Ayreon!

[Appelmoes??]

I've listened to half of the first disc (I've got comany over). It Ayreon alright, but I can't really say how much I like it. I think this will be an album that needs to grow on me. Same as THE actually. It took me a while before I really liked that one.

[JJ II]

I was there to, I was wearing a Star One T-shirt.... and standing on the small steps on the right right in front of the stage....

I loved the gig and the DVD-material... I hope the material grows on me soundswise, and riffwise it grabs me by the throat: melodywise, it doesn't do it for me... yet. 

[Appelmoes??]

I've noticed too that there's less melody on this album. Not that's it's not there, but in comparison to previous albums... It's a bit more industrial here and there. I don't think that's a bad thing though, it adds diversion to the album and Ayreon in general. I think it reflects on Arjen's darker period he had to go through.

[maddox]

The album is indeed darker than the previous Ayreon albums. I think it suits the story a lot.
I really like the album though i still have some doubts about the choice of characters.

[Appelmoes??]

Which ones?

[maddox]

Which ones?

Well for one, i'm no fan of Evergrey and Tom Englund doesn't impresses me on the album at all.
Further more i have to say that Hansi and Ty doesn't impress me either. 

Maybe that will grow, i don't know.

[The Butterfly Man]

Well for one, i'm no fan of Evergrey and Tom Englund doesn't impresses me on the album at all.

I really like Tom Englund's singing on all Evergrey albums, and this Ayreon album is no exception! Especially at the start of Sixth Extinction!

Tom

[Peter]

Hmm, after having listened to 01011001 twice now, I must confess I'm a bit disappointed. To make the analysis short: This album is like taking all the tunes and sounds from Flight of the Migrator, Into the Electric Castle, The Human Equation and maybe Star One, and putting them in a mixer. Some melodies really sound like they were struggling hard to be different from the old stuff, getting strange in the process. This is clearly a commercial release to me; still extremely professional, exquisite choice of artists and the sound is superb, but it lacks originality. I expected more from the tall guy, really.

This album gives a clear "no" as an answer to the question: "Is an artist allowed to copy himself?"

[PH]

Well for one, i'm no fan of Evergrey and Tom Englund doesn't impresses me on the album at all.
Further more i have to say that Hansi and Ty doesn't impress me either. 

Yeah, Ty doesn't convince me either. Maybe it's because of the melody lines, but it sounds like he can't stay in tone.
Furthermore, I don't really like Simone Simons voice. Don't know how she sounds with Epica, but here it doesn't do it for me.
Anneke van Giersbergen, on the other hand, sings very good! And Magali Luyten sounds also very impressive. I wish she had done more for this album.
I guess it's true that no guest singers stand out that much. The Human Equation had James LaBrie, Mikael Akerfeldt, Eric Clayton, etc...

-Paco

[PH]

This album gives a clear "no" as an answer to the question: "Is an artist allowed to copy himself?"

In this case I'd say "yes", since it's a concept. I heard tunes from all of Ayreon's former albums. That gave me goosebumps. It doesn't bother me at all.

-Paco

[maddox]

Furthermore, I don't really like Simone Simons voice. Don't know how she sounds with Epica, but here it doesn't do it for me.

Practically the same. 

Anneke van Giersbergen, on the other hand, sings very good! And Magali Luyten sounds also very impressive. I wish she had done more for this album.

About Anneke: Yes indeed. 
About Magali: I so much agree with you. 

I guess it's true that no guest singers stand out that much. The Human Equation had James LaBrie, Mikael Akerfeldt, Eric Clayton, etc...

-Paco

That doesn't have to be a bad thing. I think that the more different characters from different stiles you use, the more interesting it stays/gets.

[maddox]

In this case I'd say "yes", since it's a concept. I heard tunes from all of Ayreon's former albums. That gave me goosebumps. It doesn't bother me at all.

-Paco

+1. 

[PH]

The songs Connect The Dots and Web Of Lies are not very interesting to me...
These also don't fit in the story that much.

And what's with all those symbols which represent the characters? Like: a heart, an upside down pentagram, an omega symbol, Yin-Yang, saint Patrick's cross, etc...?


-Paco

[Appelmoes??]

Yeah, Ty doesn't convince me either. Maybe it's because of the melody lines, but it sounds like he can't stay in tone.

Hmm, strange, since he uses the same technique as Roine Stolt, who you like. At least, that the reason why I like Ty's song. It's different, just like Loser on THE. It truly sticks out from the rest and I think Ty sang it that way too. Shows how he "felt" that song.

I can say sooo much about this album that i could easily write an extremely long post. But I'll just stick to this: Arjen has done in again.

[The Butterfly Man]

I can say sooo much about this album that i could easily write an extremely long post. But I'll just stick to this: Arjen has done in again.

I curiously await your extremely long post!

Tom

[PH]

Hey Appel!
So it finally has grown on you?
In one day?

For me it was an instant classic! Brilliant album, I think it's my favourite Ayreon album.
Let's make a top 10:

1. 01011001
2. The Human Equation
3. Into The Electric Castle
4. Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer
5. The Final Experiment
6. Actual Fantasy
7. Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight Of The Migrator

But if you take Universal Migrator Part 1 and 2 as a whole it comes on fifth place. Just after The Final Experiment.

[Bupie]

All those recent messages put me in the mood for a bit of Ayreon. So I watched the bonus DVD of THE that I had for more than a year but had never viewed so far. Interesting. Arjen must be one of the sole artists that "writes" lyrics while jogging ...

[Appelmoes??]

Hey Appel!
So it finally has grown on you?
In one day?

Hehe, I already like it, but I'm sure I will discover new things about it, that will make it better. I do have a better feeling about this album than I had about THE.

[Appelmoes??]

And what's with all those symbols which represent the characters? Like: a heart, an upside down pentagram, an omega symbol, Yin-Yang, saint Patrick's cross, etc...?

That one is easy. All the singer could pick a symbol that would be used in the booklet to let the listeners see, who's singing what. For example, Floor chose the Omega sign, because that used for After Forever as well. Daniël pick the Registered trademark thingy, because his latest album deals with today's materialism (or something). Every symbol has a connecion with the singer. It's up to you to connect the dots 

[PH]

That one is easy. All the singer could pick a symbol that would be used in the booklet to let the listeners see, who's singing what. For example, Floor chose the Omega sign, because that used for After Forever as well. Daniël pick the Registered trademark thingy, because his latest album deals with today's materialism (or something). Every symbol has a connecion with the singer. It's up to you to connect the dots 

Yeah of course, I can understand that.
But still, Marjan Welman, Simone Simons, Liselotte Hegt, Wudstik, Ty Tabor, Phideaux Xavier and Arjen himself don't have these symbols.
It's something that only "Forever" has.
Oh well...

Now listening to Newborn Race. The acoustic guitar has a Into The Electric Castle feel to it. "Tunnel Of Light" I think it was.
By the way, part C "The procedure" of "Newborn Race" is a highly addictive and happy part!!
Arjen is a musical genius!

-Paco

[maddox]

Arjen is a musical genius!

-Paco

Amen to that. 

[Sergey]

I bought Ayreon's last album because this work was recorded with Floor and Joost from After Forever.Know I think it's good album,4/5.

[Appelmoes??]

Floor is also on The Universal Migrator I: The Dream Sequencer and on Arjen's other project Star One. Joost also appears on The Human Equation and on the Live DVD/CD of Star One: Live on Earth.

[bluepony]

Appy, you're a walking, breathing encyclopedia! 

[Peter]

ts ts ts 

http://www.arjenlucassen.com/ayreon/ay_floor.html
http://www.arjenlucassen.com/ayreon/ay_joost.html

data hasn't been updated to include '01' yet, it seems.