Author Topic: The X Aspect  (Read 4907 times)

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Offline KevShmev

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The X Aspect
« on: February 05, 2016, 10:56:58 PM »
This song kind of snuck up on me.  At first, it was like, nice little song, and hey, bagpipes at the end, cool, but the lightbulb really went on for me in the last day or so with this song.  That piano intro is astonishingly gorgeous (yeah, I went there :P), and the vocals have a very wistful feel to them that really sets up the last two songs from Act 1 very nicely. 

Discuss, appreciate, and marvel. :coolio

Offline Bertielee

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2016, 12:36:36 AM »
This song kind of snuck up on me.  At first, it was like, nice little song, and hey, bagpipes at the end, cool, but the lightbulb really went on for me in the last day or so with this song.  That piano intro is astonishingly gorgeous (yeah, I went there :P), and the vocals have a very wistful feel to them that really sets up the last two songs from Act 1 very nicely. 

Discuss, appreciate, and marvel. :coolio

I really love the song. The beginning of the first verse that brushes on the Evangeline theme (so gorgeous) taken up later gets me everytime.

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Offline Vandalism

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2016, 01:18:14 AM »
Yes I would be eagerly waiting for ANB but when the vocals hit "Betray my blood to save my son...." I just cannot touch my player!
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Offline BlackInk

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2016, 01:43:29 AM »
While this isn't my favorite track on the album, it easily contains my favorite moment. The two verses "Gabriel has always been..." and "Evangeline, I swore to you..." are some of the best sections of music DT has written in quite a while.

Offline ariich

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2016, 01:58:51 AM »
Really like this song. My favourite part is the reprise of Evangeline's theme from A Better Life, which I adore, but in general it's just a really nice song where you can feel Arhys struggling with his decision.

Ariich is a freak, or somehow has more hours in the day than everyone else.
I be am boner inducing.

Offline Train of Naught

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2016, 02:18:53 AM »
Yes! I feel like the Evangeline reprise is the most 'epic' moment on the album, musically I would've loved something like this to close off the first act.
people on this board are actual music fans who developed taste in music and not casual listeners who are following current fashion trends and listening to only current commercial hits.

Offline Mladen

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2016, 03:04:56 AM »
Yeah, this is another one of those hidden gems. Glorious piano, gorgeous bagpipe and some great vocal melodies, especially the "Evangeline, I swore to you" part.

Offline nikatapi

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2016, 03:52:57 AM »
Great song, and the Evangeline theme is one of the best in the album, i wish we could hear it more.

Offline mc7

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #8 on: February 06, 2016, 04:19:09 AM »
Really glad someone started an appreciation thread for this song, as it is certainly the dark horse of the album and deserves alot of credit.
When I first listened to this song, I must admit I was only listening out for the brilliant bagpipe section.
Now, I am a folk music fan and a folk musician too and so any folky or acoustic references in songs (even by a band like DT, who incidentally are my favourite band) are a major plus.
As an aside, I do perform The Silent Man and The Spirit Carries On. Would love to sing Beneath The Surface at some point - but I digress!
On subsequent listens the brilliance of the entire track came to the fore and it is rising up the song rankings all the time for me.
JR's piano intro is gorgeously sentimental. It reminds me of a cross between the main theme from Love Story and the main theme from The Deer Hunter - Cavatina by John Williams - if just by the mood.
Then the acoustic guitar comes in with a great Procol Harum-esque organ to begin the Evangeline theme before the heavier section kicks in with a heart-grabbing melody (one of the best on the album). This section reminds me a little of Space Dye Vest too.
When the pipes do then appear they do not disappoint and Eric Rigler's contribution, though brief, is an important one and certainly one that stands out. It was especially nice that they weren't just employed as backing to a load of other instruments and voices and that they were given a proper solo with minimal backing. Sometimes less is more and this was a classic case of why that philosophy works.
Before you can catch your breath this song leads into A New Beginning......say no more!   :tup

Offline James Sucellus

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2016, 04:26:55 AM »
It's one of the most emotionally engaging songs on the album. You really feel the sense of quiet, melancholic dread and torment felt by the character.

The sad, eerie bagpipes part should have closed Act 1, I reckon.

Offline NunoTenniscourt

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2016, 05:23:42 AM »

It certainly doesn't seem to get much mention here, but it was an early favorite for me. It's just an outstanding song.

Offline Dreamer

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2016, 09:55:20 AM »
One of my many faves for sure.

Offline pantsofeternity

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2016, 10:02:46 AM »
"Evangeline" is just such a singable word, everywhere it appears on the album.
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Offline ASacrificedSon

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #13 on: February 06, 2016, 10:04:46 AM »
This song is just under the top tier of The Astonishing.
It's a nice song and I  :heart it. :millahhhh
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Offline rab7

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #14 on: February 06, 2016, 10:11:11 AM »
I keep hearing about this "Evangeline Theme" but for the life of me I can't find anywhere in this song that resembles anything from "A Better Life". And I'm usually good at picking these up. (For example, at the end of When Your Time Has Come, you can hear the guitar and strings playing "Gabriel, I would wait a lifetime just to see your face" from Ravenskill)

Can someone give me the timestamps for Evangeline's Theme in A Better Life and X Aspect?

Online TAC

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #15 on: February 06, 2016, 10:13:11 AM »
The X Aspect has been one of my faves since the first listen.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Offline pantsofeternity

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #16 on: February 06, 2016, 10:15:02 AM »
I keep hearing about this "Evangeline Theme" but for the life of me I can't find anywhere in this song that resembles anything from "A Better Life". And I'm usually good at picking these up. (For example, at the end of When Your Time Has Come, you can hear the guitar and strings playing "Gabriel, I would wait a lifetime just to see your face" from Ravenskill)

Can someone give me the timestamps for Evangeline's Theme in A Better Life and X Aspect?
These are two different moments.  It's when he sings "Evangeline," but it's a different melody in each song.
"There's no more freedom. The both of you will be confined to these pants." — me, to my legs, most mornings

Offline pcs90

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #17 on: February 06, 2016, 02:37:33 PM »
The bagpipe section always gives me chills...the "Evangeline Theme" is, as far as I can tell, the melody JP plays on guitar near the beginning of the overture. A Better Life does not have this melody as far as I know so I guess people are grouping it together because it has her name sung in a similar way? I don't know. Also love Jordan's organ part!

Offline Logain Ablar

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #18 on: February 06, 2016, 02:40:21 PM »
Totally love this song. The Evangeline theme here is the same as the one briefly played in Dystopian Overture. Yes, the melody is different in A Better Life, but for me the emotional impact is exactly the same in both songs.

Goosebumps every time, even after multiple listens. :tup

Edit: ninja'd by pcs90!  :lol

Offline MrBoom_shack-a-lack

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #19 on: February 06, 2016, 03:17:30 PM »
The piano intro is beautiful and I love the organ parts.
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Offline Outcrier

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #20 on: February 09, 2016, 12:43:03 AM »
It contains my favorite moments of the album, the Gabriel and Evangeline parts and the Brother, Can You Hear Me? reprise played with bagpipes at the end.

It also makes a nice companion to A New Beginning, my other favorite of the album.
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Offline genome

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #21 on: February 09, 2016, 05:30:24 AM »
Yeah, I love the theme. It starts off major and then kicks into minor which I really like.

Offline Ħ

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #22 on: February 10, 2016, 07:27:52 AM »
Great song, except for one line:

"Is trust and loyalty still justified?"

I don't know, Arhys, is they?
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Offline rab7

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #23 on: February 10, 2016, 08:31:53 AM »
Great song, except for one line:

"Is trust and loyalty still justified?"

I don't know, Arhys, is they?

I think it's "Is [Trust and Loyalty] still justified", so it's fine.

Maybe a bad analogy, but that's like saying "Is [Beauty and the Beast] still a good movie?"

It's The Concept of "Trust and Loyalty" he's referring to.

Offline Progmetty

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #24 on: February 10, 2016, 08:35:32 AM »
ahhhh hahahaha nice catch, they is, I does agree.
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Offline ariich

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #25 on: February 10, 2016, 08:37:35 AM »
Great song, except for one line:

"Is trust and loyalty still justified?"

I don't know, Arhys, is they?
:lol Great catch. This often happens in song lyrics though - forsaking grammar for the sake of making the phrasing sound right.

Ariich is a freak, or somehow has more hours in the day than everyone else.
I be am boner inducing.

Offline V_R11

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #26 on: February 10, 2016, 09:01:46 AM »
Great song, except for one line:

"Is trust and loyalty still justified?"

I don't know, Arhys, is they?

Man, I never noticed this and now it'll bother me  :lol
Seasons change and so can I

Offline pcs90

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #27 on: February 10, 2016, 11:09:35 AM »
I always assumed he meant them to be one thing, like the analogy above. Still sounds weird though.

Offline Architeuthis

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #28 on: February 10, 2016, 11:56:05 PM »
I love how the main theme in this song is so powerful in Dystopian Overture. The electric guitar sings it so well along with the Grande piano. The Bass and drums doing the hits.. :omg:
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Offline pcs90

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #29 on: February 10, 2016, 11:58:58 PM »
I love how the main theme in this song is so powerful in Dystopian Overture. The electric guitar sings it so well along with the Grande piano. The Bass and drums doing the hits.. :omg:
My favorite version of that particular theme!

Although, the Evangeline part in The X Aspect is very close.

Offline ReaPsTA

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #30 on: February 11, 2016, 09:16:34 AM »
I looked at this song a little more closely because of this thread and definitely agree with the people praising it. I love how, in the lyrics, Arthys is rationalizing his decision to do something really horrible. And the music does a great job telling the story. Before the Evangeline theme fully hits, we hear hints of it in the vocal melodies, foreshadowing what Arthys will do and where his head's at. Then, at the end, we hear a funereal sounding version of the Brother Can You Hear Me theme, which lets us feel how Arthys feels about the decision he's made. One of the best songs on the album.
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Offline Progmetty

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #31 on: February 11, 2016, 09:33:58 AM »
I think that bagpipe part in the end is heavily reminiscent of Outside The Wall, or maybe I think that because it's the same unusual instrument.
I wouldn't want somebody with 18 kids to mow my damn lawn, based on a longstanding bias I have against crazy fucks.

Offline Stef1

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Re: The X Aspect
« Reply #32 on: February 17, 2016, 11:08:00 AM »
There has been something niggling away at me regarding the piano phrase that starts 20 seconds into this song and repeats for the next minute.
In the car today I have been playing it over and over, the the penny dropped on where I had heard it before.

Well here it is, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0w1W5RGx9Q.

Can't help but think this is more than just coincidence.