Awaken the Master Discussion Thread

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

As I am typing this I am noticing on YT Feed that the band dropped a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeOkeoXyt-4

This is such a great song. Heavy 7 and 8 string riffs charge in and eventually give way to piano, guitar solo, and then a haunting and atmospheric verse. The chorus is not as catchy as ATC or TT but still works. The 8 string sounds huuuuuuuge.

[Lonk]

Nice animation video.

This song is easily my second favorite of the album so far 

[Mr.Mister]

I love that JP didn't got traditional Djent for his first time writing on an 8-string guitar. I'm a fan of how heavy this song is and yet it has one of the most uplifting sections of the album with the second verse (you made it to the top...) with a groove AF bass line, and JPs clean tone playing.

[AVFTTOTW]

This song (aside from the title track) is my other favorite from this album, it is a golden track.

[AVFTTOTW]

I also hear a lot of Haken in this track, thought I'd mention it. However if Haken wrote this song it'd be way more funkier with lots of ghost notes.

[The Letter M]

The thing that stands out to me most about this song is that the title isn't said until the very end of the song. Is that a first for a DT song, where the title is only said at the very end as the last lyric?

-Marc.

[VincentMDO]

The thing that stands out to me most about this song is that the title isn't said until the very end of the song. Is that a first for a DT song, where the title is only said at the very end as the last lyric?

-Marc.

My last farewell.

[svisser]

There is so much about this song I adore, but I think my fav part is the section where Jordan his hitting those massive chords and it goes into JP's solo and ends in the first verse. That section just gives me goosebumps every time. And the melody lines in the verses are so perfect. They kinda remind me of Voyager.

[hefdaddy42]

I had a weird thought, and I know it's weird, but I thought it, and I think it, and I even believe it a little bit.

Awaken The Master is the song that A Rite of Passage wishes it was.

[Dublagent66]

Good song and the chorus is very memorable.

[vtgrad]

Easily my favorite on the album... the track I come to first when I listen to the album.  I wake up sometimes with the first piano riff/first JP solo in my head.

Echoing what others have said, JP used the 8 in a way that was unexpected for me.  I'm working to get that riff under my fingers...

Can't wait to see it live with that beautiful fanned-fret Majesty!

[Architeuthis]

Can't wait to see it live with that beautiful fanned-fret Majesty!

That Majesty looks amazing,  I want one!   

I do not own any JP models though, so it's just a pipe dream.....Out Of Reach!  😭  🤑🤑

[svisser]

I had a weird thought, and I know it's weird, but I thought it, and I think it, and I even believe it a little bit.

Awaken The Master is the song that A Rite of Passage wishes it was.

I can see that. Although, the solo section always seemed fun to me in A Right Of Passage.

What one do I conciser better though? That's a tough one for me.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Easily my favorite on the album... the track I come to first when I listen to the album.  I wake up sometimes with the first piano riff/first JP solo in my head.

Echoing what others have said, JP used the 8 in a way that was unexpected for me.  I'm working to get that riff under my fingers...

Can't wait to see it live with that beautiful fanned-fret Majesty!

I am hoping they play it live. It would be a solid opener after intermission and a strong closing song. I am not sure if JP will want to lug the 8 string around for one song but maybe he will given it's so brand new and is getting positive feedback.

[Dream Team]

Listening this morning, and doubling down on the fact that I wish JP played a cool chord sequence or something during the first verse instead of the constant chug-chug. (Like most of the other first verses). Song of course is great otherwise.

[Kotowboy]

Easily my favorite on the album... the track I come to first when I listen to the album.  I wake up sometimes with the first piano riff/first JP solo in my head.

Echoing what others have said, JP used the 8 in a way that was unexpected for me.  I'm working to get that riff under my fingers...

Can't wait to see it live with that beautiful fanned-fret Majesty!

I am hoping they play it live. It would be a solid opener after intermission and a strong closing song. I am not sure if JP will want to lug the 8 string around for one song but maybe he will given it's so brand new and is getting positive feedback.

I'm sure they could trade one 6 string in the rack for one 8 string if they needed to.

[Vlasto]

Simply my the most favorite, something like S2M on DoT. Those melodic lines make the chills anytime I listen it...

[KevShmev]

Simply my the most favorite, something like S2M on DoT. Those melodic lines make the chills anytime I listen it...

Same here.  I think this song is the clear standout on the record.  I don't really think of it as another S2N (a song I like, but can't say I love), but they really nailed everything really well in Awaken the Master.

[hefdaddy42]

Simply my the most favorite, something like S2M on DoT. Those melodic lines make the chills anytime I listen it...

Same here.  I think this song is the clear standout on the record.  I don't really think of it as another S2N (a song I like, but can't say I love), but they really nailed everything really well in Awaken the Master.

I think this is their best composition on the album, and it (along with Transcending Time) is the one that has resonated most with me.

[KevShmev]

Simply my the most favorite, something like S2M on DoT. Those melodic lines make the chills anytime I listen it...

Same here.  I think this song is the clear standout on the record.  I don't really think of it as another S2N (a song I like, but can't say I love), but they really nailed everything really well in Awaken the Master.

I think this is their best composition on the album, and it (along with Transcending Time) is the one that has resonated most with me.

Yep, for sure. I spun it a few times today and it is really sounding good.  This is one I could see gaining the great status for me here sooner rather than later. 

[jayvee3]

It's the one track on the album that hasn't connected with me yet. I certainly don't dislike it, it feels like it just meanders a bit for me.

I also have a little bit of issue with it sounding like a bit of a mash-up of the other songs on the album. While I understand there is heaps going on compositionally, I'm not really instrument-minded, so that stuff goes over my head a bit, and I'm left more with simply how things sound.

This is the one track that when people say things like "the album all sounds the same", likely strikes me as doing so. I think the album has terrific variety, and while the songs certainly sound like they are from the same album in feel, they have significant variety and are strong tracks in their own right.

Awaken the master however, can at times for me feel similar to the title track, but just not done as well. Like when the chorus starts with "spinning through time..", you could almost replace it with "See a view from the top of the world..." and it feels like it fits almost too easily. Or the solo at the start that goes into the soaring guitar - it almost goes into the same riff as "The Alien", and just changes tack slightly. It almost would be better to repeat the same riff, so there's a bit of a recurring motif and some continuity. So I can see the opinion of this one sounding a bit "samey".

In any case, I hope it clicks more but I'm also not worried, as everything else on the album is right up my alley, with Sleeping Giant and Answering the Call making a big play for my favourite track along with Transcending time in a 3-way tie 👊

[erwinrafael]

I think it is the only song that is largely 4/4 so it sounds distinct to me. 

[jayvee3]

I think it is the only song that is largely 4/4 so it sounds distinct to me. 

Absolutely very possible mate, just one of those moments where it's based on my complete lack of compositional knowledge or talent, and how I feel it sounds

[vtgrad]

Can't wait to see it live with that beautiful fanned-fret Majesty!

That Majesty looks amazing,  I want one!   

I do not own any JP models though, so it's just a pipe dream.....Out Of Reach!  😭  🤑🤑

JP models aren't out of reach my friend... the Sterlings are just as spectacular if not better.

I'm having the pups changed on one of my Sterling JPs and while I was in the local shop, I noticed a Sterling Majesty on the wall... I plugged in to see what's up.  Gotta say that under my fingers, the Sterling Majesty that I played blew the real Majesty that I owned out of the water!  I sold my 2016 EBMM Majesty (shout-out to Victor.. VMadera) because I just wasn't playing enough to justify it and I wanted it to go to a DTFer... I'm seriously considering buying that Sterling Majesty.  $1,499 for the Sterling v/s $2,499 for the EBMM.

The EBMM 8 was a limited run I think... +$5,000.  I'd like to see one in-person for certain!  That one may be out of reach for all of us as I was seeing pros picking them up.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I would look for a used JP. For whatever reason, if an electric guitar does not say Fender or Gibson on the headstock, it doesn't retain its original value too well. All guitar prices are a little out of whack at the moment, but eventually they should normalize and I would expect JPs to get a reasonable discount on Reverb. That may not happen on the 8 string Majesty though given there is a smallish batch of them for now.

[PetFish]

Unfortunately, and I'm sad to say, JP did exactly what I was hoping he wouldn't do which is chugga-chugga-chugga.  It sounds like everyone else out there doing the same thing.

When I saw the 2 promo videos with Jason Richardson and Nick DePirro I said "meh" to JR's and "WOW" to NDP's.  His video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NuqZhVQfS0

I really wish JP would have done something other than the status quo with it or just saved it for his solo stuff.

Is AtM a cool song?  Yes, for sure.  Did it warrant using an 8?  Not at all.

[erwinrafael]

Did JP really just do chugga chugga? Not what I hear.

[Lax]

Errr I agree the 8 wasn't necessary for this little use.

But I disagree on the "Unfortunately, and I'm sad to say, JP did exactly what I was hoping he wouldn't do which is chugga-chugga-chugga."
JP plays telegraphic chugga-chugga over nearly every verse and transitions of the album, but he plays lot of riffs and melodies in ATM on the 8...
Si like erwinrafael, I feel the opposite.
Plus it's a metal album, so eh...

Honestly, I wish he chugged only in ATM and less in other songs

[KevShmev]

I don't even notice the 8-string guitar in this song, and cannot tell if he uses it the whole song or just in certain spots.  It is a non-factor for me as to why I think this song is really good, to be honest.

[erciccio]

Errr I agree the 8 wasn't necessary for this little use.

But I disagree on the "Unfortunately, and I'm sad to say, JP did exactly what I was hoping he wouldn't do which is chugga-chugga-chugga."
JP plays telegraphic chugga-chugga over nearly every verse and transitions of the album, but he plays lot of riffs and melodies in ATM on the 8...
Si like erwinrafael, I feel the opposite.
Plus it's a metal album, so eh...

Honestly, I wish he chugged only in ATM and less in other songs

This

Going back to ATM, I think this song proves why the 8th string does not add much to guitar playing.
The main riff could have been easily tuned up 2.5 steps, and it would have just sounded better...(personal opinion of course)

An 8th string could be useful if it could add something to the "harmonic" approach to guitar playing, e.g. allowing to play different inversions of the chords with lower bass notes, but those notes would be basically buried down due to the low freq vs the rest of the chords...(at least for my ear).
I have never heard anyone getting something really new out of this.

While I think there's still plenty of space for innovation even playing "just" with 6 strings (e.g. Tim Henson from Polyphia)

[Ben_Jamin]

I really appreciate JP's approach to utilizing the 8-String. By recording a song based on what he comes up with when he first plays it and jams on it, like he did with the 7-String and Puppies on Acid turning into The Mirror.

I find that a neat approach to creating. And it's awesome knowing that, this is just the first of many potential 8-String songs in the future.

And I don't remember if it's an interview or the documentary. When they talked about Awaken The Master, it was neat hearing how the overall composing aspect of a song changed as they had to think of the sonic space. Whether JM was going to lower his lowest string to be flabby, but instead chose to use a capo at the 2nd fret.

The vocals and the keyboards add so much to the melodies and to the higher end of the key being played.

[Architeuthis]

I don't even notice the 8-string guitar in this song, and cannot tell if he uses it the whole song or just in certain spots.  It is a non-factor for me as to why I think this song is really good, to be honest.

I can hear it throughout the whole song, rhythmically speaking.  the breakdown into the solo section if I remember right, has a lot of deep sounding power chords.
I wouldn't be surprised if he used it for the leads too.  That would be a interesting question to ask JP.

[Kotowboy]

I'm GLAD it doesn't sound like most 8 string bands who just wanna be Meshuggah

It still sounds like Petrucci.

[PetFish]

JP plays telegraphic chugga-chugga over nearly every verse and transitions of the album, but he plays lot of riffs and melodies in ATM on the 8...
Si like erwinrafael, I feel the opposite.
Plus it's a metal album, so eh...

Honestly, I wish he chugged only in ATM and less in other songs

I agree.  All of these low-end riffs are starting to sound the same.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Unfortunately, and I'm sad to say, JP did exactly what I was hoping he wouldn't do which is chugga-chugga-chugga.  It sounds like everyone else out there doing the same thing.

When I saw the 2 promo videos with Jason Richardson and Nick DePirro I said "meh" to JR's and "WOW" to NDP's.  His video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NuqZhVQfS0

I really wish JP would have done something other than the status quo with it or just saved it for his solo stuff.

Is AtM a cool song?  Yes, for sure.  Did it warrant using an 8?  Not at all.

well in all fairness, the chugga chugga is in line with a LOT of riffs on the new album. I don't think the 8 string loaded the album with more chugga really. It's just adding extra heaviness to the song/album, which is really a very dark and heavy piece of work (minus TT).

There are a lot of younger guitarists who are using 8 strings in more creative ways (Tosin) but yeah, I am not expecting to hear that sorta thing from a veteran 55 year old who just picked up the 8 string a week before the song was written.