Ayreon, The Source

I am the first one to admit I’m a giant un-objective Arjen fangirl and that I will be mega-excited about anything this guy puts out, no matter the label it’s under. Also that his “guess the vocalist” pre-album games on Facebook are the most effective teaser he could ever lay on me and the amount of amazing singers on this album alone would make me over the top excited, if there was any need for more of that. So now that we have established how long, unnecessarily detailed and completely biased and praising this review will be, away we go.

The Day That The World Breaks Down starts off almost identically to The theory of everything, except with James LaBrie instead of JB, but truth be told, I will never get tired of hearing that spacey synthesiser and it sounds so good if you pretend you never heard the previous albums. It’s pretty cheesy and way too cheerful for the theme it deals with (yes, it’s about the Apocalypse), but once you accept this, it’s actually quite catchy and contagious. And it has Hansi, which always makes things right in the world again. Seriously, just listen to him coming in all triumphant and self-assured and tell me it doesn’t make the whole song sound better! You know what else makes the song better? Russell Allen (I told you the singers alone are enough to make me a happy camper), with his groovy and cool attitude, that frees us from the incredibly boring rehash of the binary code recitation that sounded so awesome in Age of shadows. Even my extreme devotion to Arjen isn’t enough to keep from getting a bit worried he’s running out of the ideas, and the next stop isn’t bound to entirely reassure me.

Sea Of Machines is kind of a weird track. On one hand it sounds so pretty and it’s such a sweet and pleasant melody. On the other hand, there are people screaming in the background as the Chemist and the platitude speaker (aka the Diplomat) sing gently about death and disaster. I imagine it’s supposed to convey resignation, in order to contrast better with the second part, which is about their newfound hope. All it manages is to make me raise an eyebrow and contrast with how completely awesome the second part is, which is where Arjen remembers he’s actually one of the best composers around. I’ve never been a fan of Tobias Sammet and Lord knows I can’t stand Simone Simons, but under Arjen’s wing they manage to create the best part of the album so far, which is the powerful and inspiring ending where the soon to be Forevers adamantly declare they’ll find a way to save their kind. Things are starting to look up for this fangirl.

Everybody Dies is a jazzy infectious song, that puts a smile on my face and gets me to tap my feet and excitedly sing along. Sure it’s about ominous skies and everybody dying, but it’s mostly from the perspective of a cute blunt robot that could use some lessons in tact. It makes it funny and TH1 is like the heavy metal R2D2, with his “Doom, gloom, the world goes boom” being strangely endearing.

With Star Of Sirrah, however,the mood finally becomes serious, as it befits a story about the destruction of mankind (is it really mankind, though, considering it’s the Forevers who created humans? Where the Forevers originally normal humans and they forgot humanity once existed? It would certainly fit it with the idea of the album that history is bound to repeat itself. I love it when the story of an album makes me think and ask questions, especially considering how little emphasis I usually put on lyrics). If it’s not already obvious by now, this is where the album truly hooks me and I become fully invested into the story. In short, it’s a typical Ayreon festival of instruments, wonderful voices and life or death debates, but that description doesn’t really do justice to the song. It’s such a good musical reflection of the feeling of hope for a new world, stacked against the burden of leaving everyone behind and there are so many small, yet powerful moments, like the emotionally loaded pause as they wonder if they can leave the rest to die, the drum beat synchronised with the other instruments or the little musical nod to Liquid eternity the song as they talk about liquid eternity the substance.

All That Was is Ayreon’s now mandatory female duet ballad, which means it’s gentle and pretty and it has gorgeous classical instruments. Atmospherically it’s another well reproduced mix between joy and sadness, as our explorer characters nostalgically say goodbye to Earth, their loved ones and life as they know it. It’s flowing, yet powerful, and for once I’m glad they don’t employ the whole spectrum of misery that such a moment might bring, because I don’t think I’m ready for such a burden.

The “favourite track” award goes to Run! Apocalypse! Run!, which is…. well, my favourite track on an album by my favourite songwriter. I guess you can imagine how that goes. It’s fast paced, engaging and intense, it has amazing Tommy, epic Hansi, badass Floor, captivating Zaher and the trademark Ayreon synth solo and it’s a perfect musical re-enactment of the “run like the devil is chasing you” theme. It’s so infectious and dynamic, it’s hard to do it justice in writing. So go listen to it. If you listened to it before, listen to it again. There’s no such thing as too many spins when it comes to Ayreon 🙂

Condemned To Live starts off a in a more simple and upbeat way than one would expect for such a subject (the burden of being one of the few chosen to perpetuate the human race, while everyone else is left for dead), but LaBrie’s balmy and emotional voice combined with the resolution of each verse in a minor key bring weight to the message and beautifully echo the sadness and doubt the survivors must feel. The finale is yet another lovely whirlwind of instruments and voices and my favourite part is how the song ends both literally and metaphorically on a high note from the wonderful Floor Jansen.

Aquatic Race loses me once more with the cheesy choir in the beginning, but as the song starts to grow, so does my enthusiasm. I love how it toys with our expectations and the conclusion of Tommy’s determined speech is not a logical explosion, but a calm and warm bridge (made even better by the Diplomat’s Roy-Khan-like buttery voice), followed by an otherworldly interlude that immediately makes me equate the liquid eternity with some trance-inducing drugs (it wouldn’t be the first time our favourite hippie references drugs, after all). And since there can never be too much Floor and Hansi in the world, I cannot be anything but excited about their intense and powerful duet near the end (nor about their presence on this album).

Another beautiful and touching track is The Dream Dissolves, where the pretty flute, grave drums, fascinating violins and compelling guitar remind me how much I adore when Arjen plays with his instruments, while Simone’s gentle voice, echoed powerfully by Floor remind me how much I adore when Arjen plays with his singers. I’m still impressed that I like Simone Simons on this album, it’s a good reminder of how important it is to use each artist keeping in mind his qualities and flaws. I’m also impressed by how much they can say with just a simple phrase, the way each of the four vocalists sings the part “and the dream dissolves” is so different and it communicates so many different states of mind – hope, resignation, anger, desolation – it’s just fascinating.

Deathcry Of A Race is yet another regale of voices that gets me all fangirly and delighted. I know I’m putting a lot of emphasis on the voices, but when you have so many mega-talented singers that are able to play their characters so convincingly and bring out such a myriad of emotions and moods, it’s hard to think of anything else. Just listen to it and imagine it: Russell is so hopeful and optimistic about their future, while Floor sounds so regretful when thinking of the people they left behind. Then Tommy displays so much sufferance when remembering Earth, and yet shows so much determination declaring they’re starting over and no one will die, Zaher is the perfect incarnation of an imam with his oriental chants and the ladies’ operatic vocals dramatically tell the story of their last goodbye. I also need to point out how each artist uses exactly the type of vocals that most represent him/her, which is another example of masterful use of their potential.

Into The Ocean is a more old school track, keyboard driven and with classic vocals from the President (how fun is it that of all people who could be president, it’s Sir Russell Allen who takes on this part?). Then it goes through various rhythms and moods that bring comfort to any fan that’s worried Arjen might be forgetting his progyness and replace it with hard rock, before bursting into one of the catchiest and contagious parts of the album, sung by none other than my beloved Hansi, who manages to bring any track to life by simply opening his mouth. It’s a positive good natured tune, that exudes an optimism and excitement sorely needed after everything they went through.

With Bay Of Dreams we get back to the well-known hazy and alien sounds that reflect the theme and story so well. This track reminds me a lot of the older albums, but this time without sounding like a rehash of previous moments, simply in terms of the atmosphere and feelings it evokes. Poor heavy metal R2D2 is now feeling alone and worthless and I can’t help but be sorry for the little thing. I also can’t help but be impressed with Michael Eriksen’s voice. In the beginning of the album he sounded like a cheerleader for the crew, always spouting the most obvious and useless encouragements, but once he starts acting like a real person, his voice gets to shine and boy does he shine!

And now, more cheesiness and cheerfulness in Planet Y Is Alive!, as the Oposition leader and President display a spot-on impersonation of two politicians with wooden language. Thankfully, the Astronomer breaks it off with his awesomeness and leads us to the chorus, which somehow is highly infectious, even though it’s highly corny at the same time (I suppose it has something to do with the fact that everything that comes out of Hansi’s mouth is epic beyond words). I have no idea why the fact that Floor later reiterates Hansi’s part makes me so stupidly excited, but I feel like a kid in the candy store whenever these two open their mouths.

The Source Will Flow brings us once more into the drugged up world of our Chemist, who always sounds like he’s having the trip of his life (I guess it’s fitting, after all). I love how it starts off so nostalgically and bittersweet and then slowly begins to grow with those beautiful violins in the background, leaving us in a daze.

Journey To Forever abruptly breaks off that daze (and I can’t say I’m very fond of the sudden and harsh waking) to pour more optimism and more expectations about how wonderful life is going to be on their newfound planet. I’m not sure if it’s done on purpose or I think of it because I know how their story will unfold, but even in this exuberant joy, I still hear a note of sadness and tragic that foreshadows what is to come (spoiler for 01011001, they once more become dependent on the machines and are on the verge of extinction, before creating a new race of humans and living vicariously through them, until the new race of humans also becomes dependent on the machines and is on the verge of extinction. It’s a very cynical and somewhat desolate thought that history is cyclical, but it’s something I actually believe, so I like the use of this theme).

The Human Compulsion is, for all intents and purposes, the closing track of the album and in good Ayreon tradition it consists of our vocalists debating who has the best voice. Or what will happen now and what is their future, I’m not exactly sure, it’s one or the other. And speaking of 01, I love the nod to it by pointing out their tale’s not over and the circle is still incomplete (if you don’t remember, the last line of 01 is “complete the circle” – I swear I only remember it because it’s such a powerful ending and not because I’m the biggest fangirl on the planet!). It’s a great way to connect the two stories, in a way that’s clear enough for everyone to understand, but still doesn’t beat you over the head with it. It’s also a great ending for an awesome album, it has a good hook and of course, everyone sounds absolutely stunning.

March Of The Machines is more like the short moment after the credits that sets up the stage for the sequel (even though 01 isn’t technically a sequel), as our sad little robot plots his revenge for being left to fall into oblivion. As the speed of the track grows, so does the sense of approaching danger, culminating with the ominous proclamation that “the age of shadows will begin”. It’s a wonderful ending for a wonderful album.

Now I have to admit that the record starts slowly and a bit unconvincingly, but as it develops, it becomes better and better and by the end of it, I’m back to my over-excited self when it comes to everything Arjen-related. Each song is different from the other and has tons of personality (at least compared to the other tracks of the album), the music is awesome, the story is awesome (I already mentioned Ayreon is one of the few bands that can get me truly invested in the story and I’m completely in love with the concept band idea – when I realised this is the background story of the Forevers I was sillily enthusiastic) and the vocals are… awesome is not enough to describe them. Doubly awesome? Triply awesome?…infinitely awesome? Yeah, that will have to do. Once more, Arjen proves he is great at creating captivating stories and melodies and the only thing matching his truckload of talent is the talent of the singers he so masterfully finds and uses.