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Harry Hood 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 15 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 1305
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 Topic: Ayreon is awesome.
Posted: February 25 2011 at 22:51 |
I honestly didn't consider myself an Ayreon fan until very recently. I owned all his albums, listened to them occasionally, but it never really clicked with me until I picked up 01 a week or so ago.
I seriously think 01 might be some of the best work he's ever done. The way it ties everything from the previous albums together is just mindblowing. It seems like everything gets a lyrical or musical reference at some point on the album (there's even a shout out to Ambeon on the first track!). And the cast of vocalists he got together was incredible, probably the best yet. He brought together some of the most emotive vocalists in metal, and I think it did a lot to really humanize the Forever, who seemed rather cold and distant on the previous albums. Also, the twist at the end was mindblowing.
After listeneing to 01 exclusively all week, I've started working my way through the back catalog again. There's so much context and references that I feel like I missed before. Right now I'm listening to The Final Experiment. I honestly never cared much for this album before, but suddenly it's like the best thing ever.
I definitely feel like there's a lot of people who don't get what he does. I guess his inclusion in "prog metal" threw some people off. He doesn't go out of his way to be complex like a lot of prog metal does. The music is there to serve the narrative, and the narrative exists to serve the music. The way it all comes together is just incredible.
Share your love for the only prog musician from SPACE!
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Repner
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 16 2007
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 203
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Posted: February 25 2011 at 23:00 |
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I've been a huge fan of Arjen for a few years now. I'm really into the other projects as well
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Man Overboard
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 07 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Status: Offline
Points: 3830
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 00:19 |
Agreed, 01 is genius. Provides the context that the rest of the albums needed to fit together, and I'm still absorbing it all but damn. Definitely bumped my love and respect up a few tiers 
Probably going to do some writing on it if I find the time. Any other Ayreonauts lurking about with some insight to the story? :3
Edited by Man Overboard - February 26 2011 at 00:20
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Mr ProgFreak
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 08 2008
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 5195
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 02:10 |
I'm going to say something controversial for a change:
People who don't like Ayreon and say that it's bland or boring may simply be superficial listeners.
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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk
Joined: April 29 2004
Location: Heart of Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 19614
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 02:17 |
 Mr ProgFreak wrote:
I'm going to say something controversial for a change:
People who don't like Ayreon and say that it's bland or boring may simply be superficial listeners. |
let me be superficial then.... 
better that than being brainwashed 
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
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Drew
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 20 2005
Location: California
Status: Offline
Points: 12600
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 02:20 |
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Im totally down with Ayreon- a unique Metal experience.A band that is unique in a genre where it is hard to separate yourself from others....
Edited by Drew - February 26 2011 at 02:20
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Prog Geo
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 09 2010
Location: Athens (Greece)
Status: Offline
Points: 2555
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 05:44 |
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The human equation is one of the best albums in music.And not only this album.
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Sonorous Meal show every Sunday at 20:00 (greek time) on http://www.justincaseradio.com
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let prog reign
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 11 2010
Location: South Carolina
Status: Offline
Points: 256
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 10:02 |
Mr ProgFreak wrote:
I'm going to say something controversial for a change:
People who don't like Ayreon and say that it's bland or boring may simply be superficial listeners. |
after listening to The Human Equation, I wouldn't say that it's boring or bland just really cheesy and at times annoying.
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Once upon a time there was some writing on the wall we all ignored, until the time that there was war and feasts of famine at our door
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JakeMM626
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 06 2010
Location: Worcester, MA
Status: Offline
Points: 117
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 10:06 |
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Check out Arjen's Star One. Just came out with a new album last year called Victims of the Modern Age. Their self-titled is my favorite debut album. Give them a listen if you like Ayreon.
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Man Overboard
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 07 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Status: Offline
Points: 3830
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 12:50 |
I like Star One pretty well, especially the Live On Earth DVD concert!
So, I always had the impression that the prior albums were vaguely connected by universe and some common themes, but mostly existed as standalone stories. 01 turns this on its head, as the story it provides could be seen as a "big picture" for all of the other albums to fit into as closer examinations of events therein, providing a great deal of context for them. Even Actual Fantasy, which wasn't supposed to be a part of the story, feels like an alt-verse The Truth Is In Here.
This new perspective reveals the Ayreon discography to exist as something of a clean, well-executed, cohesive musical novel, which strikes me as rather unique even in the prog world. Are there any other artists who have done anything similar, perhaps to the same degree? I'm aware of Coheed and Cambria, but they suck and lost the storytelling trail ages back for something much more...uninteresting.
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Junges
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 19 2006
Location: Brazil
Status: Offline
Points: 620
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 12:53 |
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01 doesn't come even near to The Human Equation.
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The Truth
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: April 19 2009
Location: Kansas
Status: Offline
Points: 21795
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 12:59 |
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I only own The Human Equation but it is amazing nonetheless.
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valravennz
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: March 20 2005
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 2546
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 14:07 |
I have been a fan of Ayreon for years. I also like the side-projects particularly, Star One and Guilt Machine! Arjen is a brilliant musician and composer and I always look forward to new offerings with enthusiasm. My favourites are: Into The Electric Castle; Star One; The Dream Sequencer and Guilt Machine. I felt that The Human Equation, though a great concept album, was palatable in small parts. O1 I consider be the weakest offering.
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 "Music is the Wine that fills the cup of Silence" - Robert Fripp
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Antennas
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 01 2006
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 331
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 21:11 |
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Yo man, he IS. Fantastic musician, lovely fellow.
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 Jesus never managed to figure out the theremin either
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AtomicCrimsonRush
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: July 02 2008
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 14256
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 21:50 |
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Ayreon is one of the great prog bands and The HUMAN EQUATION is one of my top 5 all time great prog albums undoubtedly. I love every track. Timeline is an amazing boxset featuring the most incredible set list. i have all the albums and they are all great.
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avestin
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: September 18 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 12625
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 22:09 |
In 1999 I came across an intriguing album in a record shop. I looked at the name of the band and it said Ayreon and the name of the album was Into The Electric Castle - A Space Opera. The drawing on the album was beautiful and mysterious. Having not any idea of what the music might be and who the band (at that time I didn't know who was behind the music), I took a chance and bought it. At home I was very pleasantly surprised to hear this concept album, an extravaganza of progressive rock songs with many different contributors and vocalists. And so this inspired me to look for more info on the band I got Ayreon's 1995 release, The Final Experiment which is also a delightful album, albeit not without flaws (but with two great songs, Sail Away to Avalon and The Charm of the Seer). From that point on, I kept getting any new release whenever it came out. Still my favourite is The Electric Castle, but I enjoy all his releases tremendously (as well as all of the other projects, though not as much).
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Harry Hood
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 15 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 1305
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Posted: February 26 2011 at 22:40 |
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Bruce Dickinson's performance on "Into the Black Hole" is so intense. I didn't know he was capable of singing like that.
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rogerthat
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2006
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 9869
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Posted: February 27 2011 at 00:44 |
Sean Trane wrote:
Mr ProgFreak wrote:
I'm going to say something controversial for a change:
People who don't like Ayreon and say that it's bland or boring may simply be superficial listeners. |
let me be superficial then....
better that than being brainwashed |
Ditto.
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Antennas
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 01 2006
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 331
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Posted: March 02 2011 at 16:39 |
Harry Hood wrote:
Bruce Dickinson's performance on "Into the Black Hole" is so intense. I didn't know he was capable of singing like that. |
I have the same feeling regarding James LaBrie's performance on "The Human Equation". When I at first read that he'd participate on that album, I thought, "Oh, noes!!!" but he actually did a very decent job. Way, way better than that over-the-top rubbish of his on Dream Theater albums (sorry, fans). I guess Ajren kindly requested him to sing in stead of scream for once.
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Jesus never managed to figure out the theremin either
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Endless Wire
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 27 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 403
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Posted: March 02 2011 at 17:01 |
Man Overboard wrote:
I like Star One pretty well, especially the Live On Earth DVD concert!
So, I always had the impression that the prior albums were vaguely connected by universe and some common themes, but mostly existed as standalone stories. 01 turns this on its head, as the story it provides could be seen as a "big picture" for all of the other albums to fit into as closer examinations of events therein, providing a great deal of context for them. Even Actual Fantasy, which wasn't supposed to be a part of the story, feels like an alt-verse The Truth Is In Here.
This new perspective reveals the Ayreon discography to exist as something of a clean, well-executed, cohesive musical novel, which strikes me as rather unique even in the prog world. Are there any other artists who have done anything similar, perhaps to the same degree? I'm aware of Coheed and Cambria, but they suck and lost the storytelling trail ages back for something much more...uninteresting. |
Check out The Dear Hunter- they do the narrative/music thing better than anyone I've ever heard. Better than both Coheed (whom I love) and Ayreon (who I think is somewhere between OK and good). TDH is halfway through a six album concept piece, and are about to release a 9 EP set based on the color spectrum. Act II is my favorite, but I'd recommend starting with Act I and going through them in order. Let me know what you think if you decide to give them a listen.
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Ayreon is awesome.
