ARJEN "AYREON" LUCASSEN FEATURE

ARJEN "AYREON" LUCASSEN

- one of the torchbearers of progressive music

by Denis Brunelle

Artist Arjen " Ayreon " Lucassen
Location Holland
Status Progactive
Official website http://www.ayreon.com/
Current record label Inside Out Music

I would like to present this tribute to Mr. Lucassen in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the progressive metal world. He made me discover some of the greatest music I ever heard as well as a large number of bands also exceeding in their art. The best way for me to make you truly understand how talented he is, would be , besides from getting his albums, to have you directed to his website. You will be able to find out for yourself how prolific he has been with his own work as well as contributing to so many of his friends' . My humble contribution would be to present some of my favorites albums from a great composer that I consider to be the King of modern time Progressive Music.

Ayreon "The Final Experiment" Released : 1995 Total Playing : 71:19
An early rock opera and a conceptual album. Like on many of his recordings, the musicians and singers are too numerous to be listed so please refer to his website or cd booklet. Arjen himself plays various instruments such as electric and acoustic guitar, bass, keyboards. He also sings ! Gifted artist to the core. Being the first Ayreon album, we are introduced to who is called by this name : a blind minstrel who lives in the sixth century . This character receives apocaliptic images from the futur. This opera is a four acts story made of fifteen intricately progressive and symphonic metal pieces.

Ayreon "Into the Electric Castle" Released: 1998 Total Playing: disc one : 47:25 disc two : 57:12
This masterpiece is probably the best album I've ever heard in my life ! A space opera based on a story involving eight singers (characters) from different times brought together in a strange dimension where they must confront themselves to return to their era .... A surrealist castle richly decorated with spaced out twelve strings and keyboards over a maze of fantastic pieces knitted of sophisticated musical landscapes that can only be created by a genius !

Ayreon "Flight of the Migrator" Total Playing: 65:36
"The Dream Sequencer" Total Playing: 70:14
Both released 2000
This is some kind of a double album presented as two different entities and packages. Two very different cds released at the same time showing an artist with extented talents. " Flight of the Migrator " was my first encouter with this superior form of intelligence. This album describes itself as " A heavy progressive adventure ". I was amazed by all the great music, long pieces, walls of keyboards, powerful guitars and so on. You have to have this one to understand. On the other side of the moon, " The Dream Sequencer " is more of " a song-oriented melodic and atmospheric journey " like the back cover says. Here the keyboards take a more spacy mood and even if the electric version is still used, more twelve strings acoustic textures are being added.

Ambeon "Fate of a Dreamer" Released: 2001 Total Playing: 51:29
Ambion stands for Ambiant Ayreon and is actually made of previous Ayreon compositions treated in a very ambiant mood. But that's not all ! This album was intented to be an instrumental one with a couple of songs with lyrics but as it is an ever progressive movement , it turned out to be the opposite. This is mostly due to a remarkable singer by the name of Astrid van der Veen. This incredible fourteen years old girl sings in a very mature and intense way that makes one believe she is at least double her age ! Besides, she' s responsible for the lyrics and melodies . All of this creates a really pleasant experience full of human emotions.

Star One "Space Metal" Released: 2002 Total Playing: 55:49
The latest jewel from the king's crown! A superb heavy album inspired by science fiction movies, that will give you an unforgetable trip aboard the spaceship ! For those of you that used to and maybe still are, a fan of Deep Purple, this is a must. I repeat, a MUST! Without copying, since Mr. Lucassen, due to his immense talent, doesn't need to, the sound, mostly caused by the crafty use of keyboards and Hammond organ, great guitar riffs, dynamic compositions and of course stunning guitar/keyboards interplay, has a great purplish color.

     

To give you an idea of the musicians and singers, I shall tell you that throughout the different projects, people from bands like Symphony X, Helloween, Iron Maiden, Tiamat, After Forever were called in to contribute in the making of the jewels that adorned the King's crown. Long live the King!

©2002 Vincent Eldefors BACK