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

[Bertielee]

Happy Astonishing Year, everyone!

B.Lee

[SwedishGoose]

Happy Astonishing Year, everyone!

B.Lee

An astonishing year to you all!!

[mikemangioy]

Happy new album y'all 

[JediKnight1969]

There has been an astonishing... Have you felt it?

[chego_voice]

Happy Astonishing Year for Everyone! Un feliz y Asombroso año para todos mis amigos latinos! 

[Enigmachine]

[Content removed until it can be reviewed - XJDenton]

[Zydar]

Interesting

[Crow]

okay so is there legit more music on the first disc than you can actually fit on once CD

[chego_voice]

OHHHHHH!

[Enigmachine]

okay so is there legit more music on the first disc than you can actually fit on once CD

No, I mean on the website (somebody has already rated the album there as well, which is interesting), where Laughing_man92 linked to, not Pax or Lightbug's estimates, which were still pretty close. The site has the total Disc 1 length at just below 80 mins. 79:49 to be exact.

I hope this doesn't count as leaked info. Could someone tell me if I'm out of line by referencing this? Removed references just to be sure.

[MirrorMask]

So Dream Theater has made a disc which is one of the longest of their carrer, which fills to the phisycal limits a CD.

...and that's just Act I, 'cause there's 55 or so minutes more of music to hear on a second disc!

I'm stoked at the direction this album is gonna take! couldn't care less for the instrumental sections missing, and I can go without a lot of metallic stuff for one disc. I JUST CAN'T WAIT!!!!!! 

[noxon]

Anything that is not verifiable information from a credible and reputable source is to be considered a leak.

[SwedishGoose]

Everything I hear about the upcoming album and tour makes me more and more stoked... only 29 days until the album and 2 months until the show/shows in Stockholm   

[Train of Naught]

Someone on Reddit named 'nafaryus' who has the album has said this:

"Let's just say, I've never heard a DT album like it."

"I think this will be the most divisive album by Dream Theater ever. And that is saying a lot, by virtue of all albums being divisive to a certain extent. This one will be worse than falling into infinity when it comes to fan reaction. The people loving the all out metal of the last decade will be very disappointed. Those who love the long instrumental sections will be disappointed. Basically, what I'm saying is; if you love FII and SFAM, you'll love this album."

I also read this, pretty funny though how he says people who love the long instrumental sections will be disappointed, followed by "if you love SFAM, you'll love this album".

[MirrorMask]

SFAM has a theatrical approach, this album may be SFAM on steroids (Noxon has pretty much confirmed that it's a rock opera, not a collection of songs), so maybe that's what he refers to. The whole "Not a collection of songs but a full experience" kind of thing.

[Enigmachine]

Someone on Reddit named 'nafaryus' who has the album has said this:

"Let's just say, I've never heard a DT album like it."

"I think this will be the most divisive album by Dream Theater ever. And that is saying a lot, by virtue of all albums being divisive to a certain extent. This one will be worse than falling into infinity when it comes to fan reaction. The people loving the all out metal of the last decade will be very disappointed. Those who love the long instrumental sections will be disappointed. Basically, what I'm saying is; if you love FII and SFAM, you'll love this album."

I also read this, pretty funny though how he says people who love the long instrumental sections will be disappointed, followed by "if you love SFAM, you'll love this album".

Well apart from Overture 1928, Fatal Tragedy, Beyond This Life, Home and The Dance of Eternity, there weren't that many long instrumental sections. Oh wait, that's half the album. 
I think that he meant that SfaM was less overtly metal than a lot of DT's more recent stuff rather than a lack of instrumental sections.

Anything that is not verifiable information from a credible and reputable source is to be considered a leak.

Well I think my sources are credible, but that's not for me to decide. Do you think I'm breaking the rules?

[Pax]

okay so is there legit more music on the first disc than you can actually fit on once CD

No, I mean on RYM (somebody has already rated the album there as well, which is interesting), where Laughing_man92 linked to, not Pax or Lightbug's estimates, which were still pretty close. RYM has the total Disc 1 length at just below 80 mins. 79:49 to be exact.

I hope this doesn't count as leaked info. Could someone tell me if I'm out of line by referencing this?

I'm not a mod, but I personally wouldn't count that as a leak, because it's not like something the band wouldn't want us to know
It can just increase the hype

Also, I found those track lengths, and guess what? All my estimates were around 5-6 seconds longer than those. And guess what again? He didn't say TGoM lasts 4:08 (what we thought was a fact), but 4:00. That explains the shift
However, looks like my measurement was very precise (there was just a systematic error that made my results shift a bit to the longer lengths)
In your face, non-believers

[Enigmachine]

Also, I found those track lengths, and guess what? All my estimates were around 5-6 seconds longer than those. And guess what again? He didn't say TGoM lasts 4:08 (what we thought was a fact), but 4:00. That explains the shift
However, looks like my measurement was very precise (there was just a systematic error that made my results shift a bit to the longer lengths)
In your face, non-believers

Those last 8 seconds are probably fading into The Answer.

[noxon]

Well I think my sources are credible, but that's not for me to decide. Do you think I'm breaking the rules?

A random guy on the Reddit credible? I dunno, but it's not up to me to decide whether that info is against the rules - not my place to.

[Enigmachine]

A random guy on the Reddit credible? I dunno, but it's not up to me to decide whether that info is against the rules - not my place to.

He has a review copy of the album so I'd assume he is credible and that subforum has similar rules on leaks to DTF:
"Do NOT post any leaked material until a week after the album has been released."

So I don't know, the mods there would've taken down the thread and banned the guy if rules were being breached.

[millahh]

However, looks like my measurement was very precise (there was just a systematic error that made my results shift a bit to the longer lengths)

Precise doesn't necessarily mean accurate...which based on your "Chemist" text you should know very well!   

[XJDenton]

I'm taking it down for the time being so we can review it. Problem with anonymous reddit users is that it is sometimes hard to know if the material has been gotten legitimately or not and hence whether the source is credible. Best thing to do if you are unsure if it breaks the rules or not is just ask one of the team.

[Train of Naught]

A random guy on the Reddit credible? I dunno, but it's not up to me to decide whether that info is against the rules - not my place to.

He has a review copy of the album so I'd assume he is credible and that subforum has similar rules on leaks to DTF:
"Do NOT post any leaked material until a week after the album has been released."

So I don't know, the mods there would've taken down the thread and banned the guy if rules were being breached.

Not do degrade the mods over there perse, but they were selected pretty randomly, I remember with the whole TGOM situation there was one mod who actually encouraged redditors to PM him for the leaked song.

[Enigmachine]

I'm taking it down for the time being so we can review it. Problem with anonymous reddit users is that it is sometimes hard to know if the material has been gotten legitimately or not and hence whether the source is credible. Best thing to do if you are unsure if it breaks the rules or not is just ask one of the team.

Sorry about that.

Not do degrade the mods over there perse, but they were selected pretty randomly, I remember with the whole TGOM situation there was one mod who actually encouraged redditors to PM him for the leaked song.

I was not aware of that, but it was still taken down (though it was admittedly more high profile than what I mentioned). I'll try and be more careful with this sort of thing.

[Thematt202]

What was the whole TGOM situation?  I thought Rolling Stone premiered it and it was all official?

[Enigmachine]

What was the whole TGOM situation?  I thought Rolling Stone premiered it and it was all official?

It leaked a few hours before that happened.

[Pax]

However, looks like my measurement was very precise (there was just a systematic error that made my results shift a bit to the longer lengths)

Precise doesn't necessarily mean accurate...which based on your "Chemist" text you should know very well!   

exactly, I meant my measurement was precise, but not accurate (due to the shift)

[KevShmev]

I'm taking it down for the time being so we can review it. Problem with anonymous reddit users is that it is sometimes hard to know if the material has been gotten legitimately or not and hence whether the source is credible. Best thing to do if you are unsure if it breaks the rules or not is just ask one of the team.

Random thought: I am NOT referring to anyone specifically, but I find that forum posters are sometimes like reporters; they want the scoop of being the first one to report/post it, so it's more fun and satisfying, I suppose, to post first and ask questions later. Asking a mod means someone else, like that mod, could post it first and then they have been scooped.

[Thematt202]

What was the whole TGOM situation?  I thought Rolling Stone premiered it and it was all official?

It leaked a few hours before that happened.

How did I miss this?!

[Prog Snob]

What was the whole TGOM situation?  I thought Rolling Stone premiered it and it was all official?

It leaked a few hours before that happened.

How did I miss this?!

You just missed another leak, too.

[Enigmachine]

Random thought: I am NOT referring to anyone specifically, but I find that forum posters are sometimes like reporters; they want the scoop of being the first one to report/post it, so it's more fun and satisfying, I suppose, to post first and ask questions later. Asking a mod means someone else, like that mod, could post it first and then they have been scooped.

Well, I don't care about posting info first, I just wanted to start some relevant discussion on the album since TGoM came out about a month ago with the Rolling Stone interview and very little has come since regarding solid info on album content. I assumed the guy was credible considering that he had the album for reviewing purposes and even held back on some info when he said "I can't really speak about it at length. Embargo and all that.". I didn't think to ask until I referenced the website, but it turns out that the reddit info was the problem. I'd be perfectly fine with not being the first one to communicate info, I'm not that self-centred.

[BelichickFan]

All this leak stuff is so stupid.  The album's done, they should sell it.  The longer the wait, 28 more days in this case, the more chance of leaks.  Whatever, it's just a crazy business model (talking about music, not DT in particular).

[Enigmachine]

All this leak stuff is so stupid.  The album's done, they should sell it.  The longer the wait, 28 more days in this case, the more chance of leaks.  Whatever, it's just a crazy business model (talking about music, not DT in particular).

This happens because bands want to hype the album up for a few months to get more attention and sales as well as having to manufacture physical copies. It makes sense, it's just hard to wait through. 
It would be nice if albums were just released when it's finished but that doesn't and won't really happen for reasonably big bands.

[TL]

Why is the setting of the story important anyhow? It's just dressing. The story of Star Wars isn't about spaceships. It's about the hero's journey. It's about friendship (and ultimately, family). The same is true about Game of Thrones - ultimately, if you "undress" it, it's a soap opera.

The dressing of the setting is just a way to set up the story. And I don't get it why people need to have everything be relatable. "I can't enjoy a story that's not in my world, because I can't relate to it". Sure you can. Because ultimately, it's a story about human behavior. Even movies with speaking animals is about human behavior.

I mean, I'm not a religious person, and I particularly do not believe in reincarnation. Does that hinder me from enjoying the story of SFAM? Not at all! Because the story is ultimately a basic "whodunnit" at its core.

The Astonishing is a story about people. It's setting is a dystopian future (so how you get "game of thrones" from that - considering game of thrones is set in a medieval-like setting (High fantasy) I'm not sure). To ease your way into the setting, the story comes with illustrations of the people in the story and a map, as well as pictures of some key locations in the story. And it's the most elaborate I've ever seen DT be. But I completely understand why. To experience this album is not just to experience the music. The story is so important that you need to experience it like a play. In fact, I can with absolute certainty say that if the story is a problem for you, you will have problem with the music as well, because they're so strongly connected.


This points towards a more general problem I've always seen from DT fans. REGARDLESS of what DT does, a great portion of the fans will hate it with a passion, a great portion will love it with all their heart, and the rest are just "it's okay"... It even happened with SFAM. Heck, it even happened with IAW. It's become so predictable that I can tell instantly how the fanbase will react to any song. I think it's insane, I don't see this level of scrutiny in other fanbases.

I think you might be overreacting.

[BelichickFan]

All this leak stuff is so stupid.  The album's done, they should sell it.  The longer the wait, 28 more days in this case, the more chance of leaks.  Whatever, it's just a crazy business model (talking about music, not DT in particular).

This happens because bands want to hype the album up for a few months to get more attention and sales as well as having to manufacture physical copies. It makes sense, it's just hard to wait through. 
It would be nice if albums were just released when it's finished but that doesn't and won't really happen for reasonably big bands.

I know but I still think it's a bad business model given the situation with downloading.  I've pre-ordered the CD, of course, if I got an email saying for an extra $10 I could download it now I would be running to get my credit card.  Before downloading it made sense.  Now it's just bad business.  Then many people who buy it also download it first, as an example if it were to leak on 1/24 I would download it and still get my pre-order on 1/29 so I would still buy it. But then bands wonder why so many download it when a good number of the downloads are also buyers.  Craziness.  But it's a max of 28 days now.