Stream of Passion

[Appelmoes??]

Yes, finally the debut-album, Embrace the Storm' from Arjen's new "project" Stream of Passion is out. Actually, this time it's a real band, so it's not an all-Arjen-on-instruments album and 10-20 different singers.
At first I liked it, but not in a way I like Ayreon or Arena. It didn't had that "wow"-factor. I've listened to it a few times now and it took me a while to get used to. I expected another Ayreon-like sound, but got something that is not.
As soon as I started to think of this as "a band" and not an "Ayreon-like-thingy" I started to like it more, almost up to the "wow"-factor. I still like Ayreon better, but hey, that's just my personal taste.

I think the album has a modern sound, yet doesn't sound too progressive (which is imo a very good thing ). The album features some good strong and heavy songs as well as a few soft ballads and Marcela's voice works for both.
Another plus, imo, is the fact that you don't go all the time: "ah, that was Arjen... And there he was again...".
Also, there are no keyboards on this album, only a piano. The piano gives the music a unique sound I think and of course it works great with the ballads

Songs I like in particular are 'Embrace the Storm', 'Haunted', 'Where ever You Are' and 'Out in the Real World' (The last two use some of the same melody-lines I think)

I can recommend this album to anyone who likes music that just a little bit heavier than Arena, has good female voices and great musicians.

Oh btw, the CD and DVD are printed on 1 disc

Anybody else got the album allready? What do you think?

[erik]

Starting to get more and more curious about it and just listened to the downloads on the website. Not completely taken yet, but suppose this may be one of those albums that has to grow on you. And since I like Ayreon, The Gathering, Within Temptation, Evanescence, I think this album will fit right in

[erik]

Listened to those tracks on the website a few times more and yes, it's growing on me. I'll be buying the album soon 

[Teunis]

Yes, I've got the album. Same as you, it had to grow, but the sound is incredible like all his albums. Especially the 5.1 mix is beautiful. I have the same favorite songs as you  . . Right now the cd is in my computer media player. It grows more and more. Though I'm a real keyboard freak, I'm not really missing it. The piano gives a ''warm" sound. Very enjoyable .

[Peter]

I ordered two times, once from plato and once from Yvette directly, should be two different things, but both signed. I must confess I couldn't stand the wait any longer a week ago or so and ... em.... don't beat me up .... consulted the mule.......

I love it. Every part of it, no songs i like more than others... at the moment. I'll be at Aschaffenburg in February to see them live, definitely!

[Highfire]

I've bought the album, and it's great.

I like Nightwish, Within Temptation and Evanescence, but Stream Of Passion is one step beyond. It's not progg, it's not heavy, it's not goth, ... , but it's all of them.

Marcela is a great singer (she sang the Wife role in Human Equation). The rithym section is played by tho young boys, very proffesional, and the lead guitar is played by Lori, one girl that sounds like a hurricane.

There are no synths, only a real piano (great choice) and only a few post-production, so it sounds direct. Arjen only plays rithym guitar.

I'm really caught in the album. Next february they'll be playing in Madrid, so I'll be there. I can only hope that Arena will do the same!!!

Cheers

[Appelmoes??]

It's not progg, it's not heavy, it's not goth, ... , but it's all of them.

That's about the best discription I heard so far

Now I've had a couple more listenings to it (1.246 times or so ) It's harder for me to have a favourite song. I like the album as a whole.

I hope this band will last and produce a lot more albums. This is by far Arjen's best project besides Ayreon IMO.

[Herben]

Yes, finally the debut-album, Embrace the Storm' from Arjen's new "project" Stream of Passion is out. Actually, this time it's a real band, so it's not an all-Arjen-on-instruments album and 10-20 different singers.
At first I liked it, but not in a way I like Ayreon or Arena. It didn't had that "wow"-factor. I've listened to it a few times now and it took me a while to get used to. I expected another Ayreon-like sound, but got something that is not.
As soon as I started to think of this as "a band" and not an "Ayreon-like-thingy" I started to like it more, almost up to the "wow"-factor. I still like Ayreon better, but hey, that's just my personal taste.

I must agree with You I bought the album as well but in fact I didn't liked it very much does remind me of the Gathering. It could have been a new the Gathering album. I like to hear a song from the Gathering but not a whole album, the songs are all the same no extra elements in it.

[Herben]

This is by far Arjen's best project besides Ayreon IMO.

To me Arjens best project is the Star One project, I hope he'll make more albums like that. On the second place I would put The Ambeon project, I see Stream of Passion the least nice project.

[Highfire]

To me Arjens best project is the Star One project, I hope he'll make more albums like that. On the second place I would put The Ambeon project, I see Stream of Passion the least nice project.

Well ... ejem ... I have a different opinion, my favourite is Stream OP, next is Ambeon and then Star One. I think that Star One didn't improve Ayreon's heavy side (like Flight Of The Migrator). Ambeon gave some different accents to the softer side of Arjen (maybe because of Astrid's voice).

Stream Of Passion doesn't sound like an Arjen's side project, and that's a great new for me. When I heard he was going to create a new project I thought that it would sound like Ayreon, and fortunately I was mistaken.

Maybe you don't like it much because of that...

[Teunis]

I find it difficult to compare those projects. It depends on my mood what I'm going to play. When I want something heavy, Star One is coming out of my speakers. 'Lift-off' and then: 'Set Your Controls'. Oh yeah!!! 
Ambeon is the more 'ambient' music with more synthesizer and special effects.
Stream of Passion has some heavier songs, but in common it has more 'warm' music by using the piano, celli and violins.
I can't choose what my favorite project is, love them all .

[Appelmoes??]

With Ambeon and Star One Arjen wanted to play specificly ambient and heavy stuff. He "made" SoP because he wanted to play in a band again I think. So where Ambeon and Star One show 2 sides of his music on separate albums, SoP shows how Arjen plays in a band. Like in Vengeance Arjen doesn't take the spotlight in SoP, but takes his place as a bandmember. My respect for him as a musician has only grown by that because he shows he can still be modest even when he has proven to be one of the best things that happened to prog in the Netherlands, Europe and even the world I dare say in the last decade. (Together with Arena ofcourse )

For me I can say that when I realised that SoP wasn't just another Arjen-project-thingy, I began to like the music much more.

[Highfire]

My respect for him as a musician has only grown by that because he shows he can still be modest even when he has proven to be one of the best things that happened to prog in the Netherlands, Europe and even the world I dare say in the last decade. (Together with Arena ofcourse )

Yes!!! It's amazing to see that a genious like Arjen plays ONLY rithym guitars on an album. He wants Marcela to be the frontman (frontwoman, sorry), and everyone in SoP is at least as important as Arjen is.

Marcela wrote the lyrics and I guess that also most of the vocal melodies, and she has done a great job. I can ensure you that Nostalgia (the song completely written in spanish) has a precious lyrics. Is much more difficult to write in spanish than in english, IMO.

[Appelmoes??]

I can ensure you that Nostalgia (the song completely written in spanish) has a precious lyrics. Is much more difficult to write in spanish than in english, IMO.

Can you translate the spannish lyrics for me? I'm very curiuos! The site doesn't have them

[Peter]

Yeah that would be nice, please, Highfire, if you can...

[Highfire]

I can see many downloaders around here  the translation is into the booklet (my mouth is closed  )

NOSTALGIA
With her eyes fixed on the sea
She looks for a sign among the waves
Something to make her forget the truth.
An entire life filled with tears.
She surrenders to madness, then goes quiet
For the love of a day
that will never come back.
When the rose dies
She'll find peace in those useless words
For the love of a day
That will never come back.


And now the two spanish spoken parts of Haunted (also in the booklet):

Entire days I spend walking in silence
I hurry my steps to leave everything behind;
In solitude I search for a space
To forget the voice that haunts me.

A whisper that digs into my soul
A constant and upsettin thought.
I know you're there, even though I can't see you,
I was never able to escape from
Your cruel eyes.


None of them are really great translations, they don't sound very well, I can't understand it. They are much more interesting in spanish, but...that's the magic.

Bye everybody!

[Appelmoes??]

I can see many downloaders around here  the translation is into the booklet (my mouth is closed  )

LOL I only now noticed that

I actually got 2 booklets. I ordered the signed version, so my order came in with the album and a second signed booklet.

[Peter]

LOL I only now noticed that

I actually got 2 booklets. I ordered the signed version, so my order came in with the album and a second signed booklet.

I even have three of them

[keyboardistmatt]

Multiple booklets?  What happened there, then?

[Peter]

I bought two different releases, one was thew signed version, which came with two booklets.

[maddox]

I pre-ordered the DualDisk version, and its really great. Especially the 5.1 mix. Wasn't so happy with Marcela in The Human Equation, but she convinced me now. Great voice.

MAD. 

[keyboardistmatt]

Did you get two booklets as well?

[Herben]

Did you get two booklets as well?

I also had two the same booklets, one was signed and one was unsigned, the sign was stream on, arjen.

[FirstPrice]

I don't like to say it, but I actually don't like SoP... 

Well.. I like it, but not as all the other stuff Arjen have done.
It may be because I don't like bands like Nightwish and Evanescense.. It just sounds like Evanescense to me.. And that is because of the vocal. I kn ow she's a good singer, but I don't like it. Especially in that kind of music...

[Herben]

I don't like to say it, but I actually don't like SoP... 

Well.. I like it, but not as all the other stuff Arjen have done.
It may be because I don't like bands like Nightwish and Evanescense.. It just sounds like Evanescense to me.. And that is because of the vocal. I kn ow she's a good singer, but I don't like it. Especially in that kind of music...

So I'm not the only one, I also like the other projects better, more my taste.