Ayreon/Arjen Lucassen Thread (Star Three on the way)

[ErHaO]

Well, in my experience he is relatively unknown amongst Dutch metal fans even, so I doubt many people not into this type of music even know or recall him. Hell, I even know a guy who was into Stream of Passion and had no clue about Ayreon. DWDD frequently has niche artists from all kinds of genres (usually not prog/metal though). It is one of the reasons I enjoy that program so much, because there are frequently some surprising bits of non-mainstream art. While it probably helped get him some publicity back then, I don't think it is an indication of how well he is known.

He has a loyal fanbase for sure, but in my experience even within the metal/rock circles he isn't that well known (that said, I don't know many people into prog, prog rock/metal lovers probably know him). But this is obviously anecdotal and not based on any real statistics. I do think recently he has gained some extra traction amongst younger listeners though. In a time with social media, having a shitton of different artists on your albums and have them share it/hype it works really well.

[Ben_Jamin]

Well, those of us whom pre-ordered are gonna be getting shipping notifications soon. Haven't received my email yet, just the email letting us know its at the warehouse in the US. Yay..

[Nick]

Well, those of us whom pre-ordered are gonna be getting shipping notifications soon. Haven't received my email yet, just the email letting us know its at the warehouse in the US. Yay..

Yeah, at this point the only thing I have to be thankful for is that I'm only one state away from the warehouse. I'd also like to hope that they ship the bigger orders first. Call me greedy, but I think after dropping money on the super deluxe mega fan set I should at least get priority in the shipping order!

[Nick]

Anyone have their stuff ship yet?

[MirrorMask]

Got the album, at first it didn't appeal too much to me, but now it's starting to grow.

The Dream Dissolves is such a beautiful track.

[Ben_Jamin]

Anyone have their stuff ship yet?

Nope...nothing yet. Hopefully today they'll be spinning those hamsters fast.

[jingle.boy]

Anyone have their stuff ship yet?

Nope.  Nada.  Nuthin.

Thoroughly unimpressed.

[Cyclopssss]

[Nick]

That was May 10th. I would like to think that after the delay they would have made this priority 1, 2, and 3, and we wouldn't be sitting here 5 days later waiting for it to arrive, much less ship.

[jingle.boy]

[ronnibran]

One would "think" that the company behind this would be making the delivery of these a priority, even if for just future sales, reputation, etc.

Not that I would have cancelled my order, but I found it shady that they knew of the issue and waited until release day to let it be known.  And give a download code to probably make it all but impossible for anyone to cancel their order after impulsively doing the download.

It's all fine and good, I just have my doubts at this point that I'll get all that I was supposed to get (t-shirt, signed cd, etc).  (I'm sure I will, I'm just lowering my expectations so I'm somewhat pleased when I actually get what I ordered).

[ronnibran]

That was May 10th. I would like to think that after the delay they would have made this priority 1, 2, and 3, and we wouldn't be sitting here 5 days later waiting for it to arrive, much less ship.

I could have just agreed with you - didn't read it haha

[Nick]

Six days is not ASAP.

I have off tomorrow, perhaps I'll just make a day trip to Albany and pick my shit up. Grrr.

[goo-goo]

Six days is not ASAP.

I have off tomorrow, perhaps I'll just make a day trip to Albany and pick my shit up. Grrr.

I forgot about this release LOL. I still haven't received any notification.

[Evermind]

My copy of the earbook has just arrived! I'm finally going to be able listen to this tomorrow evening.

[Ben_Jamin]

My copy of the earbook has just arrived! I'm finally going to be able listen to this tomorrow evening.

Did you get a shipping notification? Because I haven't got nothing yet.

[CB]

The Day That The World Breaks Down Brickfilm 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnNTu_3iek4

[Evermind]

My copy of the earbook has just arrived! I'm finally going to be able listen to this tomorrow evening.

Did you get a shipping notification? Because I haven't got nothing yet.

Yes, I've got it on April 23rd I believe. But I'm in Russia, not in the US, so I suppose my order just took that long to ship.

[Nick]

The wait is almost over they said...

We'll ship out your shit asap they said...

[Ben_Jamin]

I wonder what the hold up is this time. Still waiting for an email...

[Nick]

I wonder what the hold up is this time. Still waiting for an email...

Saved me my daily bitch, thanks.

My great hope now is that instead of the two shipping notices we were promised we get none, and it's just waiting at home for me.

[Crow]

so the album is just okay

I dunno it's not really doing that much for me but its fine

[Ben_Jamin]

I wonder what the hold up is this time. Still waiting for an email...

Saved me my daily bitch, thanks.

My great hope now is that instead of the two shipping notices we were promised we get none, and it's just waiting at home for me.

That'd be great. I just want to watch the behind the scenes stuff.

[jakepriest]

I really enjoy most of the songs up to Deathcry of a Race. Once that ends, there's probably not a single song I would consider good unfortunately.

I really have to praise Tobias and Hansi's vocal performances though. They are what saves this album for the most part. On the other hand Tommy Rogers doesn't impress me at all (which is not surprising since I find him incredibly mediocre even in BTBAM).

[goo-goo]

Just got it today in the mail in Texas. I didn't get any of the shipping confirmarion emails.

[Ben_Jamin]

Just got it today in the mail in Texas. I didn't get any of the shipping confirmarion emails.

Hmm...maybe I should check my mail as well.

[Nick]

Just got it today in the mail in Texas. I didn't get any of the shipping confirmarion emails.

RAGE.

I literally read this post, turned, and saw the mailwoman coming up the sidewalk. No dice. Not sure how We're getting from New York to Texas before Pennsylvania, but at least there is finally some evidence of these being in the mail.

[ronnibran]

Never got a shipping confirmation e-mail, but my package arrived today.  Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Hopefully everyone gets theirs soon.

[jingle.boy]

Yeah, I see people on FB posting that they've received theirs as well.  Fingers crossed it'll come sometime this week.

[Ben_Jamin]

If he got his in Texas mine should be here Monday, hopefully.

[Kwyjibo]

Didn't have much time to listen to The Source in depth over the last couple days but slipped in a casual listen or two. It really is starting to grow. Don't know where it will end up in a final ranking but I'm really liking this one. And I get a lot of Star One and 010101 associations when listening to it.

Mike Mills is great, JLB has mostly quieter parts and I'm a bit underwhelmed. He's good but not used to his full potential.

All in all there are soms great vocal arrangements that I haven't heard on previous Ayreon records. Maybe the choir arrangements and additional choir pieces on The Theater Equation had rubbed off on Arjen?

[wolfking]

Decided to pick a copy of this up on the weekend.  Only heard a couple of songs but sounds promising.  Not sure what the go was with past albums, I'll have to check, but I find it weird in the booklet that it doesn't list solo credits.  With the likes of Gilbert and Guthrie in there, you'd think it would state where and what songs they play leads on.  I'm sure it will be easy enough to figure out, but I just found that odd.

[Kwyjibo]

Yeah, I thought that was weird as well. You can easily recognize them when they are playing but still. And the vocalists are listed very detailed, so why not the guest musicians

Gilbert plays on Star of Sirrah and Guthrie on Planet Y. Coenen and Mark Kelly play on The Dream Dissolves. And while I really like all those guest solos they go on a bit too long for me. If they were shorter and more condensed I'm sure they were even better.

[ErHaO]

Didn't have much time to listen to The Source in depth over the last couple days but slipped in a casual listen or two. It really is starting to grow. Don't know where it will end up in a final ranking but I'm really liking this one. And I get a lot of Star One and 010101 associations when listening to it.

Mike Mills is great, JLB has mostly quieter parts and I'm a bit underwhelmed. He's good but not used to his full potential.

All in all there are soms great vocal arrangements that I haven't heard on previous Ayreon records. Maybe the choir arrangements and additional choir pieces on The Theater Equation had rubbed off on Arjen?

Yeah, I agree James isn't used to full potential, though his performances are good in what they set to achieve.

[CB]

Didn't have much time to listen to The Source in depth over the last couple days but slipped in a casual listen or two. It really is starting to grow. Don't know where it will end up in a final ranking but I'm really liking this one. And I get a lot of Star One and 010101 associations when listening to it.

Mike Mills is great, JLB has mostly quieter parts and I'm a bit underwhelmed. He's good but not used to his full potential.

All in all there are soms great vocal arrangements that I haven't heard on previous Ayreon records. Maybe the choir arrangements and additional choir pieces on The Theater Equation had rubbed off on Arjen?

Yeah, I agree James isn't used to full potential, though his performances are good in what they set to achieve.

Agreed. I think it was never Arjen's intention to use him to his full potential. Arjen loves the soft side of JLBs voice the most and he mentioned in several interviews that he needed James' warm emotional voice for the part of the Historian, especially to start some of the songs.

What's a bit funny imo is that JLB recorded his vocals for The Source in the basement of his house with a guy named Braeden Kozy who is, I think, a member of his son's band Falset, and JLBs vocals sound as amazing as everything Arjen Lucassen recorded himself in his great studio!