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

[abydos]

The beginning reminded me of Sfogli, the middle-end of Vai.

The beginning reminded me of JP, Sfogli's guitar twin Would love to hear Sfogli on more stuff.

Haha, yeah. But somehow, I don't think JP would do it. Does he ever do guest spots? At least I don't remember any, which is why I assumed Sfogli.

[nattmorker]

The beginning reminded me of Sfogli, the middle-end of Vai.

The beginning reminded me of JP, Sfogli's guitar twin Would love to hear Sfogli on more stuff.

Haha, yeah. But somehow, I don't think JP would do it. Does he ever do guest spots? At least I don't remember any, which is why I assumed Sfogli.

I only remember his guest solo on a Periphery song.

[goo-goo]

JP has also played in a Derek Sherinian solo album. Snippet sounds like JP playing. My 2nd guess would be Steve Vai.

[The Letter M]

The beginning reminded me of Sfogli, the middle-end of Vai.

The beginning reminded me of JP, Sfogli's guitar twin Would love to hear Sfogli on more stuff.

Haha, yeah. But somehow, I don't think JP would do it. Does he ever do guest spots? At least I don't remember any, which is why I assumed Sfogli.

JP did a guest solo on the first Explorers Club album, Age Of Impact.

He was also on Jordan Rudess' album Wired For Madness. Also appeared on the Bryan Beller album Scenes From The Flood. And that's just from looking at the last two pages of his writing/performances credits on his discogs page.

-Marc.

[abydos]

Well, it was Satriani after all.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

That's awesome! 

[ErHaO]

Dianne does great operatic vocals, but I do hope she will be utilized for more. And

Johannes from Threshold was very unexpected, but the samples sound really nice! I'll be honest, I think I prefer his voice to their actual current singer based on that. Is there more material of his singing out there? (Not saying he is a better singer than Glenn btw, sometimes someones tone just resonates with you and other times not).

[Lethean]

Johanne, no s, and Glynn.

[Fritzinger]

Dianne does great operatic vocals, but I do hope she will be utilized for more. And

Johannes from Threshold was very unexpected, but the samples sound really nice! I'll be honest, I think I prefer his voice to their actual current singer based on that. Is there more material of his singing out there? (Not saying he is a better singer than Glenn btw, sometimes someones tone just resonates with you and other times not).

I know that he sings in his own band Kyrb Grinder, but I have no idea where to find their stuff (didn't do any research though I have to admit). Here is one video by them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flMyFhzbyDg
The song is nothing special, but he is really a good singer! I wonder why he doesn't sing so much in Threshold.

[The Letter M]

From Arjen...

Oh yes, the lovely and talented Simone Simons is back, singing on the new Ayreon album! And this time... she’s the Angel of Death :-)

-Marc.

[Nick]

From Arjen...

Oh yes, the lovely and talented Simone Simons is back, singing on the new Ayreon album! And this time... she’s the Angel of Death :-)

-Marc.

She can kill me any time she wants. <3

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Wow Dee Snider! 

[Adami]

Yea! That was really surprising. A very cool addition.

[Ben_Jamin]

You could tell his voice right away.

Hope it's not just one song.

[The Letter M]

In a reply to a post Arjen made this morning (regarding the reveal of Caroline Westendorp and Marcela Bovio playing "The Furies" on Transitus), he says that pre-sales will start NEXT WEEK for the new album.

I may have to go all in and get the earbook this time. The last few Arjen-related earbooks have been fantastic!

-Marc.

[The Letter M]

Arjen has released an image of the track listing for Transitus!

https://amp.reddit.com/r/Ayreon/comments/hdpwji/transitus_tracklist/



-Marc.

[Evermind]

Not a big fan of the descriptive titles like "Daniel's Descent Into Transitus" but I trust Arjen. Even if the lyrical content is more in the realm of "oh no I can't believe you're falling for this loser" and "doom, gloom, the world goes boom" I'm fine with it too, at least it'll be fun.

Excited for this!

[Stadler]

I just bought "010101001" (from a friend here) and man, I'm just.... I already had and liked The Source and The Human Equation, but this really resonated.  I really dig the way Arjen weaves the voices in and out.   It seemed so much like a gimmick when I first got introduced to Ayreon, but it's not.  Maybe it has soemthing to do with the initial listen had James LaBrie on there (who I obviously love from Dream Theater) but while I know most of the singers, I'm not invested in their main work as much so it's not jarring.   But on this it sounds so good.

By the way, I seem to remember some talk about Jorn Lande, and I don't remember it being all favorable, but man, his voice is golden and smooth; I thought it was David Coverdale when I first heard it here.   And with Anneke, one of my favorites, on "Comatose", it's perfect.

[Evermind]

I just bought "010101001" (from a friend here) and man, I'm just.... I already had and liked The Source and The Human Equation, but this really resonated.  I really dig the way Arjen weaves the voices in and out.   It seemed so much like a gimmick when I first got introduced to Ayreon, but it's not.  Maybe it has soemthing to do with the initial listen had James LaBrie on there (who I obviously love from Dream Theater) but while I know most of the singers, I'm not invested in their main work as much so it's not jarring.   But on this it sounds so good.

By the way, I seem to remember some talk about Jorn Lande, and I don't remember it being all favorable, but man, his voice is golden and smooth; I thought it was David Coverdale when I first heard it here.   And with Anneke, one of my favorites, on "Comatose", it's perfect.

That was probably Tim posting several times or Katt, I forgot who of them thinks Jorn is the most boring singer ever

I love Jorn Lande and his duets with Floor on Liquid Eternity (I'M LOSING MY REASONS TO LIVE, THE ESSENCE OF LIFE) and Beneath the Waves (BENEATH THE WAVES WE WERE INVINCIBLE) are among my top Ayreon moments. Also yeah, Jorn is really channeling Coverdale on Comatose.

I love 01011001. I would maybe cut three or four songs from it, but otherwise it's excellent.

[jingle.boy]

My only beef with 0101 is that he has too many singers, and only a couple of them really get the chance to shine.  Most of them are horribly under-utilized, simply because he used so many.  The highs of that album are very high, but the lows are also very low.

Stads... hit up Into the Electric Castle next.

Thank me later.

[Adami]

My only beef with 0101 is that he has too many singers, and only a couple of them really get the chance to shine.  Most of them are horribly under-utilized, simply because he used so many.  The highs of that album are very high, but the lows are also very low.

Stads... hit up Into the Electric Castle next.

Thank me later.

I love 0101 but I agree that a few of them really got the shaft.

I also think the production is a bit flat, but I mostly love the album.

[goo-goo]

By the way, I seem to remember some talk about Jorn Lande, and I don't remember it being all favorable, but man, his voice is golden and smooth; I thought it was David Coverdale when I first heard it here.   And with Anneke, one of my favorites, on "Comatose", it's perfect.

Definitely check out the Jorn Lande material out there. If you like Coverdale and Dio, I think he is up your alley. He really shines in Ark "Burn the Sun",Jorn "Out to Every Nation", and Beyond Twilight's "The Devil's Hall of Fame".

[Lethean]

My only beef with 0101 is that he has too many singers, and only a couple of them really get the chance to shine.  Most of them are horribly under-utilized, simply because he used so many.  The highs of that album are very high, but the lows are also very low.

I felt like this with The Source too.  I think that one was worse than 1001001 SOS as far as too many singers getting too little time.

[Stadler]

See, I'm not invested in the singers as much, because with a few exceptions, I don't know them (Floor was the only singer I could identify by sound right out the gate and that was only because her style is so... over the top).   I mean, I wish Anneke sang more, but it's all flavor and seasoning.   I just love the melodies on that record.   "We are dying for tomorrow, we are living for today" gives me chills, both when Ty and Arjen sing it, and later when Merjam and Arjen sing it.  I don't know her, but I love that balance and contrast of the female singer (that applies to the entire record).   

And it goes without saying that my unreasonable school-boy crush on Anneke continues unabated!

[ErHaO]

I don't mind it in 01. It is this grand scale end of the saga kind of album and a lot of the songs are not really personal, having such a cast fits it. And I do think the singers are used greatly.

[Lethean]

See, I'm not invested in the singers as much, because with a few exceptions, I don't know them (Floor was the only singer I could identify by sound right out the gate and that was only because her style is so... over the top).   I mean, I wish Anneke sang more, but it's all flavor and seasoning.   I just love the melodies on that record.   "We are dying for tomorrow, we are living for today" gives me chills, both when Ty and Arjen sing it, and later when Merjam and Arjen sing it.  I don't know her, but I love that balance and contrast of the female singer (that applies to the entire record).   

That's interesting - I think that's my least or second least favorite track on the album.  I don't dislike the lyrics, but the vocals have always kind of turned me off.  But in general I really like this album.  The Human Equation is still my favorite but this one is next.   What are some of your other stand out tracks? 

[Stadler]

See, I'm not invested in the singers as much, because with a few exceptions, I don't know them (Floor was the only singer I could identify by sound right out the gate and that was only because her style is so... over the top).   I mean, I wish Anneke sang more, but it's all flavor and seasoning.   I just love the melodies on that record.   "We are dying for tomorrow, we are living for today" gives me chills, both when Ty and Arjen sing it, and later when Merjam and Arjen sing it.  I don't know her, but I love that balance and contrast of the female singer (that applies to the entire record).   

That's interesting - I think that's my least or second least favorite track on the album.  I don't dislike the lyrics, but the vocals have always kind of turned me off.  But in general I really like this album.  The Human Equation is still my favorite but this one is next.   What are some of your other stand out tracks?

Comatose is one, certainly; Ride The Comet is another.  I have to go back and see what the titles are.  I'm not 100% sure what the parts I like are called.   

Waking Dreams is another one. 

[Ben_Jamin]

I just bought "010101001" (from a friend here) and man, I'm just.... I already had and liked The Source and The Human Equation, but this really resonated.  I really dig the way Arjen weaves the voices in and out.   It seemed so much like a gimmick when I first got introduced to Ayreon, but it's not.  Maybe it has soemthing to do with the initial listen had James LaBrie on there (who I obviously love from Dream Theater) but while I know most of the singers, I'm not invested in their main work as much so it's not jarring.   But on this it sounds so good.

By the way, I seem to remember some talk about Jorn Lande, and I don't remember it being all favorable, but man, his voice is golden and smooth; I thought it was David Coverdale when I first heard it here.   And with Anneke, one of my favorites, on "Comatose", it's perfect.

I instantly fell in love with Anneke's voice when the 'We Are Forever' in Age of Shadows began.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

01011001 is actually one of my favorite Ayreon albums. I think it's true that some of the vocalists don't really get much time to shine (compare Bob Catley here versus in Avantasia), but musically I think it might be the best he's ever done.

[Lethean]

See, I'm not invested in the singers as much, because with a few exceptions, I don't know them (Floor was the only singer I could identify by sound right out the gate and that was only because her style is so... over the top).   I mean, I wish Anneke sang more, but it's all flavor and seasoning.   I just love the melodies on that record.   "We are dying for tomorrow, we are living for today" gives me chills, both when Ty and Arjen sing it, and later when Merjam and Arjen sing it.  I don't know her, but I love that balance and contrast of the female singer (that applies to the entire record).   

That's interesting - I think that's my least or second least favorite track on the album.  I don't dislike the lyrics, but the vocals have always kind of turned me off.  But in general I really like this album.  The Human Equation is still my favorite but this one is next.   What are some of your other stand out tracks?

Comatose is one, certainly; Ride The Comet is another.  I have to go back and see what the titles are.  I'm not 100% sure what the parts I like are called.   

Waking Dreams is another one.

Waking Dreams is my favorite. I like Comatose a lot as well.

[Evermind]

See, I'm not invested in the singers as much, because with a few exceptions, I don't know them (Floor was the only singer I could identify by sound right out the gate and that was only because her style is so... over the top).   I mean, I wish Anneke sang more, but it's all flavor and seasoning.   I just love the melodies on that record.   "We are dying for tomorrow, we are living for today" gives me chills, both when Ty and Arjen sing it, and later when Merjam and Arjen sing it.  I don't know her, but I love that balance and contrast of the female singer (that applies to the entire record).   

That's interesting - I think that's my least or second least favorite track on the album.  I don't dislike the lyrics, but the vocals have always kind of turned me off.  But in general I really like this album.  The Human Equation is still my favorite but this one is next.   What are some of your other stand out tracks?

Comatose is one, certainly; Ride The Comet is another.  I have to go back and see what the titles are.  I'm not 100% sure what the parts I like are called.   

Waking Dreams is another one.

Waking Dreams is my favorite.

No big surprise there

[jingle.boy]

 

[The Letter M]

According to Arjen-

And finally... the Transitus album front cover! Designed and animated by the mighty David Letelier, logo by Thomas Ewerhard. The dramatic music you are hearing is part of the track ‘Fatum’ and features the majestic Hellscore Choir conducted by Noa Gruman.

Tomorrow the pre-sales start!

-Marc.

[ErHaO]

Thus far this album seems right up my alley (I mean, Ayreon in general is just that, but I really love all the teasers thus far).

[Stadler]

My only beef with 0101 is that he has too many singers, and only a couple of them really get the chance to shine.  Most of them are horribly under-utilized, simply because he used so many.  The highs of that album are very high, but the lows are also very low.

Stads... hit up Into the Electric Castle next.

Thank me later.

Don't have to tell me twice; I found a copy on Discogs and will be pulling the trigger as soon as I hear back from the Seller.