Ayreon (+ Star One, Guilt Machine and Ambeon)

[Skidium 15]

Ayreon is a project by Dutch composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen. Ayreon's musical style derives mostly from heavy metal and progressive rock, but combines them with genres like folk, classical and electronica to form what some call a completely new style of music. The majority of Ayreon's albums are dubbed "rock operas" because the albums contain complex storylines featuring a host of characters, each represented by a unique vocalist.

Ayreon's music is characterized by the use of traditional instruments in rock music (guitars, bass guitar, drums, synthesizers, electric organs) mixed with instruments more native to folk and classical music (i.e. mandolins, violins, violas, celli, flutes, sitars and didgeridoo). Lucassen writes the music and the lyrics, sings and plays instruments on all of the Ayreon albums, alongside many guest musicians, but the drums are played by Ed Warby most of the time

Official site, last.fm, wikipedia and finally List of Ayreon guest musicians

Over the years Ayreon has become one of my favorite bands. Arjen makes awesome music and he always chooses perfect singers for each song. Sadly Arjen himself doesn't sing that much, he has nice voice.

And finally one song from every album:

The Banishment [from the The Final Experiment]

Farside Of The World [from the Actual Fantasy Revisited]

[from the Into the Electric Castle]

[from the Universal Migrator Part I: The Dream Sequencer]

Into The Black Hole [from the Universal Migrator Part II: Flight of the Migrator]

Day Three: Pain [from the The Human Equation]

[from the 01011001]

[Guest]

I like Ayreon a lot. I think The Human Equation is his best album, and it is simpely a masterpiece. Into The Electric Castle comes off as a #2. The Final Experiment, The Dream Sequencer, Flight of the Migrator and 01011001 are also good, but nothing compared to the two first I mentioned. Best songs is Hope, Love and Loser. But THE is really an album you gotta listen to from the begining to the end.

Don't care if you like Ayreon or not, but Arjen is simpely a genius. An amazing and extremely talented and original musician. Fuck shitty Dream Theater, this is what Progressive Metal is all about!

Also looking forward to Star One's Victims of the Modern Age. Gonna be fucking great!

[Skidium 15]

I don't know which i like more The Human Equation or The Dream Sequencer. The Dream Sequencer is more important to me because that's the album i first heard, but THE has better songs. And yeah new Star One will be awesome! Earth That Was was such a great song.

Maybe this topic should be for all Arjen's project (will edit later, now i'm too lazy)

[SUBLIMINAL 52]

Ayreon thread?

Tainted World is complete.

My life would be much sadder if there was no Arjen in it. Into the Electric Castle is one of my favourite albums of all time. It's... superb. 01... is a close second solely because it features two of my favourite vocalists and hearing them duet melts my brain.

Another edit! To add that I've been obsessed with Trauma and Pain (as well as Stream of Passion's cover, which isn't as awesome but with its own merits) from The Human Equation. I'm sure I'm infuriating my neighbours playing them over and over and over and you get the idea.

[Guest]

Well. What THE has that the others doesn't is a Devin Townsend that's screaming the living shit out of himself on Loser and a Ken Hensley that's showing off his amazing skills and creativity in the same song. So fucking great! It's also less metal and more rock than the previous records.

Yeah! But I hope people know the difference between Arjen's project and the stuff he's just involved with.

[Vurtox 3]

Arjen's a great, great musician. He is exactly what prog needs.

Guilt Machine is one of my favorite Arjen projects, despite Jasper's vocals annoying the shit out of me most of the time. I'm stoked for the new Star One supposedly Dan Swano's vocal preformance is spectacular.

As for Ayreon, The Dream Sequencer Pt. 1-2 are my all time favorites when it comes to albums and Y comes in a close third. I like Human Equation because it's something outside of the normal perimeters of Arjen's work in Ayreon but still "feels" the same as the other albums.

Arjen's voice reminds me of David Bowie which is a good, good thing.

[Skidium 15]

So has anyone yet listened new Star One album?

I just got my copy yesterday and of course it turned out to be awesome, without doubt Arjen's heaviest project. All the singer are awesome i especially liked Dan Swanö and i finally learned to like Damian Wilson's vocals , favorite song from the album would be Cassandra Complex or It All Ends Here. And it is also nice that Arjen sings one song

[Vurtox 3]

Earth That Was is the best song. Seriously, Firefly + Arjen = sex.

I got my deluxe digibook and t-shirt coming to me soon, if Canada Post deciedes to deliver it. D: I'm uber excited to finally get it.

[Prism 8]

Dan Swanö is fantastic in everything he does. Exceptional performance on Victims. Much preferred this album over Space Metal, personally.

[Bear 1817]

 

 

The Gentle Storm is a Dutch musical project by singer and lyricist Anneke van Giersbergen and composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen, founder and leader of other musical projects such as Star One, Ayreon, Guilt Machine and Ambeon. The duo has previously collaborated in Ayreon albums Into the Electric Castle and 01011001. The project's debut release, The Diary, is set for a March 2015 release and will consist of a double album, with the first part being a metal work and the second one bringing a lighter, folk approach

 

 

From what I understand we'll get the same songs in a metallic version on one CD, and a folky version on the second CD. Sounds decent.

[eiheartx 1310]

With Anneke behind a mic I'm sure it'll be a delight to hear (especially the folks songs) but seriously, the one who's got the idea for this videoclip should burn in hell (not sure if it's atrocious or ridiculous. Or both).

I'm waiting to hear this, mainly by curiosity.

 

edit 20/03

the album has leaked online. I thought I would enjoy the gentle side with Anneke's voice and all the folk habits but sadly both sides are annoying as fuck (mainly because of the songs). The songs are so poor, I'm bored to death (and even Anneke's efforts can't save the sinking ship). I find nothing enjoyable. Very disappointing.

[Bear 1817]

The Source is Ayreon's best album since Universal Migrator. This is his most metallic, guitar-oriented and epic album since Universal Migrator, sounding more grand than the previous more progressive rock-esque oriented albums. Which is a pleasant surprise.

 

I gotta admit that I gre bored with recent outputs as time moved on. I loved The Human Equation back when it was new, but it's an album I never listen to anymore and neither 01011001 nor The Theory of Everything managed to grab me at all. I always end up going back to Into the Electric Castle, The Universal Migrator and The Final Experiment whenever I want some Ayreon.

Edited April 26, 2017 by Bear