01011001

01011001 is my first album from Ayreon, and it's left a lasting impression. It has so many different sounds and different musical styles within it that no matter what kind of musical taste you have, there will be at least one point on the album that will appeal to you. It covers so many aspects of the musical spectrum that it is a sheer delight for my ears.

The lyrics themselves unravel a tale in an operetta form. This, (in my listening history) is the closest albums to come to an actual opera I've ever heard. This includes "Tommy" by 'The Who', simply because this has a cast of characters dictating the story. The story itself is not overly that original in terms of a 'sci-fi' sense; Original planet dies, new planet inhabited. The story of course is much, MUCH deeper then that, but that is the basic idea.

Now for the rating: A solid 4 stars from me. Why? There are no songs that I can't listen to and the album offers more then just great music. That right there is enough for a 3.5 rating in my books. So what picks up the other .5? Most songs (not all) are superb. They build up and produce amazing atmospheres of sound. The whole feel of the album is grand and magnificent. I love the Celtic feel to some of the songs ('New born Race' on disc one and 'The Truth is in Here' and 'River of Time' on the second disc); it's so rare to find integration of such a vast musical style such as Celtic in a 'metal' section.

All the songs on here are monumental, but there are some that I tend to skip after I hear the album a number of times. I tend to skip over 'Comatose' some times 'Connect the Dots' and even though it features my hero Phideaux Xavier 'Web of lies' from the first disc, and from the second disc 'Waking Dreams'. One thing I do need to say and point out is: 'Ride the Comet' is so '80's big hair band' stupid that I can't help but love it so much. Even though 'Age of Shadows' 'Beneath the Waves' 'The Fifth + Sixth Extinctions' are musically superior in all respects and will most likely find their places in my progressive songs collection permanently, it is 'Ride the Comet' that I deem the best song on the album, just for its 'funness'. (I know funness is not a word, but it's the best way to convey the feeling.)

Well this review is getting a little lengthy, so I'll sum it up with this: It is a beautiful album, although the length is needed to properly convey the story and the feelings needed for the music as a whole, there are points that could have been left out, or 3 songs or so made into one. There is also no great and grand moment for me on the album which is needed for a true masterpiece. Although The sixth Extinction's end is true beauty (who know you can hit that gap in between keys on a keyboad?), there is still no real 'Euphoric' moment that opens one's eyes to an essential musical album. But the integrated use of mechanical sounds with an atmosphere of drifting space, all rapped up in a Celtic Metal Operetta is one that has found a very special spot in my music collection.

It's riding the comet for 4 stars.

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