01011001

If you love Ayreon, you should find little disagreeable about this album. In it Lucassen brings his sweeping sci-fi mythology full circle, tying together nearly all the concepts, twists and musical adventures of the Ayreon catalog. That he employs a hugely gifted lineup of musicians and vocalists should be a given at this point - the man has a talent for showcasing talent while holding true to his musical vision.

Overall, 01011001 brings few surprises to the seasoned Ayreon listener, but still conveys a uniquely subdued, heavily electronic broodiness that effectively mirrors the overarching theme of mankind's inevitable decline toward its own destruction. For some this seems to be a drawback, but for me it works hand in hand with the narrative - and on this album more than any, Lucassen has melded story and song in such a way that each contributes to the greater whole. The end result: brilliance characteristic of all Ayreon recordings.

I agree with others that the weakest tracks are Web of Lies and Connect the Dots. I understand their purpose and place, yet they feel like they didn't receive from Lucassen the time and attention that the other tracks did. On the other side, Age of Shadows, Liquid Eternity, Ride the Comet, Waking Dreams and, well, about all the rest of the tracks simply blew me away.

On a final note, I get the feeling that this album may be the final full-scale work from Lucassen in the Ayreon mythos. After having tied everything together so well, and having explored all the nooks and crannies of its particular genre, it's hard to imagine him producing any more Ayreon that carries significant purpose.

01011001 easily scores a 4.5.