What Astonishing songs are among the best DT songs?

[Max Kuehnau]

In all seriousness: Lord Nafaryus and Three Days stand out for me, because you'll hear some elements in these two that (to my knowledge) didn't appear in any DT piece before (the tango section in Lord Nafaryus and the blast beats and ragtime section where these happen simultaneously in Three Days). Are they among the best DT pieces? I don't know. I rarely think about that too much. (although Dramatic Turn is my favourite DT album to date, let's see if DT14 will top that. And I only listen to Mangini era albums btw.)

[Bertielee]

Among the best DT songs? Not a single one for me.

this is correct.

This is what you think, doesn't mean it is correct. But, yeah, I don't think I'll put some TA songs in my top list even though I like the album a lot. There are standouts for me still : Lord Nafaryus, The X Aspect (vastly underrated IMO) and A New Beginning.


B.Lee

[pg1067]

All 34 of them can certainly be placed among the top 145 DT songs.

Shame this is yet another opportunity to give Astonishing haters a voice.

Yeah...it's a real shame that folks are able to express divergent opinions in a respectful manner.   

[Architeuthis]

The Astonishing is a great album,, mm'K !

[Dublagent66]

All 34 of them can certainly be placed among the top 145 DT songs.

Shame this is yet another opportunity to give Astonishing haters a voice.

So you are saying that if people "hate" the album they should shut up and shouldn't express that? Only people who love the album can participate, yay! Way to go!

Do you think it would be all right if the majority of people hated the album and they said "shame this is yet another opportunity to give Astonishing lovers a voice"? What a group mentality. Let people like or dislike whatever they want. It is their taste.

And if you didn't read, there are actually a couple of people here who like the album but still don't consider the songs in it among the best DT has ever done. Oh my god! We should sue them for that!!

  Good one.  BTW, people don't actually hate TA.  They just like it infinitely less than everything else. 

There are actually 9 songs on TA that I would consider halfway decent, but not amongst their best.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

In my case, the Astonishing songs join WDADU and FII songs as ones that can't crack my top 20.

[Ben_Jamin]

Chosen
The Path That Divides
The Gift of Music
Losing Faythe
Ravenskill
Road to Revolution

These songs really take me into the concept a lot. Ravenskill has that town in the forest feel in the intro, The Path That Divides has that tension. Chosen and Losing Faythe both have that great ballad vibe akin to Goodnight Kiss, Hollow Years and has that epic ending guitar feel they do.

[metrojam]

There's been some very tricky questions in here over the years but this must be the easiest one ever for me to answer and my answer is:- none!

.........AND before the "bullies" in here start abusing me for daring to suggest that I don't rate any of the songs as amongst DT's best, then remember, this is a forum for peoples opinions and not everyone's will be the same but everyone is entitled to have them!

[bosk1]

We don't allow bullies here, so I wouldn't worry.

[pg1067]

There's been some very tricky questions in here over the years but this must be the easiest one ever for me to answer and my answer is:- none!

.........AND before the "bullies" in here start abusing me for daring to suggest that I don't rate any of the songs as amongst DT's best, then remember, this is a forum for peoples opinions and not everyone's will be the same but everyone is entitled to have them!

Considering several others have provided that same answer already, I think you're ok.

[geeeemo]

Now they're just .. there .. without adding anything to the overall experience (with the exception of the very first track). In fact, to me they kind of halt the actual music on the album, which I think is a shame.

You've raised a pretty interesting point.

What if they're intentionally there for that exact purpose? To give us a small taste of that same frustrating desire for music - inevitably and mercilessly interrupted by the machines - experienced by the characters we're following. Musical theatre works that way, after all.

When I see them that way (and as blatant change of scenery/mood tunes), the NOMACS tracks add a lot to my overall experience.

I have been reading The Astonishing novel and listening to the Album together. Not all at once as I don't have That much time.... The novel brings out some great stuff that one questions while listening to the music. One thing being the NOMAC noise.  The novel is a great enhancement to the music!!

[KevShmev]

I haven't done a DT top 50 in forever, but I feel that 3-5 songs from TA would make it now.  None would crack the top 25, but these three would definitely be in the 26-50 range:

Ravenskill
Three Days
A New Beginning

And then songs like Chosen, A Better Life, The Answer and Our New World would all have a puncher's chance.

[DTA]

It's tough to include the songs because the longer songs from DT's past just crush any of the their shorter songs with the exception of a very small few, but Our New World, A New Beginning, and Three Days seem to be the ones I find the most enduring. Though A Better Life, When Your Time Has Come, and Heaven's Cove are way above average IMO.

[Trav]

This may be hard to answer, but what is it that everyone seems to love about Three Days? Like, I think it's good, but I don't think it's as good as a lot of the songs on the album.  I know people like the crazy ending but...

[Ben_Jamin]

This may be hard to answer, but what is it that everyone seems to love about Three Days? Like, I think it's good, but I don't think it's as good as a lot of the songs on the album.  I know people like the crazy ending but...

Its a different style that DT hasn't really done before. That good swing metal style. Plus because its also one of the only harder songs on the album.

[DTA]

This may be hard to answer, but what is it that everyone seems to love about Three Days? Like, I think it's good, but I don't think it's as good as a lot of the songs on the album.  I know people like the crazy ending but...

I think it's interesting and has different things going on that I haven't heard from DT before. After 13 albums, it's refreshing to hear this band still be able to add new elements in. The heavy riff/vocal melody of the chorus is really memorable, the theatrical 2nd verse is a nice variation, and yes, the ending is wacky and unique for them. Basically, it packs a lot of good shit into a short song.

[MirrorMask]

This may be hard to answer, but what is it that everyone seems to love about Three Days? Like, I think it's good, but I don't think it's as good as a lot of the songs on the album.  I know people like the crazy ending but...

I think it's interesting and has different things going on that I haven't heard from DT before. After 13 albums, it's refreshing to hear this band still be able to add new elements in. The heavy riff/vocal melody of the chorus is really memorable, the theatrical 2nd verse is a nice variation, and yes, the ending is wacky and unique for them. Basically, it packs a lot of good shit into a short song.

Brilliantly said!

[Trav]

This may be hard to answer, but what is it that everyone seems to love about Three Days? Like, I think it's good, but I don't think it's as good as a lot of the songs on the album.  I know people like the crazy ending but...

I think it's interesting and has different things going on that I haven't heard from DT before. After 13 albums, it's refreshing to hear this band still be able to add new elements in. The heavy riff/vocal melody of the chorus is really memorable, the theatrical 2nd verse is a nice variation, and yes, the ending is wacky and unique for them. Basically, it packs a lot of good shit into a short song.

Brilliantly said!

Yes, thank you. I appreciate your thoughts. I think I'll spend more time with this song.

[Mosh]

None for me. I liked the album, enjoyed seeing it performed live, but I have not had the urge to revisit any of it since the tour. It is kind of in its own universe for me and I have a hard time putting any one song in a list of DT's best work.

[Ben_Jamin]

just posting to say i updated my previous post.