UNIVERSAL MIGRATOR, PART 1: THE DREAM SEQUENCER

Ever wished that Boston's "Third stage" had ventured even closer to prog than it did, or that Europe's "The final countdown" had been developed into a full blown concept album? If the answer you gave is yes, then this is the album you're looking for. Released in 2000 as the first of two albums entitled "The Universal migrator", this set bears the sub-title "The dream sequencer". The two sets come from rather different moulds, and are thus aimed at differing markets. While part 2 ("Flight of the migrator") has a distinctly metal edge to it, this album focuses on lighter, more melodic aspects.

These albums continue a developing science fiction story started on Ayreon's first album (but bypassed on the second). By now, Earth has been destroyed by a war, the survivors forming a colony on Mars. These innovative people build a "Dream Sequencer", allowing them to experience once again, their past lives.

The opening "The dream sequencer" is a smooth, Gilmour-esque scene setter, with atmospheric spoken word introducing a lead guitar instrumental. As we merge into "My house on Mars", the mood remains constrained, with processed lead vocals alternating with a female chorus. The track builds subtly, with horn like synths (as featured on the aforementioned "The final countdown") conveying the main theme. If you enjoy those opening numbers, you are pretty much guaranteed to be drawn in by the rest of the album. "One small step" for example is a magnificent piece, but could well be "My house on Mars, part 2".

"The shooting company of Captain Frans B. Cocq" is one of the most diverse numbers on the album, dipping into David Bowie territory at one stage, complete with his Cockney style accent. As is Lucassen's custom, he calls on the services of a diverse range of vocalists and instrumentalists throughout the album. Of these, highlights include the appearance of Lana Lane on a number of tracks, and Clive Nolan adding keyboards to "2084". The closing "The first man on Earth" features the distinctive voice of Neal Morse, resulting in a song which is a strange crossbreed of Ayreon and Spock's Beard. Where this album succeeds where others by Ayreon falter (in my opinion) is that the vocalists are not given roles to play as such, but simply deliver songs which suit their styles.

One of the most pleasing aspects of the album is the way Lucassen develops the songs. Time it seems is not an issue here with many of the numbers, while relatively simple in structure, being elaborated into 7 and 8 minute pieces. That is not to imply that they outstay their welcome, the listener's attention is retained throughout by inventive instrumentation and variations on the themes.

It is very easy with albums such as this to get to embroiled in attempting to spot influences and perceived similarities, and end up forgetting to enjoy the music. I am sure that, if one was so inclined, one could spend a couple of months disaggregating this album, and believing we had come up with its constituent parts. At the end of the day though, and recognising that there is in fact nothing new under the sun, such a pursuit would surely be folly. A far more constructive and worthwhile approach is to simply sit back and enjoy and hour or so of highly melodic music performed by masters in their field.

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