THE HUMAN EQUATION

I first thought Ayreon would be just something high-pitched and melodic power jingle, i still thought give it a try and the Human Equation sounded the most interesting one, and the most progressive too :p The vocal work is mostly magnificent and the album has so many layers in it so it will surely need some time to grow on me. Many aspects of it also strongly remind me of The Who's rock opera Tommy. Also the story is kinda similar, from a perspective of a person, who is totally unaware of his surroundings. The flute parts also reming about Jethro Tull. The record begins with Virgil, a short and soft intro, nice, but not anything particulary special. Then we hear the car crash and the story begins. Isolation works as an introduction fot most of the vocalists, pretty good and one part is clearly from Dark Side Of The Moon. Multi-layered and will give a positive image still at this point. Pretty basic guitar solo, not anything special, though the lead guitar sound also reminds me of DSOTM. Pain, has a gloomy and cool intro with nice vocals from Graves and Devin's screams are just pure perfection. Also Finlay's short bit as love works pretty well. Overall a great piece of music . Mystery begins with acoustic guitar and kinda boring verses. It is also one of the stongest 'Tommy' songs on the album, still a bit flat piece. Voices, another one with the ole' acoustic. The beginning is a bit cheerfull with violin, flute and stuff. Truly a Jethro. Pride's vocal lines are quite basic but Reason and Fear have pretty good stuff. Short, simple and melodic guitar solo stands up properly and overall this is ok, but not more. Ends with Jethro. Childhood has a very proggy keyboard opening, and the song is basically a simple ballad with violins and soft vocals. Hope is a short one, but it has a very cathy melody and the keyboards are pure classic. Lyrics are more brighter and..'hopeful'. I like, just like those short and beautiful acoustic pieces on Tull's Aqualung. Then we go to school, again the acoustic and soft voices, then goes Devin and shows his ultimate Rage, the man is simply a genious. The instrumental part is like from some epic viking stuff, Bathory etc, bit out of place but brings quite twisted athmosphere, which is just good. Passion and Reason show their lungs and we return to acoustic with Townshend's commandments. Short time in the Playground with children playing. This is the only instrumental song on the album, it has a good violin but still it's not so necessary. Memories it's not so memorable, it has the good basic stuff on vocals and epic guitarring but nevertheless, something is missing. The first part of the album ends with Love, which i didn't like so much at the beginning. Still it's kinda poppish and stuff but in some wicked way, i like it. Great vocals from everyone, i expecially like Passion's and Agony's co-operation.

The second part of the album begins with Trauma and Reason's preaching. Another 'Tommy' song, with strong Passion stuff and excellent groans by Åkerfeldt. Sing, nice flute at start, the violin is a bit cheesy, but overall a nice ballad, still nothing special. Pride, a bit heavier song, with LaBrie's vocals that are pure Dream Theater. The flute is like straight from the hands of Ian Anderson himself. Lucassen is not a guitar god, at least not in this record, but still tears a few suitable solos, including the one in this one. Then we have Betrayal, with the nice opera by Reason and nice violins but not much else. But ah, then we have Loser, with the didgeridoo intro. I also just love all that celtic stuff. Vocals are good and this song has balls. Also Devin's screams, pure excellency. The wicked keyboards are just prog. After the previous masterpiece, Accident is a bit boredom, nothing much to say about that. Realization has nice organ and one of the best flutes on the album, pretty good one, though the vocals don't cause an orgasm. Two more to go, Disclosure has a short bit of good keyboards but that's all, a kinda flat one too. Then we have only Confrontation, which is a bit better than the previous but not among the highlights of the record. But still, a fairly good closer for the album.

Even as the album has very different kinds of quality, as a whole, it's still a pretty genious work. Musically i'd give it a 4, but because of the brilliant concept, it woul actually be even 4½ stuff, 'right.