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

[Panar]

OR could have been some output settings from the broadcast system ET is using. As I said earlier..its a mystery!
Anyway can't wait for the album..It's gonna be awesome for sure...

[Kotowboy]

Maybe you should see a doctor, I'm afraid your PMU Syndrome is getting worse every

...

[CoT67]

I'm not sure I understand the concerns from those who 'haven't heard' the album.  There is a single release of the Gift of Music on Amazon which has been confirmed to be post-master.  Moment of Betrayal was only a radio broadcast and subsequent youtube quality, so I somewhat understand the concern there.  The mp3 of TGoM should be a barometer as to how you'll like the sound on the new album, not other people's reviews/comments.

Your logic is absolutely right. BUT: Judging from the MOB track, the sound is a little different from TGOM. The bass is higher and rounder. So I assume that *maybe* they did some last minute changes to the master. And really the bad quality of a rip doesn't really affects the low frequencies so much.

To me the bass frequencies just sounded more distorted on the radio track, giving it more presence though artificially, which can happen on a very low quality compressed mp3. I think the major difference was that the guitar was much more up front than in TGoM, but that could be a choice based on the fact that MOB is far more guitar driven, not an album-wide mix choice.

[TH1RT3EN]

I'm not sure I understand the concerns from those who 'haven't heard' the album.  There is a single release of the Gift of Music on Amazon which has been confirmed to be post-master.  Moment of Betrayal was only a radio broadcast and subsequent youtube quality, so I somewhat understand the concern there.  The mp3 of TGoM should be a barometer as to how you'll like the sound on the new album, not other people's reviews/comments.

Your logic is absolutely right. BUT: Judging from the MOB track, the sound is a little different from TGOM. The bass is higher and rounder. So I assume that *maybe* they did some last minute changes to the master. And really the bad quality of a rip doesn't really affects the low frequencies so much.

But it does affect the higher frequencies (such as the cymbals). That might have opened up some extra space for the bass to stand out, but I do admit I'm not an expert at that subject at all. Hope that's not the case though, I'd really like to hear a prominent bass sound in this album.

[YouMakeMeSick]

So from what I understood from the pre-orders, we are supposed to get the CD on (or around) release date, along with a FLAC download, right? Does anybody know if that code will be emailed or will it be included with the CD?

[CoT67]

So from what I understood from the pre-orders, we are supposed to get the CD on (or around) release date, along with a FLAC download, right? Does anybody know if that code will be emailed or will it be included with the CD?

If you bought it on RR store, it should be a link to download via email, the same way the pre-order TGoM was delivered. Dunno about Auto-Rip/Amazon though.

[YouMakeMeSick]

So from what I understood from the pre-orders, we are supposed to get the CD on (or around) release date, along with a FLAC download, right? Does anybody know if that code will be emailed or will it be included with the CD?

If you bought it on RR store, it should be a link to download via email, the same way the pre-order TGoM was delivered. Dunno about Auto-Rip/Amazon though.

Thanks, I should have stated that I ordered from the RR store. I would love to have those FLAC files on release day (or before, I wouldn't mind  )

[shadow1psc]

So from what I understood from the pre-orders, we are supposed to get the CD on (or around) release date, along with a FLAC download, right? Does anybody know if that code will be emailed or will it be included with the CD?

If you bought it on RR store, it should be a link to download via email, the same way the pre-order TGoM was delivered. Dunno about Auto-Rip/Amazon though.

Thanks, I should have stated that I ordered from the RR store. I would love to have those FLAC files on release day (or before, I wouldn't mind  )

First thing I'm going to do when I get home next Friday will be to load up those FLAC files, and zone in to The Astonishing for 2 hours and 10 minutes   

[vazquez]

And another review:

https://www.metalwani.com/2016/01/review-dream-theater-the-astonishing.html

9.5 out of 10.

Some bits:

"...the real prize goes to James LaBrie. Portraying 8 characters is not an easy task, but he somehow manages it and without compromising on quality or emotion. [...]  ‘The Astonishing’ tells us a story about the importance of music through music and what better story tellers than Dream Theater. The band has given fans, old and new, an album which they will cherish for a long time. This is the kind of album that people will look back on with fond memories, I know I will."

Some parts are obviosuly wrong, after reading some posts in this forum:

"The sound is perfect right from the guitar squeals to the splashes."

He must have received a special copy, not the "drum machine recorded in a Tascan" that some people here are listening...

"Mike Mangini on the drums never misses a beat, his critics may well be silenced by his performance on this album."

Yeah, dream on... 

[shadow1psc]

As much as I'll admit DT12's drum production was a miss step, ADToE, the live albums and the two Astonishing songs I've heard so far I haven't had any problem with...

[YouMakeMeSick]

So from what I understood from the pre-orders, we are supposed to get the CD on (or around) release date, along with a FLAC download, right? Does anybody know if that code will be emailed or will it be included with the CD?

If you bought it on RR store, it should be a link to download via email, the same way the pre-order TGoM was delivered. Dunno about Auto-Rip/Amazon though.

Thanks, I should have stated that I ordered from the RR store. I would love to have those FLAC files on release day (or before, I wouldn't mind  )

First thing I'm going to do when I get home next Friday will be to load up those FLAC files, and zone in to The Astonishing for 2 hours and 10 minutes   

Me too, I'm gonna load that sucker on my Astell & Kern player and blast the hell out of it. I hope I get it that day and if not, I'm gonna have to go to Best Buy and get it.

[thosava]

That review seemed to be too negative for a 9.5 score. He criticized the first act being too long, and the second act only had a few good songs?

[rab7]

That review seemed to be too negative for a 9.5 score. He criticized the first act being too long, and the second act only had a few good songs?

Too negative? He had 2 negative things to say about it in the entire article. Did you miss the part where he said he'll look back on it with fond memories?

[RMGadelha]

I'm definitely taking a break between the two acts.

[RoeDent]

How much staying power will the album have though? We may love it in the first few weeks, but how will the album sound six months or a year down the line? That's the real test of an album.

[Chino]

What's with flying robot spheres?

[thosava]

That review seemed to be too negative for a 9.5 score. He criticized the first act being too long, and the second act only had a few good songs?

Too negative? He had 2 negative things to say about it in the entire article. Did you miss the part where he said he'll look back on it with fond memories?

Yeah that was my first thought reading it. 9.5 is almost a perfect album, and from what i read i wouldn't have guessed that score if it didn't say it in the beginning. (I'm not trying to criticize, that was just my first thought).

[bosk1]

What's with flying robot spheres?

Welcome to several months ago.  FYI, your Delorian got a parking ticket because you forgot to feed the meter.

[Enigmachine]

Interesting how that review has Moment of Betreyal as the best song on the album. What do the people who have heard the album make of this?

[bosk1]

It's a great song, so I can certainly see it.  Of the tracks I have heard, my favorite would either be Moment of Betrayal or Savior In the Square.

[rab7]

Interesting how that review has Moment of Betreyal as the best song on the album. What do the people who have heard the album make of this?

He didn't say it was the best, he said it was his favorite.

[CoT67]

Hopefully there won't be any

I'm not too worried, the drums will be

Maybe you should see a doctor, I'm afraid your PMU Syndrome is getting worse every

It's spreading...








...ACCUSATIONS!

I'll just leave for now.

[TempusVox]

What's with flying robot spheres?

Welcome to several months ago.  FYI, your Delorian got a parking ticket because you forgot to feed the meter.

Cut him some slack. The door got stuck on the phone booth and the gas station attendant across the street had to pry it open.

[pdurbin22]

Like most average fans I've only heard "The Gift of Music" and "Moment of Betrayal," and the fact that there's still 120 minutes of music left to hear that could be this good or better has me very, very excited.

Regarding the whole drum production debate, I listened to "Along for the Ride" and "The Gift of Music" back-to-back this morning and I concluded there's a VAST improvement on the drum sound this time. I do like DT12 overall, but the snare sound (especially in the slower tracks where it has room to breathe) is definitely too lifeless for my liking. Not so with these new tracks. While the drum production is certainly less "organic" than when Portnoy was playing/producing, I really like what they've done this time around (and I'm a drummer).

[CoT67]

MOB has been posted on the official channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yhFSTAyHWs

Followed through a link from YtseItalia News.

[Enigmachine]

MOB has been posted on the official channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yhFSTAyHWs

Followed through a link from YtseItalia News.

Cool, it would've made sense to come out soon. I only just noticed that the two songs that have been released are the first real song of each act.

[Evermind]

I still can't get enough of the first 25 seconds before the guitar kicks in. This is one of the most awesome DT-related music parts I've heard for ages.

[BlackInk]

Just listened to it again. I'm digging this song.

EDIT: Except the raise in pitch for the final chorus. No band or artist should ever do that. Ever.

[RoeDent]

The passage starting 0:50, before the vocals begin, has such a swagger to it. DAT GUITAR!

Brilliant chorus, especially the harmonies.

[mikeyd23]

Official audio on YouTube sounds much better than the ET radio stream, obviously, I noticed a lot more going on in the mix hearing it on YT. Looking forward to getting the CD and being able to pick out more little details. I definitely like the song overall, its a cool, heavy rocker.

Oh - and the drum fill that starts around 5:20 is AWESOME! 

[lucasembarbosa]

Much better quality, much more details! Loving it...

[Voices]

Just listened to it again. I'm digging this song.

EDIT: Except the raise in pitch for the final chorus. No band or artist should ever do that. Ever.

Don't say that! I love when a band/artist do that 

And I'm completely addicted to this song. Can't get it out of my head!

[noxon]

Modulation is the essential part of the art. Without it there is little music, for a piece derives its true beauty not from the large number of fixed modes which it embraces but rather from the subtle fabric of its modulation.
— Charles-Henri Blainville (1767)

[me7]

Just listened to it again. I'm digging this song.

EDIT: Except the raise in pitch for the final chorus. No band or artist should ever do that. Ever.

Whenever I hear a song do that, I think "Go go Power Rangers!".

[bosk1]

Modulation is the essential part of the art. Without it there is little music, for a piece derives its true beauty not from the large number of fixed modes which it embraces but rather from the subtle fabric of its modulation.
— Charles-Henri Blainville (1767)

^That.  And in recent "popular music" history, modulating a final chorus has been done FREQUENTLY for effect precisely because it works effectively.