*Official* The Astonishing discussion thread

[Kotowboy]

Say what you want about Daryus....

[DragonAttack]

Now I've got visions of the earless chocolate Easter bunny running through my head.........

[Zydar]

[hefdaddy42]

I always thought that the chorus of Status Seeker sounded like 7800 Degrees Farenheit - era Bon Jovi.

[Kotowboy]

I always thought that the chorus of Status Seeker sounded like 7800 Degrees Farenheit - era Bon Jovi.

That's a very specific album title

What's your new album title , Jon ?

7800 Degrees Farenheit.

Not 7000 ?

7800 !!

[Logain Ablar]

The ever-reliable Wikipedia tells us:

"The album's title was a reference to the supposed melting point of rock"

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I keep imagining the life of the characters after the album ends. Just think: Nafaryus (through Faythe) becomes Xander's step-grandfather. (Gabriel: "We're going to visit Grampa Nafaryus today!") Also, he's stuck with that name long after he turned "good". Someone's bound to ask him "Why are you called Nafaryus?" at some point down the line.

'It was prettier than Bug'

[BlobVanDam]

The ever-reliable Wikipedia tells us:

"The album's title was a reference to the supposed melting point of rock"

So the title is a reference to the point at which it's no longer hard rock?

[hefdaddy42]

It was never hard rock.

[Thoughtspart3]

TA keeps getting better for me.  I think that doing concept pieces really brings out the best in DT. 

One thing I didn't notice until someone mentioned it is that the cymbals are really low in the mix.  You can barely hear them.   

[Kotowboy]

Labrie confirmed in Twitter that Rich doesn't speak on the album at all. He was supposed to do an intro to the album but it got dropped.

[Luoto]

Labrie confirmed in Twitter that Rich doesn't speak on the album at all. He was supposed to do an intro to the album but it got dropped.

Which apparently serves as the intro tape to The Astonishing live shows.

[Prog Snob]

Labrie confirmed in Twitter that Rich doesn't speak on the album at all. He was supposed to do an intro to the album but it got dropped.

Which apparently serves as the intro tape to The Astonishing live shows.

That's pretty much it, as far as I know.

[Logain Ablar]

Labrie confirmed in Twitter that Rich doesn't speak on the album at all. He was supposed to do an intro to the album but it got dropped.

Which apparently serves as the intro tape to The Astonishing live shows.

That's pretty much it, as far as I know.

Yip. IIRC, the spoken intro was similar to the 'trailer' video that was released just before the album was. It may even be the same dialogue, but I'm happy to be corrected.

[Kotowboy]

So it's James doing "Attention Batallion!" ??

[SebastianPratesi]

So it's James doing "Attention Batallion!" ??

Mm, there's always the chance that it is a sample/stock sound (maybe from a movie?). There are many parts in the album which I'd bet are sample/stock sounds:

• Many different sounds in "A Savior In The Square"/"When Your Time Has Come" (horses, cheering/clapping)
• The young Princess laughing in "Act Of Faythe"
• The door and screams by Xander/Daryus in "A Tempting Offer"
• Arhys/Daryus fighting in "The Path That Divides"
• Faythe/Daryus at the end of "The Walking Shadow"
• Nafaryus/Arabelle crying in "Losing Faythe"

That said, I googled the "Attention battalion!" complete phrase, but every result was about DT, so if it is a sample, it probably isn't from a movie or TV.

[SystematicThought]

I think that same voice though said Arhys' Introduction on that DT Spotify playlist thing.

[rumborak]

Here's a question: Why would Nafaryus tolerate a fully-fledged paramilitary battalion that operates in the open? A battalion is 500-1000 people.

[wasteland]

Here's a question: Why would Nafaryus tolerate a fully-fledged paramilitary battalion that operates in the open? A battalion is 500-1000 people.

To be fair Nefaryus, despite being by far my favourite character in the story, didn't strike me as the sharpest tool in the shed. 

[BlobVanDam]

Here's a question: Why would Nafaryus tolerate a fully-fledged paramilitary battalion that operates in the open? A battalion is 500-1000 people.

Maybe he wanted to allow it to grow a bit to weed out everyone in the rebellion.

Or maybe the story isn't well thought out.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

A friend just described the fighting samples in 'The Path that Divides' as Age of Empires sounds.

I was not disappointed.

[MirrorMask]

Here's a question: Why would Nafaryus tolerate a fully-fledged paramilitary battalion that operates in the open? A battalion is 500-1000 people.

Who said they were that many? he would still address them as a battalion even if they were scarcely prepared and numbered, it doesn't help morale to call a battalion "you hundred people who think that can hold a gun but has still so much to learn".

[rumborak]

Unless you are suggesting he was using the term in jest as a nickname ("my little battalion") ... no. Military is super anal about using correct nomenclature.
It's just thrown-together samples, sadly. As someone else pointed out, he asks his battalion to march when they are already marching.

[BlobVanDam]

It's a rebel militia in a dystopian future. These peasants presumably have little knowledge of a real military as we know it.

And it's probably a stock sample that happened to best fit along with the marching stock sample.

[erwinrafael]

Or maybe the story of a dystopian future where music is what makes life astonishing and human suffering is caused by the lack of music should be taken as a bunch of metaphors, rather than judged with realistic logic.

[Kotowboy]

Or maybe the story of a dystopian future where music is what makes life astonishing and human suffering is caused by the lack of music should be taken as a bunch of metaphors, rather than judged with realistic logic.

we don't like your logical type round here boy !

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Or maybe the story of a dystopian future where music is what makes life astonishing and human suffering is caused by the lack of music should be taken as a bunch of metaphors, rather than judged with realistic logic.

[ariich]

It's a rebel militia in a dystopian future. These peasants presumably have little knowledge of a real military as we know it.

And it's probably a stock sample that happened to best fit along with the marching stock sample.

Both of these, but especially the first. Think you're being a bit too literal, Rumby.

[Zook]

I love The Astonishing, but hate that invisible blanket covering the speakers.

[Kotowboy]

I love The Astonishing, but hate that invisible blanket covering the speakers.

It's *slightly* muddy but not THAT bad.

[vazquez]

I love The Astonishing, but hate that invisible blanket covering the speakers.

WHAT?

Do I have an amazing sound system? The Astonishing is one of the best albums I have ever heard, sound-wise!

That makes no sense to me. Even today I was listening to a lot of great bands and thinking - the sound of this cd is not as clear as The Astonishing.

I admit that comment left me almost confused - my sound system is not cheap, but itīs not state-of-the-art... I guess.

[erwinrafael]

My only complaint with TA's sound production is that the cymbals should be higher in the mix. A lot of details were lost. I am guessing maybe it's because the higher frequencies were already competing with each other, with the orchestra and stuff, so they had to compromise.

The kick drum as rumbo said may sound like a typewriter sometimes. It works in many of the songs, not so good in some. Maybe they prioritize being consistent.

For Myung, he sounds a bit low in the mix. BUT when I think of the soundscape they are trying to create, with a musical and orchestra-like atmosphere, the mixing makes sense.

I also think that's the reason why the band as a whole are less playful and show-offish than the usual. They were not going for "prog" soundscape. They were going for "musical".

[Zook]

I love The Astonishing, but hate that invisible blanket covering the speakers.

WHAT?

Do I have an amazing sound system? The Astonishing is one of the best albums I have ever heard, sound-wise!

That makes no sense to me. Even today I was listening to a lot of great bands and thinking - the sound of this cd is not as clear as The Astonishing.

I admit that comment left me almost confused - my sound system is not cheap, but itīs not state-of-the-art... I guess.

It sounds the worst in my car. Not so bad on my headphones plugged into the computer, but in the car it kind of bothers me.

[Prog Snob]

I've only listened to it a couple of times on CD; I usually listen on Spotify. However, I've never heard it sounding anything like an invisible blanket is covering the speakers.

[cramx3]

I really enjoy the mix overall.  Definitely one of their best sounding albums IMO and easily the best in awhile although I don't have the complaints that are typical on DTF regarding the sound/mix.