Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon, Star One etc.)

Night Prowler

Night Prowler

Customer Deathcycle Manager
Staff member
This guy deserves his own thread. I've been going through his discography lately (slowly though) and would really like to do a N00bvivor for his best works. However, doubt I'd have the time anytime soon, but it's an idea :) Anybody interested? Also, will write a review for the new album soon, but until then, some of my favorite Arjen songs:




 
I might be interested. The problem is that his albums are so long and dense, it'd be like a survivor of Astonishings. I would at least give it a try though.

Love the two Star One albums. Some Ayreon is good but I have to be in the right mood for it.
 
Mosh said:
I might be interested. The problem is that his albums are so long and dense, it'd be like a survivor of Astonishings. I would at least give it a try though.
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True dat. Discussion thread instead? We could vote for favorites from each album and then I could compile a best-off Survivor, if there's enough interest. Would take a while to get through all his releases though, he isn't far off from Devin Townsend in terms of productivity (although Devin has more albums I think Arjen's albums are usually much longer). I wouldn't say his albums are Astonishing-like. I think there's only one with all short songs (The Theory Of Everything), but he says it's basically an album of 4 20-minute long songs. I'm mostly interested in doing this (and Devin) to help me get through their discographies; easier when I have someone to discuss the albums with :)
 
Discussion thread would be good. Something like that would have to be during the summer when I'm not so busy though.

What I meant with the Astonishing comparison is that most of his albums are 2+ hour long rock operas with stories and characters etc. They are much more involved than most music and can't really be played as background music.

As far as Devin goes, his albums are shorter and more accessible IMO.
 
Mosh said:
Discussion thread would be good. Something like that would have to be during the summer when I'm not so busy though.
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Cool :ok: I don't think I'll start any new games before July anyway. Plus you need to finish listening to Buckethead :P
 
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Great! I have myself heard only the debut, both Migrators, parts of Theory and the new one (which is awesome). I haven't heard neither Arjen solo (two albums, is it?), Star One, Guilt Machine, Ambeon, the Gentle Storm nor that one album by Stream of Passion with him. Yet I would really like to. If we compare him to Devin, he's definitely closer to my heart, as far as I can tell so far. The volume of their output is surely comparable, though, IMHO.

I don't even think he would start getting on my nerves as Wilson has, so I'd probably be able to participate throughout :D
 
I've heard some Ayreon albums in bits and pieces in the past (the track Dawn of a Million Souls stands out), but after listening to The Source (and really nothing else) for about a week now I can honestly say it is incredible. There isn't a track on it I don't like, and for containing so many songs it flows insanely well (with each song having its own unique flavor).

Every vocalist on here shines, and plays their part in the ridiculously cheesy story well. I've always been a huge fan of Tommy Karevik's crazy runs and Russell Allen's powerful bluesy tones, but even the absurdly over-the-top vocals of Hansi and Tobias fit well here given the story content. I have trouble distinguishing between Simone and Floor, though. There are so many riffs on this album that it's almost overwhelming - the opening track, Everybody Dies, Star of Sirrah, Run! Apocalypse! Run!, Aquatic Race, Into the Ocean - all chock full of catchy heavy moments. The music is so powerful at times that I forget about the lyrics singing of people breathing underwater.

I liked The Source so much that I checked out its direct "sequel," 01011001. While this album is also strong, it suffers from several weak "modern day" tracks that are beyond horrible. The album is also far less heavy than The Source, which isn't to my liking. However, there's still some flowing Celtic melodies and several strong tracks to make up for this.

I've never been a fan of all the power metal bands singing about medieval middle earth stuff, and while this space opera thing is cheesy, too, it's much more interesting to me.
 
I guess Simone has an airier voice, but it's hard to tell with all the layers of synth and stuff. It seems they save Floor for the end of a lot of songs, but I'll have to read the lyrics to be sure.

I'm starting to get obsessed with this album now. I can't get over how magnificently cheesy it is in the first track when Tobias is boasting about how his spaceship can save everyone and Hansi jumps in "Yes! I believe you are the answer! Yes! I believe you aaaaare the key!" I'm just losing it.

Whoever does the robot's voice(s) is incredible, particularly in the first track, Everybody Dies, and Run! Apocalypse! Run! The only guy I'm not a huge fan of is the Prophet, although he's not bad - just not as solid as the rest. Never before, though, have I ever heard an album where I like all the singers and none of them detract from the music whatsoever.
 
Simone's voice is softer. Floor sounds a bit manlier (not, like, manly. Just a bit manlier than Simone :P).
 
I'm a huge Ayreon/Arjen fan, and I have pretty much all his CD's, even some of those he made with Bodine and Vengeance.

I first heard Star one - Space metal from a classmate sometime around 2003. I thought it sounded cool, but I missed some extra heavy Hammond and heavier guitars. The vocals were top notch thought. A few years later I read an article in a magazine about The human equation, just by reading about the man and his music made me so curious what kind of music he did. Ended up buying Universal Migrator, and to my surprise, some of my favorite singers were on those albums! (Dickinson, Scheepers, Kotipelto, Morse, Lione etc.) right away I bought The human equation, Space metal and Into the electric castle, and I was a fan for life.

My favorites are The human equation (sounds like a complete five-course meal), Fate of a dreamer (Beautiful music), Victims of the modern world (finally got those downtuned seven string guitars and Hammond organs), Lost in the new real (his All things must pass) and Take it or leave it (actually a really cool hard rock album).

I have bought The source, but haven't had the time and I have not been in a mood to give it some spins yet.
 
Now its less than a month until Arjen and company hit the stage in Tilburg!

And here are the singers and the instrumentalists:

Vocalists
Floor Jansen - Nightwish
Damian Wilson - Threshold
Hansi Kürsch - Blind Guardian
Tommy Karevik - Kamelot
Anneke van Giersbergen - The Gentle Storm
Marco Hietala - Nightwish
Jonas Renkse - Katatonia
Mike Mills - Toehider
Marcela Bovio - Stream of Passion
Irene Jansen - Ayreon
Robert Soeterboek - Star One
John Jaycee Cuijpers - Praying Mantis
Edward Reekers - Kayak
Jay van Feggelen - Ayreon
Maggy Luyten - Nightmare
Lisette van den Berg - Scarlet Stories


Instrumentalists
Ed Warby - Drums
Johan van Stratum - Bass
Marcel Coenen - Lead guitar
Ferry Duijsens - Guitar
Joost van den Broek - Keyboards
Ben Mathot - Violin
Jeroen Goossens - Flutes, woodwinds
Maaike Peterse - Cello

There will be songs from all Ayreon albums and a few Star One songs. Anyone up to guess the setlist, with those singers?

I think at least these songs will be played:
Sail away to avalon, Dreamtime, Computer eyes, Isis and osiris, the two gates, valley of the queens, My house on mars, dawn of a million souls, into the black hole, isolation, love, the truth is in here, the fifth exctintion, parts of Symmetry, the day the world breaks down, run apocalypse run, songs of the ocean, digital rain
 
Short account by my wife I wholeheartedly agree with:
Yesterday's Ayreon Universe sold-out show was one of the most memorable concerts I've ever visited. So much talent on one podium! Such great and unusual combinations of singers and musicians! Lots of energy, humour, fun, atmosphere and emotions! It was very special to hear all these songs live, and that performed with so much conviction, pleasure and professionalism.
Everyone who is still going - have lots of fun! I know you will! And everyone who is going to miss it - well, you are missing something truly unique. I am glad I was there yesterday!
Now let's wait for the dvd release!
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Wish I could have gone to one of the shows this weekend...the setlist is pretty good thought! Wish they have played Sail away to avalon eith Hansi, it would be very epic!
 
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