- " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, EIGHT YEARS On.

[DoctorAction]

I still really hope they can strip back the production, focus on the playing and step FORWARD in time rather than so obviously back next time.

The way I see it, the playing is always a focus anyway, and if you mean make it the main focus, I definitely disagree.  Making the playing the main focus will result in major wankery.  At this stage, Dream Theater has nothing left to prove when it comes to their playing abilities, so songwriting should always be the main focus, like it was on The Astonishing.

This. Something that annoys me is that some people often confuse good songwriting with lots of wankery (SOA diehard fans, I'm looking at you). DT have focused more on songwriting rather than wankery and that's always better imo.

I actually agree with a lot of that. I put it really badly. Apologies. I really meant focus on what they create TOGETHER as a band, five great artists in a room together making music. I want to hear the chemistry, great playing, lyrics, great vocals, artistry. With great production. I want to hear the ambient studio noise, some chatter. I want to feel the magic and spark of combined creativity.

EDIT: I don't agree that the songwriting is good on TA, however. The concept and lyrical execution is hackneyed to the max. It's so familiar and so long, it doesn't come close to good songwriting for me.

[RoeDent]

Happy 2nd Anniversary to The Astonishing! Shame the OP isn't around anymore to change the title of this thread to "Two Years On". Oh well.

I'm planning on listening to both this and Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence over the course of today. It's kinda funny that DT's two longest albums both came out on the same day, albeit 14 years apart.

[Architeuthis]

Uhh-hu-hu, shouldn't this thread now be called "The Astonishing" TWO Years on?
I just had to re-iterate what RoeDent said.. 

[Mladen]

...and it's still great.

[Architeuthis]

Agreed!

[RoeDent]

...and it's still great.

100% this. I listened to it again this afternoon and I can confirm this.

[legenden1]

Still one of my favourite albums of all time and all artists

[NoseofNicko]

The thing that makes no sense about The Astonishing: Why does Nafaryus have an accent for 2 lines but never again?

[Pragmaticcircus]

Eh, I don't know guys 

[IDontNotDoThings]

Wait, I thought Kotow was banned. How did he change the thread title?

[SystematicThought]

Pragmaticcircus changed the thread title in his post so it pops up like that for the new post....

....I think

[IDontNotDoThings]

Pragmaticcircus changed the thread title in his post so it pops up like that for the new post....

....I think

I know that, I meant the "two years on" you see in our posts 

[krands85]

Pragmaticcircus changed the thread title in his post so it pops up like that for the new post....

....I think

I know that, I meant the "two years on" you see in our posts 

« Last Edit: 31-01-2018, 20:39:25 by bosk1 »

[IDontNotDoThings]

Pragmaticcircus changed the thread title in his post so it pops up like that for the new post....

....I think

I know that, I meant the "two years on" you see in our posts 

« Last Edit: 31-01-2018, 20:39:25 by bosk1 »

I can't read

[Ninjabait]

Ordered my copies of The Keyboard Excerpts and Guitar TAB Excerpts for The Astonishing off Amazon. They should be here in about a week or two, and I honestly can't wait to delve into these books.

Fingers crossed they release a full orchestral score for the entire album at some point. I would love to just messily devour this thing.

[Renzo]

Ordered my copies of The Keyboard Excerpts and Guitar TAB Excerpts for The Astonishing off Amazon. They should be here in about a week or two, and I honestly can't wait to delve into these books.

Fingers crossed they release a full orchestral score for the entire album at some point. I would love to just messily devour this thing.

Already got the keyboard parts, if they do release the orchestral version that would indeed be awesome.

[Ben_Jamin]

Has anyone seen the 3 artworks of The Astonishing on the bands Facebook yet?

Those should've been the album artwork.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Has anyone seen the 3 artworks of The Astonishing on the bands Facebook yet?

Those should've been the album artwork.

Link?

[Ben_Jamin]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155063101592181&id=7677942180&fs=1

[Evai]

For some reason I didn't picture guns existing in the TA universe

[ytserush]

Do we know who wrote this?

[gzarruk]

These artworks are great, but I really like the album cover, I think it's perfect as it is.

[IDontNotDoThings]

I really love the attention to detail on the official album cover. If you look really close, you can actually see the townspeople walking around in the city & all the buildings are actually different. I know it's not much, but I feel like that much attention to detail wouldn't have been made if someone like Hugh Syme was designing the artwork.

[cramx3]

For some reason I didn't picture guns existing in the TA universe

Yea same

[rumborak]

The book cover is very Star Wars meets LOTR:

https://www.vaultbooks.pub/uploads/7/6/1/5/76153553/s586877350660258083_p17_i5_w1838.jpeg

[gzarruk]

The book cover is very Star Wars meets LOTR:

https://www.vaultbooks.pub/uploads/7/6/1/5/76153553/s586877350660258083_p17_i5_w1838.jpeg

Really cool cover

[RodrigoAltaf]

The book cover is very Star Wars meets LOTR:

https://www.vaultbooks.pub/uploads/7/6/1/5/76153553/s586877350660258083_p17_i5_w1838.jpeg

Really cool cover

Now THIS is a cool cover.

[Bertielee]

Two years on and it's still great for me. First DT album in a long time that has lasted so long.

B.Lee

[JRuless]

Yeah, for me too. Everytime I listen to it, I'm blown away by the art this album delivers. Although I can imagine how it distracs some fans, for me it is a masterpiece.

[SwedishGoose]

Yeah, for me too. Everytime I listen to it, I'm blown away by the art this album delivers. Although I can imagine how it distracs some fans, for me it is a masterpiece.

Totally agree...

[gzarruk]

Yeah, for me too. Everytime I listen to it, I'm blown away by the art this album delivers. Although I can imagine how it distracs some fans, for me it is a masterpiece.

Totally agree...

I feel the same way. So glad they decided to make this album, it's a aston... amazing

[KevShmev]

Yeah, for me too. Everytime I listen to it, I'm blown away by the art this album delivers. Although I can imagine how it distracs some fans, for me it is a masterpiece.

It's too long for me to call it a masterpiece, but I still love all of Disc 1 and the majority of Disc 2.  So many good song on this one.

[Anguyen92]

Two years, after.  I still like it.  A lot of good songs on it.  Not the perfect album, but at the end of the day, I feel it was better for DT to create an album like The Astonishing where people can enjoy it, than for them not to create it and deprive people's enjoyment of the possibilities.

[adamack]

I like to compare much of TA to "The Best of Times".

Musically, The Best of Times is mind-blowing. For instance, the ending is one of DT's most epic (for lack of a better term) moments. JP absolutely kills it. But the choice of lyrics in the song taint the experience for me. I mean no disrespect at all toward MP. He wrote from his heart, and what he penned is actually really beautiful (RIP to his father). But in the context of a song, the lyrics just aren't for me. I guess I'm not a huge fan of "literal" lyrics, even when they are called for.

This is how I feel about a lot of the material in TA. One example - Act Of Faythe is a nice song, and then..."MY MUSSSSICCC PLAAYYEEER". I know it fits the context, but....ugh. That same kind of cringey material plagues this album, whether it's in the form of lyrics, the infamous Disney-esque musical style, over-dramatic crescendos in way too many songs, etc. And the whole thing is magnified by its 2+ hour run time, seeming very indulgent.

All that said though, I actually enjoy a good piece of the album. There are 10 songs in particular that I really love.

Dystopian Overture: A top 3 DT instrumental of all time for me. I feel like it's not very well-received, but it's incredible.
A Better Life: Awesome song! So many different parts, and I like them all.
Lord Nafaryus: I like "in character" James, and he does a good job here.
Three Days: Similar to Lord Nafaryus, it has some harder parts that I really like, and a "broadway musical" vibe.
Ravenskill: One of my favorites on the album. Love when the main riff hits.
Chosen: I know I mentioned Disney as a negative, but this song is a guilty pleasure. Sounds like it would be in "Frozen". Best ballad on the album though.
The X Aspect: Awesome melodies in this. Reminds me of a classical piece.
Moment Of Betrayal: I like this song because it feels like a break from the album. Sounds like it could be a single on any of the Mangini-era albums.
The Walking Shadow: Some really cool heavy parts
My Last Farewell: My favorite song on the second disc. Lots of great different parts

To sum it up, I think the album would be great if they removed "The Road to Revolution" and "The Answer" from the first disc and replaced them with "Moment of Betrayal" and "My Last Farewell" from the second disc. As it stands though, its an average DT album IMO.

[DoctorAction]

Still an astonishing mis-step afaic.