"The Shattered Fortress" Appreciation Thread

[jjfumbly]

Kind of underrated, isn't it? It often gets a lot of hate for being so similar to its four predecessors and having little original content but I think that it was actually done pretty well. Perfect climax for the suite. Also it's killer live.

[Crow]

always remember to check this thread: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=34237.0

and here you go: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=2358.0

[KevShmev]

Good song, yes.  I like it more than most, although it's still not a favorite of mine.  It sure does rock, though.

Oh, and don't feel bad about starting this thread.  Parama is just being a stick in the mud.

[wolfking]

I like it a lot, but IMO they just overdid it a little with all the reprises from the other songs from the trilogy.

[Train of Naught]

The only thing that really felt forced to me was the transition to the TROAE section, even though this song is almost entirely a reprise to previous songs. I think they did an amazing job at combining all those different riffs and mess with the speed of those riffs a bit, great song.

[Vandalism]

The only thing that really felt forced to me was the transition to the TROAE section, even though this song is almost entirely a reprise to previous songs. I think they did an amazing job at combining all those different riffs and mess with the speed of those riffs a bit, great song.

Feel the same about that part. They are more than capable of producing a smoother transition1 rather than that forced one!

[palmeiras]

I love this song it is a mix this dying soul with the glass prison

[SuperTaco]

I like the song itself a lot, but I get major listeners fatigue because of the way it's mixed/mastered/compressed/whatever. It's always been curious to me because I don't get that from the rest of the album.

[EraVulgaris]

This song is tough to rate for me, because I love the instrumental intro a lot, but hate the Portnoy lyrics so much. The way he shouts "JUSTICE", "COURTESY" etc. is probably the most cringe-worthy moment in all of DTs discography (up there with the lyrics of TCOT) and basically sums up why I'm happy that this era of DT seems to be over. I know people may think I'm overreacting over those few lines, but I really, really hate that stuff. Apart from that, the song is pretty kickass, although I always felt that the last reprise of the TROAE drums seemed a little tacked on.

[RoadTrain_of Thought]

"Кeep all of me! The desires that once burned me deep inside."

I love that part.

[DragonAttack]

This song is tough to rate for me, because I love the instrumental intro a lot, but hate the Portnoy lyrics so much. The way he shouts "JUSTICE", "COURTESY" etc. is probably the most cringe-worthy moment in all of DTs discography (up there with the lyrics of TCOT) and basically sums up why I'm happy that this era of DT seems to be over. I know people may think I'm overreacting over those few lines, but I really, really hate that stuff. Apart from that, the song is pretty kickass, although I always felt that the last reprise of the TROAE drums seemed a little tacked on.

As with 'This Dying Soul', this is not part of MY version of its respective album.  Today was the first time I've given it a listen since 2009.  Intro is great, ending is good, the rest...meh.  TRoAE was the only 12 step I liked from start to finish.   I like the TGP with a couple parts chopped out.  The MP shouted and spoken parts are bad, just as they are in 'Repentance' (spoken lines I chopped out of that as well).

Ironic that it is about the 12 steps, in that it was the only track I walked out on and had a couple of drinks to at a DT show in the past 12 years.  Didn't understand its inclusion on 'Fourth Wall' whatsoever.  I respect what it meant to MP, what he accomplished to be able to honestly write it, and for those who appreciate it.  Just not my cup of tea.

[MegaDTSX]

This song has what is probably my favorite Petrucci guitar solo on it.  The lick leading up to the highest note on that solo gives me goosebumps and the instrumental behind it before Labrie sings "I am responsible..".

[SuperTaco]

"Кeep all of me! The desires that once burned me deep inside."

I love that part.

I like that part too, but I much prefer the original part in TROAE. It just sounds much more epic to me.

[RoadTrain_of Thought]

"Кeep all of me! The desires that once burned me deep inside."

I love that part.

I like that part too, but I much prefer the original part in TROAE. It just sounds much more epic to me.

I actually like the clearer version in TSF but I still think the one in TRoAE is cool though.

[Krissi91]

I've liked the song ever since I first heard it. While it isn't that creative and a little too long, it's still fun to listen to. The version on Breaking the Fourth Wall, IMO, is even better than the studio version because it doesn't have these vocal effects and just sounds more powerful in general.

[Madman Shepherd]

I could never get into that song.  Then BTFW came out and I loved it.  I still think it is the weakest of the Suite BUT it does its job.  Now that I gained a new appreciation, I wanted to go back and listen to the BC&SL version and it turns out it still does nothing for me.  I listened again and it does nothing.  I don't think the recording is terrible or the performances yet there is something that is just lacking from it.  It may be the only studio version of s song I just can't get into whereas the live version is excellent. 

[CDrice]

I LOVE the first two minutes! Definitely my favorite part of the whole song. The rest is pretty good too.

[MirrorMask]

Decent song, works better as a finale to the suite than on its own, but it's a nice experiment, I agree the Root reprise feels forced but it's a nice moment of the song. The ending is fitting, the I Am Responsible section I mean, a good way to end the whole thing.

Speaking about it, what do you all think about how this song would have connected to Repentance? the other transitions are fairly obvious, I mean:

TGP > TDS: They've done it live, there are videos of how it goes
TDS > Root: Obvious as well, the moment TDS ends, it immediately goes into the "real" beginning of the song, without all the intro
Root > Repentance: it just flows from the last moments of Root, play them one after the other and it's just fitting

But how do you think Portnoy meant it to go, both in studio (if you mix together the songs I mean) and live? Repentance ends abruptly, "The truth is the truth and all you have to do is to deal with it". What would have happened after that sudden silence? a fade-in like the studio version? the whole intro cut with the song punching in fast after 2 minutes? and how they would have done it live the moment Repentance would have ended, again they would have started how the song begins on Breaking the Fourth Wall or the whole intro would have been skipped? I feel that right after "And all you have to do is to deal with it" a fast punch of the song starting "for real" would be good, rather than the slow burn of the 2 minutes intro.

[gmillerdrake]

Really didn't like this song at all UNTIL I heard it played live on the Breaking the 4th Wall. And, what I liked about it is that MM made tweaks to the bass drum parts in the beginning that broke up the beat and made it more interesting then proceeded to play the FU%K out of the song and utterly owned it the entire time. Now, if I listen to the song it's the live version.....




Fun Fact: For some reason this song is my 8 year old sons favorite DT song out of all of them, he requests it continually...