Dickinson, LaBrie, Ackerfleldt....anyone familiar with band Ayreon?

[SoundMaster]

Has anyone heard the music of a Dutch band named Ayreon?

I read some strong reviews & grabbed their 2004 release, "The Human Equation" earlier this week. And I must say, it's my fav release of 2004! It's that good!

If I understand correctly, the "band" is really one man (whose name I currently forget) who plays ALL instruments, sans the drums.

The vocalists are many.
On the 2004 'Human Equation' album, "lead" vocals are shared by no less than 10 singers, including Mikael from Opeth, LaBrie from Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Devon from Dead Soul Tribe/Psychotic Waltz, three females from various bands (a Mexican pop band, for one), etc.
It's amazing!!

The music is a combo of the following:
- progressive metal
- progressive 70s rock
- 80s metal (power?)
- late 60s psychadelic
- minor hints of death
- folk
- some pop elements
- more melody than you can imagine
and much more!!

Bruce Dicksinson sang on their last record, as did Aneke van Geirsbergen of The Gathering (two of rock's BEST EVER voices)!
I shall pick this one up shortly!!

I highly recommend "The Human Equation" to fans of ANY genre!

 

[carnut]

Same goes here, my fav 2004 recording too...Also check out his earlier releases, like "flight of the migrator" !!!
For people that haven't heard the "Human Equation" yet, go and buy it now, sorry...NOW !! Try to get the box with booklet and DVD !!

 

[Kenneth R.]

his name is Arjen Anthony Lucassen (sp)

and yes, they rock.

if you liked Ayreon, check out his space version, Star One. awesome metal.

 

[MetalAges]

Ayreon/Star One is amazing stuff. Personally while I like Human Equation...I like his albums "Into the Electric Castle" and "The Universal Migrator" (2 separate CDs) series. It's some of the more unique Metal/Prog music around these days in my opinion.

 

[Wyvern]

I have been raving about Ayreon here since the dawn of time. Anthony Arjen Lucassen is IMO one of the greatest composers in prog/metal of today. Ayreon, Ambeon, Star One and his numerous collaborations plus his history with Bodine and Vengeance makes him a glory of Dutch rock and a great underrated figure.

For those who are new to Ayreon a good chance comes these days as his albums have been reissued/remastered. I already have them, but I recommend for those who haven't to get the remasters as the rhythm section of Peter Vink/Ed Warby (ex-Gorefest) just smokes.

To name a few people who have worked with Arjen at some time:

Lenny Wolf (Kingdom Come)
Ian Parry (Elegy, Consortium, Vengeance)
Barry Hay (Golden Earring)
Fish (ex-Marillion, Fish)
Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation)
Damian Wilson (ex-Threshold, Rick Wakeman)
Anneke Van Giesbergen (The Gathering)
Johan Edlund (Tiamat)
Floor Janssen (After Forever)
Lana Lane
Neal Morse (ex-Spock's Beard, Neal Morse)
Mark McCrite (Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane)
Clive Nolan (Arena)
Erik Norlander (Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane)
Russel Allen (Symphony X)
Ralf Scheepers (ex-Gamma Ray, Primal Fear)
Andi Deris (Helloween)
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Fabio Leone (Rhapsody)
Timo Kotipelto (ex-Stratovarius, Kotipelto)
Michael Romeo (Symphony X)
Gary Wehrkamp (Shadow Gallery)
Gary Hughes (Ten)
James La Brie (Dream Theater, Mullmuzzler)
Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth)
Mike Baker (Shadow Gallery)
Devin Townsend (SYL)
Dan Swano (a lot of stuff)
Dave Brock (Hakwind)
Jens Johansson (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen, Stratovarius)
Joost van den Broek (Sun Caged)
Magnus Ekwall (The Quill)
Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep)
Oliver Wakeman
Eric Clayton (Saviour Machine)
Devon Graves (Dead Soul Tribe)
...and I got tired

Look at the rooster, the guy is a who is who in prog/metal!

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Oh, yes, Soundmaster! I got The Human Equation as soon as it came out as I was already intimately familiar with Arjen's work. THE is definitely my pick for best album of 2004 and will certainly end up high on the "best of all time" list.

If you like the folky, medieaval storylines, look up Final Experiment and Into the Electric Castle. Those are huge prog albums with multiple singers and musical styles that stretch the gamut. Those are my two favorite Ayreon albums, with the exception of THE.

The Star One project kicks ass too, but it's more straight forward metal than most of his stuff; still a little proggy, but laden with killer keyboards riffs that remind you of Star Trek or Star Wars. It is indeed "space metal"!

You really can't go wrong with any of Arjen's music. The man is a master songwriter and is the only man I've found that even competes with my fave songwriter of all time, Jon Oliva. Those two guys are gods, at least in my eyes and ears.

 

[Jean-Pierre]

I find Arjen's work to be vastly overrated. The only Ayreon release I haven't heard is "Electric Castle."

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

I find Arjen's work to be vastly overrated. The only Ayreon release I haven't heard is "Electric Castle."

Damn, there's alway at least one apple in the barrel with a worm in it! :Smug:

What don't you like about Ayreon? Just wondering, because from your list of bands in the sig, we hail from the same background for the most part. Can't imagine anyone coming from my background not liking Ayreon, unless it's just too much "thinking" music for them.

Do you think his songwriting sucks? Is there too much mellow folk stuff? Too much keyboard/synth? Too much prog? Too much thinking, not enough rocking?

Just wondering where you're comin' from, man!

 

[SickBoy]

My most favorite release would be "Universal Migrator pt.2 - Flight Of The Migrator"! Every single second is as perfect as it gets, the whole album is a masterpiece and the guests perfectly blended in their roles. Even Kotipelto, whose singing I can't stand, sounded the best I've ever heard from him and fit in his song as a glove. Star One is my second favorite Lucassen's release, great guests and that "We have found the seventh sign..." choral line from The Eye Of Ra floors me every time, especially "Live on Earth" DVD

 

[Wyvern]

that "We have found the seventh sign..." choral line from The Eye Of Ra floors me every time, especially "Live on Earth" DVD

Ain't that something to :hotjump: for? That concert is pure genius, and to hear Floor Jansen rendition of 'Valley Of The Queens' plus the part you mentioned just bring me to orgasm