Snowmaker

I thought this release deserved its own thread.

Picked up the Limited Edition Tuesday. Yet another amazing Ayreon album.

http://www.ayreon.com/ayreon/ay_01011001.html




V O C A L I S T S



Forever

Hansi Kursch
Blind Guardian

Daniel Gildenlöw
Pain of Salvation


Tom S. Englund
Evergrey

Jonas Renkse
Katatonia


Jorn Lande


Anneke van Giersbergen
Agua de Annique ex-Gathering


Steve Lee
Gotthard

Bob Catley
Magnum


Floor Jansen
After Forever

Magali Luyten
Virus IV





Man

Simone Simons
Epica

Phideaux Xavier
Phideaux


Wudstik


Marjan Welman
Elister


Liselotte Hegt
Dial

Arjen Lucassen



Ty Tabor
King's X





I N S T R U M E N T A L I S T S

Arjen Lucassen
Guitar, keyboards, synths, bass guitar, programming

Ed Warby(Gorefest)
Drums

Lori Linstruth
Guitar solo

Michael Romeo
Guitar solo

Derek Sherinian (Planet X)
Keyboard solo

Tomas Bodin (The Flower Kings)
Keyboard solo

Joost van den Broek (After Forever)
Keyboard solo and piano

Jeroen Goossens (Flairck)
Flutes

Ben Mathot (Dis)
Violin

David Faber
Cello

Michael Corvin

I ordered the signed deluxe edition which hasn't shown up yet. It was charged to my card on 1/22, a week ago.

Snowmaker

Yeah, I wanted to order the signed LE from Plato.nl, but it would have cost around $50.

bunkaroo

Just listened to this, and am really not impressed. I'm kind of getting tired of the whole bloated 2 CD mega story stuff. Plus some of the lyrics are just plain bad.

It's a shame because I love Actual Fantasy and Final Experiment, and liked almost all of Into The Electric Castle. But ever since then each subsequent release has impressed me less.

Also, I thought the sound on this was not too hot at all. The snare has no bite, and things seem kind of muddy and bottom-end heavy, but with no clarity.

Just my 2 cents...

Michael Corvin

Did you give the Human Equation a chance? That is by far my favorite.

Yes the signed deluxe ran $50 shipped but I only buy a half dozen CDs a year at that so I figure why not splurge on one and give back to one artist I really enjoy.

bunkaroo

Yes I have Human Equation. Kind of ho-hum for me. Right now I can recall many melodies and song parts from their first 3 releases, but after that, I don't remember one note. That says to me personally that either I am burnt out on what they do, or there aren't a lot of memorable parts.

I did like the Stream Of passion project Arjen did. I wish he'd do more of that.

Snowmaker

Well, they are coming out with another CD, but not with Arjen. I think its just Marcela Bovio, the bass player, drummer, and then a couple new guys.

bunkaroo

That's interesting - I though that was Arjen's project.

Michael Corvin

Nope he joined them.

Ravenous

No, he created the group, particularly for that stupid Bovio because Arjen LOVED her (voice) so much.

Read between the lines, he had a love affair with her, she dumped him, he left the group, fell into depression after his wife divorced him over that Bovio thing, the new CD is a reflection of that depression.

I really hated Human Equation because hardly any solos, Bovio sucks and LaBrie just annoys me. Baker is the best vocalist on the album and was used in one song? Huh?

I want the new CD but wont get that over priced SE crap INCASE its another Human Equation. But since it has Floor and Romeo (2 peeps Ive hung out with and talked to alot) I really want this cd!

Snowmaker

Brutal.

Michael Corvin

Brutal indeed.

Ravenous

So are people digging the CD? I'll get it in a few weeks but Ive heard its worse than HE. From the clips Arjen released, I dont see how.

Snowmaker

I still like THE better, but 01011001 is good.