Dream Theater: The Astonishing (now with moment of betrayal!)

[mikemangioy]

Daryus Lannister confirmed

[GandL]

Daryus somehow looks like Charles Bronson 

[MirrorMask]

That other mystery character (not the clock guy) looks like from assassin's creed

I think she's Faythe, I don't expect her to be "clock guy", looks like a male child.

[RMGadelha]

Speaking about bagpipes, there's a band I like a lot, NEMO, in that song they use bagpipes in a prog/metal context with a great result (starting at 18:21), you can also listen to the complete song which is really great, a nice 24 minutes epic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFgwLBCdL0E

Damn, that was beautiful! Thank you for the suggestion!

[The Paddies]

Had an interview with Jordan Rudess today for the Dutch Aardschok magazine. I won't give away any major spoilers, but a few bits of news. Firstly, I did ask Jordan if another song will be released prior to the official release. He didn't think so, but wasn't too sure about it. So don't keep your hopes up, but don't loose Faythe. ;-)

I also read a discussion on this forum about whether metal fans will love this album or not. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I do think this album is less metal and more about soothing melodies, which I absolutely love (but I like almost all the elements DT brings to the table and love metal in general as well). Besides that, Jordan asked me afterwards: "Do you think the metal fans will love it as well?" So that should give you another hint towards the direction of the album.

Jordan also said it was a conscious decision to play as organic as possible with the whole band and use real instruments, in case of Jordan instruments such as a Steinway piano and a Hammond B3 organ (instead of solely keyboard sounds and/or digital simulations).

That's it for now. There is so much more going on with this record. It really is a diverse and fresh effort.

[emtee]

^More good news!

[TAC]

^More good news!

[Frankgate]

Steinway & Hammond? It sounds just too good. Great news.

[RMGadelha]

Kinda bummed about the possibility of no new track before the release :/

[RoeDent]

Perhaps the band are playing more "organically" so the distinction between real music and that created by the NOMACs will be even more obvious.

Also, not too bothered about the lack of a 2nd track. I mean, there's only 5 weeks until release.

[Darkstarshades]

It's okay, I don't feel like having a new track would be such a good idea, the hype is high enough already.

I'd rather not know anything about ACT 2, better to save the mistery.

4000th reply!

[RMGadelha]

It's okay, I don't feel like having a new track would be such a good idea, the hype is high enough already.

I'd rather not know anything about ACT 2, better to save the mistery.

4000th reply!

Than surrender to the secret?

[The Paddies]

Perhaps the band are playing more "organically" so the distinction between real music and that created by the NOMACs will be even more obvious.

Bullseye.

[Mladen]

Also, not too bothered about the lack of a 2nd track. I mean, there's only 5 weeks until release.

ONLY five weeks? 

As for there being less metal... Well, that's a bit of a bummer but still, it's not like all of Dream Theater albums were balls to the wall. Out of the last four, three were very metal, so they might as well offer something softer this time around.

[GandL]

These are all great news 

[wideworldofmike]

Also, not too bothered about the lack of a 2nd track. I mean, there's only 5 weeks until release.

ONLY five weeks? 

As for there being less metal... Well, that's a bit of a bummer but still, it's not like all of Dream Theater albums were balls to the wall. Out of the last four, three were very metal, so they might as well offer something softer this time around.

I am curious to see how "metal" everyone here feels that GOM is? I thought it sounded pretty metal, is the rest of the album just 180 from that direction and sound?

[rab7]

Also, not too bothered about the lack of a 2nd track. I mean, there's only 5 weeks until release.

ONLY five weeks? 

As for there being less metal... Well, that's a bit of a bummer but still, it's not like all of Dream Theater albums were balls to the wall. Out of the last four, three were very metal, so they might as well offer something softer this time around.

I am curious to see how "metal" everyone here feels that GOM is? I thought it sounded pretty metal, is the rest of the album just 180 from that direction and sound?

It has about the same amount of "metal" as About to Crash Reprise, but more.

[RMGadelha]

I love both "versions" of About to Crash, so if there's more of that on the album, I will be more than happy.

[bosk1]

Had an interview with Jordan Rudess today for the Dutch Aardschok magazine. I won't give away any major spoilers, but a few bits of news. Firstly, I did ask Jordan if another song will be released prior to the official release. He didn't think so, but wasn't too sure about it. So don't keep your hopes up, but don't loose Faythe. ;-)

I also read a discussion on this forum about whether metal fans will love this album or not. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I do think this album is less metal and more about soothing melodies, which I absolutely love (but I like almost all the elements DT brings to the table and love metal in general as well). Besides that, Jordan asked me afterwards: "Do you think the metal fans will love it as well?" So that should give you another hint towards the direction of the album.

Jordan also said it was a conscious decision to play as organic as possible with the whole band and use real instruments, in case of Jordan instruments such as a Steinway piano and a Hammond B3 organ (instead of solely keyboard sounds and/or digital simulations).

That's it for now. There is so much more going on with this record. It really is a diverse and fresh effort.

Well, as I have mentioned before, I have only heard 9 tracks from the album.  And while I cannot really get into specifics yet, let me just shed a little light on where I think Jordan is coming from.  If anyone is afraid the album will not be metal, don't be.  It isn't like the band just went off on some tangent that is completely different than anything they have done.  The album is unique, but it isn't like they went and wrote a Yanni album or something.  Of the 7 more traditionally structured songs I heard, almost all had metal elements to them.  There are definitely some heavy riffs here and there and other heavy elements.  But I think where Jordan is likely coming from is that it isn't as overtly heavy, or as up front and in your face as, say, Train of Thought or Black Clouds.  But don't worry--they didn't suddenly forsake being a progressive metal band.

[TAC]

I'm not the least bit worried about this not being heavy enough.

[The Paddies]

Had an interview with Jordan Rudess today for the Dutch Aardschok magazine. I won't give away any major spoilers, but a few bits of news. Firstly, I did ask Jordan if another song will be released prior to the official release. He didn't think so, but wasn't too sure about it. So don't keep your hopes up, but don't loose Faythe. ;-)

I also read a discussion on this forum about whether metal fans will love this album or not. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I do think this album is less metal and more about soothing melodies, which I absolutely love (but I like almost all the elements DT brings to the table and love metal in general as well). Besides that, Jordan asked me afterwards: "Do you think the metal fans will love it as well?" So that should give you another hint towards the direction of the album.

Jordan also said it was a conscious decision to play as organic as possible with the whole band and use real instruments, in case of Jordan instruments such as a Steinway piano and a Hammond B3 organ (instead of solely keyboard sounds and/or digital simulations).

That's it for now. There is so much more going on with this record. It really is a diverse and fresh effort.

Well, as I have mentioned before, I have only heard 9 tracks from the album.  And while I cannot really get into specifics yet, let me just shed a little light on where I think Jordan is coming from.  If anyone is afraid the album will not be metal, don't be.  It isn't like the band just went off on some tangent that is completely different than anything they have done.  The album is unique, but it isn't like they went and wrote a Yanni album or something.  Of the 7 more traditionally structured songs I heard, almost all had metal elements to them.  There are definitely some heavy riffs here and there and other heavy elements.  But I think where Jordan is likely coming from is that it isn't as overtly heavy, or as up front and in your face as, say, Train of Thought or Black Clouds.  But don't worry--they didn't suddenly forsake being a progressive metal band.

Of course there are elements of metal (although people shouldn't expect it to be in the vain of TOT/SC/BC&SL). And no, the band hasn't turned into a pop act or whatever. But the album's style/vibe is substantially different compared to the other records. Once people have heard the entire thing they'll know precisely what Jordan means. It has a bit of everything and more, and it's really cool. I'll say no more.

[Lucien]

I'm not the least bit worried about this not being heavy enough.

[Podaar]

Nor am I.

However, I am incredibly encouraged that it is more than just metal! 

[RMGadelha]

From DT's page:

"From the Emperor
The Crown Prince Daryus"

So I suppose Daryus is his son and not his brother? How does this work? Can a brother of a King or Emperor be a prince?

[King Postwhore]

The description of the albums sound it exactly what I love the most about DT.  *Squeals in excitement *

[noxon]

Of course any DT album will have some metal on it, just as any DT album has pop, prog and melodic rock. It's just a matter of how much of each "ingredient" is there. Falling Into Infinity and a big portion of Scenes From A Memory are much more rooted in the "melodic rock" and "pop" section than stuff like Systematic Chaos or Black Clouds which are very metal-focused albums.

The Astonishing, being a rock opera written specifically with that in mind, is more concerned with telling a story. And it's a story about relationships and conflict. The music is the emotion. So, there's a very wide array of songs, and very wide array of styles both between songs and within the songs. But the thing is, there's 34 songs. Whereas shorter albums have maybe one or two pop ballads, this will have many more. But it will also have many more rock songs and prog songs and metal songs. But of course, the people who are "just" into the metal part of DT will frown at the melodic songs on this one. Just like the fans of Awake frowned at Falling Into Infinity when it came out.

But this is the first time in 10 years I've really felt that DT has -changed-. SC, BCSL, ADTOE and S/T all were quite different albums, but they were also very much just evolutions of the stuff that came before. Not the paradigm shifts you had between awake and fii to sfam to sdoit to tot to 8v.

[Darkstarshades]

"TA comes out"
*Fans hate it*
*DT faces the darkest moments in its history*
*Fans resell tickets to pop/rap fans*
*DT becomes mainstream*
*DT14 is extremely commercial*
*Build me Up becomes a regular disco dance song*
*DT fans feel betrayed by DT and thus, follow other stuff*

[RMGadelha]

"TA comes out"
*Fans hate it*
*DT faces the darkest moments in its history*
*Fans resell tickets to pop/rap fans*
*DT becomes mainstream*
*DT14 is extremely commercial*
*Build me Up becomes a regular disco dance song*
*DT fans feel betrayed by DT and thus, follow other stuff*

 

I somehow have a feeling that fans hating TA is almost impossible. I was not that excited for DT12 and ADTOE!

[GandL]

Of course any DT album will have some metal on it, just as any DT album has pop, prog and melodic rock. It's just a matter of how much of each "ingredient" is there. Falling Into Infinity and a big portion of Scenes From A Memory are much more rooted in the "melodic rock" and "pop" section than stuff like Systematic Chaos or Black Clouds which are very metal-focused albums.

The Astonishing, being a rock opera written specifically with that in mind, is more concerned with telling a story. And it's a story about relationships and conflict. The music is the emotion. So, there's a very wide array of songs, and very wide array of styles both between songs and within the songs. But the thing is, there's 34 songs. Whereas shorter albums have maybe one or two pop ballads, this will have many more. But it will also have many more rock songs and prog songs and metal songs. But of course, the people who are "just" into the metal part of DT will frown at the melodic songs on this one. Just like the fans of Awake frowned at Falling Into Infinity when it came out.

But this is the first time in 10 years I've really felt that DT has -changed-. SC, BCSL, ADTOE and S/T all were quite different albums, but they were also very much just evolutions of the stuff that came before. Not the paradigm shifts you had between awake and fii to sfam to sdoit to tot to 8v.

Now I'm even more hypped, and I still can't believe that I got tickets for that happening for which my wife agreed and be pleased to join me.

[CoT67]

I feel like we've had to taste the metal side of DT a lot in the last 4 albums (not to mention SDOIT and TOT)... I think this time around it would be much better to have an album that focuses much more on melody and progressive influence than the previous ones, something with a fresh sound.

[CDrice]

I somehow have a feeling that fans hating TA is almost impossible. I was not that excited for DT12 and ADTOE!

You know, we have a guy that hates Learning to Live, another whose favorite DT album is Systematic Chaos and A Nightmare to Remember is one of my favorite DT song... so anything's possible at this point 

[mike099]

Of course any DT album will have some metal on it, just as any DT album has pop, prog and melodic rock. It's just a matter of how much of each "ingredient" is there. Falling Into Infinity and a big portion of Scenes From A Memory are much more rooted in the "melodic rock" and "pop" section than stuff like Systematic Chaos or Black Clouds which are very metal-focused albums.

The Astonishing, being a rock opera written specifically with that in mind, is more concerned with telling a story. And it's a story about relationships and conflict. The music is the emotion. So, there's a very wide array of songs, and very wide array of styles both between songs and within the songs. But the thing is, there's 34 songs. Whereas shorter albums have maybe one or two pop ballads, this will have many more. But it will also have many more rock songs and prog songs and metal songs. But of course, the people who are "just" into the metal part of DT will frown at the melodic songs on this one. Just like the fans of Awake frowned at Falling Into Infinity when it came out.

But this is the first time in 10 years I've really felt that DT has -changed-. SC, BCSL, ADTOE and S/T all were quite different albums, but they were also very much just evolutions of the stuff that came before. Not the paradigm shifts you had between awake and fii to sfam to sdoit to tot to 8v.

Now I'm even more hypped, and I still can't believe that I got tickets for that happening for which my wife agreed and be pleased to join me.

Gandl, I too may have my wife join me at the Cincy concert.  Just curious, how much does your wife like DT?  My wife likes some of the songs on the last two cds.  Hopefully she will like the concert.  However, she has been told that she is plan B.  Plan A is one of my guy friends that really likes DT.  If she goes I will have to take her to Ikea north of Cincinnati.

[TAC]

From DT's page:

"From the Emperor
The Crown Prince Daryus"

So I suppose Daryus is his son and not his brother? How does this work? Can a brother of a King or Emperor be a prince?

Empress Arabelle seems a little young to be Daryus' mother.

[RMGadelha]

From DT's page:

"From the Emperor
The Crown Prince Daryus"

So I suppose Daryus is his son and not his brother? How does this work? Can a brother of a King or Emperor be a prince?

Empress Arabelle seems a little young to be Daryus' mother.

She doesn't have to necessarily be his mother though. Daryus could be a bastard or he had another Empress who died? Idk, I think I'm exaggerating now and they may as well be brothers, haha. 

[RMGadelha]

My brother Daryus is all the strength we neeeeeeed
Crushing the rebellion like woooooorms!
General of our Empire, A man who inspires!
Death is the gift he brings, the rebels crap their pants when he siiiiiings!