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

[BlobVanDam]

It could be fun to speculate on the songs' and acts' length. I'm gonna be a little bit optimistic and say there's 65-70 minutes on each act.

I recall one source saying 2 hours 10 minutes for the album, which would average about 65 minutes per disc.

[The Astonished]

Yes, John Petrucci himself. He used the word "probably" when revealing the length so that's why we can't be sure just yet. It could be rounded up for all we know. More or less, anywhere between 125-135.

[RoeDent]

As Act 1 has 20 tracks, I imagine that will be the longer of the two discs, probably 70-75 minutes. That leaves around 60-65 mins for Act 2.

In fact, thinking about it, it might actually threaten the record for the longest studio album in my collection. Currently it's Stardust We Are by The Flower Kings, at 130:14.

[BlobVanDam]

As Act 1 has 20 tracks, I imagine that will be the longer of the two discs, probably 70-75 minutes. That leaves around 60-65 mins for Act 2.

It's also possible the last track "Astonishing" is an epic to close the story and will compensate for having less tracks, so they could be more equal.

[Prog Snob]

Does anyone else feel like "The Astonishing" is missing a noun at the end?  Every time I read it I keep expecting there to be more to the title. It's not a complaint and Astonishing is obviously the noun in this case.

[The Astonished]

Lord Nafaryus, Brother Do Your Hear Me, A Tempting Offer, and Moment of Betrayal sound like short, spoken tracks to me, so I reckon those would leave more space for fullblown songs. Then again, I could be entirely wrong and I actually hope so! It still blows my mind that it will be around 130 minutes. That's almost 40 minutes longer than SDOIT! 40 minutes! That's 2 Counts of Tuscany and 1 Through My Words more!

[TAC]

As Act 1 has 20 tracks, I imagine that will be the longer of the two discs, probably 70-75 minutes. That leaves around 60-65 mins for Act 2.

It's also possible the last track "Astonishing" is an epic to close the story and will compensate for having less tracks, so they could be more equal.

I would think that would absolutely be the case.

[RoeDent]

The track titles indicate to me that by the time we get to the title track, the story will be all but told. "Power Down" might be the NOMACs being shut down, to leave the Empire reunited and able to enjoy proper music, then Astonishing might be a celebratory or rousing closing number. If there is a long song here, it would seem logical that it would be at the climactic part of the story, perhaps The Path That Divides.

All wild guesses, I know.

[Fritzinger]

I think we already had the discussion about "astonishing" not sounding like a noun I don't feel anything strange with that, since English is not my first language. Sounds perfectly fine to me.
I hope that songs will flow into each other, creating longer songs with multiple parts. "Astonishing" as a longer epic song would be.. well. Astonishing

[The Presence of Frenemies]

The track titles indicate to me that by the time we get to the title track, the story will be all but told. "Power Down" might be the NOMACs being shut down, to leave the Empire reunited and able to enjoy proper music, then Astonishing might be a celebratory or rousing closing number. If there is a long song here, it would seem logical that it would be at the climactic part of the story, perhaps The Path That Divides.

All wild guesses, I know.

This has always been my inclination. I'm not sure there's going to be 12+ minutes of story left to tell after Power Down. But there could be a twist a la Finally Free (though that's not 12+ either...), so who knows.

[BlobVanDam]

The track titles indicate to me that by the time we get to the title track, the story will be all but told. "Power Down" might be the NOMACs being shut down, to leave the Empire reunited and able to enjoy proper music, then Astonishing might be a celebratory or rousing closing number. If there is a long song here, it would seem logical that it would be at the climactic part of the story, perhaps The Path That Divides.

All wild guesses, I know.

This has always been my inclination. I'm not sure there's going to be 12+ minutes of story left to tell after Power Down. But there could be a twist a la Finally Free (though that's not 12+ either...), so who knows.

I think power down will be the turning point when the rebels are able to shut down and start their attack on the NOMACS and the empire, with Astonishing being the big epic telling of that story, and telling us how great everything turned out.

[ariich]

I think power down will be the turning point when the rebels are able to shut down and start their attack on the NOMACS and the empire, with Astonishing being the big epic telling of that story, and telling us how great everything turned out.

This assumes the rebels are the good guys against the evil empire, which isn't necessarily the case. Indeed, the fact that the marketing is all about choosing a side lends credence to the idea that neither side is good/bad.

[AboutToCrash]

I'm waiting for the 34 new 'Opinions on __________' threads when the album gets released 

[BlobVanDam]

I think power down will be the turning point when the rebels are able to shut down and start their attack on the NOMACS and the empire, with Astonishing being the big epic telling of that story, and telling us how great everything turned out.

This assumes the rebels are the good guys against the evil empire, which isn't necessarily the case. Indeed, the fact that the marketing is all about choosing a side lends credence to the idea that neither side is good/bad.

I think the whole DT/music analogy story and the forbidden song makes it pretty clear.

[SuperTaco]

I'm waiting for all the nugget finders to analyze the hell out of the album, and give us crazy theories about how it's related to Metropolis or Octavarium. We've already seen a bit of it 

[BlobVanDam]

I'm waiting for all the nugget finders to analyze the hell out of the album, and give us crazy theories about how it's related to Metropolis or Octavarium. We've already seen a bit of it 

And that's with no basis. Just imagine what we could do with two discs worth of music and lyrics.

[Train of Naught]

I'm waiting for all the nugget finders to analyze the hell out of the album, and give us crazy theories about how it's related to Metropolis or Octavarium. We've already seen a bit of it 

I like to think of myself as a nugget finder, but it's getting me nowhere but the gym. 

[hefdaddy42]

I'm waiting for the 34 new 'Opinions on __________' threads when the album gets released 

Oh hell no

[Evermind]

I'm waiting for the 34 new 'Opinions on __________' threads when the album gets released 

Oh hell no

And don't forget another 34 appreciation threads.

[SeRoX]

I'm waiting for the 34 new 'Opinions on __________' threads when the album gets released 

Oh hell no

And don't forget another 34 appreciation threads.

And add to this, don't forget potential (mostly SDOIT/SFAM) versus threads. 

[BlobVanDam]

Something I haven't seen raised yet, is that being a double album of such length, the album sales will effectively count for x2, won't they? Will this also apply to the Billboard charts and raise the album's position slightly?

I'm waiting for the 34 new 'Opinions on __________' threads when the album gets released 

Oh hell no

And don't forget another 34 appreciation threads.

And add to this, don't forget potential (mostly SDOIT/SFAM) versus threads. 

I'll just save you the time now and vote for SDOIT/SFAM, since they'll never be topped.

[hefdaddy42]

Something I haven't seen raised yet, is that being a double album of such length, the album sales will effectively count for x2, won't they? Will this also apply to the Billboard charts and raise the album's position slightly?

That is my understanding.

[BlobVanDam]

Something I haven't seen raised yet, is that being a double album of such length, the album sales will effectively count for x2, won't they? Will this also apply to the Billboard charts and raise the album's position slightly?

That is my understanding.

That should be interesting then. It's almost a shame SDOIT wasn't a few minutes longer, because it only misses out by about 4 minutes.

[Kotowboy]

I'll just save you the time now and vote for SDOIT/SFAM, since they'll never be topped.

Don't forget " What if Load/Reload The Astonishing was one CD ? " that all the newbies will make.

[CDrice]

I'll just save you the time now and vote for SDOIT/SFAM, since they'll never be topped.

Don't forget " What if Load/Reload The Astonishing was one CD ? " that all the newbies will make.

Or ''Is the entire album The Astonishing a single song or not?''

[Progmetty]

That sounds like a you thread Kotowboy

[Nearmyth]

I'm hoping for a twist ending or some kind of profound, shocking thing to happen with "Astonishing." You can't have a title track like that closing the album and not have something really cool and unexpected.

At the very least, I'm really hoping for a non-cliche ending. It would be a little disappointing to me if the album ended with " the empire was overthrown, the nomacs were shut down, the rebels control the land, everyone lived happily ever after." Maybe I'm in the minority there, but I don't know a good concept album that had a perfectly happy, wrapped up ending.

I mean the friggen album is called "The Astonishing." I'M JUST SO INTRIGUED and maybe that's why I'm hoping for something unexpected.

It also seems like DT is going to transcend the actual music and instrumentals in this album by really applying the concept to the way they write and create the music. And I don't just mean spoken tracks (god forbid), and "oh this parts heavy cuz he's evil," or "oh this parts soft because she's a good guy." I'm keeping my doubts but I'm just hoping they create something new and experiment with the way they portray the concept here.

[Evermind]

Maybe I'm in the minority there, but I don't know a good concept album that had a perfectly happy, wrapped up ending.

Well, that depends on what you view as perfectly happy and wrapped up ending. I'd say The Human Equation by Ayreon has this kind of ending (if you cut the plot-twist at the very end, which I always tend to do); The Old Man and the Spirit by Beyond the Bridge is a happy, wrapped up ending (the protagonist dies, but I consider this a perfectly happy ending - he was at his brink of death at the beginning, all in all, and he goes in absolute peace); Mercy Falls by Seventh Wonder... wait, nevermind this last one.

But yeah, I indeed hope for something else than "the empire was overthrown, the nomacs were shut down, the rebels control the land, everyone lived happily ever after" for The Astonishing.

[GandL]

[-teo]

I'm hoping for a twist ending or some kind of profound, shocking thing to happen with "Astonishing." You can't have a title track like that closing the album and not have something really cool and unexpected.

At the very least, I'm really hoping for a non-cliche ending. It would be a little disappointing to me if the album ended with " the empire was overthrown, the nomacs were shut down, the rebels control the land, everyone lived happily ever after." Maybe I'm in the minority there, but I don't know a good concept album that had a perfectly happy, wrapped up ending.

I mean the friggen album is called "The Astonishing." I'M JUST SO INTRIGUED and maybe that's why I'm hoping for something unexpected.

Open your eyes, Nicholas.

[Nearmyth]

Open your eyes, Nicholas.

"Open your eyes, Gabriel."

inb4 Gabriel is just a reincarnation of Nicholas in the year 2285

[ZirconBlue]

Gabriel realizes he was The Killing Hand all along.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

I'm hoping for a twist ending or some kind of profound, shocking thing to happen with "Astonishing." You can't have a title track like that closing the album and not have something really cool and unexpected.

At the very least, I'm really hoping for a non-cliche ending. It would be a little disappointing to me if the album ended with " the empire was overthrown, the nomacs were shut down, the rebels control the land, everyone lived happily ever after." Maybe I'm in the minority there, but I don't know a good concept album that had a perfectly happy, wrapped up ending.

I mean the friggen album is called "The Astonishing." I'M JUST SO INTRIGUED and maybe that's why I'm hoping for something unexpected.

It also seems like DT is going to transcend the actual music and instrumentals in this album by really applying the concept to the way they write and create the music. And I don't just mean spoken tracks (god forbid), and "oh this parts heavy cuz he's evil," or "oh this parts soft because she's a good guy." I'm keeping my doubts but I'm just hoping they create something new and experiment with the way they portray the concept here.

It was all just a dream. And then at the end Gabriel opens his eyes and HE IS NAFARYUS.

You heard it here first.

[Mark Levinson Jr.]

Does anyone else feel like "The Astonishing" is missing a noun at the end?  Every time I read it I keep expecting there to be more to the title. It's not a complaint and Astonishing is obviously the noun in this case.

It seems like The Astonishing could refer to an event; that one time when we all were astonished.
Or maybe it refers to a group of people; the ones who astonish us.

[RMGadelha]

I'm hoping for a twist ending or some kind of profound, shocking thing to happen with "Astonishing." You can't have a title track like that closing the album and not have something really cool and unexpected.

At the very least, I'm really hoping for a non-cliche ending. It would be a little disappointing to me if the album ended with " the empire was overthrown, the nomacs were shut down, the rebels control the land, everyone lived happily ever after." Maybe I'm in the minority there, but I don't know a good concept album that had a perfectly happy, wrapped up ending.

I mean the friggen album is called "The Astonishing." I'M JUST SO INTRIGUED and maybe that's why I'm hoping for something unexpected.

It also seems like DT is going to transcend the actual music and instrumentals in this album by really applying the concept to the way they write and create the music. And I don't just mean spoken tracks (god forbid), and "oh this parts heavy cuz he's evil," or "oh this parts soft because she's a good guy." I'm keeping my doubts but I'm just hoping they create something new and experiment with the way they portray the concept here.

It was all just a dream. And then at the end Gabriel opens his eyes and HE IS NAFARYUS.

You heard it here first.

Does that mean that Booker DeWitt and Father Comstock are the same person? WAIT, SONGBIRD STOPS TO LISTEN? BIOSHOCK CONFIRMED? (Fans will get that... maybe).