Thursday 18 February 2016

Dream Theater - The Gift Of Music


The Astonishing is the thirteenth studio album and second concept album by one of the world's leading progressive metal band DREAM THEATER, released as a double album on January 29, 2016 through Roadrunner Records. The album's story was conceived by guitarist John Petrucci in mid-2013, and its music was written throughout 2015 by Petrucci and keyboardist Jordan Rudess. Composer David Campbell was hired to assist with orchestrating the album's string lines and choirs. Recording was completed at Cove City Sound Studios in Long Island, New York, with the exception of vocals, which were recorded in Canada. Mixing and sound engineering were performed by the band's longtime collaborator, Richard Chycki, with Petrucci producing.

"The Astonishing" is set in a dystopian United States and follows the Ravenskill Militia, a band of rebels, in their efforts to defy the Great Northern Empire of the Americas using the magical power of music. It was inspired by contemporary fantasy and science fiction franchises such as Game of Thrones and Star Wars, as well Petrucci's observations on the ubiquity of technological automation in modern day society. In their effort to match the album's narrative, DREAM THEATER wrote songs in a wide variety of styles ranging from mellow ballads to their more conventional progressive metal sound.

Leading up to the The Astonishing's release, the band marketed the album with its own website, fan mailing lists, and trailers. Two singles, "The Gift of Music" (Today's tune) and "Moment of Betrayal", have been released in support of the album. A tour has been planned for early 2016 with dates in Europe and North America already scheduled.




"The Astonishing" is a big piece, an extreme playing time of almost 127 minutes is not easy to digest. The melodies are there and a high charged of emotions and megalomania. An extreme inspiration of joy have been flowed in their brains in creation of this album.  It's huge, almost too much to take in at first, but if you give it some time so perhaps it grow up and blossom.

Today's tune "The Gift Of Music" is taken from their new album "The Astonishing".


Upcoming Tour Dates:

Feb18 Palladium London, United Kingdom
Feb19 Palladium London, United Kingdom
Feb22 Carre Theatre Amsterdam, Netherlands Sold Out
Feb23 Carre Theatre Amsterdam, Netherlands
Feb24 Carre Theatre Amsterdam, Netherlands
Feb26 Oslo Concert Hall Oslo, Norway
Feb27 Oslo Concert Hall Oslo, Norway
Feb28 Oslo Concert Hall Oslo, Norway
Mar1 Cirkus Stockholm, Sweden
Mar2 Cirkus Stockholm, Sweden
Mar4 Kuppelsaal Hannover, Germany
Mar5 Le Palais des Congrès de Paris Paris, France
Mar6 Le Palais des Congrès de Paris Paris, France
Mar8 DR Koncerthuset Copenhagen, Denmark
Mar9 Friedrichspalast Berlin, Germany
Mar10 RuhrCongress Bochum, Germany
Mar12 Store Sal Vejle Musikteater Vejle, Denmark
Mar13 Forest National Brussels, Belgium
Mar14 Meistersingerhalle Nurnberg, Germany
Mar15 Alte Oper Hall Frankfurt, Germany
Mar17 Teatro degli Arcimboldi Milan, Italy
Mar18 Teatro degli Arcimboldi Milan, Italy
Mar19 Teatro degli Arcimboldi Milan, Italy
Mar20 Teatro Politeama Rossetti Trieste, Italy
Mar22 Liederhalle Hegel-Saal Stuttgart, Germany
Mar23 Kongresshaus Zurich, Switzerland
Mar24 Rockhal Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Apr14 Le Capitole de Quebec Quebec City, QC, Canada
Apr15 Bell Centre Montreal, QC, Canada
Apr16 Sony Centre for the Performing Arts Toronto, ON, Canada
Apr18 Palace Theatre Albany, NY, United States
Apr19 Orpheum Theatre Boston, MA, United States
Apr20 Oakdale Theatre Wallingford, CT, United States
Apr22 Tower Theater Upper Darby, PA, United States
Apr23 Radio City Music Hall New York, NY, United States
Apr24 Hippodrome Theatre Baltimore, MD, United States
Apr26 Palace Theatre Greensburg, PA, United States
Apr27 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH, United States
Apr29 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI, United States
Apr30 Chicago Theater Chicago, IL, United States
May1 State Theatre Minneapolis, MN, United States
May3 Paramount Theatre Denver, CO, United States
May5 Mesa Arts Center Mesa, AZ, United States
May6 The Wiltern Los Angeles, CA, United States
May7 The Wiltern Los Angeles, CA, United States
May8 Fox Theater Oakland, CA, United States
May10 Schnitzer Auditorium Portland, OR, United States
May11 Paramount Theatre Seattle, WA, United States

More info @

Official Dream Theater Web

Listen to ”Dream Theater - The Gift Of Music" on Spotify!



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