*Official* A View from the Top of the World discussion thread

[Architeuthis]

IDK, his vocals seemed a lot more processed on d/t than they are on View.  James voice sounds pretty natural on the most part with this album. 

[Setlist Scotty]

IDK, his vocals seemed a lot more processed on d/t than they are on View.  James voice sounds pretty natural on the most part with this album. 

My thoughts exactly.

[425]

IDK, his vocals seemed a lot more processed on d/t than they are on View.  James voice sounds pretty natural on the most part with this album. 

I very much agree with this.

[Kram]

IDK, his vocals seemed a lot more processed on d/t than they are on View.  James voice sounds pretty natural on the most part with this album. 

My thoughts exactly.

I agree as well.

[bosk1]

With the exception of The Alien, where the effects are prominent and for a purpose, I agree as well. 

And I don't get the sudden reaction to vocal effects as if this is the first time or something.  Have you guys forgotten, for example, This Dying Soul or TDEN?

[TAC]

With the exception of The Alien, where the effects are prominent and for a purpose, I agree as well. 

And I don't get the sudden reaction to vocal effects as if this is the first time or something.  Have you guys forgotten, for example, This Dying Soul or TDEN?

Well, TDEN, you could see what they were going for. I love TDS, but I honestly never listen to Train Of Thought because I hate the production on it. All of it.

It must be my ears, because I don't mind the vocals on DoT. To me they feel buried on AVFTTOTW. I am not talking about the performance, which is always top notch. I'm just talking about the production and the mix. To my ears, anyway.

[bosk1]

It must be my ears, because I don't mind the vocals on DoT. To me they feel buried on AVFTTOTW. I am not talking about the performance, which is always top notch. I'm just talking about the production and the mix. To my ears, anyway.

OK, well the mix is a different issue than effects.  Yeah, I think they are a bit low on the album.  Not overly, but there are times when they do sound a bit buried. 

[425]

With the exception of The Alien, where the effects are prominent and for a purpose, I agree as well. 

And I don't get the sudden reaction to vocal effects as if this is the first time or something.  Have you guys forgotten, for example, This Dying Soul or TDEN?

For me there's a difference between effects that are used to achieve a specific effect that pertains to a particular piece of music and effects over all or almost all the vocal lines on an album. On TDS and TDEN, there's a deliberate harshness that they're striving to achieve. And on The Alien, there's an intent to make James's voice sound computerized at times, or perhaps like it's coming over a radio.

On DoT it feels like the effects are there just to be there. On Untethered Angel especially, it feels like there's just a layer of distortion or something between me and James's voice, for no discernible musical reason.

[MoraWintersoul]

With the exception of The Alien, where the effects are prominent and for a purpose, I agree as well. 

And I don't get the sudden reaction to vocal effects as if this is the first time or something.  Have you guys forgotten, for example, This Dying Soul or TDEN?

For me there's a difference between effects that are used to achieve a specific effect that pertains to a particular piece of music and effects over all or almost all the vocal lines on an album. On TDS and TDEN, there's a deliberate harshness that they're striving to achieve. And on The Alien, there's an intent to make James's voice sound computerized at times, or perhaps like it's coming over a radio.

On DoT it feels like the effects are there just to be there. On Untethered Angel especially, it feels like there's just a layer of distortion or something between me and James's voice, for no discernible musical reason.

You put this in words - it bugged me A LOT and there was absolutely zero reason.

[Kram]

With the exception of The Alien, where the effects are prominent and for a purpose, I agree as well. 

And I don't get the sudden reaction to vocal effects as if this is the first time or something.  Have you guys forgotten, for example, This Dying Soul or TDEN?

It must be my ears, because I don't mind the vocals on DoT. To me they feel buried on AVFTTOTW. I am not talking about the performance, which is always top notch. I'm just talking about the production and the mix. To my ears, anyway.

I know what you mean.  I'm not sure they're so much buried as this album is just "dense" - or maybe that's the same thing as being buried, idk? Lol

[Lax]

I listened to the album quite a lot now, some of my opinions stayed the same and some changed a lot !
-The alien : One of my fav, since release I enjoyed it, from the groove to the singing melodies, it's really a super solid modern DT song
-Answering the call : I love it too, once again a lot of things works and I enjoy the singing melodies too.
-Invisible monster : I like some of it's riffs, but I have a cheesy feeling when I listen to it. I'm not fond of the singing melodies apart the pre-chorus.
-Sleeping giant : It was maybe my fav on release, but with time I feel like it needed just a little more to be a staple song.
-Transcending time : Loved it to wet eyes on release, with time the feeling weakened too, the heavy solo section is more and more feeling off topic.
-Awaken the master : Super intro, but definitively a grower for me, at first I liked it way less than the others, but I guess ear fatigue is half the issue when arrived at this song Nowadays I really like it a lot !
-AVFTTOTW : A falling castle of cards for me, on release I was so happy to hear an epic that doesn't seem like 3 songs like IT. But with time, I just can't remember what is in the song apart 1) movie intro 2) an heroic chorus that gives the urge to run through walls with energy 3) a nice mid section with the crazy drums break + evil riff reprise. I don't enjoy the remaining.

It's funny how half of my opinions changed, compared to older albums.

[Wim Kruithof]

Funny indeed Lax, points of view might change very often with a band this complex and majestic. Although I only 'came in' after The Astonishing and this is the second release I've experienced from the start-teaser. But where it took me a while to really dig Distance Over Time - I surely wasn't overwhelmed by it and felt quite disappointed - I loved A View and every aspect of it from the very first listen.

Although some songs definitely were growers for me, Sleeping Giant and the title-track. Last couple of weeks, whenever I drove the car or bike, I listened the epic and I am in the huge-fan-camp now. But what I love the most about the whole album, is the Awake-feeling and vibe from both Answering the Call and Awaken the Master. This album is without a doubt one of their best, for me.

Can't wait till May, when I see them live for the fourth time, in Amsterdam.

[Dream Team]

Wow, so totally discounting that awesome section that starts with "All my natural instincts . . . ".

[SuperTaco]

It's a good album.

[crystalstars17]

Can I just say that this has become my favorite album of all time. It's really above and beyond, everything. ✨

[Trav86]

Can I just say that this has become my favorite album of all time. It's really above and beyond, everything. ✨

Wow.  I’m glad that people like it so much.

[T-ski]

After digesting this one it will be in the middle of the discography.

Hilights:

Transcending Time
A View From the Top of the World
Answering the Call

The Alien is good musically but I cringe at the lyrics.

Awaken the Master just doesn’t do anything for me.

Sleeping Giant is a mess, seems like they had ideas for multiple songs and they couldn’t figure out which direction to go so they just fused them all together.

Invisible Monster is just boring.

[MarkFitDT]

Sleeping Giant is a mess, seems like they had ideas for multiple songs and they couldn’t figure out which direction to go so they just fused them all together.

It is amazing how people can see things differently (and that doesnt mean that im right!) . I really cant understand any of that. Its so well written imo and the second best song on the album behind the title track.

[Dream Team]

After digesting this one it will be in the middle of the discography.

Hilights:

Transcending Time
A View From the Top of the World
Answering the Call

The Alien is good musically but I cringe at the lyrics.

Awaken the Master just doesn’t do anything for me.

Sleeping Giant is a mess, seems like they had ideas for multiple songs and they couldn’t figure out which direction to go so they just fused them all together.

Invisible Monster is just boring.

Agreed on The Alien's lyrics. Answering the Call not too great either but James has always had some awkward phrasing and word choices in his lyrics, going way back to not knowing the difference between "conscience" and "consciousness".

[bosk1]

"conscience" and "consciousness".

That one bugs me too, but that's not on James.  He didn't write that lyric. 

[Setlist Scotty]

"conscience" and "consciousness".

That one bugs me too, but that's not on James.  He didn't write that lyric.

Actually, I believe he did.

[gzarruk]

And I have no clue which song you're all talking about

[Dream Team]

"conscience" and "consciousness".

That one bugs me too, but that's not on James.  He didn't write that lyric.

Actually, I believe he did.

Right, he wrote the Awakenings section of Octavarium.

[bosk1]

Oops.  Okay, my mistake.

[Cool Chris]

...going way back to not knowing the difference between "conscience" and "consciousness".

Doesn't that happen on multiple songs?

[bosk1]

Yes.  Maybe he was speaking Canadian.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Just wanted to stop by and say that my appreciation for The Alien has significantly increased after seeing it live. Not sure if it's my favorite song on the album but it's got to be up there.

[Trav86]

I haven’t got to see The Alien live, yet (six more days!).  But I can say that it and Invisible Monster have really grown on me since first hearing the singles. I can imagine they are both pretty powerful live.

[TAC]

Just wanted to stop by and say that my appreciation for The Alien has significantly increased after seeing it live. Not sure if it's my favorite song on the album but it's got to be up there.

The Alien is a great tune. My favorite on the album as well.

[Architeuthis]

I haven’t got to see The Alien live, yet (six more days!).  But I can say that it and Invisible Monster have really grown on me since first hearing the singles. I can imagine they are both pretty powerful live.

Oh yes indeed, and then some!    

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

yes: re the Alien live. It was amazing. Invisible Monster was also good but it didn't do anything to my overall opinion of the song.

[Cool Chris]

Put this on the shelf for a while and gave it a good listen Friday. My initial opinions still stand:

This is a solid album, front to back, with The Alien being the only subpar song. It is far and away better than DOT, save for At Wit's End, which is still a top 20 DT song, and better than DT12 and TA. Jordan's solo spots rarely make a song better, and more often than not detract from my enjoyment of it.

[Ben_Jamin]

I am really enjoying the title track a lot. Both the music and the lyrics.

[Wim Kruithof]

I am really enjoying the title track a lot. Both the music and the lyrics.

Me as well. Half May I'll see them perform it live, that should also increase my love for it even more. But this record is amongst the best of them all.

[KevShmev]

Put this on the shelf for a while and gave it a good listen Friday. My initial opinions still stand:

This is a solid album, front to back, with The Alien being the only subpar song. It is far and away better than DOT, save for At Wit's End, which is still a top 20 DT song, and better than DT12 and TA. Jordan's solo spots rarely make a song better, and more often than not detract from my enjoyment of it.

I actually think Jordan does a great job on this record.  Many of his sounds are reminiscent of the early DT sound, which is a major plus in my eyes, and his over the top solos seems pretty non-existent on this record. 

Ultimately, this is settling into a nice mid-range DT album for me. It has three songs I think will hold up for me as legit great DT songs (Awaken the Master, Answering the Call and Transcending Time), and several I think could still age well enough to move up a bit as well.  In the Mangini era, I think it will end up being my 3rd favorite behind The Astonishing and Distance over Time.  A Dramatic Turn of Events would be higher if the sound quality was good as A View..., but it's not, thus it gets docked.