I think we all like the dark edit version of Silent Tomorrow, it's just that when it was first proposed that we add that track to the album, it was only supposed to be for a limited pressing. Then it wound up being on every single U.S. pressing. Then the European distributor (Pavement) insisted that they wanted the track on their version as well. So what was supposed to be just a limited edition track wound up being basically a part of the album, period...and it was never intended to be by us. As far as I'm concerned, "The Knowing" ends with Aura Blue. That dark edit Silent Tomorrow is just a bonus track, separate from the rest of the album. Eric is right that the album truly should have ended with that piano bit. Being that it's a concept album, when we first recorded it I always thought of that piano section at the end of Aura Blue as being akin to like, the end credits of a movie. Silly perhaps but that's what I envisioned when Eric played it and placed it there at the end of the song (and album).
I too like listening to, and creating, music that has more than just the basic "metal" instrumentation, which is why we've always added those flourishes to our songs. Sometimes it's tricky when in the studio, making the decision where to hold back on that stuff, because you can run the risk of adding too much that you won't be able to replicate later on stage. I love keyboards, and when they're used properly, they're incredibly effective. I'd love to add more organ and shit to our songs, since I'm a big fan of it's sound and of bands like Deep Purple, ELP, etc. Problem is now, Opeth have made that a pretty major feature in their sound as well with Per joining the fold!! Just every which way we turn, we can't escape it hahaha
Anyhow, there'll be keyboards and other interesting sounds on the new disc, as always, and as always we'll try to include those things in new and different ways than we have in the past.
