THE ASTONISHING

Stupid storyline and overlong, this DT album is a failed product. Instead of editing the ordeal down to about 50 minutes, DT chose to build a laughable West-End musical, about too many people in an unreliable future. A society with no music? are you serious, guys? I can't relate to anything in this Spinal Tap rock-opera. If this is "2112" meets "The Matrix" meets "Game of Thrones", I'm really not impressed. I've edited this 2-disc monster into a reasonably short 1-CD format.

Here are the good tracks in their correct, edited order: 1) Dystopian Overture 2) The Gift of Music 3) A Better Life 4) A Life Left Behind 5) A New Beginning 6) Moment of Betrayel 7) The Path That Divides 8) The Walking Shadow 9) My Last Farewell 10) Astonishing

This way you get an effective album - not very innovative, not too bright, but at least - it's listenable. Why should I, the consumer, do the cruel editing work for the band? a professional musical producer would have done the same, easily.

The 2-CD package is awash with "filler" ballads, boring monolgues and a lot of pure kitsch. James Lebrie does a great vocal job, but the lyrics, plot and grand concept are Junior-High level. DT has produced an un-listenable product, which costs about 19 USD at iTunes, a bit too expensive for the actual artistic value.

That's why I rate this audio-mess a fair 3/5 stars.