They think, James was a great studio vocalist, even today but beginning from SDOIT he was just there, do his job. No feeling, no touching lines, no deepness (which I disagree btw). But for the first since SDOIT they think James conveys great feeling and does intense vocals.
James was astonishing in The Astonishing, imo.
Pun intended.
Why does everyone forget or underrate that masterpiece?
Due to it being an entirely different style of album that most people do not have the time for plays a lot into it. This is an album that needs to be listened to with your full attention.
I view it like watching a movie, although it's a musical movie. I can sit down, close my eyes, and imagine the world. I can imagine the NOMACS, Faythe walking the castle halls, and the battle between Arhys and Darius.
Then you have expectations not being met and people being disappointed, as they expected the story or album to focus on their more heavier, metal aspects. But this story is not about those type of moments emotionally. The music plays a different role than your usual songs.
The music in The Astonishing is there to set the themes of the characters. I don't know if anyone noticed, but these themes are used when each character is speaking, and each of these themes has a song that showcases what the theme is. The Answer( introduction bro Gabriel's Theme), Act of Faythe(literally a song dedicated to Faythes theme, and is reprised in Losing Faythe), and Lord Nefaryus (obviously his theme song). And these themes intertwine within songs as well to form different feelings like Losing Faith portraying sadness using Faythe, Annabelle, and Lord Nefaryus themes, which this is the climax of all three of their themes. Whispers on The Wind/Hymn of A Thousand Voices are Gabriel's Theme climax songs. In The Wind, it's only piano due to Gabriel losing his voice, then the uplifting of Hymn is Gabriel's Theme and song "When Your Time Has Come" being sung by the crowd that gathered at Heavens Cove, further uplifting his voice to where they all rejoice and sing.
There's just so much in this album that not many have the time to analyze the themes, moods, and overall connection the music style has with the story.