Ayreon - 01011001

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Steve
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Ayreon is a one-man prog-metal project by Dutchman Arjen Anthony Lucassen. He has released 8 albums under this name, but has a few other projects as well. So what's so special about him? The fact he has recruited many well-known vocalists and instrumentalists to appear on his albums, including Bruce Dickinson, Timo Kotipelto, Floor Jansen , Devin Townsendand Russell Allen to name a few.

 

01011001 is no different when it comes to well known metal singers, which includes Jorn Lande, Hansi Kursch, Floor Jansen (again), Simone Simons, Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), Steve Lee (Gotthard) and Tom Englund (Evergrey).

The guest vocalists work very well together in this concept album about an extra-terretsrial race sending their DNA to Earth, which would seed humanity, in order to relive lost emotions. Although some of the lyrics are cheesy as hell (singing about Einstein's E=MC2 for example), this album is very epic, the first great album of '08

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darkish_angel87
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Ayreon have always intrigued me, but I've just never gotten around to finding out that much about them.

In a similar vein, Avantasia of course have a new album out soon too.

I anticipate this year to be pretty damn good Smiling

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Twistedgenius
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Listened to that green album... first one....

 

Going back to the what is pretentious argument, that is my view of what ayreon are....

 

In Neil's words.. 'that is all'. Sticking out tongue

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darkish_angel87
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Bought this yesterday. It's ... interesting! I always assumed Ayreon were standard prog/power metal fare, but this seems to be pretty much every single genre imaginable rolled into one! As a result, it'd be a bit too much for some people to stomach, but I can see myself really liking this style Smiling

Gotta agree with the cheesy lyrics though; I was reading the booklet whilst listening the first time, so I knew who each singer was, and I was like "what the fuck has this guy been smoking!?"

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Twistedgenius
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darkish_angel87 wrote:

this seems to be pretty much every single genre imaginable rolled into one!

 

AKA pretentious 

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Cod Metal King
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There aren't many bands about that can have lyrics like "finger lickin' good" and get away with it. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure Ayreon can. Reckon Devin Townsend could, can't see why he'd want to though.

Thought this was a decent album, but not a patch on The Human Equation.

darkish_angel87
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I've noticed that Les Claypool, Serj Tankian and Frank Zappa can get away with pretty much any kind of lyrics.

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Twistedgenius
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i actually bought this album, even with pre-conceptions, and i was proved right, i hate it XD

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darkish_angel87
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How many times have you listened to it? Because I thought it was a bit poopy the first time.

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Twistedgenius
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Once.. at a stretch twice... maybe i'll try again if what you say is true..

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darkish_angel87
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If you still hate it after 3-4 listens, then it probably ain't for you.

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Twistedgenius
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After 1 million more listens....

 

- - - -> first side is not as good.... :

Age of shadows - Ok/awesome.. best bit - -> awesome voice sings.. 'The Age of Shaaaaaaaadows has begunnn' xD

Comatose - Really boring, if musically interesting... can't be argued

Liquid Eternity - Not the greatest track on the album.. pretty unimaginative compared to the rest...

Connect the Dots - So normal, doesn't belong on an album like this >_>

Beneath the Waves - Now this is pretty cool, the haunting intro and post contrasts just makes this song ^_^

Newborn Race - Generally good, fits an album like this.

Ride the comet - OK - that is all.

Web of Lies - Pap

 

- - - -> second side is quite good, bar a few moments...

The Fifth Extinction - The awesome harmonies in the introduction really give the impression this side will be better ^^ Good 'nocturnal rites-like' singer... ^_^ whoever's powerful voice (same guy) enters after the intro (aka, 'there must be life'...) is awesome ... tom who is this?? xD

Walking Dreams - Apart from an organ thing BLATENTLY RIPPED OFF DEEP PURPLE >_> this song is pretty crap still Sticking out tongue

The Truth is In Here - Good song.. catchy instrumental lines ^_^

Unnatural Selection - This has grown on me....... uses inventive but not overly complicated rhythms... and also well used chromaticly altering harmonies Sticking out tongue good balance ^^

River of Time -  Thing that stands out here is the Jethro Tull influence in that AWESOME flute solo xD

E=mc2 - It's good, despite trying too hard, I think... I like how the instruments drop out and enter in again, good effect ^^

The Sixth Extinction - I think it works well as an ending track for an album like this :) 

 

 

To conclude, I've changed my mind Sticking out tongue . The album is good because it is a different sound to standard metal, so intriguing... though still the classic prententious nature of the ayreon project...

 

Hope this makes up for my non- in depth album reviews in the past xD 

 

 

 

It doesn't make a difference to the quality of the music however. 

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darkish_angel87
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I think the opening lines on Side 2 track 1 are sung by Daniel Gildenlow of Pain of Salvation.

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Bestes
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darkish_angel87 wrote:
I think the opening lines on Side 2 track 1 are sung by Daniel Gildenlow of Pain of Salvation.

 

Actually, in order, the singers are - apart from the female intro singer, who should be Floor Jansen, can't really remember - Tom Englund, Steve Lee (this is the "there must be life" guy), Daniel Gildenlow and Jorn Lande. Soon followed by Bob Catley and Hansi Kursch.

 

I believe this album is a great one, especially looking at the eclectic group of singers and players - Daniel AND Hansi AND Lande! - the concept isn't bad at all, continuing the story of the earlier albums. But, alas, not as good as The Human Equation.

Come on, Akerfeldt, Labrie (and the only shriek is cut off Sticking out tongue ), the female voices are wonderful, Devin Townsend is.. well, just himself. 

But, back to 01011001, great album. I do see problems for a "sequel" though, I believe Lucassen will run out of ideas soon - although I wouldn't mind a bit of Khan. Sticking out tongue

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GOD
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is george, formally of orphanage on this album??

Steve
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GOD wrote:
is george, formally of orphanage on this album??

No but he was on Into The Electric Castle

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GOD
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cheers mate, I love orphanage

 

that is all