Album Review — The Astonishing (2016) — Dream Theater
The Astonishing is the thirteenth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on January 29, 2016 through Roadrunner Records. It’s the band’s second full‑length narrative concept album (after Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory), conceived as a rock opera with over 34 tracks and a runtime of about 2 hours and 10 minutes — making it the longest studio album in the band’s catalog.
Unlike most albums focused on individual songs, The Astonishing is designed to be experienced as a complete, immersive narrative — much like a film or musical — with characters, themes, and dramatic storytelling at its core.
🎶 Tracklist Overview (Selected)
The album is presented like a two‑act rock opera with 34 individual tracks. Here’s a sampling of tracks from across both acts:
Act I (Highlights)
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Descent of the NOMACS
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Dystopian Overture
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The Gift of Music
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A Better Life
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Ravenskill
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A New Beginning
Act II (Highlights)
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Moment of Betrayal
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Heaven’s Cove
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Our New World
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Astonishing
The full tracklist includes a mix of short instrumental interludes, character themes, and melodically driven songs all tied into the story.
🎤 Album Credits
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Artist: Dream Theater
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Title: The Astonishing
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Released: January 29, 2016
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Recorded: January–September 2015 at Cove City Sound Studios, Glen Cove, NY
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Label: Roadrunner Records
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Producer: John Petrucci
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Genre: Progressive metal, progressive rock, symphonic metal
Band Personnel:
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James LaBrie – vocals
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John Petrucci – guitars, composer
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John Myung – bass
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Jordan Rudess – keyboards, composer
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Mike Mangini – drums
Additional Contributors:
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FILMharmonic Orchestra Prague – orchestral parts
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Multiple Choirs – added choral depth
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Eric Rigler – bagpipes on select tracks
📖 Concept & Story
The Astonishing tells a futuristic, dystopian tale set in the year 2285. In this world, humanity’s creativity has been nearly wiped out, replaced by automated musical machines called NOMACs that generate sounds devoid of soul.
The narrative follows the Ravenskill Rebel Militia — particularly protagonists like Arhys and his brother Gabriel, who possesses The Gift of Music, a power feared by the ruling Great Northern Empire of the Americas. Gabriel’s music awakens emotion and hope in people, acting as a catalyst for rebellion against the oppressive, automated culture dominated by mechanical music.
The structure, with characters, scene changes, and dramatic arcs, mirrors a musical theatre piece or film score more than a traditional rock album, with recurring themes tied to characters and plot points.
🎧 Musical Style & Themes
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Narrative‑driven rock opera: The album emphasizes melody, thematic development, and character motifs rather than individual singles.
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Genre blending: It juxtaposes progressive metal elements with orchestral arrangements, choir sections, and theatrical passages, occasionally leaving behind the band’s heavier metal sound for story‑centric compositions.
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Varied styles: Songs range from full‑blown progressive metal pieces like The Gift of Music and Three Days to more melodic and balladic moments such as Brother, Can You Hear Me? and Our New World.
Because each track is part of the whole story, The Astonishing doesn’t follow traditional song structures — it’s meant to be listened to from start to finish for full impact.
📈 Reception
The Astonishing received generally favorable reviews from critics, with a Metacritic score around 80/100. Many critics praised Dream Theater’s ambition and willingness to craft a huge conceptual work in an era dominated by singles and short releases.
However, its length and narrative approach — with 34 tracks and a dense storyline — made the album polarizing among fans: some appreciate its scope and creativity, while others find it too long, theatrical, or lyrically uneven compared to the band’s previous work.
🎉 Fun Facts & Trivia
🎭 A Rock Opera to Rival Classics: The Astonishing is positioned by fans and critics alongside legendary concept albums like *The Who’s Tommy and Rush’s 2112 — where music and story are inseparable.
🎬 Cinematic Influences: The album draws inspiration from fantasy and sci‑fi franchises such as Star Wars, Game of Thrones, and Lord of the Rings, which influenced its narrative and tone.
🎻 Orchestral and Choir Elements: Dream Theater brought in full orchestral arrangements and choirs (including Prague’s FILMharmonic Orchestra) to support the album’s epic, theatrical feel.
📜 Petrucci’s Vision: Unlike most DT albums, the story was written first — before the music — authored by guitarist John Petrucci, setting the stage for the album’s dramatic arc.
🎶 Unique Track Structure: Despite its length, The Astonishing features no traditional 10‑plus‑minute songs — a first for the band — relying instead on many sub‑five‑minute narrative pieces.
💡 Did You Know?
🔹 The Astonishing is the longest Dream Theater album ever, surpassing Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence by a significant margin.
🔹 The story features multiple named characters with distinct roles, and the band even includes narratorial and character designations in the liner notes to help listeners follow the plot.
📌 Conclusion
The Astonishing stands as one of Dream Theater’s most ambitious and theatrical projects, blending progressive metal with rock opera storytelling, cinematic orchestration, and deep world‑building. It’s a demanding but rewarding listening experience — especially for fans who enjoy albums that require immersion, patience, and an appreciation for narrative artistry.
Whether you love it or find it polarizing, The Astonishing unquestionably reflects Dream Theater’s creative daring at its peak — a bold fusion of fantasy, sci‑fi, and symphonic prog.
