Yeah, the old cover was better. Also disappointing to see it pushed back a few weeks.
Still, it's nice to finally hear something definitive about its release.
It does suck, but at least we've got the track list! Now we only need the track TIMES... but with 12 tracks, if they say most of the songs run over 6 minutes, on average, that would mean the album could be over 70 minutes (a first for them). Then again, it seems this album is a big first for the band, as many sites are still saying it's
a FULL concept album (not a 5-song suite with a bunch of unrelated songs). I think it's still true, now that there's even another track titled "BU2B2", so even if the tracks don't all segue like typical concept albums, there's at least connecting tracks or tracks that reference others around the album.
And knowing that there are 12 tracks to match the 12 symbols/"runic hieroglyphs", I'm sure there's some meaning/symbolism to how they are arranged, either as the clock face or in the track order. Exciting to hear a full concept album from Rush, especially a 12-track one that, hopefully, will run at or over 70 minutes! Push the boundaries even MORE, boys!
-Marc.