INTO THE ELECTRIC CASTLE

Elecric Castle is an album unlike anyother. I didn't know what to expect from this album at first, but once I listened to it I immediately fell in love. Ayreon is one of my favorite bands among Dream Theater, Rush, Kamelot and many others. Human Equation was the first album I heard from Ayreon and I love that one, this album doesn't let me down in anyway. It has almost every form of Metal and technically music you can have (much like Human Equation) and it's a great adventure to fall in love with:

Disc 1: The first disc is mostly about a group of eight people from different times (Egyptian, Roman, Knight, Barbarian, Highlander, Hippie, Indian, Futureman) all pulled into a different dimension where a voice guides them on a path to the Electirc castle. The first disc is their journey to the electric castle and the obsticles they face.

1. Welcome to the New Dimension: this song is really more of an introduction than a song, presenting the voice alluding where these people have come. This song has some exelent space-like sounds and even breaks out a little bit. It threw me off at the begining but I like it all the same. 4/5

2. Isis and Orisis: A good 10-11 long song that really just puts the mood into place. It's mostly about the travelers worries of being here or why thier here. Such as the knight thinking he's on the island of avalon or the highlander thinking they're in a heathen land. It's a great song with an awsome instrumental at the end. 5/5

3. Amazing Flight: More on the humorous side while the barbarian is worried the hippie (who is stoned) is telling the guy to not worry and just enjoy this amazing flight in space. The song is another 10-11 mintues and goes into an instrumental of the indian chanting with some incredible works coming from Arjen. It's truely an amazing song and is really, really good. 5/5

4. Time Beyond Time: It's a soft song, and a good song where some ofthe people (mostly the futureman) are talking about the places they came from. It's good and amazing. Arjen pulls of some good music in this song and it's one of my favorites. 5/5

5. The Descision Tree (We're Alive): The journey picks up again to place the people at the descision tree where the tree tells them that they have to decide to leave one person behind to die while the rest all continue on to the Tunnel of Light. This is when the Highlander and the Barbarian fight about who is going to stay behind, somehow it came down to those two. It's a good song and really places the tension between the two. Eventually the Highlander is left behind. 4/5

6. Tunnel of Light: by far on of the most enjoyable songs on the album. It's soft, happy, and just great. The highlander dies while the others are having fun in the Tunnel of light. It's a fun song and has great hermonics. 5/5

7. Across the Rainbow Bridge: the final song to disc one. It's a great song as the seven remaining crew cross over the rainbow bridge and make a frantic dash for the electric castle, it's the final obsticle. It's a great song and really places some troubles they have on the bridge. 5/5

Disc 2: They have now come to the elecric castle where they have to fight they're way through this place to discover just what they were needed here for. Twists in the plot lay ahead. And Arjen pulls off some great musicianship. This half of the album is much harder than that the first. But the peril increases and the most people die. Funny as this is, the Hippie is still high and the others and growing uneasy.

1. The Garden of Emotions: a great song to introduce the second CD. The group goes into the garden of the emotions before the gate and expeirence fears and agressions. They begin to fight, and learn to work together in order to make it throught this horrid place. Song is a great progressive example of Arjens genious. It's enjoyable and really good. 5/5

2. Valley of the Queens: A short but sweet song of the egyptian dying. The first woman of the two women (egyptian and indian are the women vocals). It's a good song and really enjoyable. 4/5

3. The Castle Halls: A great song about the surviving 6 walking through the castle halls, where the dead all try to claim vengence on all of those who have killed. This is all about the Roman, Night, and Barbarian going through the haunted walls. It's a good song and is on the heavier side of his works. It's great, and one of my favorites. 5/5

4. The Tower of Hope: Everyone is excited to be climbing the tower of hope except for the Hippie and the Futureman. The hippie finally got over his state of mind (being high) and both are concerned about being lost in the land and being stuck in this dimension forever. The other are enjoying the tower, working together and the song alludes that very well. It's exciting and has good instrumental. 5/5

5. Cosmic Fusion: This song is quite odd but makes sense all the same. In this song we witness yet another death. But this time, the person who dies is visited by a feature not very many want to meet. In this song, which is dark we have a visit from death who present a dark grunt like session to the song. It's dark and really creepy. The Song is good and though I never cared much for grunting and screaming, it has a purpose and is really a good accomplishment. 4/5

6. The Mirror Maze: The last five continue on into a new area of the castle. Three dead and behind them they enter the Mirror maze. The song content is really a mistified mood and features mostly the roman, knight singing and some of the hippie and futureman. They're all facing delemas that reflect their true selves. It's a good song and once again one of my tops for this album. 5/5

7. Evil Devolution: This song features only the Futureman as he being the smartest of the remaining group solves the mystery behind this place to discover that they were all being used. And now they have discovered that they were tested on, but for what reason they didn't know. It's a good song and has a rather uplifting sound for the grim topic. It's a good song all the same though. 4/5

8. The Two Gates: The final stage to the electic castle has become aparent. They have come upon the two gates. One is gold the other is decrepid and old. The barbarian (always being a man who liked the shiny things) goes to the golden gate when everyone else tells him to come with them into the other gate where they will all live. The barbarian is killed and only four remain. It was the final test, and they now discover the truth. This song is excellent. It truly puts the "climax" of the story into place. Now it all decends to the final wrap. It's a hard song, probably the hardest, and is a great song. 5/5

9. "Forever" of the Stars: this song is only like 2 minutes long. It really doesn't have any instrumental to it. But it reveals the true purpose to these eight (or four) and thier purpose for coming into the place. I wont tell becuase it will spoil the story. It's good though, and for being only talking and space like sounds it quite decent. 4/5

10. Another Time, Another Space: here is where those who lived all get to go home. The Final finale, they all rejoice as they leave the realm. It's a great song and I enjoy it alot. The album takes a closing here with a quick run by of the cast. It's a great song and it closes the album to perfection, just like the Human Equation. 5/5

In closing I must say I give the album a 5/5 (4.65) . It's truely a masterpiece and really puts greatness into a perspective of all. I love Ayreon, and this buy will always be worth it. It's an adventure worth jumping into. If your a prog metal guy, you'll probably like it for something different. Or if you just someone looking for something unique Ayreon puts that word to use in this album. It's a good buy!