ACTUAL FANTASY

Well what can we say abou this second effort by Arjen Lucassen's Ayreon. The first thing that comes in my mind is that this is a far more accessable and somewhat commercial sounding album than the debut (Final experiment) and also the successor (Into the Electric Castle). Somehow I feel the other two are more Ayreon than this album but still he composed this so this must be true Ayreon as well.

Do I like it more ? Not really, there was a time I appreciated Actual Fantasy a lot but this has faded I'm afraid. The songs are more or less in the same style, future-like a little sf about it (Computer eyes, Back on planet earth). Lots of (heavy) keyboardmaterial and on itself good songs. But my taste has changed and this isn't my thing anymore.

But because the quality is high and the song structures are ok I will still give it 4 stars (3,75).