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Arjen Anthony Lucassen: The Theory of Everything |
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Psychedelic Paul 
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Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 40121 |
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 Posted: April 07 2022 at 12:06 |
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The second awesome Ayreon album. Is this the real life, or is this just Actual Fantasy? Is this another 5-star masterpiece!? You decide. Any way the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me. If you like operatic rhapsodies of a bohemian nature, then this is the album for you.   1996: Ayreon - Actual Fantasy - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kuZo0rkJOWSkm1nycw8m--Ny-6TBtvIE0Edited by Psychedelic Paul - April 09 2022 at 12:23 |
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Hugh Manatee
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Joined: December 07 2021 Location: The Barricades Status: Offline Points: 1587 |
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Posted: April 07 2022 at 18:19 |
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Ah yes, this is more like it. To me this is a huge improvement from the first release. There is a lot more restraint on show and it seems like Lucassen isn't trying to cram as many guest musicians as he can into each track. This is an album I would have no trouble listening to again and again. A solid four star album for me (I would have to live with it a bit longer to see whether it qualifies for five stars).
Edited by Hugh Manatee - April 07 2022 at 18:20 |
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I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of uncertain seas |
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Psychedelic Paul
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Joined: September 16 2019 Location: Nottingham, U.K Status: Offline Points: 40121 |
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Posted: April 08 2022 at 09:57 |
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Ayreon completes the hat-trick of 5-star masterpieces with another Dutch treat! Once you've ventured Into the Electric Castle, you won't want to leave. It's such a lovely place, any time of year, and if you want an all-star line-up, you can find it here, including:- Martin Westerholt & Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation); Damian Wilson (Threshold); Fish (Marillion); Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering); & Edward Reekers (Kayak). 
Edited by Psychedelic Paul - April 08 2022 at 12:38 |
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progaardvark
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Crossover/Symphonic/RPI Teams Joined: June 14 2007 Location: Sea of Peas Status: Offline Points: 51058 |
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Posted: April 08 2022 at 10:24 |
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If you ever get a chance to listen to the re-recording of this called Actual Fantasy Revisited that came out in 2004, I recommend it. It's a nicer mix with a real drummer (Ed Warby) this time. Edited by progaardvark - April 08 2022 at 10:26 |
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i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
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Psychedelic Paul
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Posted: April 08 2022 at 10:36 |
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^ The album link above is actually for Actual Fantasy Revisited, mainly because I couldn't find the original Actual Fantasy album on YouTube.
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Psychedelic Paul
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 01:32 |
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Take a musical trip through time and space with Ayreon aboard the Universal Migrator - and you don't even need a TARDIS!
The Dream Sequencer album features an all-star ensemble of intergalactic travellers, including:- Lana Lane; Floor Jansen (After Forever); Edward Reekers (Kayak); Damian Wilson (Threshold): & Neal Morse (Spock's Beard). 2000: Ayreon - Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVOsr4GKrzUEdited by Psychedelic Paul - April 09 2022 at 01:38 |
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Cristi
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Crossover / Prog Metal Teams Joined: July 27 2006 Location: wonderland Status: Offline Points: 43654 |
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 01:39 |
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I predict the way this is going, Ayreon will have a 5 star discography.
 If you give Transitus 5 stars, I'm gonna roll on the floor laughing.
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Psychedelic Paul
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 01:44 |
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I was thinking the same thing too, but I'm afraid the Universal Migrator Part 2 "only" gets a 4-star rating from me.
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Jared
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 01:46 |
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All these 5 star reviews....  Cristi, is it possible that I might have missed something, and should revisit their entire discography? |
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Cristi
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 01:47 |
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When I was listening to them, I found the second Migrator album better, more entertaining than the first one.
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Psychedelic Paul
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 01:50 |
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It comes as no surprise that you have a different opinion to me again.
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Cristi
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 01:57 |
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the first Migrator if I remember right is more synth driven, space rock pastiche, well, sort of. The second Migrator is more metal oriented, quite the opposite to the first I guess.
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Psychedelic Paul
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 02:09 |
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^ I prefer Space Rock pastiche over Metal every time.
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Cristi
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 02:12 |
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It depends, I would not make that a rule.
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Psychedelic Paul
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 02:16 |
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That's true. I've heard some poor Space Rock albums and some very good Metal albums.
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Psychedelic Paul
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Posted: April 09 2022 at 12:33 |
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The journey continues for Ayreon's Universal Migrator. Whereas the first melodic Migrator album was clearly aimed at Prog-rockers, this heavier sequel is designed to appeal to the Metal-heads amongst us.  2000: Ayreon - Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Navigator - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvWTIYnQcuY |
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Psychedelic Paul
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Posted: April 10 2022 at 08:32 |
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Calling All Ayreonauts! This is the first compilation album from Ayreon, only this is a compilation with a difference, as it consists entirely of previously unreleased material with alternate versions of Ayreon songs. If you want to save money and buy only one Ayreon album, then this is the one to buy. Ayreonauts Only represents the best of the best of Ayreon's five previous studio masterpieces.
 2000: Ayreon - Ayreonauts Only - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF196C3634C5F864D |
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essexboyinwales
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Posted: April 10 2022 at 14:00 |
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3 fantastic musical things happened to me within a month during late 2011: I saw Marillion live for the first time (in Birmingham), I saw Les Miserables in the West End for the first time with my wife, and I bought my first Ayreon album - The Human Equation. No album before or since has blown me away so much on first listen, and it remains in my top 5 albums, very possibly it’s my favourite.
The Theory Of Everything and Into The Electric Castle are not far behind; The Dream Sequencer is also a 5-star album. The other early albums are also extremely good. I found The Source to be somewhat of a letdown and Transitus was a real disappointment…. But I absolutely adore the gentle giant that is Arjen Lucassen and will never miss an Ayreon album, or any of his other side projects come to that! Love Star One!! |
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Psychedelic Paul
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Posted: April 10 2022 at 15:05 |
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^ I'm still looking forward to checking out Transitus for the first time, despite some of the negative things I've heard about the album, and Star One will be coming up here soon when I run out of Ayreon albums to listen to.
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Hugh Manatee
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Posted: April 10 2022 at 19:39 |
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Sorry, you're moving a bit fast for me, so I've got a bit of catching up to do. Here is where the saga well and truly takes shape. A concept for sure, but a loose concept that is designed to be able to join up a number of subjects across time into a single bundle. It is meant to be listened to as a whole and as such nothing really stands out. Unless you've got the time to listen to the thing as a whole there is little point in listening to it at all IMHO. There is no doubting the musicianship and professionalism on display here but the lyrics tend towards the mundane for me. Not unpleasant but not essential, except as part of the bigger picture. Three stars for me. Edited by Hugh Manatee - April 10 2022 at 22:37 |
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I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of uncertain seas |
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Psychedelic Paul wrote: