As someone who came to the world of DT through ToT I can appreciate the heavy stuff more than usual. And I might have obsessed a bit this time, because I have played it on repeat virtually nonstop since I woke up this morning. I have enabled scrobbling to last.fm on Spotify, and at the time of writing this I have according to that site played the song 85 times.
That being said, there's no surprise I have also got some impressions, and who wouldn't when they listen to something that many times?
The intro riff reminded me of the TCoT intro. Also the last guitar chord would be a nice transition into SOC live.
Happy to hear they more or less managed to mix MM roughly the same as he was mixed on Into The Great Divide.
I don't mind how JLB is mixed with regards to the vocal effects. It fits great in the fabric of the song.
And that Hammond Organ!
That section from 3:28 and to the end
I'm curious to learn where the backstory for the lyrics comes from, what inspired the lyricist? Because I interpret the lyrics to be maybe be about something related to mental health.
Ah I can relate to this
The Astonishing actually ruined my life.
I couldn't stop hearing it, heard it every hour of the day, had it on a cycle in Spotify.
Stopped going to school until eventually I was fired, stopped eating and pretty much wanted to be Gabriel, so I started singing with all my heart until I couldn't do no more. I heard around 900+ hours of The Astonishing. I was also fired from my band because I was totally consumed and was hearing it during rehearsals so I fucked up songs all the time, because I could only hear The Astonishing.
Then I went to the show...
They played The Astonishing, best moment of my life, but then it ended...
They didn't play it twice...
That pissed me off so hard...
I was so used to hearing Descent of the NOMAC's again after Astonishing that I couldn't endure this, so I yelled at Petrucci to start again, he didn't listen.
I felt so betrayed.
Worth noting that my Astonishing CD's where destoyed beyond recovery because of too much abuse.
So yes, I get you, you're going that way.