Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives

Message board

* FAQ    * Register   * Login 



Reply to topic
Author Message Previous topic | Next topic
Opus
Metal freak

Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2002 11:06 am
Posts: 4266
Location: Sweden
PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 9:03 pm 
 

"Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon) is back with a new Star One album titled Revel In Time. The new album comes more than 10 years since the previous release and is due out on Feb 18th, 2022 on InsideOutMusic.

The album will be available for pre-order on Dec. 17th and it will come as Ltd. 2CD Digipak, Ltd. Deluxe 3CD+Blu-Ray Artbook (incl. a poster of the cover artwork), and as 180g Gatefold 2LP (incl. the album on CD & an LP-Booklet).
CD 2 features alternate versions of the same songs as CD 1, but with different vocalists. Also available will be a 5.1 mix, a high-res audio version, and an exclusive, hour-long Behind the Scenes video, on the Blu-ray included in the Artbook.

For this Star One release, Arjen has decided to use a different singer for each song, and those singers as well as the instrumentalists are slowly being revealed on Arjen Lucassen’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ArjenLucassenOfficial"


https://progreport.com/arjen-lucassen-a ... l-in-time/



i'm looking forward to this. Arjen has been reliable this far.
_________________
Do the words Heavy Metal mean anything to you other than buttcore, technical progressive assgrind or the like?
true_death wrote:
You could be listening to Edge of Sanity right now, but you're not!

Top
 Profile  
LithoJazzoSphere
Veteran

Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:11 pm
Posts: 3576
Location: United States
PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:50 pm 
 

That first Star One album (and its live counterpart) is responsible for quite a significant chunk of my taste due to the ever-expanding tree of artists it exposed me to. I still kind of wish that the original quartet were back (although it's possible that some will still appear, Floor has already been confirmed). But I had heard about a falling out between Arjen and Russ, and Dan's voice might not be capable of sustaining an album worth of material at this point. Maybe it could hold up for a track. This concept is more like the Universal Migrator albums, which I liked, but I missed the dynamic interplay between the vocalists that worked so well for Star One and Ayreon. Having two different vocalists give their own takes on a song is an intriguing idea though, you could kind of create your own best of mix of the album.

Top
 Profile  
OzzyApu
Metal freak

Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:11 am
Posts: 10821
Location: Seattle
PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:53 pm 
 

I've recently started a prog / power metal binge (mostly late 80s, 90s, and early 2000s) and both of Star One's albums were very memorable. That second one packs a punch! Looking forward to this.
_________________
gomorro wrote:
Yesterday was the birthday of school pal and I met the chick of my sigh (I've talked about here before, the she-wolf I use to be inlove with)... Maaan she was using a mini-skirt too damn insane... Dude you could saw her entire soul every time she sit...

Top
 Profile  
Luvers
Writes generic (and possibly meandering) posts

Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:34 pm
Posts: 542
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:57 am 
 

OzzyApu wrote:
I've recently started a prog / power metal binge (mostly late 80s, 90s, and early 2000s) and both of Star One's albums were very memorable. That second one packs a punch! Looking forward to this.
Even though Ayreon is his main outfit, I find Star One to be his most exciting. I think the first album is great but Victims was such a step up.

Considering the rapid succession of releases from Arjen the last 5 years, 2 Ayreon's back to back and now a Star One, this perhaps should have been the album that immediately followed The Source.

Arjen said The Source began life as a Star One album and it is the most riff driven and metal albums of the entire Ayreon saga. Now this album appears to have life to it and is probably more akin to what Arjen wanted to do. I was really letdown by Transitus - so much so that I have yet to finish it - so maybe Arjen should have tried to do the same album back to back for a change.

I will be preordering it first day it comes out.
_________________
[My Soundcloud || My Last.fm || Concerts I've Attended]

Top
 Profile  
LithoJazzoSphere
Veteran

Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:11 pm
Posts: 3576
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:25 am 
 

Luvers wrote:
Arjen said The Source began life as a Star One album and it is the most riff driven and metal albums of the entire Ayreon saga. Now this album appears to have life to it and is probably more akin to what Arjen wanted to do. I was really letdown by Transitus - so much so that I have yet to finish it - so maybe Arjen should have tried to do the same album back to back for a change.

I will be preordering it first day it comes out.


You think The Source is more metallic than Flight of the Migrator? I'm not as familiar with the former as I'd like to be, but my recall was that it still had the usual mix of softer genres that Ayreon typically has to balance out the prog metal and hard rock sections, whereas FotM is pretty much straight prog/power without nearly as much of the folk interludes, ambient sections and what not. I have always suspected that Ayreon would not even be on the archives without FotM, as every other album is "diluted" with too many other styles. I also was disappointed with Transitus, though I've only given it the one listen from last year. I'm glad it highlighted Cammie Gilbert though, she was the star of the album.

Top
 Profile  
Twisted_Psychology
Metal freak

Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 8:22 pm
Posts: 6260
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:25 am 
 

Victims of the Modern Age was on constant rotation for me when it came out. If this ends up being as good as The Source, which I always suspected started out as Star One material, I'm definitely down. I wasn't aware of any singer issues so I'll be curious to see who else ends up performing.
_________________
Lavaborne (Power Doom): https://lavaborne.bandcamp.com
The Skyspeakers (Heavy Psych): https://theskyspeakers.bandcamp.com/
Cloud of Souls (Experimental Doom): https://cloudofsouls.bandcamp.com/

Top
 Profile  
By_Inheritance
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Dec 25, 2009 8:38 am
Posts: 572
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 10:05 am 
 

Arjen needs to stop pretending that Ayreon and Star One are different bands, and he really needs to hire someone who can actually write lyrics. So many of his albums have failed IMO because of the cringey crap he comes out with. And the fact he keeps trying at concept albums even though he can't write is baffling to me.

Top
 Profile  
Metal_On_The_Ascendant
Veteran

Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 6:38 am
Posts: 2973
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:18 pm 
 

By_Inheritance wrote:
Arjen needs to stop pretending that Ayreon and Star One are different bands, and he really needs to hire someone who can actually write lyrics. So many of his albums have failed IMO because of the cringey crap he comes out with. And the fact he keeps trying at concept albums even though he can't write is baffling to me.


This.

Like what's the real difference between Star One and Ayreon really?
(except that I like Ayreon better)

I enjoyed the themes/lyrics of all of Ayreon up until 01011001 but the more recent stuff just hasn't stuck out to me much at all.
_________________
DemonFilth2001 wrote:
Bahana loves a good Jesus band! Yes, he does!

Top
 Profile  
Bloodstone
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2004 11:48 am
Posts: 560
Location: Germany
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 2:20 pm 
 

First Star One is really good, I owned that really gorgeous digibook CD of it when it was pretty new and I still think it holds up. Arjen’s stuff can get a bit too proggy for my tastes but Star One seems like a more grounded endeavour, ironically. Never did check out the second album though.
_________________
True pioneers leave everything behind

Top
 Profile  
Luvers
Writes generic (and possibly meandering) posts

Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:34 pm
Posts: 542
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:44 pm 
 

LithoJazzoSphere wrote:
You think The Source is more metallic than Flight of the Migrator? I'm not as familiar with the former as I'd like to be, but my recall was that it still had the usual mix of softer genres that Ayreon typically has to balance out the prog metal and hard rock sections, whereas FotM is pretty much straight prog/power without nearly as much of the folk interludes, ambient sections and what not.
Not entirely. The Source has very little of the gentler moments, more akin to Star One where there is very little reprieve from the metal moments. That is a good point about FotM but the reason I did not include it as I always see that and the Dream Sequencer as one continuous album. Actual Fantasy had a good bit of straight power/prog metal as well.
LithoJazzoSphere wrote:
I have always suspected that Ayreon would not even be on the archives without FotM, as every other album is "diluted" with too many other styles. I also was disappointed with Transitus, though I've only given it the one listen from last year. I'm glad it highlighted Cammie Gilbert though, she was the star of the album.
Arjen has tried on three occasions to step away from the usual Ayreon space stuff (Human Equation, Theory Of Everything & Transitus) and it has only worked well once, that being the Theory Of Everything.
Twisted_Psychology wrote:
I wasn't aware of any singer issues so I'll be curious to see who else ends up performing.
I wish Arjen could get Astrid Van der veen back on vocals. She still has her amazing range.
By_Inheritance wrote:
Arjen needs to stop pretending that Ayreon and Star One are different bands, and he really needs to hire someone who can actually write lyrics. So many of his albums have failed IMO because of the cringey crap he comes out with. And the fact he keeps trying at concept albums even though he can't write is baffling to me.
Besides being different in every way, I am not sure how one could think they were the same. Not sure what 'cringey crap' you are referring to but why would you take any of it seriously anyway?
_________________
[My Soundcloud || My Last.fm || Concerts I've Attended]

Top
 Profile  
LithoJazzoSphere
Veteran

Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:11 pm
Posts: 3576
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:08 pm 
 

Luvers wrote:
Arjen has tried on three occasions to step away from the usual Ayreon space stuff (Human Equation, Theory Of Everything & Transitus) and it has only worked well once, that being the Theory Of Everything.


I'm hoping that you're speaking conceptually/thematically? Musically THE might be my favorite, although that it biased by nostalgia, being the first album I heard of his. I think it's the most solid vocal lineup, though sometimes JLB's voice vexes me.

Top
 Profile  
By_Inheritance
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Dec 25, 2009 8:38 am
Posts: 572
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:15 pm 
 

Luvers wrote:
Besides being different in every way, I am not sure how one could think they were the same. Not sure what 'cringey crap' you are referring to but why would you take any of it seriously anyway?

Besides a few differences, they're almost the same band. You're just being stubborn otherwise.

His albums are presented in a serious manner so why shouldn't the listener take them seriously? They lyrics are badly written, for the most part. It has nothing to do with the concepts or anything like that. Usually the story ideas are fairly interesting. It's just the way they're written that holds them back. It's cheeseball stuff. Now, there's plenty of cheesy bands I love, but there's something about Arjen's projects that annoys me. It probably is the fact that it's all taken so seriously and he hasn't got the lyrical chops to back it up.

Top
 Profile  
LithoJazzoSphere
Veteran

Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:11 pm
Posts: 3576
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:27 pm 
 

I don't think "serious" is the word I would use. He's not trying to write hard sci-fi or fantasy, there's almost always a bit of lightheartedness to it. I think he's quite aware of how ridiculous some of it is, there is a certain intentional level of campiness that he frequently works on and sometimes pokes fun at. I'm not a lyrics person, though I do notice they do seem awkward and clunky at times. Improving them wouldn't make much difference to me personally. Sometimes the vocalists get to write some of their own material though.

Top
 Profile  
Luvers
Writes generic (and possibly meandering) posts

Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:34 pm
Posts: 542
Location: United States
PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:01 pm 
 

LithoJazzoSphere wrote:
Luvers wrote:
Arjen has tried on three occasions to step away from the usual Ayreon space stuff (Human Equation, Theory Of Everything & Transitus) and it has only worked well once, that being the Theory Of Everything.
I'm hoping that you're speaking conceptually/thematically? Musically THE might be my favorite, although that it biased by nostalgia, being the first album I heard of his. I think it's the most solid vocal lineup, though sometimes JLB's voice vexes me.
No, I have never been much a fan of the Human Equation. Hard to explain but the album lacks something for me, but that does not mean I truly dislike it. I think all of the performances work very well but the truly special moments I felt were sparse. That said, Days 2, 3, 6, 12, 16 & 17 are all incredible. I think of all the final songs on the Ayreon albums, the Human Equation has the best all around effort. It is an actual composition compared to just synthesized voices (Final Experiment & Into the Electric Castle) a mess of noise (Actual Fantasy) a bit overlong epic (01011001) or four separate brief tracks instead of one (The Source). I feel Day 20 is the very best moment on that album.
By_Inheritance wrote:
Besides a few differences, they're almost the same band. You're just being stubborn otherwise. ... .His albums are presented in a serious manner so why shouldn't the listener take them seriously? They lyrics are badly written, for the most part. It has nothing to do with the concepts or anything like that. Usually the story ideas are fairly interesting. It's just the way they're written that holds them back. It's cheeseball stuff. Now, there's plenty of cheesy bands I love, but there's something about Arjen's projects that annoys me. It probably is the fact that it's all taken so seriously and he hasn't got the lyrical chops to back it up.
I suppose one could see them as the same band, makes no real difference to me, view it as you wish to.

Even if there is a superficial veneer of conceptual seriousness, that does not mean the project has to be taken seriously? It is a concept firmly etched in fantasy, which usually makes the subjects 'fun' instead of 'cheeseball'. A great example is Flight Of the Migrator. It is as silly a story as one can get, borrowed in concept from Philip K. Dick, but contains some of the bands greatest moments; like To The Quasar & Out Of the White Hole... I will concede your point when it comes to the Human Equation. That album was attempting to be very morose but the tongue kept bitten within cheek counters the serious subject matter. Ironic because most consider that album near the top but ignore what was a significantly better 'serious' effort with the Theory of Everything.
_________________
[My Soundcloud || My Last.fm || Concerts I've Attended]

Top
 Profile  
MetalVermont
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2021 8:23 pm
Posts: 255
Location: United States
PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 10:36 am 
 

No Russ? Not interested, sorry. Do like a lot of Arjen's stuff though.

Top
 Profile  
hallowed78
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:53 am
Posts: 615
Location: LV-426
PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:12 am 
 

First song/single. It's good.

Spoiler: show

Top
 Profile  
Twisted_Psychology
Metal freak

Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 8:22 pm
Posts: 6260
Location: United States
PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:08 am 
 

Pretty cool song. I'll be curious to see how this fits into the album's context but between this and the more upbeat power metal tendencies on The Source, it seems like Ayreon and Star One are starting to blur together.
_________________
Lavaborne (Power Doom): https://lavaborne.bandcamp.com
The Skyspeakers (Heavy Psych): https://theskyspeakers.bandcamp.com/
Cloud of Souls (Experimental Doom): https://cloudofsouls.bandcamp.com/

Top
 Profile  
Opus
Metal freak

Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2002 11:06 am
Posts: 4266
Location: Sweden
PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 4:50 pm 
 

I did not expect Khan! And then Tony Martin! And Steve Vai!
This is exceeding my expectations!
_________________
Do the words Heavy Metal mean anything to you other than buttcore, technical progressive assgrind or the like?
true_death wrote:
You could be listening to Edge of Sanity right now, but you're not!

Top
 Profile  
LithoJazzoSphere
Veteran

Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:11 pm
Posts: 3576
Location: United States
PostPosted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:21 am 
 

Twisted_Psychology wrote:
Pretty cool song. I'll be curious to see how this fits into the album's context but between this and the more upbeat power metal tendencies on The Source, it seems like Ayreon and Star One are starting to blur together.


It seems like it tends to ebb and flow. Flight of the Migrator was basically the trial run for Star One, and then by The Human Equation they seemed like more distinct projects. But now the identities are becoming mushy again, also with Transitus not really quite feeling like Ayreon either (though also not like Star One). I guess that's just what happens when it's the same guy writing and playing much of the instrumentation, and he follows his muse, not worrying too much if project purists think something doesn't really fit.

Top
 Profile  
Luvers
Writes generic (and possibly meandering) posts

Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:34 pm
Posts: 542
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 12:41 pm 
 

MetalVermont wrote:
No Russ? Not interested, sorry. Do like a lot of Arjen's stuff though.
Russ IS Included
_________________
[My Soundcloud || My Last.fm || Concerts I've Attended]

Top
 Profile  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Discordant, Lee Harrison and 85 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

  Print view
Jump to:  

Back to the Encyclopaedia Metallum


Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group