Because sure, why not. I'll be like Oprah.

Lots of things to like here:

- After Broken Man and Midnight Messiah, it was cool to see that the heaviest card in the deck had been saved for release

- Big fan of doing a heavier song while still having JLB does what's most natural for him on the vocals

- Also really like the various sound effects and tones. Phased guitars and vocals, the little piano bit at the end. Atmosphere is set well

- The way the themes are developed and built here is quite good. The first guitar riff is played with and transformed in various ways throughout the song, which gives it a real coherency. A lot of people have mentioned that the solo section has a Beyond This Life quality, and I didn't not notice that, but what really stuck out to me was how the guitar section builds on the opening riff, and then the keyboard section is played on something kinda like the second verse riff, which itself is still evocative of the original riff

- The second verse still provokes an involuntary headbanging response. Damndest thing

It just goes so hard man.

That opening riff has been stuck in my head since the first time I heard it. Baller song.

I really like it.

But I did laugh out loud while on the indoor bike this morning, listening on earphones. These two lines, the second in particular:

Out of my mind, out of my body
Someone's been killed, I am sorry

As of right now, this is my favorite song on the album.  And for what it's worth, I think the story is cool.

The lyrics are well quite corny. You are innoceneeeeeeent!

I'm not a lyrics guy at all, don't ever pay attention to them so it doesn't bother me but yeah those are kinda corny.

The ending riffs also give me the ending of Sacrificed Sons vibe. 

Quote from: faizoff on February 07, 2025, 07:47:45 AMThe lyrics are well quite corny. You are innoceneeeeeeent!

I'm not a lyrics guy at all, don't ever pay attention to them so it doesn't bother me but yeah those are kinda corny.

Agreed. But this is the one song on the album where it feels like they know it's corny and just lean into it. Don't love it, but it kinda works.

EDIT: Like, you can imagine a grindhouse trailer for "Dead Asleep"

Quote from: faizoff on February 07, 2025, 07:48:41 AMThe ending riffs also give me the ending of Sacrificed Sons vibe.

I thought the same thing.

I like this song a lot more than I thought I would.  This is one of those songs that makes me appreciate how well DT has always done "prog metal."  There's nothing overly fancy or flashy about this song.  But it's not a straightforward 3-4 minute v-c-v-c-solo-c song either.  It's got enough change and variety to sound fresh without straying too far.  DT have generally always been really solid at doing this type of thing.

Quote from: ReaPsTA on February 07, 2025, 07:49:55 AMthis is the one song on the album where it feels like they know it's corny and just lean into it.

Whether that is actually true or not, it feels true enough, so I'm going with it.

Quote from: faizoff on February 07, 2025, 07:48:41 AMThe ending riffs also give me the ending of Sacrificed Sons vibe.

Yeah, totally.  The beginning of the song gives me Diary of a Madman vibes.  But it's like they took the heavy, ending part of Diary, gave it even more of a little unsettling twist, and DT-ized it.  Which is very appropriate to the overall tone suggested not only by the song, but by the album as a whole. 

This song has to be inspired by the movie of the same name: Dead Asleep (2021) - IMDb. Don't know if it's been confirmed to be, I haven't read that many interviews.

Quote from: Zydar on February 07, 2025, 09:57:27 AMThis song has to be inspired by the movie of the same name: Dead Asleep (2021) - IMDb. Don't know if it's been confirmed to be, I haven't read that many interviews.

It certainly could be.  If I remember correctly, Puruvian Skies was based on a news story JP read.  So it would be in character for him to do that I think.  If it is, I should watch the movie .

The subject matter is too dark and depressing. I was lying down with headphones this morning listening to it. I got restless and felt like I was in the bottom of a dumpster in the pouring down rain.
The music is awesome, but I think they could have found a better topic for a sleepwalker.

Quote from: Architeuthis on February 07, 2025, 11:10:02 AMThe subject matter is too dark and depressing. I was lying down with headphones this morning listening to it. I got restless and felt like I was in the bottom of a dumpster in the pouring down rain.
The music is awesome, but I think they could have found a better topic for a sleepwalker.

Yeah it's pretty gut wrenching. I felt the same way once I realized what the song was about.

Great riff and solo section, but man those lyrics... TCOT feels like a literary masterpiece compared to this

I don't really understand the complaints about the lyrics.

Quote from: EvantheMotel6Owmer on February 07, 2025, 12:50:55 PMI don't really understand the complaints about the lyrics.

Agree, I think they are silly prog lyrics, but they know they are silly prog lyrics

Quote from: EvantheMotel6Owmer on February 07, 2025, 12:50:55 PMI don't really understand the complaints about the lyrics.

I also do love lyrics. It fits dark theme right.

"Out of my mind
Out of my body
Someone's been killed, I am sorry."

That where I lost it. 

Quote from: EvantheMotel6Owmer on February 07, 2025, 12:50:55 PMI don't really understand the complaints about the lyrics.

From me it's not a complaint, it's just an observation. 

Quote from: ReaPsTA on February 07, 2025, 07:49:55 AMAgreed. But this is the one song on the album where it feels like they know it's corny and just lean into it. Don't love it, but it kinda works.

EDIT: Like, you can imagine a grindhouse trailer for "Dead Asleep"

Also on shadow man, the "EMBRACE DA SHADOWWW" thing. When I first heard it I smiled bc I knew it was absolutely Mike's goofery.

I think I embraced the cheesiness of the lyrics from the get go - it's there, no one can deny, you just like it or not -, different from Midnight Messiah that I couldn't enjoy the lyrics at first, now I like it more.

But Dead Asleep caught me instantly, favorite so far. 

This is my favorite so far. It very well could change over time, however.
There is another thing that I keep thinking. The Broken Man motif is played in several songs.
This song for sure and I think Bend the Clock, but I can't remember now, as I have only been
able to listen to the new songs 2-3 times.
Anyway. I keep thinking the poor Broken Man is the one with different sleep disorders. He killed his wife.
And along with the PTSD of the war has this trauma and so wishes to turn back time.
Just some crazy thoughts I am having as I am first listening.

I do really like the sound of this song. The tone is just so hard-hitting in a way the rest of the album generally doesn't reach. The intro clean section (the one mirroring the main riff) sounds nearly identical to a part I wrote more than ten years ago, so I guess I'll SEE THEM IN COURT! Not really, but it's very similar, which was fun to hear.

I agree with the complaints about the lyrics. The subject matter is fine to me, but the actual... prose?... is way to literal and descriptive for my taste. The final line is a huge turn-off, and makes a really unfortunate final impression. I think someone in the album thread suggested a focus on legal innocence but internal guilt, which I think would have been really cool. Or at least some other way to phrase that final beat would have been preferable.

I agree that it is probably the best song. We are no strangers to DT cheese, either.

I like the riff a lot. The hook is a pretty big let down but there's some stuff to enjoy in it.

At this point, I probably have Dead Asleep at the bottom or second to the bottom of my rankings, not counting Morpheus right now.


I feel like it's going to end up in the group of songs like Beyond This Life, A Nightmare To Remember, Home, and Bridges In The Sky. Which is to say songs I should love but for whatever reason I don't. Not that I dislike any of them, nor do I dislike Dead Asleep.

Right now for me that spot is with A Broken Man. I like it but doesn't fully click for it. I like it in parts.

Quote from: gzarruk on February 07, 2025, 12:37:18 PMGreat riff and solo section, but man those lyrics... TCOT feels like a literary masterpiece compared to this

It's become apparent to me that John Petrucci is my least favorite lyricist in the band. That may be my biggest complaint on the entire album. I'm glad James and Mike got some writing credits. (Even Jordan and John...) I'd love to see more of that.

Quote from: EvantheMotel6Owmer on February 07, 2025, 12:50:55 PMI don't really understand the complaints about the lyrics.

For some people, lyrics are a major part of the package but you can certainly enjoy the music (and the band) without caring about them.

Quote from: EvantheMotel6Owmer on February 07, 2025, 12:50:55 PMI don't really understand the complaints about the lyrics.

For some people, lyrics are a major part of the package but you can certainly enjoy the music (and the band) without caring about them.

Quote from: faizoff on February 07, 2025, 01:09:32 PMFrom me it's not a complaint, it's just an observation.

From me it's more of a complaint. I can't think of too many of my favorite masterpieces that didn't have at least average lyrics. But for the lyrics, I'd consider The Astonishing a masterpiece.  Won't keep me from listening...

Quote from: ytserush on February 08, 2025, 05:28:32 PMIt's become apparent to me that John Petrucci is my least favorite lyricist in the band. That may be my biggest complaint on the entire album. I'm glad James and Mike got some writing credits. (Even Jordan and John...) I'd love to see more of that.

I have no issue with most of DT's or JP's lyrics, but it's in cases like this where the lyrics are too literal and on the nose where I draw the line.

JP does have his moments where his lyrics sound a little cheesy, but in my view, this isn't one of them.

To each his own I guess.

Having said that he also has lyrics that are really amazing and thoughtful like Illustration Theory.

Quote from: TheBarstoolWarrior on February 08, 2025, 12:07:14 PMI like the riff a lot. The hook is a pretty big let down but there's some stuff to enjoy in it.

This is my take.  It will probably grow on me, but right now, the song in general doesn't live up to the awesomeness of that riff, which is a beast.  On the flip side, the synth solo is a stark reminder that I haven't really liked that aspect of JR's playing for a long time now, especially when he uses that particular patch (which I grew to really not like in the 00s and was happy when it was mostly went away in the Mangini era, and now it is back).

Quote from: KevShmev on February 08, 2025, 06:09:39 PMThis is my take.  It will probably grow on me, but right now, the song in general doesn't live up to the awesomeness of that riff, which is a beast.  On the flip side, the synth solo is a stark reminder that I haven't really liked that aspect of JR's playing for a long time now, especially when he uses that particular patch (which I grew to really not like in the 00s and was happy when it was mostly went away in the Mangini era, and now it is back).

Also if I recall, he not only used that same patch but started the solo with a dive bomb which he frequently does 

I think this song is the worthy successor to the count of Tuscany. Both Italy based (am I crazy or were those Italian voices at the beginning?) but it seems like this song is in the distant past.
Does anybody have more information on this?

This one went from "meh" to "stankface" really quickly for me. I like it.