LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD

I've been following SoP since they formed, basically, and so it happened I would see this tour live in Zoetermeer (which isn't where it was filmed, by the way, but the setting and band looks really really similar).

What we have here is a DVD of a new band Arjen "Ayreon" Lucassen has put together. Three dutchies (Arjen, Davy, Johan), three mexicans (Marcela, Alejandro, Diana), an american swede (Lori), and a guest star from the UK (DAMIAN!!!!). Could it get any better? Probably, but not much more, I can say that. There were critics who doubted SoP's ability to pull material off live because of the distance between them, and because the debut album was formed almost entirely over the internet. They're silenced now, I think.

You have to love it, though. This could be seen as "just another gothic metal band" in the veins of WITHIN TEMPTATION, EVANESCENCE, EPICA, and LACUNA COIL, though SoP does have it's own sound. First of all, no grunters in this band. Two singing sisters, occassionally backed by Arjen and Alejandro.

They play all the metally songs from their debut album and leave out the softer ones with the exception of "Nostalgia". Furthermore they play a good collection of Ayreon songs, with a little Star One and Ambeon hidden between them. Some songs were already on the Star One DVD, but most of them are not. Besides, it's an entirely different thing when they're being sung by all-female vocals. Plus, several songs from "The Human Equation" come to pass, as well. Near the ending, Damian Wilson joins the band for a very energetic version of "The Castle Hall", and the beautiful "Into The Black Hole". He was support act for the band, playing his acoustic solo songs before the SoP show began.

The visuals...well, they're dark, with shades of red, blue and green. Overall a nice atmosphere which isn't too dark or bright. The more recent summer shows had very very bright light which was nothing like this DVD, really.

The band is professional in every sense of the word. The instruments are played masterfully, the vocals are simply stunning, and the display gives off both the mystery of the songs, as well as a general feel of enjoyment. The band obviously loves playing live. The extras are all nice (and funny) to watch, too. The audio CD set contains the same set of songs, and is very nice to just put on if you don't feel like a DVD.

Conclusion? Gothic metal fans will love this, as will general progmetal and Ayreon fans. For me, this DVD has lots of personal feelings attached to it, as I've been to this tour not so long ago. 5 stars, definately, for I think it outmatches WITHIN TEMPTATION, EVANESCENCE and the rest with ease. Good luck finding a flaw. (Though there will always be people who love looking for even the tiniest flaw and complain about that..lol)

Yours, Tailscent

Share this STREAM OF PASSION review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to Tailscent
• Report this review (#89436)
• Buy STREAM OF PASSION music online with PA partners
• Show all STREAM OF PASSION MP3/Stream
• Go to STREAM OF PASSION page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Live In The Real World page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for STREAM OF PASSION related discussions