Ayreon - your thoughts?

[karelrulez]

I really like Ayreon (Arjen's) music, PLUS he's Dutch like me! I once sent him an e-mail to compliment him, and that I really liked his music. He sent me one back the day after, really nice.

I own the following:
Into The Electric Castle
Dream Sequencer
The Universal Migrator
Star One
Star One: Live On Earth
The Human Equation

I think it's pretty much all A+ stuff, I was into THE for quite some time, but now I feel I've overplayed it too much. I couldn't get into ITEC first, but now I'm somehow getting more and more into it, it's very good, atmospheric, heavy, and I prefer the production of ITEC to THE's. I think it sounds more 'open'.

 

[SilentRealm]

I havent even heard of Ambeon, and Stream of Passion didnt do it for me personally.

However, although I havent heard all of his work I think Arjen is pretty much genius at what he does. I dont love all of THE (theres very few albums that I love all of anyway so this doesnt bother me) - but the concept is brilliant, the singers are amazing and I think Arjen did a phenomenal job all round. My favourites on this are 'Pain', 'Trauma', 'Accident' and 'Loser'.

As for cheesiness, this used to bother me (and still does with some bands) but for Ayreon, the cheesy songs are the best! Some of my absolute favourites are 'Intergalactic Space Crusader' and 'Spaced Out' - now thats as cheesy as it gets but listening to it puts me in the best mood, and its also really fun to sing along with.

I do love TFE - its fun for the more laid back rock thing, and more of my favourite songs are 'The Eyes of Time' and 'The Banishment'.

I think Arjens lyrics, although not perfect, are quite often still better than alot of bands out there, and his main strength I feel is his concepts and the way he can get the best out of his singers and musicians.

 

[Kenneth R.]

My favourites on this are 'Pain', 'Trauma', 'Accident' and 'Loser'.
Some of my absolute favourites are 'Intergalactic Space Crusader' and 'Spaced Out' - now thats as cheesy as it gets but listening to it puts me in the best mood, and its also really fun to sing along with.

get out of my head. I need a Master of darkness

 

[SilentRealm]

 

[RobbM]

Yeah, SoP isnt that great at all, I dont know why mabie it was cause I was expecting it to sound a lot like Ayreon...

Here's a small clip of Ambeon for you, its much, much better than SoP.
http://www.ayreon.com/media/mp3/fate_of_a_dreamer_astrid_van_der_veen_02.mp3

 

[Tubbs]

I obviously really like Ayreon. I've heard of the Ayreon albums except for the Final Experiment.

I want to hear Ambeon/Star One/Anything else he is in.

 

[RobbM]

All you have to do is go to ayreon.com and he as tons of sample clips of everything...

 

[Tubbs]

I know, but I want the full albums.

 

[Matt]

I bought Final Experiment, and I didnt like it much. It was kind of- ..............................................weird. I dunno, just didnt like it.

 

[Tubbs]

It took me a while to get into it.

Usually people who like bands like Opeth also enjoy Ayreon more than the Symphony X fans.

It's just the way it is, I suppose.

 

[Thraxz]

Usually people who like bands like Opeth also enjoy Ayreon more than the Symphony X fans.

Ummm.... no.

 

[Rose Immortal]

Ayreon. Friggin. Rules.

I do happen to be into Opeth, but I introduced The Electric Castle to someone who isn't even a metal fan that I know of and it was a hit.

 

[Taliwakker]

I love Arjen and pretty much everything he's done since Vengeance. The Human Equation is probably the best album released in the last 10 years.
Cheesy lyrics have never bothered me...i grew up on 80's glam.

 

[Thraxz]

THE is probably one of the deepest albums in 20 years IMHO.

 

[SilentRealm]

Usually people who like bands like Opeth also enjoy Ayreon more than the Symphony X fans.

yeah no I have actually found the opposite is true (which makes more sense to me also). I've found people more open to Symphony X are usually more open to Ayreon whereas people who are usually more open to Opeth are closed to both Ayreon and Symphony X.

This I've thought is because SyX and Ayreon both have that odd factor that often comes with prog, and although Opeth have adopted that in their latest album their style before that was far more straight forward. Mind you I also find most people who like the old Opeth hate the new (took me quite a while to get used to it too I admit). I might be wrong but thats my understanding.

 

[SilentRealm]

Ok I found one Ambeon song on Ares (oops, I mean.. I dont..download..*looks around*) and is the voice in that the same as in The Final Experiment? I think it is, unfortunately I could never find her voice appealing so I dont think I will like Ambeon either

 

[RobbM]

No, but she did one song on the special acoustic disk of the same album, track 1. She also did Temple of the Cat.

 

[SilentRealm]

the song i got is called estranged.. im sure its her voice.. its pretty hard to mistake..

 

[Jax]

Ambeon is a young girl (I believe she was like 14 or so when the cd was done) named Astrid; Arjen discovered her many years after TFE, AFAIK.

 

[Rose Immortal]

yeah no I have actually found the opposite is true (which makes more sense to me also). I've found people more open to Symphony X are usually more open to Ayreon whereas people who are usually more open to Opeth are closed to both Ayreon and Symphony X.

I think some depends on how you get into Opeth. I first got into it from prog, stuff like Pink Floyd, not metal. Oddly enough, Opeth was my first metal band!

This I've thought is because SyX and Ayreon both have that odd factor that often comes with prog, and although Opeth have adopted that in their latest album their style before that was far more straight forward. Mind you I also find most people who like the old Opeth hate the new (took me quite a while to get used to it too I admit). I might be wrong but thats my understanding.

I definitely don't listen to Opeth's first 2 albums as much. They're not bad, though, and everything from MAYH forward I fell in love with right away.