Dream Theater: The Astonishing (now with moment of betrayal!)

[jsbru]

I suppose we'll get the tracklist piece by piece as they're doing now. What should they release 5 songs at a time and then go "uh, whatever, here's the whole thing"? (assuming that the second act has a similar amount of tracks, not exactly 20 but not certainly just 7 or 8)

This.

[Train of Naught]

I'm thinking the sound at 18:35 in A Change of Seasons.

Reminded me of Fates Warning's Disconnected.

[Pax]

I'm thinking the sound at 18:35 in A Change of Seasons.

I'm almost positive I know what you are talking about without time checking.  Let's see.

Yup.  Right on the money.  That sound was so perfect the first time that your short description is all that is needed.  Even if you never broke down ACOS by time in any manner prior.

that sound in that part is one of the best things DT has ever done

[SuperTaco]

It surprised me the first time I listened to ACOS. I was like "What's this sound?", but it kinda amps you up for the rest of the song. It wouldn't sound out of place for a Noise Machine to make that kind of distorted robotic sound, but I think instead they'll be repeating messages over and over again, to constantly brainwash the civilians. That would kinda fit in the story, wouldn't it?

EDIT: Also, maybe I just haven't been paying attention, but have the NOMAC's eyes always pulsated like that?

[BlobVanDam]

EDIT: Also, maybe I just haven't been paying attention, but have the NOMAC's eyes always pulsated like that?

Yes. They're also buttons of some kind, but do nothing at this point.

[noxon]

The more I think about it, the more I think Brave New World is one of the sources of inspiration for this album. There's a lot of similarities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_New_World

[chwik]

The more I think about it, the more I think Brave New World is one of the sources of inspiration for this album. There's a lot of similarities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_New_World

If that's the case, looking forward to the "randy" nightclub scenes with a dash of "Soma" ;-)

[MirrorMask]

Been a while since I read BNW but yeah, the empire looks like a "benign" one where everything is super controlled and Ravenskill's village reminds of the place where the Savages lived. Could really be one of the inspirations for this...

[porcacultor]

I must say, rereading the letters sent by Arhys and Nafaryus, I'm actually growing fond of the story! Sure, there's familiar elements, but it sure seems like this will be a rich and creative universe. Yeah, I'm excited!

[JediKnight1969]

My biggest intrigue: WHY 6 EYES ON THE NOMAC?

[ToT-147]

Six Degrees of Astonishing Turbulence... 

[Kotowboy]

Six Degrees of Astonishing Thoughtbulence... 

FTFU

[The Cat Of Tuscany]

I don't know if this has been said already or not...but I suspect, given the song titles "Dystopian Overture" and "2285 Entr'acte" that this will be set in the future.  Also, it appears that there may be 7 tracks left to name...

[BlackInk]

That the album will be set in the future is confirmed.

[DragonAttack]

Just throwing this out there...

How would you feel if the first three tracks of the next LP were similar to the first three on DT12? 

A more expanded FASuite (similar to Six Degrees) , sets a mood and is the overture of course.  TEInside....the harsh, oppressive 'regime'.  And then TLGlass...the upbeat response from the (I assume) oppressed.

It wouldn't make for a bad start....or would it?

[Aythesryche]

That the album will be set in the future is confirmed.

Last time I looked up in the sky, I hadn't seen any massive globes with glowing red eyes the size of a small moon using the latest anti gravity techniques hovering about. Don't think we're quite there yet. Pretty easy deduction!

[The Cat Of Tuscany]

That the album will be set in the future is confirmed.

I guess what I meant is that it might be set in the year 2285.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

That the album will be set in the future is confirmed.

I guess what I meant is that it might be set in the year 2285.

Which has also been confirmed. At least part of the album is set there--how long the timeline is is less clear.

[Train of Naught]

Just throwing this out there...

How would you feel if the first three tracks of the next LP were similar to the first three on DT12? 

A more expanded FASuite (similar to Six Degrees) , sets a mood and is the overture of course.  TEInside....the harsh, oppressive 'regime'.  And then TLGlass...the upbeat response from the (I assume) oppressed.

It wouldn't make for a bad start....or would it?

I'd be more than satisfied with an interlude like FAS followed by a solid heavier track like TEI, TLG is also great but not as good IMO.

[Nothingface]

So the NOMACs are spreading the Empire's music and Arhys doesn't like that.

I believe this album is a macrocosm of your typical Dream Theater fan, especially of the special sort you run across on YouTube.

The Empire is spreading the word that their music is the most superior art form in all the land, and restricting other musical acts from performing, while the Rebels are like: "I don't get it."

Then, the Empire sends out these abrasive, intellectually impaired NOMAC things to accost the rebels with diatribe such as "LOOK HOW SUPER TECHNICAL THIS MUSIC IS! IF YOU DONT GET IT, YOU MUST BE IMMATURE OR UNINTELLIGENT!"

Not all of the NOMACS are this aggressive though, no sir. When the Rebels say, "I appreciate the talent involved, but it's not for me", these special NOMACS continually spam the rebels with links that according to them, "you'll surely love this one!"

But within the Empire, there is a man without a face that does not share the Empire's fascist ideologies. To him, their music is one of the greatest of it's kind, but not liking it is in no way a sign of mental deficiency - music is entirely subjective to the listener.

This hero will eventually bring the two warring nations together and teach the two to respect each other's personal preferences, or some gay shit like that.

•bzzz• "I mean, man, its so, like, deep you know? It has like a story and stuff. And they play really fast" •mechanical whirring/robotic sfx•

[425]

I'm thinking the sound at 18:35 in A Change of Seasons.

I'm almost positive I know what you are talking about without time checking.  Let's see.

Yup.  Right on the money.  That sound was so perfect the first time that your short description is all that is needed.  Even if you never broke down ACOS by time in any manner prior.

that sound in that part is one of the best things DT has ever done

Yes. I absolutely love that part. I'm one of those crazy people who says that ACOS is not exactly a top 10 or top 20 song, but that moment 

[Kotowboy]

I need to hear this part.



And yes. I have listened to ACOS twice and each time i've been like meh...






EDIT : BWAAHHHHHHHH !!!!! 

[SystematicThought]

I've always thought it sounded like a semi truck driving by. Assuming we are talking about the same part.

[lucasembarbosa]

It sounds like a prison break alarm, a huge and scandalous alarm... Loved the idea, btw

[jsbru]

I kind of like the ACOS demo better than the official, other than the acoustic intro and a few melodies here and there.  That sound is meh to me.   Also, that sound is to aggressive for NOMACs, IMO.

I think just the concept of noise machine overlords gives them an excuse to pursue some atmospheric sound effects/tracks that they've never tried before.  I can't help but wonder if Jordan's continuum is involved somehow.  Either way, I'm pretty convinced that parts of this album will be fairly unlike any other DT we've heard before.  Which is good.

[Cyclopssss]

Well the obvious fact that Derek Sherinian came up with the sound feeds the rumour he might play a guest role on this album....

[Kotowboy]

Another fake on Youtube. Someone on twitter linked me and said " it has James on it though ! "

Disabled comments is never a good sign !

But one Siri query later and he tells me it's Red Barchette by James LaBrie & Steve Morse from 1996 !

[Nihil-Morari]

Another fake on Youtube. Someone on twitter linked me and said " it has James on it though ! "

Disabled comments is never a good sign !

But one Siri query later and he tells me it's Red Barchette by James LaBrie & Steve Morse from 1996 !

You mean Red Barchetta, from the Working Man tribute to Rush?


Not judging on that you didn't recognize one of the most famous Rush songs though 

[BlobVanDam]

I wouldn't recognize any Rush song, although I still wouldn't get fooled by anything up on Youtube.

[King Postwhore]

I wouldn't recognize any Rush song, although I still wouldn't get fooled by anything up on Youtube.

That's because Rush doesn't have "snow" in their videos.

[Kotowboy]

I wouldn't recognize any Rush song, although I still wouldn't get fooled by anything up on Youtube.

Indeed. I personally cannot stand Rush but that's for a different thread.

But you can tell instantly it's not Dream Theater. None of the instruments sound like who they're supposed to be played by.

[noxon]

IF there were to be a leak on youtube, it would be gone within a few hours after people discovered it. Plus any leak at this point in time would be traceable by the record company, so whoever leaks any music will be sued.

[TH1RT3EN]

Well, let's see... a friend of mine was already a DT fan when they released 6DoIT, but he never told me anything about the album leaking before its official release date. The Train of Thought "leaks" were another band's material, Octavarium's were James' Elements of Persuasion, no leaks from Systematic Chaos either (as far as I remember). The Black Clouds & Silver Linings tracks did leak, but just a few days before the album's release date. They appeared one at a time, but all in the same day. I didn't keep track of the A Dramatic Turn of Events release, so I don't know if there were any leaks from it, but I never heard of anything like that either (maybe James' Static Impulse?). Finally, DT12 only "leaked" when the band put the entire album via streaming on their website. The only thing that fits in that definition was a short piece of Surrender to Reason that JP played on an EB/MM video to describe and demonstrate his JP13 model and the Illuminator pickups, so I don't think any of that counts either.

In other words, except for Black Clouds & Silver Linings, no real leaks have happened since at least 6DoIT, although I'm not sure about ADToE. I might be wrong about one album or another (if I made any mistakes, someone please correct me), but based on that, I'd be extremely skeptical about any YouTube leaks.

[noxon]

Octavarium was leaked in an unfinished version (the end to the octavarium track finishes differently from the cd version).

[TH1RT3EN]

Octavarium was leaked in an unfinished version (the end to the octavarium track finishes differently from the cd version).

Damn, I'm so traumatized by the Elements of Persuasion/Octavarium confusion that I always forget about that one