Well, we've been over this quite a bit in the last two years, so I'm not saying anything new here, but I'll just put it out there anyway: Typically, when a band with an established career gives in to a creative muse to put something out there that is totally different and "out there" from the norm, there is mixed reaction from the fan base. Some love it. Some hate it. Some aren't entirely sure what to think. And quite often, a couple of albums down the road, that "experimental" album will simply have its place in the discography as the controversial oddity that some loved, some hated, and some were unsure of, and the band will have gotten back to their usual thing and done more in line with what the fans had grown comfortable with over the years. I think The Astonishing squarely fits that. Fan reaction has run the gamut. It is an unusual album, not just for DT, but for ANY band. The band is proud of it. Fan reaction is mixed. Next album will likely be more typical, and TA will be a novelty in the rear view mirror. Thankfully, I think most fans, even the ones who hated it, seem to appreciate that the band had the courage to do what they wanted to do when the inspiration struck them, even if it could have been any number of different ways to better please certain fans and be more digestible. Personally, I'm really glad that they did that album. It is VERY different. I happen to like it, which is great. For those who didn't, they'll likely get something more in line with what the band is traditionally known for this next time around.