Ayreon - The Source (2 LP)
- LP
- 2 piece(s)
- 2017
- 17 tracks
- 1 uur, 28 min
- progressive metal
The Source
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4.6
Average of 5 reviews
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Under the direction of Dutch artist Arjen Anthony Lucassen, "The Source" is the latest masterpiece from AYREON, set to launch on April 28 across various formats, boasting an astonishing lineup of musicians including James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Simone Simons (Epica), Tobias Sammet (Avantasia), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Michael Eriksen (Circus Maximus), Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big), and many more. As is customary with Lucassen and Ayreon, "The Source" is steeped in concept. The narrative unfolds six billion years prior to Earth's timeline, on a planet named Alpha, where machines have taken over, and the planet's dominant beings, humanity's ancestors, find themselves losing control. A group of these beings, the album's main characters, decide to embark on a spaceship journey to seek life on another planet. This, of course, leads to the inception of Planet Y, a familiar setting for longtime Ayreon fans. While the album retains its enjoyable moments, including nods to previous Ayreon releases, I find its tone to be somewhat darker than usual. While past Ayreon albums have featured impressive casts, this one stands out as the best yet! There are some fantastic returning singers, such as James Labrie (Dream Theater), Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), Simone Simons (Epica), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Michael Mills (Toehider), Russell Allen (Symphony X), and Floor Jansen (Nightwish), all of whom have significant roles and ample room to shine. Simone Simons, in particular, takes on a much larger role than in 01011001, which is fantastic as I felt she was underutilized in that album. Here, she gets to showcase her vocal prowess, including some impressive feats on “Deathcry of a Race”. However, the real standout may be Michael Mills, portraying the machine “TH-1”, which allows him to display his extraordinary vocal range in remarkable ways. He's also used for some background effects, which is quite cool. James LaBrie shines on “Condemned to Live” and the ballad “Bay of Dreams”, while Tobias Sammet delivers a great performance on “Into the Ocean”. Turning to newcomers, we have Tommy Rogers (Between the Buried and Me), an unexpected choice for some, but his clear, soft singing voice works perfectly for an Ayreon album. He sounds great, especially on “The Source Will Flow”. Other less surprising choices include Nils K. Rue (Pagan’s Mind), who possesses a deep and powerful voice that suits his part well, particularly shining during the chorus of “Sea of Machines”. Michael Eriksen (Circus Maximus) delivers an emotional performance that fits his character perfectly, with standout moments on the opening track and “Into the Ocean”. Zaher Zorgati (Myrath) has a brief but impressive part on “Deathcry of a Race”. Musically, "The Source" is a diverse album as fans would expect, though it leans more towards metal than previous releases, with plenty of guitar-driven sections and chunky, groovy riffs. There are also a couple of surprisingly fast tracks, with hints of power metal on one track in particular. Of course, this is still an Ayreon release, so fans can expect tons of synth effects, as well as unusual metal instruments like violin, cello, and various wind instruments. There are also some nice softer sections and prog rock moments as always. While the last Ayreon release deviated in terms of structure, "The Source" feels more traditional progressive rock/metal, with a greater focus on individual tracks. The songwriting is more fun and catchy, while still allowing the plot to develop. And songwriting is an area where Arjen has never been anything short of brilliant, with "The Source" being especially impressive even by his standards. A monumental piece of work. HIGHLY Recommended CD 1: 01 - The Day That the World Breaks Down 02 - Sea of Machines 03 - Everybody Dies 04 - Star of Sirrah 05 - All That Was 06 - Run! Apocalypse! Run! 07 - Condemned to Live CD 2: 01 - Aquatic Race 02 - The Dream Dissolves 03 - Deathcry of a Race 04 - Into the Ocean 05 - Bay of Dreams 06 - Planet Y Is Alive! 07 - The Source Will Flow 08 - Journey to Forever 09 - The Human Compulsion 10 - March of the Machines Vocalists: James LaBrie (Dream Theater) Tommy Karevik (Kamelot, Seventh Wonder) Tommy Rogers (Between the Buried and Me) Simone Simons (Epica) Nils K. Rue (Pagan's Mind) Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia) Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian) Mike Mills (Toehider) Russell Allen (Symphony X) Michael Eriksen (Circus Maximus) Floor Jansen (Nightwish, ex-After Forever) Zaher Zorgati (Myrath) Ed Warby - drums Joost van den Broek (ex-After Forever) - piano Ben Mathot - violin Maaike Peterse (Kingfisher Sky) - cello Jeroen Goossens (ex-Pater Moeskroen) - wind instruments Paul Gilbert - guitar solo Guthrie Govan (The Aristocrats, ex-Asia) - guitar solo Marcel Coenen (Sun Caged) - guitar solo Mark Kelly (Marillion) - synthesizer solo Arjen Anthony Lucassen - electric and acoustic guitars, bass, mandolin, analog synthesizers, Hammond, Solina Strings
A stunning Ayreon album. I'm really drawn to the story. I followed along with the lyrics as I listened. The music is gorgeous with fantastic artwork. It's a true gem to own.
fantastic drop!!! i snagged number 14 out of 50! incredible album, even more awesome live
In the '90s, Arjen Lucassen, the Dutch genius behind progressive rock/metal/whatever, birthed Ayreon, a legendary entity within prog circles. Its theatrical nature often kept it confined to the studio, though it did make a few special live appearances. Ayreon has also given us some of the genre's most pivotal albums, like 'Into The Electric Castle' and 'The Human Equation' (at least, in my opinion).For this chapter of the Ayreon epic, Arjen chose to revisit the origins of the species that sparked all the sci-fi chaos in most Ayreon albums, taking us back to Alpha, the home planet of the beings that would eventually populate Y and, in time, lead to the rise of humans on Earth.Although not my top Ayreon album, I consider 'The Source' one of the most "metal" entries in the project's discography. It's packed with everything that makes Ayreon a genre reference: killer riffs, unforgettable melodies, catchy hooks, and choruses that exude a cinematic quality perfectly suited to the backdrop story.As for the vocal lineup, the standouts here are Russell Allen (one of my all-time favorite singers), the incredible Hansi Kürsch (a power metal hero from my teen years), Tommy Karevik, Floor Jansen, and Simone Simons. Some of my favorite tracks include the opener 'The Day The World Breaks Down', 'Everybody Dies', 'Run! Apocalypse! Run!', 'Condemned To Live', 'The Dream Dissolves' (awesome guitar solo here!), 'Deathcry Of A Race' (cool Arabic vocals by Zaher Zorgati), 'Journey To Forever', and 'The Human Compulsion'.In summary, 'The Source' is a worthy addition to the Ayreon saga, offering an unexpected turn in the Forever story, all wrapped up in a stunning physical package.
Fantastic album! The pressing quality seems solid, at least mine is. So thrilled to own this! It's my second Ayreon album, really wish I'd preordered to get a signed copy like my 01011001 one 😅
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