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

[jingle.boy]

With all the hub-bub about the Earbooks, I wonder what's going to happen with the version I ordered off of Amazon.  I'm mildly concerned the description is not actually a "Deluxe 5-Disc Photobook"

[Ben_Jamin]

With all the hub-bub about the Earbooks, I wonder what's going to happen with the version I ordered off of Amazon.  I'm mildly concerned the description is not actually a "Deluxe 5-Disc Photobook"

I'm sure they'll be fine. This is specifically a Mascot Label issue. They're shipping person, shipped the wrong ones out from their stock.

Amazon has its own stock. And I would hope a company like Amazon will ship the right item.



Who here likes the connection to The Human Equation and how Me and His Wife are the Reincarnated souls of Daniel and Abby.

[MirrorMask]

Who here likes the connection to The Human Equation and how Me and His Wife are the Reincarnated souls of Daniel and Abby.

WHAAAAT?  where does this come from?

[Ben_Jamin]

Who here likes the connection to The Human Equation and how Me and His Wife are the Reincarnated souls of Daniel and Abby.

WHAAAAT?  where does this come from?

It's in the Comic Book. In Transitus, Daniel and Abby are holding each other and there's a gate with The Human Equation artwork in it, saying "Two Worlds Now One." It's meant to be about Daniel and Abbys worlds are now one, but it's a nice little nugget about how Transitus and THE are now one.

Also, in the Scene where The Father introduces the brothers to the new help, there's a picture of the Into The Electric Castle Artwork.

[MirrorMask]

I saw the booklet, read the lyrics and yet I missed it (apart from the obvious and impossible to miss mention of "the human equation" in the song). Nice nugget 

[Ben_Jamin]

I saw the booklet, read the lyrics and yet I missed it (apart from the obvious and impossible to miss mention of "the human equation" in the song). Nice nugget 

Yup, I am really appreciating all these details Arjen did on this Album. Since he couldn't make a film, the next best thing is a comic book, as it's sci-fi and a simple way to tell a story. Then he got the idea of telling it like old-time radio. Which adds more to this Horror Style of storytelling.

Which makes what happened with Mascot even more spooky.  (Cue Omen Choir music)...

[jingle.boy]

Who here likes the connection to The Human Equation and how Me and His Wife are the Reincarnated souls of Daniel and Abby.

So Transitus is the afterlife of a computer simulation?  I'm starting to get an inception vibe.

[The Letter M]

With all the hub-bub about the Earbooks, I wonder what's going to happen with the version I ordered off of Amazon.  I'm mildly concerned the description is not actually a "Deluxe 5-Disc Photobook"

I'm sure they'll be fine. This is specifically a Mascot Label issue. They're shipping person, shipped the wrong ones out from their stock.

Amazon has its own stock. And I would hope a company like Amazon will ship the right item.



Who here likes the connection to The Human Equation and how Me and His Wife are the Reincarnated souls of Daniel and Abby.

Has anyone brought this up to Arjen to see if he likes the idea/theory?

If Me is a reincarnation of Daniel, then he's got pretty bad luck with fathers, then. Of course, it seems like there are no good fathers in the Ayreon Universe... 

But are we even sure that the characters in The Human Equation were real people, or were they fabricated for the Dream Sequencer program used by the Forever?

At any rate, I think Arjen said that the story of Transitus isn't directly tied to the normal Ayreon Universe, and those visual nuggets in the comic were just fun easter eggs. I think if he brings back the Angel and her Furies, or the concept of Transitus, in a future album, then yeah, he'll definitely consider the album as part of the larger Ayreon Universe, but aside from those easter eggs, it's a pretty stand-alone story, like The Theory Of Everything.

I wonder if Arjen will return to the Ayreon Universe on the next one, which at the rate he typically releases albums under the Ayreon banner, will probably be around 2024 or 2025. Before then, though, he's currently thinking of doing another Star One album, since it's been 10 years since the last one, so he'll probably plan for that in the next year or two.

He's also thought about doing another live concert, and I would love to see him do The Theory Of Everything live. I think the simple story and smaller cast could make for a great live show. I highly doubt he'd do 01011001, considering how LARGE that album is in terms of scope and cast. He could throw us all for a loop and do The Final Experiment Live, which could make for some fun sets on the stage. I think we could rule out Actual Fantasy and the Universal Migrator Albums for complete live shows. I'd say the best bets would be TTOE and Transitus, and maybe the latter is more likely since the vocalists already have costumes designed for them that could work well for a stage production. The set could be divided into 2 areas with Transitus being the bottom/front end of the stage, and the estate in the 2nd level/back half of the stage. But given the state of live music this year and possibly through next year, another live Ayreon production is probably at least year or two away at this rate.

-Marc

[Kwyjibo]

Who here likes the connection to The Human Equation and how Me and His Wife are the Reincarnated souls of Daniel and Abby.

So Transitus is the afterlife of a computer simulation?  I'm starting to get an inception vibe.

And the simulation is like The Matrix and that's why he used the Digital Rain melody again?

[MirrorMask]

Transitus is definitively made and written for a live, theatrical presentation.

And about what Arjen will do next.... I know chances are fairly small but who else would scream in excitement at another The Gentle Storm album? I know that it's hard to replicate that approach and that Anneke is busy anyway (off topic: I also want a second Vuur album) but I'd love another album in two style, the heavy one and the acoustic one. Also, those two together only seem to do great things.

[The Letter M]

Transitus is definitively made and written for a live, theatrical presentation.

And about what Arjen will do next.... I know chances are fairly small but who else would scream in excitement at another The Gentle Storm album? I know that it's hard to replicate that approach and that Anneke is busy anyway (off topic: I also want a second Vuur album) but I'd love another album in two style, the heavy one and the acoustic one. Also, those two together only seem to do great things.

I wouldn't be opposed to another Gentle Storm album. I liked the first one, but I've definitely not spun it in awhile, or as much as it deserves. To be honest, though, it kind of felt like another one of his one-and-done projects, like Ambeon and Guilt Machine. Stream Of Passion was kind of a one-and-done for Arjen, though the rest of the group carried on without him. Star One has been the one non-Ayreon project he's come back to, as far as I can recall, and he recently said in an interview last month that he's found himself listening to the first two Star One albums lately, to see what he can come up with for a third album. I think he would rather come back to Star One first before Gentle Storm anyway, since it's been much longer since Victims Of The Modern Age came out.

-Marc.

[cramx3]

I'd enjoy some more Gentle Storm. 

[Ben_Jamin]

With all the hub-bub about the Earbooks, I wonder what's going to happen with the version I ordered off of Amazon.  I'm mildly concerned the description is not actually a "Deluxe 5-Disc Photobook"

I'm sure they'll be fine. This is specifically a Mascot Label issue. They're shipping person, shipped the wrong ones out from their stock.

Amazon has its own stock. And I would hope a company like Amazon will ship the right item.



Who here likes the connection to The Human Equation and how Me and His Wife are the Reincarnated souls of Daniel and Abby.

Has anyone brought this up to Arjen to see if he likes the idea/theory?

If Me is a reincarnation of Daniel, then he's got pretty bad luck with fathers, then. Of course, it seems like there are no good fathers in the Ayreon Universe... 

But are we even sure that the characters in The Human Equation were real people, or were they fabricated for the Dream Sequencer program used by the Forever?

At any rate, I think Arjen said that the story of Transitus isn't directly tied to the normal Ayreon Universe, and those visual nuggets in the comic were just fun easter eggs. I think if he brings back the Angel and her Furies, or the concept of Transitus, in a future album, then yeah, he'll definitely consider the album as part of the larger Ayreon Universe, but aside from those easter eggs, it's a pretty stand-alone story, like The Theory Of Everything.

I wonder if Arjen will return to the Ayreon Universe on the next one, which at the rate he typically releases albums under the Ayreon banner, will probably be around 2024 or 2025. Before then, though, he's currently thinking of doing another Star One album, since it's been 10 years since the last one, so he'll probably plan for that in the next year or two.

He's also thought about doing another live concert, and I would love to see him do The Theory Of Everything live. I think the simple story and smaller cast could make for a great live show. I highly doubt he'd do 01011001, considering how LARGE that album is in terms of scope and cast. He could throw us all for a loop and do The Final Experiment Live, which could make for some fun sets on the stage. I think we could rule out Actual Fantasy and the Universal Migrator Albums for complete live shows. I'd say the best bets would be TTOE and Transitus, and maybe the latter is more likely since the vocalists already have costumes designed for them that could work well for a stage production. The set could be divided into 2 areas with Transitus being the bottom/front end of the stage, and the estate in the 2nd level/back half of the stage. But given the state of live music this year and possibly through next year, another live Ayreon production is probably at least year or two away at this rate.

-Marc

The people in THE are real people. How else can you get the genuine human experience. Remember, they sent the Universal Migrator out to learn everything about humanity, including emotions, that The Forever once had but lost.

After reading the lyrics to The Theory of Everything, It hit me...The Prodigies Father commits suicide and then ends up visiting his son in the Lighthouse finishing the Equation. Knowing what we know now with Transitus, being a place of Transit of souls. The Father could have pleaded with the Angel of Death, and got to go back and help his Son, and then they both die, entering into Transitus. 

We should really ask Arjen about all this stuff...haha. He'd probably just go along with it. 

[kirksnosehair]

I hope he does another Star One album next, that Gentle Storm music was a snoozer, sorry 


I've tried several more listens to this and all I can say is, bring on the next Star One album 




I put this album in the same category as the albums that came before The Dream Sequencer.  Decent, but not essential Ayreon. 

[The Letter M]

I put this album in the same category as the albums that came before The Dream Sequencer.  Decent, but not essential Ayreon.

Wait, even Into The Electric Castle didn't excite you?

-Marc.

[kirksnosehair]

Electric Castle is great, I guess I forgot that came before The Dream Sequencer

[The Letter M]

Electric Castle is great, I guess I forgot that came before The Dream Sequencer

Whew, I was worried you disliked Ayreon's breakthrough album for some reason or another!

So really, it's just the first two albums you simply find "decent"? If that's the case, then the run of Electric Castle-The Source must be pretty good for you then?

-Marc.

[kirksnosehair]

Yeah, I love all the albums except those first two, "Lost In The New Real" (which isn't really an Ayreon album but for me it was kind of a turd) and now "Transitus" all will occupy the bottom of my list of Ayreon albums.


No artist can please every fan with every album.  Even my favorite band has dropped a few turds in their day, especially in the last decade or so


 

[The Letter M]

Yeah, I love all the albums except those first two, "Lost In The New Real" (which isn't really an Ayreon album but for me it was kind of a turd) and now "Transitus" all will occupy the bottom of my list of Ayreon albums.


No artist can please every fan with every album.  Even my favorite band has dropped a few turds in their day, especially in the last decade or so

That last part is definitely true, but for me, Arjen has produced a lot of great material, and most of it I like, especially under the Ayreon banner. New Real isn't *quite* an Ayreon album, but it's definitely connected to that Universe (given that Mr. L appears on 01011001).

It seems like Transitus is probably one of Arjen's most divisive Ayreon albums yet, but for me, it's easily a winner, right up there with ITEC and THE. I've been listening to a lot of Arjen's albums over the last week or two, and I find myself coming back to Transitus every other day and enjoying it more and more, but I also find myself enjoying the older albums a bit more too.

-Marc.

[SwedishGoose]

Transitus is definitively made and written for a live, theatrical presentation.

And about what Arjen will do next.... I know chances are fairly small but who else would scream in excitement at another The Gentle Storm album? I know that it's hard to replicate that approach and that Anneke is busy anyway (off topic: I also want a second Vuur album) but I'd love another album in two style, the heavy one and the acoustic one. Also, those two together only seem to do great things.

Another Gentle Storm album would make me really exited.... I love, love, love that one. Both versions of it...
Not as much into Star One so not as exited for that althogh it will definitely get on my buy list.

I also hope we get another VUUR album soon

[Nick]

I wonder if Arjen will return to the Ayreon Universe on the next one, which at the rate he typically releases albums under the Ayreon banner, will probably be around 2024 or 2025. Before then, though, he's currently thinking of doing another Star One album, since it's been 10 years since the last one, so he'll probably plan for that in the next year or two.

I'll be interested to see where Arjen goes with Star One. Through two live Ayreon adventures now the only person to completely shaft Arjen after being announced was Russell Allen. I'm relatively sure Arjen won't be working with him in the future, and while I'm sure Arjen could do a Star One without him, I don't know if he'd want to.

[cramx3]

I also hope we get another VUUR album soon

I think it was Rodrigo who interviewed Anneke and she said there isn't one in the works, at least not in the near future sadly.  I just really enjoy Anneke's voice with the prog metal backing band.  I'd gladly take more VUUR, Gentle Storm, or Anneke with Devin Townsend.

[Kwyjibo]

Star One would be really great imo, but didn't Arjen say that Star One has to have the same cast of singers and didn't he also say that he never wants to work with Russell Allen again?

[The Letter M]

I wonder if Arjen will return to the Ayreon Universe on the next one, which at the rate he typically releases albums under the Ayreon banner, will probably be around 2024 or 2025. Before then, though, he's currently thinking of doing another Star One album, since it's been 10 years since the last one, so he'll probably plan for that in the next year or two.

I'll be interested to see where Arjen goes with Star One. Through two live Ayreon adventures now the only person to completely shaft Arjen after being announced was Russell Allen. I'm relatively sure Arjen won't be working with him in the future, and while I'm sure Arjen could do a Star One without him, I don't know if he'd want to.

I think there are plenty of other singers he could use on Star One. I've been thinking lately that he should use Ted Leonard and Ross Jennings on something, and I could hear them working on Star One. Lots of vocalists that have gained prominence over the last decade or so that he could use on Star One, or anything, really. I would love to see him pull more proggy artists than those from the symphonic metal genres.

-Marc.

[goo-goo]

Star One would be really great imo, but didn't Arjen say that Star One has to have the same cast of singers and didn't he also say that he never wants to work with Russell Allen again?

Yes, there was a fallout with Russell, Amob and its tour, and Arjen. Arjen was pretty upset about it (understandably). I do hope they can work it out. Both Star One releases are my favorite Arjen projects (and Human Equation).

[The Walrus]

But wait... Russell Allen was on The Source. So he at least came back to do that.

[The Letter M]

But wait... Russell Allen was on The Source. So he at least came back to do that.

That's right. Did something happen between Russell and Arjen since 2017?

-Marc.

[Adami]

But wait... Russell Allen was on The Source. So he at least came back to do that.

Their fallout was after that was recorded.

[Ben_Jamin]

But wait... Russell Allen was on The Source. So he at least came back to do that.

Their fallout was after that was recorded.

Yup, The Source was released before the Ayreon Universe shows. Because those songs appear on the set. 

[goo-goo]

But wait... Russell Allen was on The Source. So he at least came back to do that.

That's right. Did something happen between Russell and Arjen since 2017?

-Marc.

Russell apparently had committed for the Ayreon live shows and then he walked out last minute so he could tour with Adrenaline Mob.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Re: Human Equation theory

So in the Ayreon universe, there's both an afterlife and reincarnation? & these people went through both after they died? That's some complex shit. 

[Ben_Jamin]

But wait... Russell Allen was on The Source. So he at least came back to do that.

That's right. Did something happen between Russell and Arjen since 2017?

-Marc.

Russell apparently had committed for the Ayreon live shows and then he walked out last minute so he could tour with Adrenaline Mob.

Russells loss was a really big boost for Jayce. He did a great job as well, he has enough charisma to replace Russell.

Re: Human Equation theory

So in the Ayreon universe, there's both an afterlife and reincarnation? & these people went through both after they died? That's some complex shit. 

Only Arjen knows. All that, is just complex bullshit I connected together based on his nuggets he threw into Transitus and The Theory of Everything.

The afterlife is called Transitus. The transit point humans go to where the Angel of Death determines your fate, Damnation for the ones in Black, Forgiveness and reliving life in another time, another space( ) for the ones in white. The Angel of Death only accepted Daniels plea because she had an "interest"    for Daniel. 

Abby is automatically forgiven by The Angel of Death and is accepted into the good part of Transitus. While Lavinia is automatically sentenced to Damnation for deceiving Abby into committing suicide by fire.

[jingle.boy]

I do hope Arjen can bury the hatchet re: Russell... but I'm not optimistic.  I absolutely adore everything about both Star One albums, but as Nick said, I seem to recall Arjen once saying Star One is the only thing in his repertoire that is fixed wrt vocalists.  So, until he reconciles with Russell... well, I'd shart myself if he gives us a Star One release.

[ariich]

Electric Castle is great, I guess I forgot that came before The Dream Sequencer

Whew, I was worried you disliked Ayreon's breakthrough album for some reason or another!

So really, it's just the first two albums you simply find "decent"? If that's the case, then the run of Electric Castle-The Source must be pretty good for you then?

-Marc.

Ah, then it seems I'm still the only Ayreon fan who only finds Electric Castle decent.

[The Walrus]

I quite like Into the Electric Castle.