01011001

Wow, this album is totally excellent thats all there is to it I found out about this band all by mistake, just looking randomly through Lastfm and I came across this guy who's favorite band was this one, and I was curious to know about them and got 01011001 (which is the binary code for the first cd Y). The mastermind that is Arjen Anthony Lucassen, brings to me a masterpiece of music, with lots of guest muscians and singers, excellent singers may I add. From the Coverdale-esq vocals of the wonderful Jorn Lande, to the jester like Hansi Kursh, to the harmoniously Floor Jansen and Anneke van Giersbergen. A special mention goes to Tom Englund and Steve Lee, for their totally excellent vocal sparring on the track UNNATURAL SELECTION

From the get go of Disc 1 Y, AGE OF SHADOWS, the album just takes you on a wonderous sci-fi story of helpless 'Forevers' moving to a new planet, and random stories of the unexpected earth dwellers. All the songs on both cds are really impressive with the vast pot of different style added to the mixture. I love COMATOSE, with the vocals of Jorn and Anneke contemplating their own destruction. and CONNECT THE DOTS, the little upbeat song about all the bad things we humans do (naughty humans), with Arjen supplying backup to Ty Tabor as his conscience (thats a scary thought, your conscience having a different voice).

Disc 2 Eath, is when they actually get to thier destination and decide whether or not to eradicate the growing life of dinosaurs on THE FIFTH EXTINCTION to plant thier seed of life (unable to decide the crash anyway destroying the dinosaurs, poor dinos). WAKING DREAMS, happens as humans are still waiting to be presented with various procedures of wisdom, power and emotion onto the Planet Y. Cumulating in the epic finale of THE SIXTH EXTINCTION, the really scarily high operatic vocals give it a frieghtening overload of joy to my ears. thus the ending of the human race in 2084 (an omen of things to come) definatly a fantasic way to end the album.

This album is a must have for any Prog lover, and is a masterpiece (though I haven't heard any of the other Ayreon albums)

Special thanks goes to Arjen for getting me into some of the bands singers that featured on this album.

5 Stars.