Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I couldn't find a thread specifically for this little opener!
It looks like a lot of people are ranking this quite low, maybe because it's just a short opening instrumental, I don't know, but it's one of my favourite tracks. It's such a perfect way to kick off the album, like a twisted, evil overture. The first time I heard this, it definitely got me pumped ready for the rest of the album.
The MIDI section is probably my favourite section, with that fun, piratey feel, although the wah guitar bit is right up there too. :tup
I love it. Beats Six Degrees Overture easily and definitely gives 1928 a run for its money.
Quote from: Mosh on September 29, 2013, 09:42:37 PM
I love it. Beats Six Degrees Overture easily and definitely gives 1928 a run for its money.
I'd still choose SDOIT Overture any day (it's a melodic masterpiece), and I think Overture 1928 would beat it out too, but it's a bit of a different comparison, since both of those are overtures to larger pieces. But it works great in the context of the album nonetheless.
But this thread's about FAS, not about being wrong about SDOIT!
I think FAS is a cool way to start the album, and it works quite well as an intro to TEI, but overall it's nothing spectacular, which is why it's my least favourite on DT12.
Quote from: aprilethereal on September 29, 2013, 09:47:20 PM
I think FAS is a cool way to start the album, and it works quite well as an intro to TEI, but overall it's nothing spectacular, which is why it's my least favourite on DT12.
How would you compare it to Enigma Machine? Because for me FAS is the much better instrumental despite being so short, although I really like Enigma Machine too. :tup
I'm not too crazy about Enigma Machine, but its main riff is absolutely glorious, and there are some great solos in it, so I like it a little more than FAS. I'm not a big fan of DT's instrumentals in general though, apart from Overture 1928 and SOC.
Quote from: BlobVanDam on September 29, 2013, 09:50:04 PM
Quote from: aprilethereal on September 29, 2013, 09:47:20 PM
I think FAS is a cool way to start the album, and it works quite well as an intro to TEI, but overall it's nothing spectacular, which is why it's my least favourite on DT12.
How would you compare it to Enigma Machine? Because for me FAS is the much better instrumental despite being so short, although I really like Enigma Machine too. :tup
I think FAS destroys Enigma Machine. EM has some cool bits but it feels a bit aimless and isn't as satisfying as some of their other instrumentals. FAS is intense, epic, and gets the job done in under 3 minutes.
It does a perfect job of smacking you in the face and letting you know you're in for some seriously epic shit. Love it.
The best part of FAS is Mangini's snare work.
I think that FAS is a better instrumental than Enigma Machine. But it's so short and there are other such great songs on the album that I sometimes forget about it!
Quote from: lonestar on September 30, 2013, 12:01:14 AM
It does a perfect job of smacking you in the face and letting you know you're in for some seriously epic shit. Love it.
FAS is a great start to the album, but one of my least favs. IMO Enigma Machine eats FAS for breakfast.
I think FAS is an absolute ripper opening track, and is highly underrated. I think when the lights go down, and this comes on to open the new shows, the hairs on the back of the ol neck will be standing up. Its an awesome piece of music! :)
I really like it. Very dramatic and imposing, certainly accomplishes what JP + JR wanted it to i.e. making the listener feel like something epic is about to happen. Reminds me of the Overture at the beginning of Six Degrees (the song), which is obviously a good thing!
Cool track. Sounds like Danny Elfman music from a Tim Burton film.
Quote from: Mosh on September 29, 2013, 09:42:37 PM
I love it. Beats Six Degrees Overture easily and definitely gives 1928 a run for its money.
It definitely beats the 6D's Overture, which to me is the biggest piece of blowhardedness in their catalog.
But it really doesn't come close to 1928, which for me, is probably my favorite DT instrumental.
Quote from: TAC on September 30, 2013, 05:01:05 AM
Quote from: Mosh on September 29, 2013, 09:42:37 PM
I love it. Beats Six Degrees Overture easily and definitely gives 1928 a run for its money.
It definitely beats the 6D's Overture, which to me is the biggest piece of blowhardedness in their catalog.
But it really doesn't come close to 1928, which for me, is probably my favorite DT instrumental.
TAC knows what he is talking about.
Shorter songs always get the boot on DTF no matter how good they were :lol
Quote from: Progmetty on September 30, 2013, 06:16:50 AM
Shorter songs always get the boot on DTF no matter how good they were :lol
I've noticed! :lol But FAS does pack a lot of punch into under 3 minutes. It's just more concentrated!
My favorite part about FAS is how it flows so well into Set the World on Fire.
:o :-*
Quote from: TAC on September 30, 2013, 05:01:05 AM
Quote from: Mosh on September 29, 2013, 09:42:37 PM
I love it. Beats Six Degrees Overture easily and definitely gives 1928 a run for its money.
It definitely beats the 6D's Overture, which to me is the biggest piece of blowhardedness in their catalog.
But it really doesn't come close to 1928, which for me, is probably my favorite DT instrumental.
Well...I actually love that "blowhard" track!
Love this track especially in the car. It just pumps me up!
I was a little disappointed when I first heard that the 'suite' would only be 2 minutes long, but upon hearing it, I absolutely loved it. I think this music will be their best live opener to date. I mean, taking music from Psycho or Inception is one thing, but this just expresses so much more of what the band is, while at the same time, really pumping the listener with excitement.
So it has been explained that they wrote this an intro to replace some of the previous ones. They would play the intro tape while the band setup and came on stage. The problem I have is that I want to actually see them place this. Has anyone else thought about how this would work out?
Quote from: JPX on September 30, 2013, 06:43:24 AM
My favorite part about FAS is how it flows so well into Set the World on Fire.
:o :-*
:| Hold still while I unleash the rage.
Quote from: Another_Won on September 30, 2013, 08:37:51 AM
So it has been explained that they wrote this an intro to replace some of the previous ones. They would play the intro tape while the band setup and came on stage. The problem I have is that I want to actually see them place this. Has anyone else thought about how this would work out?
I don't think they are going to play it. I cannot remember whether they have come right out and said so, but I would almost guarantee it. Pretty sure it'll be an intro tape.
Quote from: bosk1 on September 30, 2013, 08:49:59 AM
Quote from: JPX on September 30, 2013, 06:43:24 AM
My favorite part about FAS is how it flows so well into Set the World on Fire.
:o :-*
:| Hold still while I unleash the rage.
:angel:
Every time I listen to this, I keep thinking how awesome it would be if this was extended past the three or four minute mark. It works very well for its purpose, but it definitely would benefit a bit from being a bit longer!
Quote from: wolfking on September 30, 2013, 05:08:33 AM
Quote from: TAC on September 30, 2013, 05:01:05 AM
Quote from: Mosh on September 29, 2013, 09:42:37 PM
I love it. Beats Six Degrees Overture easily and definitely gives 1928 a run for its money.
It definitely beats the 6D's Overture, which to me is the biggest piece of blowhardedness in their catalog.
But it really doesn't come close to 1928, which for me, is probably my favorite DT instrumental.
TAC knows what he is talking about.
Yup.
Quote from: JPX on September 30, 2013, 06:43:24 AM
My favorite part about FAS is how it flows so well into Set the World on Fire.
:o :-*
:lol
Being the person who created that midi file, I actually started crying tears of joy and accomplishment when I heard the real thing for the first time. I still get chills every time I hear that section!
Really like this tune. It's harder to stack it up against the others sometimes just because of how relatively short it is.
If were not including "Scenes" this is the first time they have done an "intro" song. Nice to see them try new things, And it beats pretty much all other intro songs I can think of.
I was just hoping that it was gonna flow seamlessly into The Enemy Inside.
FAS feels more like an intro to a song, not an album. If it flowed into TEI better, as in like a "same take" concept album feel, I'd like it better as an album opener.
By itself... IT'S FUCKIN SICK! I really like this track, even though it's one of my least favorite on the album. It's just a riff factory and packs so much in 3 minutes, I definitely was not expecting it do be this band-prominent and heavy when I first heard about it. The MIDI section is my favorite part, it's great.
Quote from: ResultsMayVary on September 30, 2013, 09:44:00 AM
Every time I listen to this, I keep thinking how awesome it would be if this was extended past the three or four minute mark. It works very well for its purpose, but it definitely would benefit a bit from being a bit longer!
I actually like that it's such a short intro, just enough to get you into it, without overstaying its welcome or meandering. It's the entree, not the main course. :biggrin:
Is the string section on this tune as well as IT? I can't tell if it's actual strings or JR using a patch. I'm leaning toward it being a patch, but I can't be sure. Anyone know for sure?
Quote from: wolven74 on October 01, 2013, 11:12:35 AM
Is the string section on this tune as well as IT? I can't tell if it's actual strings or JR using a patch. I'm leaning toward it being a patch, but I can't be sure. Anyone know for sure?
The booklet says yes! :)
Quote from: jonny108 on October 01, 2013, 11:16:42 AM
Quote from: wolven74 on October 01, 2013, 11:12:35 AM
Is the string section on this tune as well as IT? I can't tell if it's actual strings or JR using a patch. I'm leaning toward it being a patch, but I can't be sure. Anyone know for sure?
The booklet says yes! :)
You mean.... I'm supposed to read the booklet for more than just lyrics? :lol
I looked. I hadn't read that far into the booklet. :facepalm: :loser:
Quote from: lonestar on September 30, 2013, 12:01:14 AM
It does a perfect job of smacking you in the face and letting you know you're in for some seriously epic shit. Love it.
THIS
Quote from: Nearmyth on September 30, 2013, 06:39:12 PM
FAS feels more like an intro to a song, not an album. If it flowed into TEI better, as in like a "same take" concept album feel, I'd like it better as an album opener.
I sort of feel this way as well.
It's pretty good, definitely fun, but it's pretty silly as well and doesn't seem to really fit the rest of the album, in my opinion. When JP talked about a cinematic intro, I was expecting something more like the intros that they've been using live (Inception, Psycho), rather than a Symphony X style bit of prog-power metal.
Like I said, I enjoy it, but I find it the weakest track on the album, and a little out of place.
EDIT: Also, I hadn't initially realised that the real strings were used in this song, it sounds so keyboard-patch like!
Quote from: ariich on October 02, 2013, 07:23:40 AM
When JP talked about a cinematic intro, I was expecting something more like the intros that they've been using live (Inception, Psycho), rather than a Symphony X style bit of prog-power metal.
This. I like it better than Enigma Machine though.
One of my favorites off the album.
I don't see the point of this song on the album. It is just a cinematic intro that they always use to open the concert, but now they wrote one on their own. So what's the point of it? They will use it to open the shows next year. Ok. But what happens after that? Will they really play it again and again and again as intro? Or they will stop using it?
I think they will only use it for the DT12 tour. So you write a song just to be used as intro for one tour? You play the song only on that tour and then never again.. Who does that? It is not even a real DT song, just a cinematic music which goes nowhere. I bet they will never play it again after this tour, so... waste of time.
I think it's a great tune that works as an intro AND kills as a stand alone. I think it would work anywhere in their set aside from the closer.
Quote from: Rhayader on October 02, 2013, 09:32:38 PM
I don't see the point of this song on the album. It is just a cinematic intro that they always use to open the concert, but now they wrote one on their own. So what's the point of it? They will use it to open the shows next year. Ok. But what happens after that? Will they really play it again and again and again as intro? Or they will stop using it?
I think they will only use it for the DT12 tour. So you write a song just to be used as intro for one tour? You play the song only on that tour and then never again.. Who does that? It is not even a real DT song, just a cinematic music which goes nowhere. I bet they will never play it again after this tour, so... waste of time.
How is it not a "real" DT song? It's a song by DT on one of their albums, no different to any other instrumental. And even if they don't use it live again, how would that make it a waste of time? It's a great 3 minute piece of music. I can listen to it and enjoy it. That alone justifies it.
I also expect them to be using it for quite a while, not just one tour.
Since it appears they've written it with that usage in mind, I agree. They've had some great intro pieces in the past, but to have a signature intro they've written themselves is something I can see them keeping.
My main question is...will they play it live, or will it be an intro-tape, pre-recorded piece played with a visual to open the show?
When JP mentions FAS in the context of the concert, he recalls the Psycho theme, Also Sprach Zarathustra, and more recently music from Inception, but all of those pieces were played over the house speakers, not played live. Granted, this is a DT song, and it was recorded BY them, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will play it live. They've never played the Six Degrees Overture live, technically speaking (and when it was done live, not on tape, only an orchestra played it).
I can actually see them just hitting PLAY on this one and then gearing up to go into "The Enemy Inside" or something else down the road after coming on stage during the last part of the song.
-Marc.
Quote from: ariich on October 02, 2013, 07:23:40 AM
It's pretty good, definitely fun, but it's pretty silly as well and doesn't seem to really fit the rest of the album, in my opinion.
Agreed. It doesn't seem to fit the rest of the album one bit.
It's not a bad song, but there isn't much that is memorable about it, and when I listen to the album now, I almost always start at The Enemy Inside and go from there.
Quote from: The Letter M on October 03, 2013, 07:43:10 AM
My main question is...will they play it live, or will it be an intro-tape, pre-recorded piece played with a visual to open the show?
When JP mentions FAS in the context of the concert, he recalls the Psycho theme, Also Sprach Zarathustra, and more recently music from Inception, but all of those pieces were played over the house speakers, not played live. Granted, this is a DT song, and it was recorded BY them, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will play it live. They've never played the Six Degrees Overture live, technically speaking (and when it was done live, not on tape, only an orchestra played it).
I can actually see them just hitting PLAY on this one and then gearing up to go into "The Enemy Inside" or something else down the road after coming on stage during the last part of the song.
-Marc.
I could be wrong, but I don't think they'll play it live. I think it'll almost assuredly be an intro tape, for the reasons you mentioned. They don't even play the intro to Metropolis live (although I wish they would).
Quote from: ariich on October 02, 2013, 07:23:40 AM
It's pretty good, definitely fun, but it's pretty silly as well and doesn't seem to really fit the rest of the album, in my opinion.
Pretty silly and pretty bad for me, but as it's just a short intro, don't mind much :lol