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"Actual Fantasy probably doesn't have the impact of a Dream Sequencer or an Electric Castle but remains of an excellent level,"
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4/5
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Actual Fantasy Revisited is the 2004 d version of the opus released in 1996, a work done after the release of Flight of Migrator and before the release of Human Equation.
A few variations in the instruments have been made, but it's especially the rhythm section that has been reinforced. By replacing Arjen Lucassen himself, Ed Warby on drums and Peter Wink on bass have indeed considerably reinforced the playing, bringing a quite appreciable density to the whole. The comparison with the 1996 version, present on the bonus DVD, is quite edifying: the old one seems quite light next to the more recent one (and it's the least we could expect from Arjen Lucassen, used to the finicky productions).
On the DVD part, there is not much interesting: a subtitled version of the CD ( the texts on an animated wallpaper, well ...), the same thing with the 1996 version, a little clip on the track "the Stanger from Within", and a short documentary on the recording of the rhythm section.
On the CD side, if this album doesn't gather the plethora of guests you can find on the band's usual productions, you can recognize the composer/arranger's paw from the very first bars. The introduction ("Abbey of Synn" ), sliding from symphonic prog to symphonic metal, is a model of the genre that will blow your ears away! Lucassen always has the same knack for mixing genres, grafting more aggressive sounds on melodic ensembles, to the point that we don't know if it's metal grafted on prog ("Farside of the World" ) or the opposite ("Back on Planet Earth" ) ! It doesn't matter anyway if we're entitled to unquestionable successes, as the remarkable "Computer Eyes", a jewel of balance between instruments and genres.
Actual Fantasy probably doesn't have the impact of a Dream Sequencer or an Electric Castle (two or three tracks are a bit below, like "Forevermore", "The Stranger from Within" or the first part of "The Dawn of Man" ), but remains - as often with Ayreon - of an excellent level, the kind of record we irresistibly want to share. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Actual Fantasy
02. Abbey Of Synn
03. The Stranger From Within
04. Computer Eyes
05. Beyond The Last Horizon
06. Farside Of The World
07. Back On Planet Earth
08. Forever More
09. The Dawn Of Man
LINEUP:
Arjen Anthony Lucassen: Chant / Guitares / Claviers
Ed Warby: Batterie
Edward Reekers: Chant
Okkie Huysden: Chant
Peter Wink: Basse
Robert Soeterbeek: Chant
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(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
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READERS
4/5 (5 view(s))
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STAFF:
3.8/5 (4 view(s))
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