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

[Prog Snob]

But for me, it's just not even close to their other concept albums.

Yeah, all those other concept albums they've done.

[RoeDent]

Octavarium's a concept album too. Not a narrative, but a thematic one. Everything goes in circles and ends where it begins.

[mikemangioy]

Damn if you get past the animation, some of the artwork is stunning!

[Jinx]

Are we quite sure Xander is meant to be riding that raven? From that still it looks like it might be suggesting he can read the ravens mind or taken its form something. Will have to rematch video.

Edit: rewatched and can't decide! 

[BlackInk]

Some info I can share: during liveshows there will be no encore, they will solely be about The Astonishing.

Could have been the icing on the cake, but I'm fine either way.

Within the context of the show, I'd say it would feel more like icing on a stake.

[Prog Snob]

I love the music in the trailer by the way. It really sounds great.

[TAC]

I love the music in the trailer by the way. It really sounds great.

[|KirK|]

After many views I have to say that, without the part of the flying raven, the trailer would be so much better... but not Astonishing!!! 

[cramx3]

Some info I can share: during liveshows there will be no encore, they will solely be about The Astonishing.

Could have been the icing on the cake, but I'm fine either way.

Within the context of the show, I'd say it would feel more like icing on a stake.

No encore?  So the whole show will be closer to 2 hours than 3?  No opener?  That doesn't seem right.  I mean, I'm sure a lot is going into the show so asking for more might be much, but we all know they can perform closer to 3 hours (2 hours 45 minutes) from thier previous evening with shows.

[Billzo]

I mean, I'm sure a lot is going into the show so asking for more might be much, but we all know they can perform closer to 3 hours (2 hours 45 minutes) from thier previous evening with shows.

Yeah and at a much higher ticket price!!!! 

[cramx3]

I mean, I'm sure a lot is going into the show so asking for more might be much, but we all know they can perform closer to 3 hours (2 hours 45 minutes) from thier previous evening with shows.

Yeah and at a much higher ticket price!!!! 

For me, the ticket was a bit more as well ~$15-30 more than what I normally have paid for DT in the past.  Forgot about that, but the venue is way nicer too.

[rumborak]

It is silly to dismiss an album based on a few snippets and stuff, but ... let me put it this way, most of what I've seen so far, the music would have to *make up* for it. This whole thing seems to position itself in an area I am not a big fan of at all.

[dreamsforever]

Ok maybe I mispoke...I could care less if its a concept album or not. And yes I have heard the whole album. I was referring to Scenes From A Memory and SDOIT. I sat and listened to that album when it came out and couldn't get out of my car until it was over. This one I have none of those feelings.

Whether you guys believe me is irrelevant. I'm just giving you guys my honest opinion after listening to it 3 times, which takes a lot of time. The hype for thing thing has been massive and was massive for me before hearing it. I really want to love it, but every time I listen to it, I just am not engaged. I just am simply rendering my opinion and if after everyone hears it they disagree fine. I have a feeling I won't be the only one who feels this way. And honestly I'm angry I don't like it. I couldn't sleep after listening to it the first time. I thought I may has "missed" something, but after repeated listens, I now know I didn't. Curious how the official reviews are.

[RoadTrain_of Thought]

Are we quite sure Xander is meant to be riding that raven? From that still it looks like it might be suggesting he can read the ravens mind or taken its form something. Will have to rematch video.

Edit: rewatched and can't decide! 

They are going full GoT 

[The Paddies]

Some info I can share: during liveshows there will be no encore, they will solely be about The Astonishing.

Could have been the icing on the cake, but I'm fine either way.

Within the context of the show, I'd say it would feel more like icing on a stake.

No encore?  So the whole show will be closer to 2 hours than 3?  No opener?  That doesn't seem right.  I mean, I'm sure a lot is going into the show so asking for more might be much, but we all know they can perform closer to 3 hours (2 hours 45 minutes) from thier previous evening with shows.

It has been said multiple times that the album is two hours and ten minutes long. Add an intermission (which has been announced as well) and you're looking to a 2,5 hour show. My guess is that some songs will have an extra solo or maybe a short rehearsed jam (but I'm not sure). With that in mind you'll have a two hour and forty minute show, as has been announced as the official running time of the show.

[TL]

It is silly to dismiss an album based on a few snippets and stuff, but ... let me put it this way, most of what I've seen so far, the music would have to *make up* for it.

This is pretty much where I'm at with it too.

Earlier in the thread, someone asked something along the lines of "Would it be better if there were no portraits and maps and videos?".

At this point, for me... yes?

[Wubbagubba]

Just like anything that has ever existed, I'm sure people will dislike this album and say it's not DT enough, heavy enough, SFAM enough, "early-DT" enough, Portnoy enough, and the like, but if you listen to a progressive band not expecting them to change their style - especially 30 years into their career - you might want to stay away from this album.

Of course, I haven't heard it, but I have read that it will be very melodic and, judging by the apparent prominence of acoustic guitar and piano, "soft", it will be different. I'm sure it will have heavy parts (especially judging by the trailer), but I am personally ecstatic for this album. It sounds grand, and I've always been fond of more soft, melodic songs than quick shredding and Rudess freaking out on keyboard. That's not to say I don't appreciate a killer riff here and there - Beyond This Life was a highlight on SFAM.

With that said though, the trailer is hysterical. I love concept albums and storytelling through music, and TA concept sounds very intriguing, but oh man, some of those animations were laughable. My hype is still in full force though, and I can't wait to sit down January 29 to listen to this album.

[TAC]

I'm approaching the music and the characters/videos as quite separate. It's like a CD booklet come to life. That's all it is. At the end of the day, it will be about the music. It always is.

[Implode]

It is silly to dismiss an album based on a few snippets and stuff, but ... let me put it this way, most of what I've seen so far, the music would have to *make up* for it.

This is pretty much where I'm at with it too.

Earlier in the thread, someone asked something along the lines of "Would it be better if there were no portraits and maps and videos?".

At this point, for me... yes?

After my outburst a couple weeks ago I've been avoiding anything that isn't simply music. 

[lightbug]

Ok maybe I mispoke...I could care less if its a concept album or not. And yes I have heard the whole album. I was referring to Scenes From A Memory and SDOIT. I sat and listened to that album when it came out and couldn't get out of my car until it was over. This one I have none of those feelings.

Whether you guys believe me is irrelevant. I'm just giving you guys my honest opinion after listening to it 3 times, which takes a lot of time. The hype for thing thing has been massive and was massive for me before hearing it. I really want to love it, but every time I listen to it, I just am not engaged. I just am simply rendering my opinion and if after everyone hears it they disagree fine. I have a feeling I won't be the only one who feels this way. And honestly I'm angry I don't like it. I couldn't sleep after listening to it the first time. I thought I may has "missed" something, but after repeated listens, I now know I didn't. Curious how the official reviews are.

tell me your top 3 DT albums

[cramx3]

Some info I can share: during liveshows there will be no encore, they will solely be about The Astonishing.

Could have been the icing on the cake, but I'm fine either way.

Within the context of the show, I'd say it would feel more like icing on a stake.

No encore?  So the whole show will be closer to 2 hours than 3?  No opener?  That doesn't seem right.  I mean, I'm sure a lot is going into the show so asking for more might be much, but we all know they can perform closer to 3 hours (2 hours 45 minutes) from thier previous evening with shows.

It has been said multiple times that the album is two hours and ten minutes long. Add an intermission (which has been announced as well) and you're looking to a 2,5 hour show. My guess is that some songs will have an extra solo or maybe a short rehearsed jam (but I'm not sure). With that in mind you'll have a two hour and forty minute show, as has been announced as the official running time of the show.

I'd gladly accept some jams/extended solos... but given the setting, I'm not entirely sure it fits.  If they have a full video and presentation, it reminds me of a bit bigger version of the last show and that means following the script on the dot.  Granted they did do the ToT jam and extended/changed the SDV outro, but this is the essentially live premiere of the entire album.  My guess is that the show is exactly like the album and then one song encore like Metropolis or something.  I can't imagine them not playing a single song besides the new album.  Come to think of it, I've only ever been to one concert where the headliner did not do an encore, that was Offspring when they played the entire Smash album, yet that album is short so after the album was like a greatest hits set... but still no encore.  I find it strange.

[thosava]

My guess is that Xander is the son of Evangeline. They posted another picture on Facebook, showing a cross around his neck.

[flamingjp]

Commander Arhys just tweeted saying Xander is his son.

Also first post, hey guys!

[ZirconBlue]

Some info I can share: during liveshows there will be no encore, they will solely be about The Astonishing.

Could have been the icing on the cake, but I'm fine either way.

Within the context of the show, I'd say it would feel more like icing on a stake.

No encore?  So the whole show will be closer to 2 hours than 3?  No opener?  That doesn't seem right.  I mean, I'm sure a lot is going into the show so asking for more might be much, but we all know they can perform closer to 3 hours (2 hours 45 minutes) from thier previous evening with shows.

Yes, but from the information given so far, it sounds like this album will have fewer/shorter instrumental sections than typical DT.  So, the show may be shorter than usual, but James might actually be singing more than usual.  And his voice is probably the main determining factor in how long they can play night after night.

[Train of Naught]

I'm approaching the music and the characters/videos as quite separate. It's like a CD booklet come to life. That's all it is. At the end of the day, it will be about the music. It always is.

Quote for truth.

[CoT67]

Honestly, every album after Octavarium had its big share of metal-y heavy pieces and riffs, peaking with stuff like TEI, TDEN and ANTR which definitely aren't my favourite DT songs by a long shot, though enjoyable.
We could argue that ADTOE was the "lightest" and "proggiest" of the four done since 2005, but it still had its pretty heavy moments with songs like LNF, BMUBMD and BITS, so the tendency to go straight metal was still kept.

I was looking forward to a change more towards their light/prog/experimental side again for this one.
After hearing The Gift of Music and reading insiders' thoughts on the album, no matter the cheese or the presentation, from a musical standpoint I still believe I will not be disappointed.

[thosava]

Commander Arhys just tweeted saying Xander is his son.

Also first post, hey guys!

Then Arhys and Evangeline are probably married, with Xander as their son.

[RoeDent]

So Xander is Arhys' son. Wonder how Evangeline (as the only female on the Ravenskill side) relates to them all.

[ResultsMayVary]

those drums still sound like crap 

Youtube will make them sound bad anyway.  the quality drop and compression on audio on YT is enormous.

Case in point that the actual mp3 sounds miles head of the youtube stream for The Gift of Music.

[V_R11]

Commander Arhys just tweeted saying Xander is his son.

Also first post, hey guys!

Then Arhys and Evangeline are probably married, with Xander as their son.

Maybe all of Empire is somehow related and all of Ravenskill is somehow related and it's actually a war between two families

[noxon]

How anyone can decide that the album is bad after three listens is beyond me. It's 2 hours and 10 minutes of music.

Then again, this is exactly the kind of reaction I expect from this album. This is why I've tried so hard to let people know what it is (or isn't).

I know the metal heads won't like it.

I know the people who are into the long instrumental wankoff sessions won't like it.

I know people who have not liked much of DT's output for the past 10 years have been very positive when they've heard stuff.

[ResultsMayVary]

First off, I've noticed that after watching the trailer, some of you have said things to the effect of "the concept is gonna be bad". You can't honestly judge the story off of the animation style, no matter how wonky and clunky it looks. You just can't. I'm sure the story is gonna be sweet.

I just see it as people trying to find something to complain about.

[TAC]

I know the metal heads won't like it.

I'm a metal head and I'm looking forward to this very much. I can get my metal elsewhere. I do not need it, or even want it from DT. What I do want from DT is all of the non metal stuff that I can enjoy in bits, within a hard rock framework.

[bosk1]

I know the metal heads won't like it.

I'm a metal head, and I love what I've heard.

[Another_Won]

I know the metal heads won't like it.

I'm a metal head and I'm looking forward to this very much. I can get my metal elsewhere. I do not need it, or even want it from DT. What I do want from DT is all of the non metal stuff that I can enjoy in bits, within a hard rock framework.

Same here.  I like metal but don't want that all the time - even in the same song.  I like the variety we get from DT.  Throw is a couple of good head banging riffs and i'm good.