of This Dying Soul


not exactly the same. but evertime i hear it i think of TDS

[perfectcircle58]

This is really bothering me... the line right before "to take my higher" (around 3:15) is taken from another DT song right? Which one is it? It sounds really familiar and I can't remember where it came from.

[TL]

This is really bothering me... the line right before "to take my higher" (around 3:15) is taken from another DT song right? Which one is it? It sounds really familiar and I can't remember where it came from.

The Glass Prison.

Anyway, I agree that the best way to go about doing a live performance of the entire suite would be to do a one-off show where they made it clear in advance that that's what it was.

Also, wow, their official site could really use some work. They really need a new web designer.

[AcidLameLTE]

It just hit me earlier today that the fade-in at the beginning and the way the song transitions from one reprise to the next reminds me of an album commercial where they basically just splice together a bunch of samples from the entire album.  For instance, go to https://www.dreamtheater.net and watch the tv ad promo video for Greatest Hit.  Or find the one for SC.  That's what TSF totally reminds me of (not that that's a bad thing).


BTW, this is the first time I've been to .net since the album release, and I have to say, the site design similtaneously made me want to vomit and made my eyes hurt.  Blegh!  /tangent

Yikes, and I thought that site looked bad before. The site still looks like it was made in 1997 too.

I think it's actually gone further back in time.

[Metal_Rocker666]

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.

Ya I noticed it to, I thought I was about to hear that solo, it was already playing in my head at the moment.

[Progmetty]

I think if Portnoy did the vocals for the "Now that you can see all you have done" -TDS reprise section- using the same voice he used while saying "You're saved" in Repentence instead of that deep voice; it would have been much better and a lot more emotional.

[jag66]

At shows this tour when the band doesn't play the entire suite, it would make an awesome mini-suite if they played TGP with a little transition into TSF.  I would love to see something like that.

Perhaps even the other way round.. then the glass prison reprise can be the start of the glass prison (awsome transition!).. but i guess thats like saying "12 steps don't work".

[BlobVanDam]

At shows this tour when the band doesn't play the entire suite, it would make an awesome mini-suite if they played TGP with a little transition into TSF.  I would love to see something like that.

Perhaps even the other way round.. then the glass prison reprise can be the start of the glass prison (awsome transition!).. but i guess thats like saying "12 steps don't work".

Why not both? The entire show can consist of TGP and TSF looping endlessly, with a transitional piece that shall be known as "Relapse". We moooove in circlesssssss

[InstrumentalFiasco]

This used to be my least favorite but I'm starting to love it...Especially the Drumming.

[Mr. Mackwo]

The keyboard solo is of my favourites by Rudess, especially at 6 min 08 sec.

5/5

I couldn't agree with you more, his solo work on that song is superb... Great song!

[cygnusx1jg]

Pardon my stupidy, but is the deep voiced speech portion of the song an already put together AA speech that is done by their members and is the text anywhere online that you know of?