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"Arjen Lucassen releases solo album “Songs No One Will Hear,” which is certainly not far removed from Ayreon, but so masterfully done..."
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4/5
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Arjen Anthony Lucassen re-enacts “The Mysterious Star”! A huge asteroid is hurtling towards Earth, and the end of humanity is scheduled in five months. What would you do if you only had five months left to live? This scenario, which is not exactly new, is the inspiration for this solo album by the master of the Ayreon project (among others).
Supported by a small team, he nevertheless reunites with some old acquaintances, including Irene Jansen (“The Human Equation”), Arjen's only partner on vocals—a far cry from Ayreon's usual lineup—Jeroen Goossens on flute (“Transitus”) and Ben Mathot on violin. Koen Herfst, regularly crowned best hard rock drummer in the Benelux, takes the place of the faithful Ed Warby behind the drums.
However, this adjustment to the line-up does not distance Arjen Lucassen from the distinctive style that made him famous: the powerful riffs are still there (“Goddamn Conspiracy,” effective), the combination of electric guitars ('Dr. Slumber's Blue Bus') with relevant keyboards, the alternation between singers... Lucassen's touch is very recognizable, using techniques already established - although the violin brings a more unusual coloration to 'The Universe Has Other Plans'. The concept is linked by short recitatives, which Michael Mills interprets with welcome imagination* (the use of recitatives is often off-putting, cf. “Transitus”).
The focus is obviously on the final track, a massive piece lasting almost a quarter of an hour, divided into seven short sections linked together in a similar way to 'The Theory of Everything'. It's a masterfully crafted epic somewhere between "1011001" and "The Dream Sequencer", constantly evolving and featuring some beautiful sequences. This track compensates for the relative weakness of certain tracks ('Shaggaton', unusually light for Arjen, or 'Just Not Today', which is rather bland).
As for originality, we'll pass, but it's difficult to break away from a prestigious and admirably mastered model. “Songs No One Will Hear” is the credo of a lover of his art, determined to compose whatever the circumstances. The result is consistent with what he knows how to do, but always of a high standard.
(*) CD2 features an identical but lighter version of the recitatives. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. End Of The World Show
02. The Clock Ticks Down
03. Goddamn Conspiracy
04. The Universe Has Other Plans
05. Shaggathon
06. We'll Never Know
07. Dr. Slumber's Blue Bus
08. Just Not Today
 09. Our Final Song
LINEUP:
Arjen Anthony Lucassen: Chant / Guitares / Basse / Claviers
Ben Mathot: Violon
Irene Jansen: Chant
Jeroen Goossens: Flûte
Joost Van Den Broek: Hammond Organ
Jurriaan Westerveld: Violoncelle
Koen Herfst: Batterie
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(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
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(1) COMMENT(S)
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READERS
-/5 (0 view(s))
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STAFF:
4/5 (1 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH ARJEN ANTHONY LUCASSEN
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OTHER REVIEWS
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OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT ARJEN ANTHONY LUCASSEN
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