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

[MirrorMask]

Aaaaaaaaaaaand the hype train has arrived.

I  believe the title track will account for the lesser number of songs on act II.

Then again, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the tracklist is not done, but since they updated the map and the characters, I believe they're done with that and they'll move on with the rest of the page.

34 songs on a DT album!!!!!!

[RoeDent]

Our New World makes me wonder if the factions will reunite through music, destroying the NOMACs (Power Down) and Astonishing is a song celebrating the power of music to bring about peace.

[Kotowboy]

34 tracks on a DT album!!!!!!

FTFY. If there were 34 songs - each song would have to be 2minutes 20 seconds each.

[Voices]

Really, really hyped!
I think the tracklist is complete by now. Next updates might envolve the map, the characters and the videos. I'm really looking forward to hear a few bits of this album 

[Kotowboy]

Really, really hyped!
I think the tracklist is complete by now. Next updates might envolve the map, the characters and the videos. I'm really looking forward to hear a few bits of this album 

Please Jesus - let the two videos be 30 minutes each and be the making of The Astonishing part 1 & 2 Studio Vids.

[RoeDent]

I think the videos will be messages from each group, the Empire and the Militia.

[SystematicThought]

The new map piece looks interesting. I could only make out New Pavonya

[Kotowboy]

I'll be a bit disappointed if there's no DVD with this album. Surely this album is crying out for one.

[RoadTrain_of Thought]

Please Jesus - let the two videos be 30 minutes each and be the making of The Astonishing part 1 & 2 Studio Vids.

Yes, please. These are so great. The SC one has helped me through some boring times.

[Train of Naught]

The new map piece looks interesting. I could only make out New Pavonya

I'll add Victory Isleland and Endless Isleland to that, is Isleland some ancient/futuristic way of spelling island?

[Pax]

If Astonishing is a +20 min song, mark my fucking words: it's going to be as great song as Octavarium/ACOS
By the way, remember venue promoters said concert will last 2h40min? Now I guess whole album will last that long, 80 min both disks. I also guess they will incorporate something great in the concerts (live choir/orchestra) since the tickets are very expensive...

[Voices]

I'll be a bit disappointed if there's no DVD with this album. Surely this album is crying out for one.

Really, really hyped!
I think the tracklist is complete by now. Next updates might envolve the map, the characters and the videos. I'm really looking forward to hear a few bits of this album 

Please Jesus - let the two videos be 30 minutes each and be the making of The Astonishing part 1 & 2 Studio Vids.

THIS! There's been so long since we don't have a decent making of. And considering the concept they have created, it would be cool to know how they developed the ideas behind this album. But lets wait and see...

[V_R11]

1. I knew this album would have a title track! (Yeah, "The" is missing but I consider it a title track)
2. I'm 99.9% sure the track list is now complete (34 songs!!!!)
3. Finally updates in other sections too!
4. Since half of DTF already knew what Arhys looks like,I'm looking forward to more characters. This Faythe girl sounds interesting. Even if she'll be likely to die
5. All of this sounds really epic and I'm extremely hyped 

[CodyWanKenobi]

I AM EXCITE

[noxon]

Well. DT has done their balls to the walls metal album. They've done the prog album. But the album they've never done is the power ballad album. I think we're there now. Power Ballad Musical.

[MirrorMask]

If Astonishing is a +20 min song, mark my fucking words: it's going to be as great song as Octavarium/ACOS
By the way, remember venue promoters said concert will last 2h40min? Now I guess whole album will last that long, 80 min both disks. I also guess they will incorporate something great in the concerts (live choir/orchestra) since the tickets are very expensive...

It was "2h40min with 15 minute pause" - the usual length of an Evening With show.

I still think act I and II will be set 1 and 2 of the show, but what remains will be a somehow long encore.

I remember back in the SFAM tour they didn't stop after SFAM, they played the whole album, then some songs, and then the encore. Given the very theatrical and story-driven way the new album is shaping up it may be anticlimatic to end the whole thing and then play a random song or two before closing the set and then come back for the encore, but we'll see.

[noxon]

Our new world keeps spinning me around
And this is all that can be
Our new world is ahead of me now
This is all that I've found

...

[arkdtmp]

Please Jesus - let the two videos be 30 minutes each and be the making of The Astonishing part 1 & 2 Studio Vids.

Yes, please. These are so great. The SC one has helped me through some boring times.

I second your seconded motion! There hasn't been any real behind-the-scenes/making of videos since MP left,I hope they let Jordan go wild with his video camera on this one..

[BlackInk]

I also think that this is the complete tracklist. Like kotow said, to have it end with "Power Down" and then a title track makes the most sense.

And I agree with someone who said they liked the Act II titles more than I. There's good on both, but II had the cooler ones I'd say.

[Ben_Jamin]

Im even more excited now. We are getting more closer now, only two months. Itd be awesome to have a song next week. 

[The Letter M]

34 tracks on a DT album!!!!!!

FTFY. If there were 34 songs - each song would have to be 2minutes 20 seconds each.

How do you figure? Is there anywhere that says "Albums MUST BE THIS LENGTH" that you can calculate how long songs would be given the number of them? Like Album = Songs X Length?!

An album is as long or short as an album needs to be, whether it takes two vinyls, one cassette, or three CDs, an album is an album is an album. They're all albums, no matter the length. SDOIT is one album, LAB is one album, doesn't matter what the physical medium is, or how many of them there are.

As for tracks versus songs, we can't be too sure yet, until we hear the music or if the tracklist is expanded upon.

The title track could have subsections, or the given track titles could be lumped together to form movements of larger songs or suites, kind of how "Through My Words" and "Fatal Tragedy" form "Scene Three".

As of now, we can only assume that the album will have 34 tracks, looking at what we've been given. It's safe to bet that the album will be two CDs, each disc containing one Act each, with each Act quite possibly as long as a CD holds (78 or so minute of music).

-Marc.

[Mebert78]

Arhys seems to have some facial similarities to Emperor Nafaryus.  I predict it's his son.

[thosava]

Arhys seems to have some facial similarities to Emperor Nafaryus.  I predict it's his son.

They are actually very similar!

[GandL]

''Great People, I am Arhys, Son of Marhys, one of the three remaining, heirs........

[Kotowboy]

34 tracks on a DT album!!!!!!

FTFY. If there were 34 songs - each song would have to be 2minutes 20 seconds each.

How do you figure? Is there anywhere that says "Albums MUST BE THIS LENGTH"

I'm just guessing that the CDs will both be full. If each CD is 60 mins then that's still only 3.5 mins per song.

Dream Theater albums are usually around 75 mins and CDs can hold up to 80 mins.

[Kotowboy]

''Great People, I am Arhys, Son of Marhys, one of the three remaining, heirs........

I am Jordan Rudess's head. One of three remaining hairs.

[Zook]

Haven't we already seen Arhys?

[Lucien]

Haven't we already seen Arhys?

not legally

[Zook]

Haven't we already seen Arhys?

not legally

I see. I was not aware. How was the picture found?

[7enderbender]

I'm pretty sure nobody cares but I just saw the information about the new album and I feel like I have to vent. I've been a DT fan since the very early days when they toured small clubs (or not at all at times). Some albums are part of my favorite music, others are alright. Very few I don't like at all - I didn't like the last one and I never understood the hype around Scenes from a Memory. A few good songs, awful concept based on one of the most ridiculous movies ever. Can't listen to that album. Without going further down that rabbit hole - I think the new album will top everything else in that vein as far as ridiculousness goes (and I'll include KISS The Elder in that...). I can't stand all the hobbit, Tolkien, dwarf & sword stuff. I can't stand video games. This has Game of Thrones cr*p written all over it already - I don't even want to hear the music and lyrics. And I also suspect that Jordan Rudess went in to program a bunch of fake symphony orchestras again like on Six Degrees and the last album that completely ruin it for me. I liked DT better before he joined. He's a great player but I don't think much of his sounds.

Sorry, just had to get this out of my system since it's always sad to kind of lose a favorite band.

[MirrorMask]

This has Game of Thrones cr*p written all over it already - I don't even want to hear the music and lyrics.

Then don't, and never ever find out if you may like the album after all.

[Prog Snob]

I'm pretty sure nobody cares but I just saw the information about the new album and I feel like I have to vent. I've been a DT fan since the very early days when they toured small clubs (or not at all at times). Some albums are part of my favorite music, others are alright. Very few I don't like at all - I didn't like the last one and I never understood the hype around Scenes from a Memory. A few good songs, awful concept based on one of the most ridiculous movies ever. Can't listen to that album. Without going further down that rabbit hole - I think the new album will top everything else in that vein as far as ridiculousness goes (and I'll include KISS The Elder in that...). I can't stand all the hobbit, Tolkien, dwarf & sword stuff. I can't stand video games. This has Game of Thrones cr*p written all over it already - I don't even want to hear the music and lyrics. And I also suspect that Jordan Rudess went in to program a bunch of fake symphony orchestras again like on Six Degrees and the last album that completely ruin it for me. I liked DT better before he joined. He's a great player but I don't think much of his sounds.

Sorry, just had to get this out of my system since it's always sad to kind of lose a favorite band.

Mike?

[RoeDent]

OK then. Thanks for stopping by.

[7enderbender]

This has Game of Thrones cr*p written all over it already - I don't even want to hear the music and lyrics.

Then don't, and never ever find out if you may like the album after all.

Of course I will find out ;-) But it does actually happen that I stop buying albums from artists I love when they move into a direction that doesn't register with me. Just like the recent David Gilmour solo album. One listen on youtube and I knew it was worse than the last one. He remains my favorite guitar player but not with that stuff.

[noxon]

Why would they program fake orchestra when they have their resident orchestral dude in Eren???