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

[ResultsMayVary]

I have been a DT fan since before I&W, as I am from Long Island. I want to start by saying this. This album for me is one of their worst. I, for the life of me, cannot get into it. I have a bad feeling that a lot of people will feel this way after hearing the entire thing. It seems sterile and uninspired to me. Some of the melodies sound familiar like we have heard them before. I'm sorry, but this is my opinion. Not to say that there aren't some good moments on the CD, there are. However, the album being the length it is has many moments that I really felt bored. I've never said that listening to DT before. I just don't have much desire to go back and listen to it again and again, which for me is the telling tale.

I am curious to see other peoples reactions when everyone hears it though. But for me, it's just not even close to their other concept albums. I'm very disappointed.

DUDE. It's not even released yet. You're so full of it.

[thosava]

I just hope that all those ballads are more interesting than those types of songs normally are.
Edit: a normal ballad is usually boring to some extent. I want more progressive and unexpected stuff!

[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.

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.

Transcript from today's interview with Petrucci:

"This album, you know, we want to do something different. We've been touring for a long time. We've been a band for over thirty years and have done the traditional sort of show and this one is going to be different. This one is going to be sort of the way that Pink Floyd did with The Wall where we go out and we're presenting this album only, live. So, that's why we titled it 'Dream Theater presents The Astonishing Live'. It's in two acts. There is an intermission, but there is no encore. It's just the show. It's kinda like going to see an opera or musical where you're seeing a show. You know, we want to be really clear with people that this is something different. Again, very special venues and us presenting this album in its entirety and it's gonna be a different event and give our fans something different."

[ariich]

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.

Not sure about these statements; I think what you mean is that people who only like those things probably won't like it. I'm a metalhead who enjoys a good prog instrumental, but I love a ton of other stuff too, including entirely unrelated genres.

[Thematt202]

I know the metal heads won't like it.

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

Likewise, but I've not heard anywhere near as much as you have!

[noxon]

a TRU metalhead would never admit to liking a ballad.

[Thoughtspart3]

Had an interview with John Petrucci today. Some info I can share: during liveshows there will be no encore, they will solely be about The Astonishing. The album is mastered at a lower volume than A Dramatic Turn Of Events and Dream Theater, making it more dynamic. Petrucci wrote all the lyrics. Rudess and Petrucci wrote all the the music.

Besides that: Petrucci's second solo album has been written! He wanted to have it recorded by now, but he didn't have the time to record it yet, because The Astonishing took him longer than expected. Probably will take more than a year as Dream Theater is going full throttle now.

It is excellent news that there is more dynamic range in this album.

[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.

Transcript from today's interview with Petrucci:

"This album, you know, we want to do something different. We've been touring for a long time. We've been a band for over thirty years and have done the traditional sort of show and this one is going to be different. This one is going to be sort of the way that Pink Floyd did with The Wall where we go out and we're presenting this album only, live. So, that's why we titled it 'Dream Theater presents The Astonishing Live'. It's in two acts. There is an intermission, but there is no encore. It's just the show. It's kinda like going to see an opera or musical where you're seeing a show. You know, we want to be really clear with people that this is something different. Again, very special venues and us presenting this album in its entirety and it's gonna be a different event and give our fans something different."

Thanks for sharing... that is somewhat disappointing.  I am not going to cry for not seeing Metropilis again, but just thought there would be an extra song considering the album length isn't the length of a typical evening with DT show.

[Kotowboy]

JP should put out his solo album in 2018

2005, 2018

[ericoml]

Most of Opeth's fans love Damnation. Even the "metal-heads". If TA will be so good as Damnation, I'm sure that any DT fan will love it.

[lovethedrake]

I don't think it matters whether its heavy or light... all that matters is that it is actually GOOD!   

My favorite albums are definitely the classic era 90's albums and I prefer the less metal side of DT.  However, I personally think Octavarium is generally their worst album and Awake is great. 

It also depends on what kind of metal we are talking about.  I HATE NU Metal but I love 80's Metal (Maiden, Metallica).   

I would imagine when Noxon said the Metalheads won't like it he is referring to NU metal because DT has always been a metal band even with I&W... it was just hair metal.   

[RoeDent]

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

I know I'll get stick for it, but I find this one of the most frustrating traits of humanity. But that's a topic for another thread.

I'm just happy the DT new album train is rolling again after it seemed to come to a standstill.

[Train of Naught]

It also depends on what kind of metal we are talking about.  I HATE NU Metal but I love 80's Metal (Maiden, Metallica).   

I would imagine when Noxon said the Metalheads won't like it he is referring to NU metal because DT has always been a metal band even with I&W... it was just hair metal.   

Why would he refer to Nu-Metal? 

[chrisbDTM]

This Hunger Games: 2112 story is still a bit on the cringe-y side for me but it sounds like we will get the standard DT sound behind it

[TAC]

Transcript from today's interview with Petrucci:

"This album, you know, we want to do something different. We've been touring for a long time. We've been a band for over thirty years and have done the traditional sort of show and this one is going to be different. This one is going to be sort of the way that Pink Floyd did with The Wall where we go out and we're presenting this album only, live. So, that's why we titled it 'Dream Theater presents The Astonishing Live'. It's in two acts. There is an intermission, but there is no encore. It's just the show. It's kinda like going to see an opera or musical where you're seeing a show. You know, we want to be really clear with people that this is something different. Again, very special venues and us presenting this album in its entirety and it's gonna be a different event and give our fans something different."

Thanks for sharing... that is somewhat disappointing.  I am not going to cry for not seeing Metropilis again, but just thought there would be an extra song considering the album length isn't the length of a typical evening with DT show.

Jeesh Cram. You're a tough customer!

I think the whole concept of how they are approaching this round of shows is actually pretty cool.

[Kotowboy]

2 hours and 40 minutes isn't long enough ?!

[As I Am]

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.

My sentiments exactly.

[cramx3]

2 hours and 40 minutes isn't long enough ?!

It's actually less value in terms of music compared to previous DT shows.  Granted, there is supposed to be visuals and what not so I'd imagine that makes up for the "less value" but for a single band, 2 hours 40 minutes WITH an intermission is not a full concert IMO.  Yes, a full opera/musical/movie like JP mentioned they are trying to go for, but that is different than the normal DT show. 

I'm not complaining though, like I said, I'm not crying over missing the same DT song again considering I've seen them round 10 times now.

[wideworldofmike]

2 hours and 40 minutes isn't long enough ?!

This. How many 3 hour DT shows have I been to? 1. All of the others were shorter. 2.5 hours is a long concert.

I was at 20th anniversary show as well, that wasn't even 3 hours if I remember right. And that was a long show.

[lovethedrake]

For the record I was referring to TOT and SC as Nu-Metal although I realize they are not really defined as such.   They are just very different sounding than 80's metal bands which is why most of us fell in love with Dream Theater to begin with.  It was the 80's metal combined with progressive rock that early DT fans loved.   A lot of it has to do with the vocal production.

[Awaken]

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.

This is exactly how I feel.  I appreciate the time they put into these things, but the music is what I'm most looking forward to.

[changing_seasons]

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.

Aren't you contradicting yourself here? Weren't DT's past 10 years filled with more metal and long instrumental wankoff sessions than ever before? I have not been enjoying the past decade of Dream Theater, but I don't particularly enjoy long instrumental sessions (purely for the sake of being long instrumental sections at least), and I am DEFINITELY not a metal head.

[lovethedrake]

He is not being contradictory... he is saying if you like metal and long instrumental sections (like the past ten years of DT) then you are likely to be disappointed.  If you have been pining for more classic DT you will be happy.

[Implode]

Yeah Noxon!!! #notallmetalheads 

(I think it's obvious what he means guys)

(...which also has me excited)

[jakepriest]

Everything Noxon posts keeps lowering my hype more and more.   

[cramx3]

2 hours and 40 minutes isn't long enough ?!

This. How many 3 hour DT shows have I been to? 1. All of the others were shorter. 2.5 hours is a long concert.

I was at 20th anniversary show as well, that wasn't even 3 hours if I remember right. And that was a long show.

All others Im assuming had openers.  All others were cheaper.  Once again, not complaining, just telling the facts from my experiences.

[lovethedrake]

Everything Noxon posts makes ME more and more excited for this album:

More Dynamics
Lower Mastering Volume
More Organic Instruments
More Acoustic
Less Metal
More Melodies
Full Rock Opera

Its as if I was allowed to send DT a suggestion box and they used every suggestion for this album.   

[Kotowboy]

Everything Noxon posts keeps lowering my hype more and more.   

It's to prepare you for the metal, wankfests and long songs divided into three or more tracks

[thosava]

I'm very excited about everything, except the ballad thing 

[Jamesman42]

Wow.

[nikatapi]

Indeed the album sounds more and more interesting, to be honest i'd never expect such a different album (at least that's the impression i have from all the comments) at this point from DT, and the fact that they do it now makes me super excited.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Man, "cheese" is one word that I'm gonna get really tired of reading for the foreseeable future.

The visuals in the trailer are pretty lame yeah, but the music does sound pretty great. Still excited for this thing.

[thosava]

To anyone who has heard the album: how does the "average heavyness" compare to TGOM? Is it heavier, softer or about the same as that track?

[bosk1]

To anyone who has heard the album: how does the "average heavyness" compare to TGOM? Is it heavier, softer or about the same as that track?

It is a bit tricky to answer from the promo I have, and here's why:  the album just has a different kind of sound that is neither "heavy" nor "not heavy."  I heard lots of heavy moments in songs, but they are part of these huge, grand-sounding soundscapes that, when put together, might not really register as a typical "heavy song."  For example, there is one song in particular that you guys heard snippets of in a couple of different spots of that trailer.  Those snippets by themselves do not really signal that it is a "heavy" song.  But there are also some REALLY cool chunky, heavy riffs in that song that are typical of DT's heavy sound, and they are mixed in with the big symphonic sounding stuff, the soft piano parts, and all the other different elements of that same song. 

So..."heavy" is a bit hard to quantify on this album, but I would say there is a fair amount that is heavier than TGOM.

[thosava]

Thanks! Now i'm getting really excited