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.