Hef: I apologize for my tendency to post a few times and disappear for two to four years. Honestly, I just forget to check on things, and because I'm not as much of an obsessed fan of DT I once was, I just don't think to post anymore. DT fan or not though, I think this site has alot of interesting people that post so it's really my loss entirely.
As far as the new album is concerned, specific highlights for me at this point include the transition between "Savior in the Square" and "When your time has come", it's just so elegantly done. Other favorites are "A Life Left Behind" with its awesome acoustic/piano intro and insanely catchy chorus, "Chosen" with its emotional guitar solo, and "Moment of Betrayal", James screaming in "The Walking Shadow", and the finale which I think ties the various musical themes together quite well. A HUGE highlight for me is LaBrie. He has never sounded this good to me. He's definitely the star of this album more than any other band member.
You might have guessed I haven't delved into the second act as much as the first, but I only started listening to it a week or so ago (I know, I'm late to the party!)
One criticism I've seen about this album is the complaint that it's too mellow and there are too many ballads. I see the majority of what are misinterpreted as ballads as simply mid-tempo melancholic prog a la Pink Floyd or H era Marillion. I think it works quite well, as I've never been necessarily married to the "heavier" aspects of DTs music.