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

[RoeDent]

Because it sounds like he's singing through a robot. It's not really noticable when the entire band is going at it, but all through that calm section it's really obvious. It's so in your face how non natural and not quite like a human being it sounds. Am as unsure as you are, but over how this isn't being considered undesputable fact, no matter what the band says.

What the band says about it should surely be the be-all-and-end-all of the matter. They were there when they recorded it. We weren't.

(PS. What's up with my posts being the first one on several new pages? It's happened at least 3 times on this thread.)

[Shadow2222]

Because it sounds like he's singing through a robot. It's not really noticable when the entire band is going at it, but all through that calm section it's really obvious. It's so in your face how non natural and not quite like a human being it sounds. Am as unsure as you are, but over how this isn't being considered undesputable fact, no matter what the band says.

I don't want to reignite this discussion, but unless it is the compression, I clearly also hear the effect throughout the "we are living day to day..." section. Actually, the word "time" doesn't bother me nearly as much as "lion's share" does. It's very quiet, but it is there.

[shadow1psc]

Because it sounds like he's singing through a robot. It's not really noticable when the entire band is going at it, but all through that calm section it's really obvious. It's so in your face how non natural and not quite like a human being it sounds. Am as unsure as you are, but over how this isn't being considered undesputable fact, no matter what the band says.

What the band says about it should surely be the be-all-and-end-all of the matter. They were there when they recorded it. We weren't.

(PS. What's up with my posts being the first one on several new pages? It's happened at least 3 times on this thread.)

To be fair, and not in the interest of malice, but doesn't James do his own thing in a studio in Canada, then deliver the takes to the guys back in the New York studio?

[Enigmachine]

Because it sounds like he's singing through a robot. It's not really noticable when the entire band is going at it, but all through that calm section it's really obvious. It's so in your face how non natural and not quite like a human being it sounds. Am as unsure as you are, but over how this isn't being considered undesputable fact, no matter what the band says.

I think I remember someone saying that not only was it possible, but that it wasn't even that hard to do.

[Crow]

dt12 probably has the worst production of any album in my library, and i have black metal albums in my library that intentionally nuked the production for atmosphere's sake

Even worse than Nattens Madrigal? Come on

i mean, i don't have that album and probably never will

[Pax]

The drums going up and down during the unison section of TGOM is amazing. MM's unique setup allows him to hit one tom at a time during a run.

There's a unison in TGOM? o.O

I wouldn't call it a unison, but there some layered guitar and keyboards parts that are playing some slightly different lines at one point, post-guitar solo.

Yeah, that has nothing to do with a unison, and the fact they're contrapuntally playing different compatible voices, makes that part very special, and very different from unison, it's like anti-unison by definition hahah

[pcs90]

Because it sounds like he's singing through a robot. It's not really noticable when the entire band is going at it, but all through that calm section it's really obvious. It's so in your face how non natural and not quite like a human being it sounds. Am as unsure as you are, but over how this isn't being considered undesputable fact, no matter what the band says.

Yeah, if James did this naturally I would absolutely love to know how because the timbre especially on "time" just sounds odd. It's not just the fact that the pitch bend is awkward, the tone quality of that word especially just does not sound natural to me. I would love to get a vocals-only stem of this song.

[BlackInk]

Because it sounds like he's singing through a robot. It's not really noticable when the entire band is going at it, but all through that calm section it's really obvious. It's so in your face how non natural and not quite like a human being it sounds. Am as unsure as you are, but over how this isn't being considered undesputable fact, no matter what the band says.

I think I remember someone saying that not only was it possible, but that it wasn't even that hard to do.

Yeah I remember that, and I always got the impression me and him were talking about two completely different things.

What the band says about it should surely be the be-all-and-end-all of the matter. They were there when they recorded it. We weren't.

Not if what they say just doesn't make sense. I wouldn't believe them if they told me that there's no distortion on the guitar either. Because it's clearly there.

[ResultsMayVary]

The drums going up and down during the unison section of TGOM is amazing. MM's unique setup allows him to hit one tom at a time during a run.

There's a unison in TGOM? o.O

I wouldn't call it a unison, but there some layered guitar and keyboards parts that are playing some slightly different lines at one point, post-guitar solo.

Yeah, that has nothing to do with a unison, and the fact they're contrapuntally playing different compatible voices, makes that part very special, and very different from unison, it's like anti-unison by definition hahah

Pretty much. It's a very cool part, but not a unison, by definition.

[obelix5150]

I have to agree that the way James's voice glitches from an E down to a C sounds like an autotune glitch, because of the way the vocal timbre changes so much on its way down (gets a lot lower just as an audio file does when its transposed down).

But I don't care. It bothered me on the first few listens after I heard it, because it was tough to un-hear, but it's such a minute thing that I stopped caring after a while.

[CDrice]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not sure if it's related to the album, but Jie Ma posted this piece of art, which shows an oddly familiar structure, on his portfolio website.

https://cdn2.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/791/186/large/jie-ma-tt4.jpg?1452784604

[jdprsaga]

WOW 

[thosava]

At least that's a NOMAC from behind in the middle. (so it must be album related)

[Jinx]

Maybe the Places tab will be live soon then 

[Enigmachine]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not sure if it's related to the album, but Jie Ma posted this piece of art, which shows an oddly familiar structure, on his portfolio website.

https://cdn2.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/791/186/large/jie-ma-tt4.jpg?1452784604

Beautiful.

[ResultsMayVary]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not sure if it's related to the album, but Jie Ma posted this piece of art, which shows an oddly familiar structure, on his portfolio website.

https://cdn2.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/791/186/large/jie-ma-tt4.jpg?1452784604

That looks absolutely incredible. And with what appears to be a NOMAC in the middle, I'm almost certain it's related to the album.

[Mebert78]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not sure if it's related to the album, but Jie Ma posted this piece of art, which shows an oddly familiar structure, on his portfolio website.

https://cdn2.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/791/186/large/jie-ma-tt4.jpg?1452784604

The lady in the black dress leaning against the wall on the far left is kinda cute!

Also, I feel like the inner shafts the NOMACS have a sort-of majesty logo shape.

[bosk1]

Also, I feel like the inner shafts the NOMACS have a sort-of majesty logo shape.

Um, no, Mike.  They have EXACTLY a majesty logo shape. 

[thosava]

I REALLY like the idea of a symbol being around since the beggining of the band, is now being "transformed" into something in a concept album. The majesty symbol has sort of become the skeleton of the NOMACs

[ToT-147]

What's up with my posts being the first one on several new pages? It's happened at least 3 times on this thread.

Well, that's probably due to the amount of pages this thread has.. I'm sure you're not alone with that..

Just like how the majority of the reaction to TGOM was nitpicking about one JLB word,

Btw, what word are you talking about?..

[ResultsMayVary]

I'm really hoping these "Places" are backgrounds in the album packaging or something like that. Because from what I've seen (which has been rumored to be a part of the album's concept), everything has looked fantastic.

[Tomislav95]

Just like how the majority of the reaction to TGOM was nitpicking about one JLB word,

Btw, what word are you talking about?..

It's "time" in "People just don't have the time for music anymore".
I may be crazy but James' unusual vibrato had same impact as on this song on their previous releases (even on live albums). I believe they didn't use something like autotune or that other effect which name I forgot but combination of James' vibrato and some other vocal effects may gives us this result. However, I don't hear it to the point it would bother me.
EDIT: That artwork is awesome

[ResultsMayVary]

Bosk confirmed there were no vocal autotone or melodyne (sp?) on James' vocals, I believe.

[bosk1]

Correct.  At least, not on that part.  I'm not saying there aren't any vocal effects used anywhere else (I didn't ask).  But definitely NOT on that part.

[Tomislav95]

I meant "simple" usual effects like reverb. It's not like there was just James and his mic and they didn't add anything to it or double vocal tracks.

[Wubbagubba]

I'm really hoping these "Places" are backgrounds in the album packaging or something like that. Because from what I've seen (which has been rumored to be a part of the album's concept), everything has looked fantastic.

Agreed. That image posted earlier is absolutely stunning. I would love to see it in the booklet.

[fadetoblackdude7]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not sure if it's related to the album, but Jie Ma posted this piece of art, which shows an oddly familiar structure, on his portfolio website.

https://cdn2.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/791/186/large/jie-ma-tt4.jpg?1452784604

That is absolutely STUNNING to look at! I really hope they utilize these places well, on the album packaging and in the live show.

[the keyboard wizard]

Hey, no one noticed that amazon had leaked the back cover of the album?

[Kotowboy]

IT'S NOT CENTRAL

OCD ALERT

[bosk1]

I don't know that that is a "leak."  There is no reason why they cannot post it.  If it was a "leak," you would be banned right now for re-posting it.

[the keyboard wizard]

Of course, it's official, it's on amazon.fr, I used the term "leak" as the back cover was not announced officially by twitter, facebook or the website I should have used : unveiled

[Kotowboy]

Did you look behind the veil ?

[the keyboard wizard]

I tried to look at the bigger picture but the resolution was too small

[Kotowboy]

As did I

And that NOMAC isn't central between the two Acts.



Who does Jam Mie think he is?

HUGH SYME ?

[DreamTension]

The drums going up and down during the unison section of TGOM is amazing. MM's unique setup allows him to hit one tom at a time during a run.

There's a unison in TGOM? o.O

The unison is short, but it starts around 3:16