For me, every time Arjen Lucassen releases a new Ayreon album, it’s like Christmas. Ever since the release of his 2004 masterpiece The Human Equation, I have never ended up disappointed by any of his releases. Some of them, like the mighty The Theory Of Everything, have been a bit harder to get into than others but the end-result has always been astonishing. Another thing that has helped building up a momentum for his records is ‘who will be the singers this time’ part. For many years, Lucassen made a thing about not using the same singer on two albums which made for a really cool dynamic, something he gave in to on the last record, the brilliant The Source (2017). It takes away some of the fun of it all but it’s really a bagatelle – and it’s also understandable. It can’t be easy to find new voices every time a record is about to be made.
From go, this album wasn’t going to an Ayreon record at all but sometime somewhere when he worked on it, his mind was changed and the project started to get Ayreon-shaped – something I’m happy about. Another thing that’s impressive is that Lucassen has managed to get hold of some really big names for his project – Fish (ex- Marillion), Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), James LaBrie (Dream Theater), John Wetton (Asia, Uriah Heep) and Bob Catley (Magnum) are some of the bigger names that has shown up and on this album none other than Mr Twisted Sister, Dee Snider makes a cameo. One thing that differs this album against the others is the story-line – this has nothing to do with the futuristic, sci-fi space-saga that almost all of the rest of the Ayreon albums are all about. This one is more down-to-earth – a gothic ghost-story and a tale of ill-fated love partially set in the 19th century, with elements of horror and supernatural. The album also comes with an accompanying comic-book. And let’s not forget, the narration comes from one Tom Baker, aka Dr. Who. Kinda impressive, right?
The album opens with the epic, 10-minute plus mini-opera “Fatum Horrificum”, a song that’s split in six pieces – “Graveyard”, “1884”, “Daniel And Abby”, “Fatum”, “Why?” and “Guilty” – which serves as some kind of ouverture, explaining the biggest parts and motives and also the beginning of the story, with Baker setting the story. Musically, it opens slower, acoustically laden with a piano and a soothing melody but also dark, grim and mysterious with an almost industrial touch. Latin lyrics sung by a choir comes in, bringing on an ominous feel but the whole soundscape is bombastic and grandiose. Operatic vocals and violins is soon changed for a more Metal, upbeat and heavy twist. It’s a dramatic and cinematic piece that reveals the fate of Daniel (Tommy Karevik). It also introduces Abby (Cammie Gilbert) having a conversation with her dad Abraham (Johanne James of Threshold). It’s an atmospheric, theatrical and powerful piece of music – and then some!
“Daniel’s Descent Into Transitus”, Karevik’s first solo spot, is slower in pace, slightly orchestrated with classic Ayreon keyboard riffs, dark in atmosphere on a heavy ground. Some eastern flavored melodies brings on a fine contrast and Karevik makes a damn fine contribution here with a dramatic and precise performance with lots of soul. Yes, I really dig this. “Listen To My Story” is more upbeat and straight forward but Lucassen’s melodies are easily recognized. The tune holds some slower tempos as well as a funky bass-line and some big-band, jazzy backing vocals and Simone Simons (Epica) shows up as the Angel Of Death in a duet conversation with Daniel and the pair really connects vocally. Great stuff.
“Two Worlds Now One” is slow, sullen and laid-back with a big Pink Floyd influence all over. It still brings on a nice groove and the soundscape is massive. It’s quite a mellow tune with some smooth guitar-lines which builds a path into a more piano-driven section. The story tells the story of Daniel and Abby’s meeting where they fall in love and the vocal-work from Karevik and Gilbert is simply brilliant. Paul Manzi (Cats In Space) takes the part of Daniel’s brother Henry in “Talk Of The Town”, a track that’s both progressive, sleazy and rocking but also comes with some folky, medieval sounding verses, harpsichord and keys – and a soothing main-melody. The contrasts lifts this catchy and even delightful rocker – very good.
“Old Friend” is a short intermission, a spoken-word over an instrumental section, sullen and a bit saddening and more of an intro to the next track, “Dumb Piece Of Rock” which introduces singer Mike Mills (Toehider) who portraits a statue coming to life to motivate Daniel in his quest. It’s a heavy, pounding and crunchy rocker on a solid beat. It alters between heavy and hard and more acoustic-laden pop-vibes with big, Queen-like harmonies and also holds a Beatles-esque passage. A good track albeit not astonishing. Dee Snider shows up in “Get Out! Now!” as Daniel’s dad. It fits Snider like a glove as it’s the most aggressive, straight-forward and heavy tune on the album – a Heavy Metal belter. It kicks and bites, it’s headbang-friendly and riff-happy with a belting rhythm. It’s also catchy, intense and direct – and damn great! And oh, Joe Satriani guests on guitar as well.
The closing track of the first disc is the short, beautiful ballad “Seven Days, Seven Nights”, a song that works more like an outro than an actual song. This is where the Angel Of Death gives Daniel seven days and seven nights to save his beloved Abby from the other side. If you have followed the actual story, it leaves you hanging waiting for the sequel. I for one became really keen on carrying on to find out what will happen next.
The second disc opens with “Condemned Without A Trial”, an uptempo, heavy and proggy Hard Rock meets Metal tune with symphonic undertones. It’s pretty straight ahead and in-your-face yet dramatic and theatrical and a clear nod towards musical theatre in style. Here Manzi holds a conversation with the villagers where every line is sung by a different voice and the backing choir is huge and song paves way for “Daniel’s Funeral”, a song that alters a laid-back verse with heavier arrangements. The tune starts with a dark, ghostly church-organ, Phantom Of The Opera style but goes into a rough and bouncy direction as well. This ominous and tense piece introduces Lavinia, Abby’s stepmom, played by Amanda Sommerville, who does a brilliant job as usual.
While holding a bit of a groove, “Hopelessly Slipping Away” is subdued and sullen, dramatic and saturnine and while the vocal harmonies are big, it’s an abstemious tune on a bombastic and atmospheric note. It’s an emotional and soulful ballad that centers around Abby and Gilbert delivers an incredible performance. Effusive and affable. “This Human Equation” is an upbeat stomper with a pumping rhythm, chunky guitar-riffs, big-grooved with a clear nod towards Classic Rock and horns added for good measure. Here, the Angel Of Death takes a hard look at humanity together with The Furies (Marcela Bovio and Caroline Westendorp). Even though it’s not the kind of Rock Simons usually does, she totally nails the part. It’s a catchy as damn tune and the melody-arrangements takes us back to the album by the same name. Brilliant.
“Henry’s Plot” is slow, stripped and ambient with piano and vocals and the added strings later brings up the dynamics. It’s a short track, a conversation between Henry and Lavinia, there to takes us further into the story and into “Message From Beyond”, a held-back and mid-paced yet upbeat and slightly groove-laden piece. It holds a sullen vocal-melody, jazzy keyboards and rhythms where Sommerville’s and Gilbert’s duet continues, two voices that contrasts brilliantly. “Daniel’s Vision” is another short, mostly narrative interlude with only a keyboard accompanying the vocal part.
“She Is Innocent” starts out slow and stripped with a vibe of Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra, very dramatic and emotive within the piano and vocals. But the tune gets heavier and punchier, very in-your-face, intense and direct with a dark mood. “Lavina’s Confession” continues the heavier, dark and direct path giving us the chance to look into Lavinia’s and Abraham’s views. Johanne James – usually a drummer – shows some impressive vocal-skills. I didn’t even know the guy could sing. “Inferno” takes a turn into a slow pace, bombastic and and pumping and shows the return of the Latin choir. It’s distinct and effective with a roaring organ, very dramatic where Abraham goes searching for Abby.
“Your Story Is Over” is intense, heavy and captivating and holds some grandiose vocal-melodies. It’s an upbeat and progressive number where the Angel Of Death and her Furies makes one last visit, confronting Lavinia who knows that she’s done. The story takes on a happy yet tragic ending when Abby crosses over in “Abby In Transitus”. Their fates might be tragic but they’re finally reunited and can be together. The song is a slow saddening ballad, short and concise leading us into the grand finale “The Great Beyond”, a huge, dramatic and progressive half-ballad, classic Ayreon style. The tune reprises some of the earlier themes, a usual move in musicals and it makes the tune a more powerful one. The tune ends with same Latin choir that opened the record.
I must admit that since the album is a bit different, both musically and story-wise, I was very disappointed after my first spin. I also thought that the songs themselves really didn’t cut it. However, getting into the story more closely and giving it some more spins, the album grew on me a lot and even though it’s not as strong as mighty efforts as The Human Equation, 01011001 (2008) or The Source (2017), Arjen Lucassen and his guests has brought out another really strong Ayreon album with brilliant performances by everyone involved. Knowing that Arjen originally had planned a script for a movie with a solo album as the soundtrack instead of an Ayeron record, I really hope that this will turn into one – or at least a big musical-theatre show. If it doesn’t stick by the first couple of spins, don’t give up because before you know it, you’ll find it resplendent.
8/10
More Ayreon reviews:
The Theory Of Everything
The Source
Tracklist:
Disc 1
1. Fatum Horrificum
2. Daniel’s Descent Into Transitus
3. Listen To My Story
4. Two Worlds Now One
5. Talk Of The Town
6. Old Friend
7. Dumb Piece Of Rock
8. Get Out! Now!
9. Seven Days Seven Nights
Disc 2
1. Condemned Without A Trial
2. Daniel’s Funeral
3. Hopelessly Slipping Away
4. This Human Equation
5. Henry’s Plot
6. Message From Beyond
7. Daniel’s Vision
8. She Is Innocent
9. Lavinia’s Confession
10. Inferno
11. Your Story Is Over!
12. Abby In Transitus
13. The Great Beyond
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