The Astonishing - Unpopular opinions

[Enigmachine]

I always found that DT consistently have very audible bass compared to most other metal bands.

[Progmetty]

At this point I've grown to be a firm believer that I will never see something that has never been done before, never, even if I think it is completely new; I'd know it has origins somewhere else, there are no more things that can come out of nothing. So I don't have a problem with DT recycling old ideas from themselves or other bands as long as they make a presentation that I enjoy and they've always done both these things.

[ariich]

I'm glad I do my listening on high quality headphones. Never had an issue with hearing JM on any album, including TA. If I try listening on my crappy laptop speakers though, I can't hear the bass, like the fill in Dystopian Overture, but that's a speaker problem, not a mix problem.

I'd like JM to be a bit louder overall on TA, but I can still definitely hear all of those cool fills and such.

I don't even have fancy headphones or anything, but I do really like the earphones I use and yeah I've always found it fine. Then again, I'm fairly sensitive to bass (I often get irritated with music being too bassy in venues, pubs, people's houses) so maybe that's a part of it.

[jakepriest]

This is 100% their best album since Train of Thought.

FTFM

[pretorios]

b) The Nafaryus medioeval march during the beginning of A Saviour in the Square (after the nice guitar arpeggio) really kills the mood for me. Up to that moment, I love the album, then it suddenly becomes too cheasy and burlesque

That's a top ten (maybe even five) moment on the album!

Agree. Reminds me of something Kansas might have done. Just great stuff.

[SebastianPratesi]

I don't get the ending at all. Daryus killed Arhys AND attempted to kill Xander, yet he is forgiven by Gabriel. He almost killed Faythe (albeit by mistake), yet he is forgiven by his whole family - just because he lost his hearing?

I don't know if 'cheesy' is how I would describe it, but the ending seems too 'happy' for that situation - at least the part concerning Daryus.

[ariich]

I don't get the ending at all. Daryus killed Arhys AND attempted to kill Xander, yet he is forgiven by Gabriel. He almost killed Faythe (albeit by mistake), yet he is forgiven by his whole family - just because he lost his hearing?

I don't know if 'cheesy' is how I would describe it, but the ending seems too 'happy' for that situation - at least the part concerning Daryus.

As someone who feels quite strongly about forgiveness in general, I don't see the problem. He immediately regrets his actions and is pretty severely punished when his ears bleed out. Are you saying he should be murdered back?

[Gromit1710]

I don't get the ending at all. Daryus killed Arhys AND attempted to kill Xander, yet he is forgiven by Gabriel. He almost killed Faythe (albeit by mistake), yet he is forgiven by his whole family - just because he lost his hearing?

I don't know if 'cheesy' is how I would describe it, but the ending seems too 'happy' for that situation - at least the part concerning Daryus.

Well, in a world where being musically inclined makes you "the chosen one" and "A god who walks among us", being deaf and unable to hear anything seems a pretty hefty punishment, given out by Gabriel as well. 

*shrugs* I dunno. yeah, kinda tidied up a bit to puppies and kittens for me as well but I don't mind.

[Scorpion]

I like several songs quite a lot on this album, but it's just exhausting to listen to as it was intended. So I made a playlist:

Dystopian Overture
The Gift of Music
Lord Nafaryus
A Savior in the Square
Three Days
Ravenskill
A New Beginning
Moment of Betrayal
Heaven's Cove
Hymn of a Thousand Voices
Our New World

That's fifty minutes too, and a pretty good album at that.

[bosk1]

I find the story to be really underwhelming for all those character bios and world-building they were doing pre-release. Like, I can take the cheesiness (I find a lot of Scenes From A Memory to be in the same calibur of cheese), but I was expecting like, some giant battles or a renegade Nomac dubstep death machine or something.

See, I actually found what they did with the story in that regard to be more compelling and interesting than simply a war/revolution story.  It is implied that revolution and war are brewing, and that conflict is imminent.  But rather than focus on the military battles, the story instead focuses on the interpersonal relationships between the eight main characters, and how those relationships averted war and changed the course of history in the story.  I thought that was kind of cool.

Along similar lines, it hit me that Savior in the Square as a song title has a double meaning.  I mean, who is the "savior" that it is referring to?  The obvious answer is Gabriel.  But I think it also perhaps refers to Faythe.  From a literary standpoint, she fits the "savior" role.  Notwithstanding Gabriel's miraculous power, she is the one who ultimately takes the actions that avert war, which saves countless lives.  And in the process, she inadvertently sacrifices her own life, only to be "resurrected" by the hymn of 1,000 voices as the people rediscover the power of music.  Not sure whether JP intended the "savior" title to refer to her, but it certainly fits, and fits rather well. 

[Train of Naught]

I like several songs quite a lot on this album, but it's just exhausting to listen to as it was intended. So I made a playlist:

*snip*

I couldn't quite cut out as much as you did, for me it's pretty much cut in half length-wise, I found it hard to leave out a lot of the Act 1 songs:


Dystopian Overture
The Gift of Music
A Better Life
Lord Nafaryus
Three Days
A Life Left Behind
Ravenskill
Chosen
The X Aspect
A New Beginning
Moment of Betrayal
Heaven's Cove
The Path That Divides
The Walking Shadow
My Last Farewell


15 songs, 70 minutes.

[Scorpion]

Oooh good call on A Life Left Behind and The X Aspect, they are pretty nifty. I somehow forgot about them when making the playlist, but yeah, they deserve to be on there.

Added to my playlist.

[SebastianPratesi]

I don't get the ending at all. Daryus killed Arhys AND attempted to kill Xander, yet he is forgiven by Gabriel. He almost killed Faythe (albeit by mistake), yet he is forgiven by his whole family - just because he lost his hearing?

I don't know if 'cheesy' is how I would describe it, but the ending seems too 'happy' for that situation - at least the part concerning Daryus.

As someone who feels quite strongly about forgiveness in general, I don't see the problem. He immediately regrets his actions and is pretty severely punished when his ears bleed out. Are you saying he should be murdered back?

I don't think that he should be murdered, but that he should be judged and punished for his actions. I know, the story is set in a different time and place to where I live, but I can't imagine the president's son murdering someone, getting away with it AND being friends with the victim's family. It doesn't feel realistic to me. Although to be honest I don't consider myself a very good forgivener ('forgiver'?), so maybe I'm looking way too much into it.

Well, in a world where being musically inclined makes you "the chosen one" and "A god who walks among us", being deaf and unable to hear anything seems a pretty hefty punishment, given out by Gabriel as well. 

*shrugs* I dunno. yeah, kinda tidied up a bit to puppies and kittens for me as well but I don't mind.

I guess. It makes me think how miserable I would be if I couldn't listen to music anymore.

[Estiui]

Ok, let me put my armor... ok, done. A New Beginning would be a better song without the last part.

[Kotowboy]

Estiui

[jakepriest]

A New Beginning is one of my least favourite songs on the album. I can't stand the vocal melodies.

[RJ86]

I like several songs quite a lot on this album, but it's just exhausting to listen to as it was intended. So I made a playlist:

*snip*

I couldn't quite cut out as much as you did, for me it's pretty much cut in half length-wise, I found it hard to leave out a lot of the Act 1 songs:


Dystopian Overture
The Gift of Music
A Better Life
Lord Nafaryus
Three Days
A Life Left Behind
Ravenskill
Chosen
The X Aspect
A New Beginning
Moment of Betrayal
Heaven's Cove
The Path That Divides
The Walking Shadow
My Last Farewell


15 songs, 70 minutes.

I may "borrow" your playlist...
I am having a difficult time getting this whole thing into one full listen. It is just too long with too much filler. I can hear some brilliance in this album, just cant weed through it on my own. By the time I get done listing to the full thing. I catch myself wondering which song was that with the killer part?? But I do have to admit, Moment of Betrayal is the song that has really jumped out to me. It's that song that should be the 12 minute epic 

[Crow]

apparently it's an unpopular opinion to like hymn of a thousand voices? that's one of my favorite from the listens i've given this

[Dublagent66]

I don't think TROAE is even in the same league as BAI.

I agree, except TROAE is the one in the higher league imo.

Definitely unpopular.   

[Crow]

I don't think TROAE is even in the same league as BAI.

I agree, except TROAE is the one in the higher league imo.

Yeah, BAI is only top-10 tier, TROAE is top-5 tier.

[Dublagent66]

DT the League 2015 would like to have a word with you.

BAI is top 2 in division 1.  TROAE is top 10 (6th seed) in division 2.  But technically they are in the same league.  So, I was wrong before.   

[Rodni Demental]

A New Beginning is one of my least favourite songs on the album. I can't stand the vocal melodies.

Hmm... I really like this song, was a stand out on first listen but... Something was still 'off' for me. And I think you just put it into words. It's the vocal melodies, but only in the 'chorus' mind you (if we can call that repeating section a chorus). But then again, I'm certain those melodies show up somewhere else, might even be Dystopian Overture? And don't mind it there, just seems a bit too 'cheery' or something when it's sung..? I have no idea what I'm trying to say but there's something funny going on there. 

[Lax]

The chorus has a Disney cheese that could be embarassing in public, I love it, but I can understand it can be off for some

[SebastianPratesi]

But then again, I'm certain those melodies show up somewhere else, might even be Dystopian Overture?

Yes, they appear in the Overture at 3:25, and for a short while in "My Last Farewell" at 3:15 (it's not the same exact melody, I think, but the drumming sounds pretty much the same to me).

[bosk1]

Unpopular opinion:  Three Days is not in my top 5 songs on the album.  If I had to rank them, it might not even be top 10.

(but I do still love it)

[crbazevedo]

Hi, this is my first post ever here. It goes like that: If Kevin hadn't left DT, we'd never come closer to hear the kind of epic arrangements, brilliant piano playing, and orchestral compositions of SDOIT, ADTOE, and TA, which are three of the finest DT albums. And I doubt DT would take that direction if Jordan wasn't in the band. So, I am very glad that Kevin left.

[bosk1]

Hi, this is my first post ever here. It goes like that: If Kevin hadn't left DT, we'd never come closer to hear the kind of epic arrangements, brilliant piano playing, and orchestral compositions of SDOIT, ADTOE, and TA, which are three of the finest DT albums. And I doubt DT would take that direction if Jordan wasn't in the band. So, I am very glad that Kevin left.

I pretty much agree.  That doesn't really have anything to do with The Astonishing, so it doesn't really belong in this thread.  But, yeah, good post.

[ariich]

Unpopular opinion:  Three Days is not in my top 5 songs on the album.  If I had to rank them, it might not even be top 10.

(but I do still love it)

You're a terrible person.

[bosk1]

Yes, but off topic.

[crbazevedo]

I pretty much agree.  That doesn't really have anything to do with The Astonishing, so it doesn't really belong in this thread.  But, yeah, good post.

Thanks. Yes, slightly off-topic. Perhaps I should narrow it down and rephrase it as: TA would've never been written without the kind of classical influences of a musician such as JR.

[Bacong]

I usually skip Brother,Can You Hear Me?

WHY

[pcs90]

Unpopular opinion:  Three Days is not in my top 5 songs on the album.  If I had to rank them, it might not even be top 10.

(but I do still love it)

Same, that goes for Lord Nafaryus as well. I still love both though especially Three Days. There are just so many other songs that I love even more...

[legenden1]

A New Beginning is one of my least favourite songs on the album. I can't stand the vocal melodies.

I can relate to that. I totally love this album except for A new beginning and Our new world which others seem to hold as favourites. Don´t think these are fitting in musically at all

[Malt Licky]

Unpopular opinion: TA is a disappointment and is mediocre, sappy, cheesy, and not worthy of DT.

[nicmos]

A New Beginning is one of my least favourite songs on the album. I can't stand the vocal melodies.

Hmm... I really like this song, was a stand out on first listen but... Something was still 'off' for me. And I think you just put it into words. It's the vocal melodies, but only in the 'chorus' mind you (if we can call that repeating section a chorus). But then again, I'm certain those melodies show up somewhere else, might even be Dystopian Overture? And don't mind it there, just seems a bit too 'cheery' or something when it's sung..? I have no idea what I'm trying to say but there's something funny going on there. 

If I"m not mistaken it's the abundance of major chords/intervals that you're detecting.  Yeah, it takes some getting used to, especially in aggressive rock music like DT's.