The Dear Hunter v "Migrant Returned" (10/6/23)

[Genowyn]

So it's not out on Spotify yet nor have I gotten my digital copy.

Uuuughh

[Super Dude]

So it's not out on Spotify yet nor have I gotten my digital copy.

Uuuughh

Did you order it on iTunes? Because that became available over an hour ago.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

Melpomene is gorgeous.

[ZeppelinDT]

Haven't gotten my pre-order DL either.  Casey has been doing a live Facebook Q&A for the last hour and a half and it keeps coming up.

[RoeDent]

According to the website Act V won't be on Spotify until next Friday.

[twosuitsluke]

I'm still awaiting my pre-order download email!! What time is it in America? 

[millahh]

Listening now, only on The Moon/Awake. 

I hope The Boy doesn't die at the end, only to be resurrected by the singing of the townspeople, and then live happily ever after.  That would be absurd.

[Super Dude]

SPOILERS

The consensus seems to be someone else dies on this album. The trouble is figuring out who.

Also townspeople singing him to life appears unlikely, on account of the torches and pitchforks chasing after him later on.

[millahh]

SPOILERS

The consensus seems to be someone else dies on this album. The trouble is figuring out who.

Also townspeople singing him to life appears unlikely, on account of the torches and pitchforks chasing after him later on.

My (non-spoiler) prediction a week ago was that the Boy and The Pimp both wind up dead (with The Boy killing the Pimp), and that his son winds up back at The Lake.

The Astonishing would have been better with more torches and pitchforks.

[soupytwist]

Listening now, only on The Moon/Awake. 

Heh.  Just found this thread.  Love the band so much - On my first playthough as well, only at 'Cascade' - loved 'TheMoon/Awake' right from the first listen and 'Cascade' has just hit quite a groozy mid section as I type - Yeah this band are amazing!

Edit : Mr Usher - Hahaha.  WTF.  Brilliant.

[twosuitsluke]

I finally have my digital copy. Listening is due to commence.

[Super Dude]

SPOILERS

The consensus seems to be someone else dies on this album. The trouble is figuring out who.

Also townspeople singing him to life appears unlikely, on account of the torches and pitchforks chasing after him later on.

My (non-spoiler) prediction a week ago was that the Boy and The Pimp both wind up dead (with The Boy killing the Pimp), and that his son winds up back at The Lake.

The Astonishing would have been better with more torches and pitchforks.

I'm really just waiting on the Heavy Blog is Heavy analysis because I'm just confused. Isn't Hunter supposed to die in Act VI?

[Train of Naught]

As an album it's not doing as much for me as the other 4 yet but some time will fix that.

But some of these songs are just brilliant! The Flame - The Fire series, Mr. Usher, The Most Cursed of Hands, The March, Melpomene. And my personal favorite: The Haves Have Train of Naught

Yeah this is just another stellar TDH release, no two ways about it. If you're reading this, go buy the CD already

Also, I forgot on which song this was but *spoiler, sorta I guess* I loved the The Old Haunt chorus reprisal near the end of the album, so epic

[twosuitsluke]

Nearly finished my first listen through. Just what I expected/hoped for. This sounds really strong, has some great call backs to earlier albums, unexpected sounds/styles (lounge singing anyone?  ) and strong lyrical content. Pretty sure I'll just listen to this on repeat all night 

Anyone got a link to the lyrics? Can't find them anywhere.

[ZeppelinDT]

Anyone got a link to the lyrics? Can't find them anywhere.

https://imgur.com/a/eYo4O

[twosuitsluke]

Anyone got a link to the lyrics? Can't find them anywhere.

https://imgur.com/a/eYo4O

You bloody beauty 

After having my tea and watching an Episode of Homeland I will be all over this.

Then I may re-listen through the whole of The Colour Spectrum as it's been a while since I've done that and I'm obviously in a Dear Hunter mood 
 

[me7]

My booklet has the lyrics to all songs squashed on two pages. Practically unreadable.

Why is the booklet from this link different?

[twosuitsluke]

So I've just listened through whilst reading the lyrics. I have a few thoughts that will follow, are we discussing the story with full spoilers on here? I mean, anything I say will purely be speculation as it's pretty difficult to work out what is actually going on with this new album (same as the other 4 Acts really).

I'll wait for a bit of a consensus before posting my interpretation.

[twosuitsluke]

Anyone else's initial reaction to the end of Mr. Usher is that it sounds remarkably like a part from the Star Wars: A New Hope soundtrack?

This is from the soundtrack:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLeigbpMXUkYlKcypDJRIUDuyz2HtGGEk0&params=OAFIAVgE&v=ZxMdImpj4mk&mode=NORMAL

It's from the beginning when the droids are captured by the Jawas. I'd bet it's not a coincidence. Casey is about my age, chances are he's a Star Wars nerd as most people are to some degree. Either way it's very similar 

[ZeppelinDT]

My booklet has the lyrics to all songs squashed on two pages. Practically unreadable.

Why is the booklet from this link different?

Don't know.  The pic I posted isn't mine... just a picture floating around that somebody uploaded to the TDH subreddit.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

The Fire might just be their best song. Fuck!

[Super Dude]

My booklet has the lyrics to all songs squashed on two pages. Practically unreadable.

Why is the booklet from this link different?

Don't know.  The pic I posted isn't mine... just a picture floating around that somebody uploaded to the TDH subreddit.

Hey, what'd you think of this? https://www.reddit.com/r/TheDearHunter/comments/51vpf3/the_act_setting_clue_it_might_explain_why_the_boy/

[twosuitsluke]

My booklet has the lyrics to all songs squashed on two pages. Practically unreadable.

Why is the booklet from this link different?

Don't know.  The pic I posted isn't mine... just a picture floating around that somebody uploaded to the TDH subreddit.

Hey, what'd you think of this? https://www.reddit.com/r/TheDearHunter/comments/51vpf3/the_act_setting_clue_it_might_explain_why_the_boy/

I hope it's not actually based on a real place. I would personally prefer it to be all fictional but everything is kind of influenced/based on something, even if it's loosely based.

It's kinda cool though.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

Okay so what does everyone think of the album? fuck geography for a second.

It's very dark. Awesome to see how different it is from Act IV. Doing a track by track comparison I feel like The Moon is similar to The Old Haunt, but i really like former more. On TDH subreddit, the songs that seem to be getting the most love are The March, The Most Cursed of Hands, and Mr. Usher. So far I can say my personal favorites are The Fire (i still think this could potentially be their best song), The Moon, Melpomene.. At least right now these are probably my favorites. But yes, this album is dark. And more theatrical than the others. It's wonderful !

[Zantera]

Nothing stood out on the first listen but I can tell it's going to take a few spins to reveal itself.

[Super Dude]

Okay so what does everyone think of the album? fuck geography for a second.

It's very dark. Awesome to see how different it is from Act IV. Doing a track by track comparison I feel like The Moon is similar to The Old Haunt, but i really like former more. On TDH subreddit, the songs that seem to be getting the most love are The March, The Most Cursed of Hands, and Mr. Usher. So far I can say my personal favorites are The Fire (i still think this could potentially be their best song), The Moon, Melpomene.. At least right now these are probably my favorites. But yes, this album is dark. And more theatrical than the others. It's wonderful !

I think most albums so far have had that parallel: City Escape, The Procession, In Cauda Venenum, etc. Just like how every album's first track so far has been the Oracles on the Delphi Express singing/prophesying about what happens to Hunter next.

[twosuitsluke]

Okay so what does everyone think of the album? fuck geography for a second.

It's very dark. Awesome to see how different it is from Act IV. Doing a track by track comparison I feel like The Moon is similar to The Old Haunt, but i really like former more. On TDH subreddit, the songs that seem to be getting the most love are The March, The Most Cursed of Hands, and Mr. Usher. So far I can say my personal favorites are The Fire (i still think this could potentially be their best song), The Moon, Melpomene.. At least right now these are probably my favorites. But yes, this album is dark. And more theatrical than the others. It's wonderful !

Yea it's dark and I like that. I think my faves so far are probably The Moon - Awake, Cascade, The Revival, Light and The March (love that Smiling Swine intro  ). Granted I had already heard The Revival and Light a couple of times before listening to the album as a whole so they are up a few listens on the rest of the album.

I would say pretty much every song has something that I like in it though.

In regards to the plot, anyone know what the fuck is going on?

Spoilers

So the part where the gambler gambles against the devil and 'wins' the devils soul, who is the gambler? Is that part of the actual story of the album or a little thing that happens along side the main plot? I have no clue!!

A the end I got the impression that The Boy burnt down the Church and the Dime to fake his death (but I think he dies?), and also kill The Pimp and the Priest??? I may be way off though!

Also, I think the boy dies at the end, possibly in the fire, but leaves his son back at The Lake and the River?

The last song seems like it is The Boy entering the afterlife and saying good bye to his son possibly?

I may be way off with all this but I've pretty much always struggled to work out what's going on based solely on the lyrics 

[lordxizor]

My initial impression after one and a half listens is that it's not as good as Act IV. Thought Act IV took a few listens to really click. Definitely lots of good stuff in it though.

[BlackInk]

Only listened once so far, but I love this album.

[twosuitsluke]

What often astounds me about Casey is the quality of the lyrics he writes. There are already lots of lyrics that have jumped out at me after 6 listens. Lyrics in general aren't a selling point in music for me. My ear is generally drawn to the lead guitar and drums. There are exceptions though and The Dear Hunter are right at the top of that list. I LOVE the way he writes. He has clearly improved in my opinion as well. The last two albums have been top notch 

[ZeppelinDT]

I think this might be my new favorite TDH album.

[ZeppelinDT]

My booklet has the lyrics to all songs squashed on two pages. Practically unreadable.

Why is the booklet from this link different?

Don't know.  The pic I posted isn't mine... just a picture floating around that somebody uploaded to the TDH subreddit.

Hey, what'd you think of this? https://www.reddit.com/r/TheDearHunter/comments/51vpf3/the_act_setting_clue_it_might_explain_why_the_boy/

Total coincidence (and a good example of the kind of post that often makes me second guess the time I spend reading through the TDH subreddit...)

[Nel]

The album art for Acts 4 and 5 are so great I wish we could go back in time and have the guy illustrate for the first three.

[twosuitsluke]

The album art for Acts 4 and 5 are so great I wish we could go back in time and have the guy illustrate for the first three.

Casey said in a recent podcast that he's actually planning on doing that 

[Super Dude]

My booklet has the lyrics to all songs squashed on two pages. Practically unreadable.

Why is the booklet from this link different?

Don't know.  The pic I posted isn't mine... just a picture floating around that somebody uploaded to the TDH subreddit.

Hey, what'd you think of this? https://www.reddit.com/r/TheDearHunter/comments/51vpf3/the_act_setting_clue_it_might_explain_why_the_boy/

Total coincidence (and a good example of the kind of post that often makes me second guess the time I spend reading through the TDH subreddit...)

That was me.