If you say the word “vacation” to Arjen Anthony Lucassen he’d probably have to use a dictionary to understand what that is. The Dutch guitarist/song-writer/composer/producer must be busy 24/7 when you think of all the mastodon projects he gets himself into – and it not like he reaches out for any major help doing them either. His main-project is without any doubt Ayreon but every now and then he breaks away from that to create something else – Ambeon, Guilt Machine, Stream Of Passion and his solo records comes to mind. And of course Star One, one of the most popular projects of his. Two albums is what has come out of Lucassen prior to this one, the last one released 12 years ago – Victims Of The Modern Age (2010), the follow up the the 2002 debut Space Metal.
Where Ayreon is a sci-fi full-on prog-hard rock-metal project, Star One is more straight ahead and focuses more on the Metal side of things. Of course, just like Ayreon, this album features different lead singers on all tracks and this album is also released as a double album where the bonus-record contains different singers on the songs. Also some guest players has joined Lucassen and drummer Ed Warby here. Adrian Vandenberg (ex -Whitesnake), Michael Romeo (Symphony X), Steve Vai, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Sons Of Apollo) and Timo Somers (Delain) contributes with some guitar solos and Jens Johansson (Rising Force, Stratovarius, Rainbow) and Alessandro Del Vecchio (Edge Of Forever) guests on keyboards amongst others. Instead of the usual sci-fi inspirations, each song is inspired by a movie – a pretty rad concept if you ask me.
The opener and single “Fate Of Man” brings on the big punch with its solid rhythms and rough-edged riffing. It’s an uptempo metal tune, quite straight-forward but there’s also pompous keyboards with some progressive touches. The vocals are handled by one Brittney Slayes from Canadian Power Metal outfit Unleash The Archers (Marcela Bovio sings on CD 2), both does a great job. It’s a no-bull, in-your-face rocker – inspired by The Terminator – that holds a great live-vibe. A damn good track.
Inspired by the movie Donnie Darko, “28 Days (Till The End Of Time)” features Symphony X singer Russell Allen (John Jaycee Cuijpers on CD 2), a singer who’s been involved in Star One – and Ayreon – before. It’s a darker song in a slower pace that holds a tight, fat and heavy rhythm but also some spacey keyboards and held-back vocals. It’s quite a dramatic 7 minute plus number with heavy guitar riffs, some of them slightly reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s “Children Of The Grave” where the solo-part goes total Heavy Metal on us. The chorus screams Lucassen for miles and hits home without missing a hook. Very good.
Another single, “Prescient” (inspired by Primer) features singer Micheal Mills (Toehider) and Russ Jennings (Haken) (Will Shaw on CD 2) and is a big, bombastic and pompous number albeit the verses takes on a ballad outlook. It’s prog-laden, it holds an acoustic flare which gives it a slightly folky touch. It’s down-beat and a bit low-key but it’s also cinematic in a heavy way, not at all unlike Ayreon with its vocal-harmonies and pompy keyboards. The song alters between the heavy rhythms and low-key arrangements all throughout the song with distinctive melodies where the chorus is really spot-on. A great tune.
“Back From the Past” – yes, this is Back To The Future indeed – has Jeff Scott Soto on vocals with Cuijpers on CD 2 – and this song is a more straight ahead classic Hard Rock number, like a heavier Deep Purple with prog-like elements woven in here and there. It’s a riff-happy number with an intense groove and melodies that strikes hard and sticks right away. Bumblefoot delivers a razor-sharp solo that fits right into the songs Classic Rock vibes. It might be straight forward Hard Rock but always keeps Lucassen’s personal melody arrangements. Good one.
The latest single and title-track is based on Bill & Ted Excellent Adventures and has Brandon Yeagley (Crobot) at the mike (Cuijpers again on CD 2) and also has Adrian Vandenberg throwing in a melodic and striking guitar solo on both versions. It’s a dark and heavy track with ominous, Tony Iommi influenced riffing. With a thunderous and pounding rhythm the song also brings us some effective and distinct vocal-melodies and some huge backing vocals: The song might be based on a not so serious movie but it never gets close to bogus. This is excellent. Dude.
“The Year Of ’41” blends some proggy vibes with a big-grooved rhythm and chunky rhythms and becomes a rhythmic Prog infected Classic Rock stomper. Joe Lynn Turner does a magnificent job vocally here – as he always does – and Jens Johansson’s keyboard parts are plain masterful. Alessandro Del Vecchio is on CD 2 both as a singer and keyboardist. Inspired by The Final Countdown – the movie, not the song – it has some prominent Melodic Rock flirting vocal melodies and a big chorus that’s catchier than the stuff Lucassen usually brings out. Easily one of the best tunes on this record.
The mid-paced “Bridge Of Life”, based on Frequency, has ex- Threshold singer Damian Wilson up front (Wilmer Warbroek on CD 2) bringing on an awesome performance. Big on spacey keyboards and an organ bringing on the dynamics, it could easily fit an Ayeron record style-wise. With a more held-back verse that paves way for a massive chorus inside a large soundscape – helped by the big backing voices – the song might need an extra spin too stick but when it sticks, man it sure do stick. Great tune.
Taking on Groundhog Day, “Today Is Yesterday” is the most frantic Metal number on the album. Edge Of Sanity’s Dan Swanö holds the vocals on this tune (Arjen himself sings on CD 2). It’s gritty, thrashy, aggressive and heavy with stone-hard and edgy riffage throughout the tune. The blending of the humorous lyrics and Death Metal influenced growls creates a splendid dynamic but it also must be said that even here Lucassen’s personal melodies comes out prominent so while it’s an in-your-face metal-belter, it’s also quite melodic. Great tune.
Mixing Metal and Classic Rock, “A Hand On The Clock” covers the movie Source Code with Nightwish voice Floor Jansen nailing it as always. The second CD has Marcela Bovio and Irene Jansen doing the vocals. The song altering heavy and fast with slower paces but always holding on to the fat rhythms. A Hammond organ solo signed Joost Van Den Broek right out of Jon Lord’s back-pocket is another magnificent part of this monster tune. The chorus brings on some mastodon backing vocals as well making it huge and memorable in the vein of Lucassen’s personal way of writing hooky choruses. Very good.
For the fourth time but the the first time on CD 1, John Jaycee Cuijpeers (Praying Mantis) takes the lead vocals and unleashes his inner Ronnie James Dio for the Sapphire & Steel inspired “Beyond The Edge Of It All” – Mike Anderson takes the vocals on CD 2. The song starts out with a synth-riff and then continues on a slow pace, heavy and dark yet rhythmic and beefy with a gritty guitar riff and a pumping bass. It also brings on some prog-metal moments that blends splendidly with the big and grandiose chorus while Arjen himself delivers a phenomenal guitar solo. Very good.
Based on Interstellar, the single/video “Lost Children Of The Universe” has former Kamelot singer Roy Khan delivering the goods vocally and has ex- Black Sabbath singer Tony Martin doing the same on CD 2. This nine minute epic beast of a song starts out with a Hammond intro that brings Purple’s “Child In Time” to mind. It’s a dramatic and at times operatic number with a big chanting choir that’s carried by a fat and dark foundation with some earthy and edgy guitars – and the highly dramatic and gorgeous guitar solo delivered by Steve Vai is, of course, nothing short of terrific. The song ends in a progressive way on a low-key note with only vocals and a Purple-like organ. As a huge Tony Martin fan, I prefer the CD 2 version but not shadows cast over Khan who does a terrific job. A great tune no matter which version you choose.
In the world of Arjen Lucassen I can only state – and this is meant in the most positive way – that everything is same, same but different. What I mean by that is that it’s easy to spot that this is an Arjen Lucassen project through and through both in song structure and when it comes to melodies but while Ayreon is based on a theme or a story as rock-operas with huge progressive arrangements, Star One is more straight ahead Metal meets Hard Rock and there’s no storyline going through album – every song here stands on its own two feet. I might prefer Ayreon personally but that doesn’t mean I have anything against Star One. I don’t. Quite the contrary. This is a killer record, greatly produced and performed by all musicians and the vocal work on both albums are world-class. Great stuff.
8/10
Tracklist:
1. Fate Of Man
2. 28 Days (Till The End Of Time)
3. Prescient
4. Back From The Past
5. Revel In Time
6. The Year Of ’41
7. Bridge Of Life
8. Today Is Yesterday
9. A Hand On The Clock
10. Beyond The Edge Of It All
11. Lost Children Of The Universe
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