*Official* The Astonishing discussion thread

[the-glass-prison]

I have only listened to it once so far. On 1st listen I have to say I am extremely disappointed with it. I know a lot of people say it takes a few listens to get into it. My thoughts so far is that I took no positives from it. Found it dull and boring, wanted to turn it off. I've never felt like that about any DT album before. I will listen to it again and hopefully my opinion changes.

[dream416]

Been listening to this since release day & absolutely love this album. Pre-ordered the LTD. Edition Boxset &
downloaded the FLAC files & (at least to me) sounds great. Finally received the
CD & NOMAC pin yesterday & was looking through the liner notes & have to agree what was said
earlier in the thread.......you can't read them  :face palm: white on a light blue background ? Really......

[YtseBitsySpider]

There's a new album?

Who knew?

[Jinx]

So I have listened to this for a whole week now. Am I the only one who has not been skipping ANY of the tracks? I love them all, either there's a melody, lyrics or just something about each track that makes me love it. If anything the only one I'm not 100% keen on is Our New World. I think that was hyped quite a bit and didn't quite hit me as it did other people.

Chosen has got single written all over it. It's amazing!

Also is the spoken word of Nafaryus that Richard Chycki is credited for in the booklet the part at the start of Losing Faythe where they are crying? Assuming is Nef and Arabelle.

[Kotowboy]

I wondered if he was the guy addressing the troops.

[kaos2900]

Starting Disc 2 tonight then I'll be able to finally try to rank this bad boy. It's going to be at least top 5 possibly top 3.

[Moor]

Starting Disc 2 tonight then I'll be able to finally try to rank this bad boy. It's going to be at least top 5 possibly top 3.

I will not rank it...IMO it should be treated as an "Hors-Série".

[V_R11]

Am I the only one who thinks Richard Chycki was mistakenly credited for spoken part of Nafaryus, when it really should be Arhys?

You know, A Better Life intro?

[Shooters1221]

I wondered if he was the guy addressing the troops.

I thought this too.

[kartmaze2]

Haven't read this whole thread or any other threads for a similar topic, but I have a question about a part in Dystopian Overture:

I love the piano part at 1:13-1:45, awesomely accompanied by Mangini's rides. But what theme is it? Does it recur later on the album? I can't seem to recognize it anywhere else. Is it a theme just meant for this particular track or have I missed something?

[mikemangioy]

That's straight from Heaven's Cove. The arpeggio is at least.

[kartmaze2]

That's straight from Heaven's Cove. The arpeggio is at least.

You're absolutely right! Thanks

[RuRoRul]

I don't think I am the right one to do it, but I think it'd be a really cool and feasible idea to have a sort of definitive thread for connections between songs.

For example to start with, for Dystopian Overture it could list by timestamp all the parts identified as themes or sections that appear in later songs. Then for each song it could list any connections people find and (what other song it is connected with).

Obviously a gargantuan task for one person, but if there was a thread where people could just post any individual connections they notice, it might not be such a difficult task to eventually list people's contributions in the OP.

With 34 tracks to listen to, I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed parts familiar from other songs but couldn't quite recall which one it was from - and by the time you listen through the full 2 hour album again you might have forgotten what it was you were looking for.

[jammindude]

 Well, it took me a week but I finally made it through the entire album. I've been really busy and my life is a circus. I have to say that I'm really enjoying this so far. It's certainly the single most ambitious thing I've ever heard them do. Out of the gate, my favorite song is hymn of 1000 voices,  but we will see what sticks in the long run.

This album is going to take a very long time to digest in its entirety.

[SnakeEyes]

I have only gotten through the first half of the first CD and I don't really care for it.  Of course the musicianship is amazing as always, but that's nothing new.  Good to see DT taking a different approach than the usual GUITAR SHRED KEYBOARD SHRED GUITAR/KEYBOARD UNISON SHRED that they've been doing on every album for the past fifteen years or so. 

I just think this is... boring.  I don't really care for the story, not connecting with it.  The melodies kind of don't really go anywhere.  I don't know, maybe I have to listen to it another five thousand times or something.  But, I honestly couldn't even get through the first CD I was so bored.  I literally turned it off.  Not that it's bad.  It's just... boring.  I'm sorry, not trying to be offensive, just giving my opinion. 

[rab7]

I wondered if he was the guy addressing the troops.

Noxon stated during the listenthrough that this is true.

[fischermasamune]

I have only gotten through the first half of the first CD and I don't really care for it.  Of course the musicianship is amazing as always, but that's nothing new.  Good to see DT taking a different approach than the usual GUITAR SHRED KEYBOARD SHRED GUITAR/KEYBOARD UNISON SHRED that they've been doing on every album for the past fifteen years or so. 

I just think this is... boring.  I don't really care for the story, not connecting with it.  The melodies kind of don't really go anywhere.  I don't know, maybe I have to listen to it another five thousand times or something.  But, I honestly couldn't even get through the first CD I was so bored.  I literally turned it off.  Not that it's bad.  It's just... boring.  I'm sorry, not trying to be offensive, just giving my opinion.

That was my opinion of my first listening too. That it was too slow, poppyish... during the second and third times it started connected and now it feels very cohesive, and not lagging at all. I suggest you give it some more spins, maybe with headphones for improved absortion.

[rumborak]

Argh, the slightly dissonant trumpets in Dystopian Overture drive me nuts every time it plays!

[BlackInk]

I must say that even though Hymn of a Thousand Voices is really cheesy, it's pretty emotionally effective. Especially like the first half or so.

[DreamerTV]

I must say that even though Hymn of a Thousand Voices is really cheesy, it's pretty emotionally effective. Especially like the first half or so.

Are you talking about that part taken from a B side from a Kings of Leon album?
(i really like KoL, and so Hymn of a thousand Voices!)

[Cyclopssss]

The album is full of brilliant little melodies, some of them are almost hidden. Really enjoying the hell out of it.

[nikatapi]

I must say that even though Hymn of a Thousand Voices is really cheesy, it's pretty emotionally effective. Especially like the first half or so.

Οne of my favorite songs for sure. Very cool melody.

[FsF]

Would I be right in thinking that this is the first DT album with no songs credited to 'Dream Theater' music-wise?

[pringkaarwanda]

umm, maybe it is me too late, and everybody has already know about this.
But if you wanna hear sound of NOMACS beside from The Astonishing Album, you can visit this DT site https://www.dreamtheater.net/?frontpage=true
and point your mouse to Main NOMACS, the biggest one...
I think that was great, I can hear another NOMACS voice 
So, that is the sound everyone hear almost everyday in 2285... 

[Gromit1710]

The album is full of brilliant little melodies, some of them are almost hidden. Really enjoying the hell out of it.

Agreed. There's so many little layers of things that it demands your attention and multiple listenings to catch them all. It's what I loved about this band in the early years, and happy to have a return to an album that asks that I spend time to get to know it again.

[dparrott]

Those NOMAC sounds are cool, I'mma try to save it to a file.

[ErHaO]

umm, maybe it is me too late, and everybody has already know about this.
But if you wanna hear sound of NOMACS beside from The Astonishing Album, you can visit this DT site https://www.dreamtheater.net/?frontpage=true
and point your mouse to Main NOMACS, the biggest one...
I think that was great, I can hear another NOMACS voice 
So, that is the sound everyone hear almost everyday in 2285... 

My god,came here to post this. Thing nearly gave me a hard attack just now (headphones set to a subtle, low volume song).

But the sounds are cool indeed.

[dparrott]

NOMAC sounds from the website:
https://www32.zippyshare.com/v/wNo3F9Jb/file.html

[MirrorMask]

I don't think I am the right one to do it, but I think it'd be a really cool and feasible idea to have a sort of definitive thread for connections between songs.

For example to start with, for Dystopian Overture it could list by timestamp all the parts identified as themes or sections that appear in later songs. Then for each song it could list any connections people find and (what other song it is connected with).

Obviously a gargantuan task for one person, but if there was a thread where people could just post any individual connections they notice, it might not be such a difficult task to eventually list people's contributions in the OP.

With 34 tracks to listen to, I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed parts familiar from other songs but couldn't quite recall which one it was from - and by the time you listen through the full 2 hour album again you might have forgotten what it was you were looking for.

This would be a cool idea indeed!

[Kotowboy]

Is " The Answer " the shortest full band song DT have done ?

[MirrorMask]

Is " The Answer " the shortest full band song DT have done ?

Almost sure it is if we're talking about "full band"! and it's one of the best songs on the album, as short as it is!

[Kotowboy]

The Answer : 1.53

The Answer Lies Within 5.33


NUGGETz

[Progmetty]

Through My Words should be shorter..

[Kotowboy]

But that's just piano and vocals isn't it ? Maybe some guitar...

[MirrorMask]

Guitars come in later with the full band, Through My Words is piano and vocals only.