Author Topic: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, SEVEN YEARS On. (Read 175211 times)

Evai · « **Reply #490 on:** December 28, 2017, 11:16:31 AM »

I mean yeah, My Last Farewell is also about Gabriel getting his revenge with his scream, Losing Faythe is also Mr Dark Nefarious finally seeing the light, Whispers on The Wind is also establishing the consequences of the scream...

But in a nutshell, yup they're sad

dtrocker25 · « **Reply #491 on:** December 28, 2017, 02:26:09 PM »

Over time I think the MP fanboys and other ppl will come to realize The Astonishing is a Masterpiece..you have to dedicate the time and give it multiple listens..there are great heavy sections they are just placed in parts of songs that may not start heavy ...it’s a shame we won’t see a BR with an orchestra on this one..saw it live in Tulsa in a smaller older Brady Theater and it was epic..the next night in Grand Prarie Texas wasn’t as magical but the venue was to big and the sound mix seemed off until later in the show...still glad I saw it back to back..tremendous stuff from DT IN MY OPINION

Evai · « **Reply #492 on:** December 29, 2017, 02:17:04 PM »

I hope they bring out a few songs like A New Beginning for future tours, and not just avoid most of the album because the lyrics don't work outside the context of story

Ben_Jamin · « **Reply #493 on:** December 29, 2017, 03:39:36 PM »

Me too...Lots of the songs can work on their own. But I do wish Chosen would pop up.

Pragmaticcircus · « **Reply #494 on:** December 29, 2017, 08:23:13 PM »

I'm not a fan of The Astonishing obviously, so I'd prefer they'd leave it off

But The Walking Shadow and A New Beginning need to be in future sets

TAC · « **Reply #495 on:** December 29, 2017, 08:29:50 PM »

Quote from: Pragmaticcircus on December 29, 2017, 08:23:13 PM

But The Walking Shadow and A New Beginning need to be in future sets

I agree.

TheOutlawXanadu · « **Reply #496 on:** December 31, 2017, 01:28:54 PM »

Quote from: Ben_Jamin on December 29, 2017, 03:39:36 PM

Me too...Lots of the songs can work on their own. But I do wish Chosen would pop up.

I saw The Astonishing live twice. Chosen completely slayed the crowd both times. I'm totally down for adding it to future set lists.

gzarruk · « **Reply #497 on:** December 31, 2017, 04:59:55 PM »

Quote from: TheOutlawXanadu on December 31, 2017, 01:28:54 PM

Quote from: Ben_Jamin on December 29, 2017, 03:39:36 PM
Me too...Lots of the songs can work on their own. But I do wish Chosen would pop up.

I saw The Astonishing live twice. Chosen completely slayed the crowd both times. I'm totally down for adding it to future set lists.

Now, we only need JP to read this thread

Quote from: TAC on December 29, 2017, 08:29:50 PM

Quote from: Pragmaticcircus on December 29, 2017, 08:23:13 PM

But The Walking Shadow and A New Beginning need to be in future sets
I agree.

ANB works best as the last song of the first set, hope they include it that way on future tours. Also agree on The Walking Shadow. The TWS/MLF duo is one of my favorite parts of the album, they should include both of them!

Ninjabait · « **Reply #498 on:** December 31, 2017, 05:14:02 PM »

Quote from: Evai on December 29, 2017, 02:17:04 PM

I hope they bring out a few songs like A New Beginning for future tours, and not just avoid most of the album because the lyrics don't work outside the context of story

Well, tbf, the lyrics to a lot of the songs on Scenes don't work outside the album and those songs have been in regular rotation for decades.

And I would like to see A New Beginning, Three Days, Lord Nafaryus, Ravenskill, Chosen, Moment of Betrayal, The Gift of Music, The Walking Shadow, My Last Farewell, Act of Faythe, Road to Revolution, Whispers On the Wind, Losing Faythe, The Astonishing, Dystopian Overture, 2285 Entr'acte, The Answer, Begin Again, A Better Life, A Savior in the Square, Our New World, When Your Time Has Come, Brother, Can You Hear Me?, The Path That Divides, A Tempting Offer, The X Aspect, Heaven's Cove, and Hymn of a Thousand Voices in future setlists.

Lethean · « **Reply #499 on:** December 31, 2017, 06:52:08 PM »

Is that everything but the nomac tracks? I'm totally down with that.

IDontNotDoThings · « **Reply #500 on:** December 31, 2017, 11:26:23 PM »

Quote from: Lethean on December 31, 2017, 06:52:08 PM

Is that everything but the nomac tracks? I'm totally down with that.

There's no A Life Left Behind

Ninjabait · « **Reply #501 on:** January 01, 2018, 06:46:56 AM »

Quote from: IDontNotDoThings on December 31, 2017, 11:26:23 PM

Quote from: Lethean on December 31, 2017, 06:52:08 PM
Is that everything but the nomac tracks? I'm totally down with that.

There's no A Life Left Behind

Oops. I guess there's A Track Left Behind.

bosk1 · « **Reply #502 on:** January 03, 2018, 11:07:02 AM »

Chosen is a FANTASTIC song. One of their best ballads, IMO. For me personally, the only reason I would NOT want to see it in a set is just because I have been wanting TAMP to make a return, so I would prefer that. But otherwise, I'm down for Chosen.

A New Beginning is an interesting topic to me. I liked it okay in the beginning. But even though the guitar work at the end is awesome, I just refused to get on the bandwagon that seemingly arose primarily or exclusively because of the instrumental/solo section, even after seeing it live and being blown away. But I have to say, that section is so awesome that it deserves to make the song a fan favorite, even if the rest of the song wasn't so good (and it IS pretty good, so that isn't really an issue). So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm late to the party on this one, but I love it as well. It is a fitting climax to Act 1.

Evai · « **Reply #503 on:** January 03, 2018, 11:21:28 AM »

To me, the solo in A New Beginning at 2:35 sounds like it's had a few bars cut out of it. I wonder how different disc one would have been if they didn't adhere to the 80 minute limit.

erwinrafael · « **Reply #504 on:** January 03, 2018, 07:18:23 PM »

I am also down for Chosen, sort of.an alternate to TSCO.

gzarruk · « **Reply #505 on:** January 03, 2018, 08:57:34 PM »

Quote from: erwinrafael on January 03, 2018, 07:18:23 PM

I am also down for Chosen, sort of.an alternate to TSCO.

This! TSCO has been played SO MUCH lately (ADTOE tour, 30th anniversary tour, last US leg for TA tour and IWAB tour) that replacing it with Chosen would be a great idea.

Pettor · « **Reply #506 on:** January 04, 2018, 02:53:53 AM »

Just came to say A New Beginning is still as fresh and awesome as the first time I heard it. Puts such a big smile on my face from start to finish. Love the overall composition which somehow feels like "what would happen if Dream Theater wrote a Disney hit song".

Actually, does anyone else see the similarities to Dig a Little Deeper from Princess and the Frog? It doesn't sound similar but somehow the first time I heard A New Beginning that song came to mind and in the chorus still reminds me.

The Curious Orange · « **Reply #507 on:** January 04, 2018, 04:48:31 AM »

Chosen is a great ballad and I'd love to see it in the set, especially if they add a guitar solo. Moment of Betrayal is a great rocker and would work well. A Life Left Behind was one of the highlights of the Astonishing shows and deserves another airing. Our New World will probably survive for future performances too.
I would die happy if I never heard Gift of Music again...

Logain Ablar · « **Reply #508 on:** January 04, 2018, 04:58:26 AM »

Another vote for Chosen. I love it, and the guitar solo is epic. I think it could work well as a standalone song in a future set.

One other song I quite like is Begin Again. It's a strange one - the opening is quite slow and mournful and then goes into probably one of the most "Disney" sections on the album. The "I know that I am made for something more" part is very uplifting. Then it slows down ("I dream of peace.."), and then finishes in a very upbeat way with the double time drums.

I'm not saying that it could appear in a future setlist, all I'm saying is that it's an interesting little song with a lot happening.

On the other hand, I'm not really a big fan of Our New World. It's maybe a little too repetitive.

IDontNotDoThings · « **Reply #509 on:** January 04, 2018, 05:19:17 AM »

On the topic of Begin Again, I brought up the criticism the Act 2 was way too drawn out, but I think I've narrowed that issue down to four major culprits:
- Begin Again (probably the most useless song on the album. It doesn't add anything new to the story that wasn't already obvious, & musically it sounds like basically every other song from TA. Also without it, the album would flow much better with Heaven's Cove being a prelude into The Path That Divides.)
- Losing Faythe (I think most people could already gather that more than just Gabriel felt bad about Faythe dying, & having 3 songs about Faythe's death totally kills the pacing. It also indirectly spoils that Faythe could come back to like with the power of music. & musically, it's mostly just repeated themes so you wouldn't really lose anything by cutting it out.)
- Whispers On The Wind (Short interlude where barely anything happens. Also it doesn't make sense without Losing Faythe.)
- Power Down (yeah it's a nomac track, but it feels very out of place beside the triumphant Our New World & the title track)

^ Cut those four out & I think you have a much better-paced album all around. You could even split it into 3 acts with each act having 10 tracks.

MirrorMask · « **Reply #510 on:** January 04, 2018, 05:36:28 AM »

I agree on everything but Losing Faythe is great, it's the pinnacle of desperation and the beginning of Nefaryus' turning around.

Actually out of these songs Losing Faythe is the only one that made my slightly abridged cut of The Astonishing, which lasts 1h45' or so. (And I cut most of the stock crying at the beginning of the song).

Pettor · « **Reply #511 on:** January 04, 2018, 05:39:44 AM »

Yepp Losing Faythe should stay, otherwise, agree.

IDontNotDoThings · « **Reply #512 on:** January 04, 2018, 05:48:11 AM »

Admittedly, you could probably trade Losing Faythe with My Last Farewell on that list, I just decided on keeping MLF (unfortunate acronym

) because I personally find it a better song (& also because of fewer repeated themes).

|KirK| · « **Reply #513 on:** January 09, 2018, 08:12:02 AM »

It's nice to see I'm not the only one who loves this album!!!
Feedbacks on fb and YouTube are so negative that I thought it was just me and JP who enjoyed it!!!!

I mean, it's not perfect. I would change something here and there, cut something else (Nafaryus crying

), but it's normal...
It's probably my favorite of the Mangini Era. It's a shame we won't have a BR/DVD of the tour!
And the fact that they decided to cut both of the songs of TA from the setlist makes me think they had my same sensations...
It's not good at all not being appreciated when you spend a lot of energies in a huge work like this.

MirrorMask · « **Reply #514 on:** January 09, 2018, 08:25:02 AM »

I don't think so, but I hope they won't go to the other opposite with the next album. Imagine the irony of the people who loved The Astonishing being put off by the safest, most by-the-number possible album they could come up with... but I think they're more creative than that

Ninjabait · « **Reply #515 on:** January 09, 2018, 10:33:06 AM »

Quote from: |KirK| on January 09, 2018, 08:12:02 AM

It's nice to see I'm not the only one who loves this album!!!
Feedbacks on fb and YouTube are so negative that I thought it was just me and JP who enjoyed it!!!!

tbf, I think that a lot of the hate towards this album has been from a smaller very vocal group of more traditional-oriented metalheads. The user scores on Metacritic and Allmusic I saw were mostly positive, but the one on rateyourmusic (which leans heavily towards more extreme metal and "anything that sounds remotely similar to modern Radiohead") is abysmal. Prog-Archives is all over the place, but the most common score is 5* and it has a fairly decent score overall. Critics also seem to love it, and it's gotten decent reactions when I've played it for people (which is more anecdotal but worth mentioning).

Plus the word "astonishing" has basically become a meme in prog and metal communities. I've seen it on dozens of metal/prog bands/songs comment sections. So it's definitely already made an impact.

Chino · « **Reply #516 on:** January 09, 2018, 10:44:04 AM »

Images and Words will always hold a high place in my heart, but I think this album has officially become my favorite DT album.

gzarruk · « **Reply #517 on:** January 09, 2018, 03:29:16 PM »

It’s not perfect, but it’s a top 3 DT album to me. I still love it, almost two years after its release.

CB · « **Reply #518 on:** January 09, 2018, 04:05:38 PM »

I still love TA. I don't listen to it as often as to other DT albums because it just doesn't work for me on the ipod in the bus or train, it needs a different atmosphere. That keeps it special. I'm thankful that I saw it live, that show with the visuals was probably the most special live show of the band's whole career.

Fritzinger · « **Reply #519 on:** January 10, 2018, 03:15:04 AM »

Great to see TA getting some love between all the criticism.

I just don't understand why DT went through two huge tours and don't release a live album of either of them while MP is releasing a live album for every fucking tour of every small project he's involved in.

|KirK| · « **Reply #520 on:** January 10, 2018, 03:47:19 AM »

Quote from: Fritzinger on January 10, 2018, 03:15:04 AM

Great to see TA getting some love between all the criticism.

I just don't understand why DT went through two huge tours and don't release a live album of either of them while MP is releasing a live album for every fucking tour of every small project he's involved in.

This has been a very special tour and there's been a lot of work behind it. Not only the musical part the guys have done, but also the scenography and the digital creation of this world and the characters.
They recorded a DVD more or less for every single tour and they're not doing it for something like this?!
I'd like to know the reason why. And I repeat, I'm sol happy that many people in here liked TA, but for me they abandoned this project for the criticisms.
I had the opportunity to see it live. I think that, more than ever, every fan should have it.

MirrorMask · « **Reply #521 on:** January 10, 2018, 03:55:37 AM »

Sales is the reason why, DVDs don't sell that much anymore. Also the mixed reaction to the album could have dissuaded them from pursuing such a project.

Even though I kinda see the irony in this...

"Standard tour with the new drummer... let's film it!"
"Standard tour where we get an orchestra for the last song of the show and the encore only... let's film it!"
"Very theatrical tour in which we have an elaborate screen show that goes along to the rock opera we perform in its entirety.... nah, whatever, we're fine"

The Curious Orange · « **Reply #522 on:** January 10, 2018, 04:28:36 AM »

Quote from: Ninjabait on January 09, 2018, 10:33:06 AM

tbf, I think that a lot of the hate towards this album has been from a smaller very vocal group of more traditional-oriented metalheads. The user scores on Metacritic and Allmusic I saw were mostly positive, but the one on rateyourmusic (which leans heavily towards more extreme metal and "anything that sounds remotely similar to modern Radiohead") is abysmal.

To be fair, I'm more of a fan of the melodic, prog side of DT over the metal side, so that has nothing to do with why I dislike the album.

cramx3 · « **Reply #523 on:** January 10, 2018, 09:05:25 AM »

Quote from: MirrorMask on January 10, 2018, 03:55:37 AM

Sales is the reason why, DVDs don't sell that much anymore. Also the mixed reaction to the album could have dissuaded them from pursuing such a project.

Even though I kinda see the irony in this...

"Standard tour with the new drummer... let's film it!"
"Standard tour where we get an orchestra for the last song of the show and the encore only... let's film it!"
"Very theatrical tour in which we have an elaborate screen show that goes along to the rock opera we perform in its entirety.... nah, whatever, we're fine"

Yea pretty much this. I hardly listen to the album anymore, but I still really like it and enjoy when a song comes on randomly. I still rate my 2nd TA show as my favorite DT show I've seen. Front row, amazing visuals, and a superb performance. I think if I was anywhere else besdies the front row I wouldn't of enjoyed it as much as the venue was practically empty. Maybe that added to my feeling of like DT was playing to me and only me in my living room. I loved it.

MirrorMask · « **Reply #524 on:** January 10, 2018, 09:09:29 AM »

My venue was packed, but I went for the cheap seat, on the "roof" of the theatre, and fate handed me the leftmost seat, I had the wall on my left. I basically had to bend a lot to the right to even see Jordan, and Myung was difficult to see also. Now I wish I could go back and spend a little more to enjoy better, and in a more immersed situation, the show.

The problem in these kind of situation is that the person that, 5-6 months before the show, makes a rational decision based on costs, is not the person that 6 months later sits in a shitty and distant seat and wishes to be closer to the stage

News: Fall Into the Light, official video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFxH4kky6z4

Author Topic: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, SEVEN YEARS On. (Read 175211 times)