Dream theater website nomacs3/27/2023 Can you tell us more on how you two collaborated on the conception of this album? So yeah, they did need to happen before we were back in the situation again.Īs you said, Jordan, the music on the album was written as a duo, between you and John. So after doing two albums with Mike Mangini, it just felt appropriate and natural that this was the time to approach another conceptual piece. I think at that point in our carrier, in 2011 with A Dramatic Turn Of Events, 2013 with the self-titled album, those albums did have to happen before we found ourselves in a situation where we felt: “This is the appropriate timing.” Those albums are albums that we can be absolutely so very proud of. We’ve been talking for the last three or four years that, when time’s just around the corner, it would be cool to do another concept album sometimes soon, and I think, with the member change, at that point, the focus was on letting our fanbase know that we’re still the same band, we’re still going to pump up great music, but that wasn’t the right timing to go and do a concept album. James: Well, it’s been sixteen years since Scenes From A Memory. What started out with us both in different locations, him in his house me in my house writing stuff, eventually we got together and gathered to work every day on this very detailed story and kind of put together this huge concept album.Īctually, James, in the promotional biography, you’re quoted saying that « this album is something you guys had to do.” Why this urge? So after he showed it to us, he and I started to work on the music. And a little over a year ago he presented it to us and we all found it really inspiring, and it really was a good time to start working on a concept album. So as James said, two and a half years ago, John started to kind of plant the seeds for the story and begin to write something. But to do that and do it right, we needed to have a really solid story. Basically the band knew that we wanted to create a concept album, it’s something that we wanted to do for a while. Jordan Rudess (keyboards): I’ll start it while you drink some water. I can barely talk! (Note: James had a sore throat) John had a musical inspiring moment and, from that musical inspiration, he came up with also a concept, a storyline. James LaBrie (vocals): I’d say the seeds were born about two and a half years ago. Being a rock opera with 34 songs spread over two discs and featuring a big conceptual story, it sounds like the most ambitious album the band ever did. Radio Metal: Your new album is called The Astonishing. So after doing two albums with Mike Mangini, it just felt appropriate and natural that this was the time to approach another conceptual piece. » « With the member change, at that point, the focus was on letting our fanbase know that we’re still the same band. It’s the latter, with singer James LaBrie (unfortunately with mild laryngitis the day of our interview), who faced the challenge of incarnating no less than eight characters for the sake of history, we have met to talk about this monumental undertaking that has been theirs for two and a half years and which result is about to see the light of day. The story has been conceived and written by guitarist John Petrucci and music composed by him and keyboardist Jordan Rudess. Gabriel is the hero who shows to people emotions, passion, happiness and hope that comes with the music, which obviously worries Emperor Nafaryus who fears an uprising. In 2285, in a world where the rich Great Northern Empire Of The Americas (embodied by Emperor Nafaryus, Empress Arabelle, Daryus and Faythe) is opposed to rebel militia Ravenskill (embodied by Evangeline, Gabriel and Arhys) living in poverty, art no longer exists, replaced by « noise machines » called Nomacs. Two discs, thirty-four tracks, an orchestra, various choirs and a complex history. The group finally heard, offering this year what appears to be, on paper at least, the most ambitious album ever envisioned by the group, called The Astonishing. Therefore it’s not surprising that for years, the fans have been calling out loud and long for a new conceptual release of this caliber, especially after a series of albums in recent years, in which Dream Theater has more or less rested on its laurels. Scene From A Memory, released in 1999, is not only one of the most emblematic works of Dream Theater but also one of the most recognized conceptual albums of the metal world.
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