One thing I realized is that the album works best when listened in full, or in two halves at best. I remember once that I listened it going back and to from work and with other pauses for other stuff in between, so I was stopping more than once, and I basically listened to Power Down and Astonishing to close it up only after dinner, and it wasn't satisfying as usual. Whenever I hear it in full, it's still goosebumps.
I remember reading once a quote from Neil Young saying something along the lines of "I couldn't perform Rocking in the Free World in a TV show, I have to get there after two hours of sweat on stage"... I guess it's the same with The Astonishing, to truly enjoy the gran finale of the album and the story I have to get there having spent 2 hours or so in the album's world.