Holy shit! This album is really good! Apparently I needed more trans rock/metal in my life!

Appreciate the recommendation!

you absolutely have to humanize your enemies and know what makes them tick and understand that there is a common humanity and that they have aspirations and dreams and the ability to suffer if you want to be really cruel to them effectively

Most of my favorite uses of it are from Savatage, like the songs "Chance" and "Hourglass" Never doesn't hit me in the feels.

I'm just such a massive nerd for choirs in metal doing counterpoint melody (I think that's the right term)

Omg, I haven't listened to this album in so long. Appreciate the trip down memory lane. That ending floored me the first time I heard it. I need to go back and listen to this tomorrow.