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

[Kotowboy]

Holy fucking shit are we STILL talking about the sodding pitch correction ? 

EVERY BAND DOES IT. GET OVER IT.

[Kotowboy]

About the perception that a few of you think you are hearing a melodyne artifact:  I asked the band, and there is NO melodyne or other effects on that part of the song.  That is purely how James sang the line.  I have this confirmed directly from the band.  They also said they appreciate that the fans dig so deep and analyze the music on such a deep level as that.  But no melodyne. 

One other misconception to clear up:  I have noticed a few people refer to the song as the first "single."  It isn't really a "single."  It is a preview for us to get a sampling of the album.

Thanks !

[BlackInk]

Holy fucking shit are we STILL talking about the sodding pitch correction ? 

EVERY BAND DOES IT. GET OVER IT.

Yeah, bands can do it all they like, but it can't sound like a mistake.

[DT_1928]

So the album is up for pre-order on the uk amazon site ... but there are 2 versions. One with a GNE logo and one with a RRM logo ... they both have a different Amazon ID number, no mention of either being a special edition etc ... both track lists are missing the last 2 songs of Act 2 though

Anybody think there could be something to it, or just a mistake on amazon's part??

[Pragmaticcircus]

Who thinks that Petrucci will end up getting The Astonishing turned into a movie? (as he mentioned in the rolling Stone article)

[RaiseTheKnife]

Anyone see the new Megadeth artwork for Dystopia (releasing one week prior to the Astonishing)?  The new video/tune premiered this weekend features two white NOMAC-type orbs floating about a retro-futuristic dystopian cityscape.   Man, that's gotta be like when two women show up to the dance wearing the same dress.

[Mladen]

Wow, I wish I could read all ten pages of discussion.

I'm loving this song, bring on the album! 

[Kotowboy]

Anyone see the new Megadeth artwork for Dystopia (releasing one week prior to the Astonishing)?  The new video/tune premiered this weekend features two white NOMAC-type orbs floating about a retro-futuristic dystopian cityscape.   Man, that's gotta be like when two women show up to the dance wearing the same dress.

Except that Dystopia will be more of the same tired old thrash with Mustaine's increasingly weakening voice. There's someone who does smother his vocals in FX.

[Train of Naught]

So the album is up for pre-order on the uk amazon site ... but there are 2 versions. One with a GNE logo and one with a RRM logo ... they both have a different Amazon ID number, no mention of either being a special edition etc ... both track lists are missing the last 2 songs of Act 2 though

Anybody think there could be something to it, or just a mistake on amazon's part??

I doubt that anything will be different except for the booklets with story information perhaps, like the point of view of either side you decide to buy.
I can live with 16 pounds for a CD with so many content on it, that's like 22 euro's, but I'm probably waiting for a deluxe version, not sure yet.

[r0cken]

About the single - first thing that jumped into my head: "Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding"...
I like the way it's so melodic, even though it's almost cheesy. It has some good-feel vibe about it. And oh, it's way too short.
Going to try and not listen to it to death.

[Lucien]

Who thinks that Petrucci will end up getting The Astonishing turned into a movie? (as he mentioned in the rolling Stone article)

This I'm excited about. 2 hours 10 minutes is a long enough time, they can just have the movie be the album with some awesome visuals like is suspected in the live show

[CoT67]

Who thinks that Petrucci will end up getting The Astonishing turned into a movie? (as he mentioned in the rolling Stone article)

I think a movie is quite difficult... a musical though? From what TGOM sounds like and from what the concept promises to be, it
could absolutely crush things like American Idiot in that format.

[Kix]

I really, really like this track.  But let me say this:  Although it would be inappropriate for me to give any details on the other tracks I have heard so far, The Gift of Music is nowhere near my favorite.  Those who, like myself, really liked this song are seriously in for a real treat with this album.  This song only scratches the surface.

I echo the above statement 110%.

[tristl]

i am just fucking exited, i have already tickets for paris and frankfurt and i really hope it will be soon january 29, hopefully there will be a special edition

[Lucien]

I really, really like this track.  But let me say this:  Although it would be inappropriate for me to give any details on the other tracks I have heard so far, The Gift of Music is nowhere near my favorite.  Those who, like myself, really liked this song are seriously in for a real treat with this album.  This song only scratches the surface.

Holy shit, I didn't see this post.

Now I'm calling it: most of this forum will have The Astonishing as their #1 or #2 album in 3 years

[BlobVanDam]

I really, really like this track.  But let me say this:  Although it would be inappropriate for me to give any details on the other tracks I have heard so far, The Gift of Music is nowhere near my favorite.  Those who, like myself, really liked this song are seriously in for a real treat with this album.  This song only scratches the surface.

Holy shit, I didn't see this post.

Now I'm calling it: most of this forum will have The Astonishing as their #1 or #2 album in 3 years

I'm sure the new album will be great and all, but the chances of it cracking my top 4 are approximately zero.

[Kix]

Across the vast North Empire
Most people struggle to survive
Living a meek existence
While their secluded leader thrives

[Lucien]

Across the vast North Empire
Most people struggle to survive
Living a meek existence
While their secluded leader thrives

There we go 

[dodido253]

Great song.. but I have serious problem with MM drum sound.

[PixelDream]

I dig most of it, but the 'people just don't have the time for music anymore' makes me cringe a bit. But if I couldn't get past such things, I wouldn't be listening to Dream Theater at all. So, nothing new there.

Overall impression:

- Uplifting and energetic track.
- Well-written.
- Cool solo and instrumental part.
- The production is a bit more open than DT12.
- I'm disappointed with the snare, again, although it's not as bad as the DT12 snare. I was secretly hoping for a badass organic snare a la MP era, but whatever, f it.
- Still not feeling Mike Mangini's style at all. He doesn't ruin the music in any way for me, but it's more that MP made the often intricate technical rhythms of the band groovy and listenable nonetheless.

Conclusion:

An above average track for DT coming off the last few records. I'll still be following and I'm anticipating this album quite a bit.

[ariich]

I really, really like this track.  But let me say this:  Although it would be inappropriate for me to give any details on the other tracks I have heard so far, The Gift of Music is nowhere near my favorite.  Those who, like myself, really liked this song are seriously in for a real treat with this album.  This song only scratches the surface.

Holy shit, I didn't see this post.

Now I'm calling it: most of this forum will have The Astonishing as their #1 or #2 album in 3 years

I'm sure the new album will be great and all, but the chances of it cracking my top 4 are approximately zero.

Does he mean top DT albums, or top albums? For the vast vast majority of people, the latter is basically impossible.

[ErHaO]

About the perception that a few of you think you are hearing a melodyne artifact:  I asked the band, and there is NO melodyne or other effects on that part of the song.  That is purely how James sang the line.  I have this confirmed directly from the band.  They also said they appreciate that the fans dig so deep and analyze the music on such a deep level as that.  But no melodyne. 

Thanks! I do not doubt people saying this sounds like an editing artifact, but like I said, singers with control over their muscles related to singing techniques are perfectly capable of (unconventional sounding) pitch changes. I was really doubting this was an editing error because of that. If they want the note to sound like that in a studio setting, a singer like Labrie surely is capable achieving it. I can see the use of smoothening vocals with some minor corrections, but changing the whole pitch for me seems redundant if you have a vocalist capable and willing to that in a studio setting. Especially in this type of music.

It probably would be achievable with software editing as well, as people have pointed out here. But that doesn't always mean that is in fact the case. I see far too many people shouting software trickery on the internet if something deviates from the standard sound. But that is understandable, as many artists do in fact alter their vocals way too much.

That said, I really like Labrie's vocals here.

[phospheneSOI]

Who thinks that Petrucci will end up getting The Astonishing turned into a movie? (as he mentioned in the rolling Stone article)

I've read a lot of books, and listen to a lot of podcasts about the movie industry, and I'd say the chances are incredibly unlikely.

[Lucien]

I really, really like this track.  But let me say this:  Although it would be inappropriate for me to give any details on the other tracks I have heard so far, The Gift of Music is nowhere near my favorite.  Those who, like myself, really liked this song are seriously in for a real treat with this album.  This song only scratches the surface.

Holy shit, I didn't see this post.

Now I'm calling it: most of this forum will have The Astonishing as their #1 or #2 album in 3 years

I'm sure the new album will be great and all, but the chances of it cracking my top 4 are approximately zero.

Does he mean top DT albums, or top albums? For the vast vast majority of people, the latter is basically impossible.

Oh, I meant DT albums 

[Train of Naught]

Top 3 albums of all time is obviously going to take a miracle, but top 3 DT albums, I could definitely see that if it's going to be anything like or even better than this single.

[noxon]

A movie of the scale that this album is having, would cost at least 50 million dollars to produce. At least. There's literally no way anyone is going to throw 50 million at DT -  a band that "only" has 3.6 million followers on facebook, which is 10% of that of Metallica - and https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/metallicas-james-hetfield-looks-back-on-commercial-failure-of-through-the-never-movie-weve-learned-a-lesson/ speaks volumes.

[Nothingface]

A new character was revealed today, encircled by NOMACS.

[Jinx]

If there's full animations for the whole album you could just show the animations on the screen with the music in cinemas and call that the film.

[Nefarius]

Just to clear something up about pitch correction for people who are not into music engineering and recording...

Assuming we're talking about musicians and techs who know and care about what they are doing, pitch correction tools in the studio are not an evil thing at all. After all studio time is limited and ends at a certain point, no matter how many days and nights you spend there. But the creativity doesn't end once tracking is done, there are many important decisions to make during the mixing process and beyond.

Due to the imperfection of human beings (excluding precision like Mike Mangini's, that's just alien) there will always be a little more vocal vibrato, a fraction less string bending on guitars and basses, or differences in synth mod/pitch wheel use on track A than on track B. Going back to recording just wouldn't make any sense for a tiny issue with the quarter of a second of an otherwise awesome astonishing track.

That's what studio software is great for. Balancing out minuscule discrepancies. Making sure everything is the best it can be. It's not about getting singers derailed by a third back on track, it's about getting the most of the valuable studio time and material and being able to adapt and improve details long after the sessions are over.

Greetings...
Nef

[Prog Snob]

Well said, Nef. We know the truth about performers once they hit the live environment. For a 52 year old man, James still has killer pipes so no complaints here regarding a little studio touch-up.

[Awaken]

A new character was revealed today, encircled by NOMACS.

Tom cruise has a part in The Astonishing?

[bosk1]

Across the vast North Empire
Most people struggle to survive
Living a meek existence
While their secluded leader thrives

STOP TALKING ABOUT ME AS IF I'M NOT STANDING RIGHT HERE!

[King Postwhore]

A new character was revealed today, encircled by NOMACS.

Tom cruise has a part in The Astonishing?

I think your funny meter is not working.

[bl5150]

Dream Thetan 

[jayvee3]

Fantastic track that just has me crazy excited for the album. What we know of the storyline so far kind of reminds me of the Queen 'We Will Rock You' musical, which saw a distant future where everyone dresses, thinks and acts the same. All musical instruments and composers are forbidden, and rock music is all but unknown. It's up to the characters to bring the music back and change things for the better. This would be a great little concept. Again, purely speculation, but lines like 'people just don't have the time for music anymore' just reminded me of it.

And I'm buggered if I know what is wrong with the 'flaw' that people are talking about. Having said that, I don't have the ear to pick up snare sounds and triggered drums etc that seem a common complaint, and quite frankly, I think I'm better off...