Ayreon - 01011001
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Free Music Notes for 01011001
Free Music Review: Disappointment
Hit: 3 Stars
I am going to be the minority on this one, but this CD does not live up to my expectations. I do not feel that it comes anywhere close to being as good as Human Equation. That said, it's not terrible. I give it three stars for the usual excellent musicianship you know you are going to get from Arjen. Lyrically, however, this "rock opera" suffers, as some of the tracks seem to be very loose parts of the albums concept. Connect The Dots and Web Of Lies and E=MC2 are not good songs, and I'm having a hard time getting past that. Even some of the other songs feel somewhat rushed together. Too many vocalists on other tracks ("too many cooks"), seeming like there was some necessity to squeeze this voice in here, that voice in there.
There isn't not a single other Ayreon album where I ever wanted to skip a track. This one has three. And for that I would have given 2 stars if not, again, for the Arjen factor.
Free Music Review: Another amazing Arjen-ride through space and time!
Hit: 5 Stars
What everyone has said about the album is the same i'd say. Personally this is my favourite release from Ayreon since "into the electric castle" several albums prior and with Ayreon's growing fan base and collection of wonderful vocalists from all walks of rock / metal, it seems Arjen will be keeping fans entertained for many years to come. Now all we need is a tour :) haha! Fantasic job with the melodies, storyline, choice of singers, and the production is in its own league. Heres to you Arjen and another gem! Free Music Review: Exceeds All Expectations - A Great Album!
Hit: 5 Stars
My first encounter with the music of Arjen Lucassen was his last release, THE HUMAN EQUATION. I picked that CD up solely because James LaBrie of Dream Theater was singing on it. I was immediately impressed with the depth of story, the virtuosity of musicians and the masterful way that Lucassen pulled so many top flight people together to make, what amounts to a prog-rock opera. It was one of the best purchases I made a few years ago. I guess the only complaint I had at the time was the growling on a few of the tracks...a particular musical style I've personally never really appreciated.
It was with great anticipation that I bought 01011001. I wasn't sure if it would be a continuation of the Human Equation story or something completely different. This time around, it's a brilliant and powerful science fiction epic of a grand scale. I understand the story is related to his previous album UNIVERSAL MIGRATOR, PT 1-2. (Looks like I have another CD to buy.)
I was blown away with this album from the first moment. The assembled musicians are perfectly cast, and the music is incredible! I was expecting a good album, but got a great one. This is the must-buy album of the year for any and all progressive rock fans.
I purchased the Special Edition box set with a DVD included. I have to say that the "Beneath The Waves" video is amazing and wonderful to watch, but much of the rest of the DVD is dross. There is a tedious video showing interviews with many of the singers and musicians, talking about how they met Arjen, or how Arjen emailed them, or how Arjen picked them up at the airport, or how great it is to work with Arjen.....I got really bored with it really quickly. Unless you are really into that kind of thing, I can easily recommend that you save the extra $10 or so, and just pick up the music.
But you must, must, must get the music...you won't be sorry!
Free Music Review: Journey on the Migrator Trail *Spoilers*
Hit: 4 Stars
This is a continuation of Arjen Lucassen's (Ayreon) sci-fi epic telling of an immortal alien race populated Earth to give meaning to their own existence.
Going into the album (which I call "the Y album", as 01011001 is binary for the letter Y in ACII), I thought that, judging by the mention of Forever on Wikipedia, it was going to be a sequel to Into the Electric Castle. Be forewarned: SPOILERS AHEAD.
It is not. It is in fact a prequel to my favorite of his sci-fi albums, Universal Migrator, a deeper telling of humanity's beginning and end told to us in tracks 2 and 3 of UM Disc 1. The "cheese" factor on 01011001 is minimal. Typical sci-fi, but told in a very interesting way.
The differentiation of the two discs, one being titled "Y" and the other "Earth" is really unnecessary unless one considers the subject of each disc. The humans individually (played by Arjen, Simone Simons, and others), have a very small role compared to that of many of the vocalists who play the "Forevers," as the story is really told from their point of view.
Surprisingly, Floor Jansen (After Forever) does not take center stage anywhere on the album. She goes into her famous operatic mode in choruses accompanied often by a death growl by one of the male vocalists. The combination is a very clever contrast, but she is sometimes overpowered and must be found by the effort of the listener. Anneke von Giersbergen, who played the Egyptian in Into the Electric Castle, flourishes here as the center female vocalist on the "Forever" point of view. My only problem in terms of vocalists is that there were male vocalists I would have liked to have seen return; I think Eric Clayton (from The Human Equation as Reason) might have made a good "Forever," but his vocal ability might have overtaken most of his accompanyists. None of the male vocalists are of even medium quality, only that two of them really sound too similar.
One vocalist of particular note is Arjen himself. One song, "The Truth is in Here," is simply brilliant, both musically and plotwise. The strange thing, however, is that it seems to be present-day and he is referred to not as the character Ayreon (who is a blind minstrel from the 6th century who receives messages transmitted from scientists in the 22nd; see The Final Experiment album), but himself.
One other problem I encountered is that there are no solos, and there isnt enough of the awesome electric guitar to be found on the track "Unnatural Selection," which is still pretty awesome.
On the whole, there are only two boring songs on the album, and both are very short. 94 of the 100 minutes of music on Ayreon's new album are total bliss.
However, those expecting another The Human Equation should know that if there ever was a second Human Equation, the universe would collapse, as it would be like two Chuck Norrises existing at the same time: That mass of awesome simply cannot exist on this physical plane.
Free Music Review: You're in for a wild ride
Hit: 5 Stars
Ayreon's 01011001 is magnificent. I've been an Ayreon fan ever since I heard the song "Merlin's Will" years ago. Somehow Arjen manages to pull of music and lyrical stunts that were anyone else to try and do, I think they would be laughed offstage.
But Arjen gets it right, every single time, And 01011001 is no exception, but it is exceptional! ;)
For me this album fits into the musical void between Human Equation and Flight of the Migrator. One was mellow the other was heavy, and where one was lyrical the other was vauge.
The new album gives us a huge dose of metal, with beautiful breathers in between that will grab your breathless ears and drench them in a sonic orgasm of harmony. "Comatose" and "Waking Dreams" give me goose bumps.
"Age of Shadows", "Liquid Eternity", "The Earth Exintion" will have you headbanging in no time. My fingers got sore from throwing up the horns so many times! \m/
Be prepared too for the best "rocker" Arjen has written yet. "Connect the Dots" is a straight up chordy tune that any rock/pop band alive today would sacrafice their first born to lay claim to. I must say that the highlight of this song is the drums -- it's held together oh-so-tightly but with a lose kind of swager that this song will playing air drums all the way home.
Hansi from Blind Guardian really shines on this CD, and here come my only two critiques of the whole 2-CD album:
1) I want more Hansi!!! He gets his own song on "River of Time", but it seems like its never enough. You can hear his unearthly voice in most of the choruses and singing background on most of the songs, and when he does, WOW...its the only part of the song you hear... "In the world of tomorrow's dreams...OUR FUTURE LIES..." eternal goosebumps!
2) The last track. It is epic. It is awesome. It takes my breath away. BUT, it doesnt top "Day 20: Confrontation" from Human Equation. Granted, few songs by any band will ever top that song...its the coup de gra of all ending epic songs. I was really hoping that Arjen would out-do himself and perform the impossible by making a more epic ending to 01011001. It's a great song with several movements and a triumphant, fist pounding ending, but it doesnt compare to "Day 20".
Lastly, listen with headphones on! This album is a sonic supernova. Get it now!