Dream Theater unveil Astonishing details

By Martin Kielty
published

34-track album cover features totalitarian NOMAC devices

Dream Theater have unveiled the full cover and running order for their 34-track album The Astonishing, which is released early next year.

The artwork focuses on flying spherical devices they’ve called NOMACs, while three of the eight leading characters in the story – Gabriel, Emperor Nafaryus and Arhys – have been named on the band’s website.

Dream Theater say: “This album cover extends an ominous invitation into the retro-futurist dystopian setting of The Astonishing.

“The deceptively beautiful yet chillingly totalitarian image is a bold harbinger of the visual components and ideas presented by the sonic story that is our most ambitious creative work to date.”

The band previously confirmed plans to premiere their 13th album in full on the road, starting with a European theatre tour that kicks off in February.

Tracklist

Act I

  1. Descent Of The NOMACS
  2. Dystopian Overture
  3. The Gift Of Music
  4. The Answer
  5. A Better Life
  6. Lord Nafaryus
  7. A Savior In The Square
  8. When Your Time Has Come
  9. Act Of Faythe
  10. Three Days
  11. The Hovering Sojourn
  12. Brother, Can You Hear Me?
  13. A Life Left Behind
  14. Ravenskill
  15. Chosen
  16. A Tempting Offer
  17. Digital Discord
  18. The X Aspect
  19. A New Beginning
  20. The Road To Revolution

Act II

  1. 2285 Entr’acte
  2. Moment Of Betrayal
  3. Heaven’s Cove
  4. Begin Again
  5. The Path That Divides
  6. Machine Chatter
  7. The Walking Shadow
  8. My Last Farewell
  9. Losing Faythe
  10. Whispers On The Wind
  11. Hymn Of A Thousand Voices
  12. Our New World
  13. Power Down
  14. Astonishing
Martin Kielty
Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.