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

[RoadTrain_of Thought]

I'm waiting for all the nugget finders to analyze the hell out of the album, and give us crazy theories about how it's related to Metropolis or Octavarium. We've already seen a bit of it 

I'm waiting to see if there will be any similarities with ITPoE. I have been listening to it a lot lately and can't help but think there must be something common (there probably isn't), I mean there is a "chosen one" and rebels in there.

[r3d86]

I'm waiting for all the nugget finders to analyze the hell out of the album, and give us crazy theories about how it's related to Metropolis or Octavarium. We've already seen a bit of it 

I'm waiting to see if there will be any similarities with ITPoE. I have been listening to it a lot lately and can't help but think there must be something common (there probably isn't), I mean there is a "chosen one" and rebels in there.

In The Presence Of Enemies Pt.3: The Astonishing 

[mike099]

I'm waiting for the 34 new 'Opinions on __________' threads when the album gets released 

Oh hell no

And don't forget another 34 appreciation threads.

My head hurts thinking about the volume of posts

[me7]

I'm waiting for all the nugget finders to analyze the hell out of the album, and give us crazy theories about how it's related to Metropolis or Octavarium. We've already seen a bit of it 

I'm waiting to see if there will be any similarities with ITPoE. I have been listening to it a lot lately and can't help but think there must be something common (there probably isn't), I mean there is a "chosen one" and rebels in there.

In The Presence Of Enemies Pt.3: The Astonishing 

Metropolis Episode 1: In The Presence Of Enemies Pt.3: The Astonishing

The beginning of a prequel trilogy to Metropolis.

[RMGadelha]

I'm waiting for all the nugget finders to analyze the hell out of the album, and give us crazy theories about how it's related to Metropolis or Octavarium. We've already seen a bit of it 

I'm waiting to see if there will be any similarities with ITPoE. I have been listening to it a lot lately and can't help but think there must be something common (there probably isn't), I mean there is a "chosen one" and rebels in there.

"Slay
Spill the blood of the rebels
They are the children of hell"

Nafaryus, you evil son of a... 

[RMGadelha]

I'm waiting for all the nugget finders to analyze the hell out of the album, and give us crazy theories about how it's related to Metropolis or Octavarium. We've already seen a bit of it 

I'm waiting to see if there will be any similarities with ITPoE. I have been listening to it a lot lately and can't help but think there must be something common (there probably isn't), I mean there is a "chosen one" and rebels in there.

In The Presence Of Enemies Pt.3: The Astonishing 

Metropolis Episode 1: In The Presence Of Enemies Pt.3: The Astonishing

The beginning of a prequel trilogy to Metropolis.

Does that mean Jar Jar will still be revealed and that we will have a hidden extra villain subplot? D:

[nattmorker]

I'm waiting for the 34 new 'Opinions on __________' threads when the album gets released 

Oh hell no

And don't forget another 34 appreciation threads.

My head hurts thinking about the volume of posts

The future "Rank The Astonishing" thread will be a pain to write!

[r3d86]

I'm waiting for all the nugget finders to analyze the hell out of the album, and give us crazy theories about how it's related to Metropolis or Octavarium. We've already seen a bit of it 

I'm waiting to see if there will be any similarities with ITPoE. I have been listening to it a lot lately and can't help but think there must be something common (there probably isn't), I mean there is a "chosen one" and rebels in there.

In The Presence Of Enemies Pt.3: The Astonishing 

Metropolis Episode 1: In The Presence Of Enemies Pt.3: The Astonishing

The beginning of a prequel trilogy to Metropolis.

Does that mean Jar Jar will still be revealed and that we will have a hidden extra villain subplot? D:

Or maybe C-3PO is the last Lord Sith (?)

[CoT67]

I'm hoping for a twist ending or some kind of profound, shocking thing to happen with "Astonishing." You can't have a title track like that closing the album and not have something really cool and unexpected.

At the very least, I'm really hoping for a non-cliche ending. It would be a little disappointing to me if the album ended with " the empire was overthrown, the nomacs were shut down, the rebels control the land, everyone lived happily ever after." Maybe I'm in the minority there, but I don't know a good concept album that had a perfectly happy, wrapped up ending.

I mean the friggen album is called "The Astonishing." I'M JUST SO INTRIGUED and maybe that's why I'm hoping for something unexpected.

It also seems like DT is going to transcend the actual music and instrumentals in this album by really applying the concept to the way they write and create the music. And I don't just mean spoken tracks (god forbid), and "oh this parts heavy cuz he's evil," or "oh this parts soft because she's a good guy." I'm keeping my doubts but I'm just hoping they create something new and experiment with the way they portray the concept here.

It was all just a dream. And then at the end Gabriel opens his eyes and HE IS NAFARYUS.

You heard it here first.

Does that mean that Booker DeWitt and Father Comstock are the same person? WAIT, SONGBIRD STOPS TO LISTEN? BIOSHOCK CONFIRMED? (Fans will get that... maybe).

Exactly what I thought after reading the last line of the lyrics... Petrucci is/must be a gaming nerd after all 

EDIT: considering there is also a place called Borderland in the map, gaming references are popping up everywhere in this album... if it goes on like this I'll expect the whole setting to have been inspired by the conflict Empire - Stormcloak of Skyrim 

[r3d86]

I would expect the Emperor and the Commander to speak to us soon.

[ariich]

Exactly what I thought after reading the last line of the lyrics... Petrucci is/must be a gaming nerd after all 

not sure if serious

Songbirds are a thing, Bioshock didn't invent them.

[RMGadelha]

Exactly what I thought after reading the last line of the lyrics... Petrucci is/must be a gaming nerd after all 

not sure if serious

Songbirds are a thing, Bioshock didn't invent them.

Well, I think the way I used caps lock and the wording in my sentence makes it clear that I was joking 
Maybe I should have used sarcastic green? :0

[Prog Snob]

I'm waiting for the 34 new 'Opinions on __________' threads when the album gets released 

Oh hell no

I remember the old dt.net message boards had sub-forums for the most recent releases. It could clear up a lot of clutter with how many different topics there are going to be once this beast is released.

[EraVulgaris]

I'm waiting for all the nugget finders to analyze the hell out of the album, and give us crazy theories about how it's related to Metropolis or Octavarium. We've already seen a bit of it 

I'm waiting to see if there will be any similarities with ITPoE. I have been listening to it a lot lately and can't help but think there must be something common (there probably isn't), I mean there is a "chosen one" and rebels in there.

In The Presence Of Enemies Pt.3: The Astonishing 

In The Presence Of Enemies Pt. 3: The Astonishing Pt. 1: First Blood III

[Nomaniac]

I'm waiting for the 34 new 'Opinions on __________' threads when the album gets released 

Oh hell no

Oh hell yes!!!

[King Postwhore]

........and it does happen every album release.

[CoT67]

Exactly what I thought after reading the last line of the lyrics... Petrucci is/must be a gaming nerd after all 

not sure if serious

Songbirds are a thing, Bioshock didn't invent them.

Half serious actually, but given the marketing and the concept of the upcoming album it almost felt like a videogame reference to me... a VERY unlikely one, though it was funny (and weird) that Bioshock's Songbird came to my mind before the actual one.

In any case, Petrucci has cited inspirations coming mainly from movies (Game of Thrones, Star Wars and Hunger Games standing out I think), so I guess we'll have to expect some references to popular entertainment media anyway.

[Fritzinger]

So I read most of the posts in this thread, but I am still a little confused. Is The Northern Empire the "good" side? Or is Ravenskill? Wich one is the leading side right now?
Maybe I understood something totally wrong. And if there are any informations or speculations on wich side is the good, bad or leading one: on what are they based?

[rab7]

So I read most of the posts in this thread, but I am still a little confused. Is The Northern Empire the "good" side? Or is Ravenskill? Wich one is the leading side right now?
Maybe I understood something totally wrong. And if there are any informations or speculations on wich side is the good, bad or leading one: on what are they based?

If we believe the point of view presented in "The Gift of Music", then the Empire is the bad side and Ravenskill is the good side.

[dvargas]

I'm waiting for the 34 new 'Opinions on __________' threads when the album gets released 

Oh hell no

Oh hell yes!!!

Plus the favorite song , favorite moment, favorite JP solo, fav JR solo, fav lyrics threads, etc. 

[ariich]

So I read most of the posts in this thread, but I am still a little confused. Is The Northern Empire the "good" side? Or is Ravenskill? Wich one is the leading side right now?
Maybe I understood something totally wrong. And if there are any informations or speculations on wich side is the good, bad or leading one: on what are they based?

If we believe the point of view presented in "The Gift of Music", then the Empire is the bad side and Ravenskill is the good side.

But that is only one character's point of view. I, for one, find Arhys's preaching to be highly suspicious.

[rab7]

So I read most of the posts in this thread, but I am still a little confused. Is The Northern Empire the "good" side? Or is Ravenskill? Wich one is the leading side right now?
Maybe I understood something totally wrong. And if there are any informations or speculations on wich side is the good, bad or leading one: on what are they based?

If we believe the point of view presented in "The Gift of Music", then the Empire is the bad side and Ravenskill is the good side.

But that is only one character's point of view. I, for one, find Arhys's preaching to be highly suspicious.

Which is why I had the "If".

Someone brought up a good point earlier that giving us the option of choosing a side meant that neither side was absolutely good or bad. I think that's a likely outcome

[Peter Mc]

I'm guessing the Empire are the baddies based on the fact that their leader is called Nefarious (or however you spell it!) They also have noise machines and stop people from making music. Rebels play music, like our heroes Dream Theater, and appear to be from Long Island, also like our heroes so am guessing they are the goodies.

[Fritzinger]

Funny, I always thought of Ravenskill being the "bad ones" (such an odd thing to say).. Because Emperor Sean Connery looks like a very nice older gentleman and Arhys looks like a total dick who is trying to make everyone his underdog.

("underdog" omg, As I Am Pt. II CONFIRMED)

[bosk1]

I'm guessing the Empire are the baddies based on the fact that their leader is called Nefarious (or however you spell it!) They also have noise machines and stop people from making music. Rebels play music, like our heroes Dream Theater, and appear to be from Long Island, also like our heroes so am guessing they are the goodies.

I am guessing it isn't quite that simple.

[Lowdz]

Funny, I always thought of Ravenskill being the "bad ones" (such an odd thing to say).. Because Emperor Sean Connery looks like a very nice older gentleman and Arhys looks like a total dick who is trying to make everyone his underdog.

("underdog" omg, As I Am Pt. II CONFIRMED)

In this day and age it seems strange to me that we will be cheering on the terrorists. Ah, but they will be freedom fighters.

[Zook]

Funny, I always thought of Ravenskill being the "bad ones" (such an odd thing to say).. Because Emperor Sean Connery looks like a very nice older gentleman and Arhys looks like a total dick who is trying to make everyone his underdog.

("underdog" omg, As I Am Pt. II CONFIRMED)

In this day and age it seems strange to me that we will be cheering on the terrorists. Ah, but they will be freedom fighters.

If crime fighters fight crime, and firefighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight?

[RMGadelha]

Eh, I have no trouble cheering for the supposedly "bad" guys when it's fiction. I find it badass. That's why I prefer the GNE and I prefer the Galactic Empire instead of the Rebel Alliance in Star Wars.

[sdfdsv]

So, should we expect anything exciting for this week? ^{paging bosk}

[porcacultor]

I think Lord Nafaryus is definitely a reworded cover of duran duran's Notorious.

[erwinrafael]

I'm guessing the Empire are the baddies based on the fact that their leader is called Nefarious (or however you spell it!) They also have noise machines and stop people from making music. Rebels play music, like our heroes Dream Theater, and appear to be from Long Island, also like our heroes so am guessing they are the goodies.

I am guessing it isn't quite that simple.

My prediction (or more of a wish) is that music/ravenskill = melodic prog ala I&W DT, noise/Empire = metal ala ToT DT, and Astonishing is the closing epic that astonishes us with the marriage between the two with the signature DT prog metal.

[Pragmaticcircus]

I just found a leak of the complete Astonishing character list, oops.....

[Zydar]

Homer!

[YtseJamittaja]

Lord Jar Jar 

[Train of Naught]

Jar Jar is exactly what I expected char8 to be, the joke of star wars, like habi was the joke of DTF.