Ayreon - 01011001
CD Info
2008
InsideOut Music/SPV
European Release
2 CDs – 15 tracks total
English lyrics
Before getting too far into this review, let’s answer this question: What is a metal opera? We’re all familiar with the idea of concept albums, which tell a single story or portray a certain mood or outlook with a full collection of songs. Metal operas accomplish this same feat – except they go a couple steps further. Like classical operas, they feature multiple singers who act as characters within a story that’s told through first-person lyrics. And, of course, there are plenty of guitars, drums, keyboards, some strings, maybe an organ or a flute, and other strategically chosen instruments.
Or, maybe it’s easier to define a metal opera with one name: Arjen Lucassen.
Arjen is the mastermind of a number of projects: Stream of Passion, Ambeon, Star One, and – most notably – Ayreon. Since 1995, Arjen has recorded seven albums under the Ayreon project name. Each album contains three elements that make up the project’s signature sound: lyrics rooted in fantasy or science fiction; a distinct combination of progressive rock, metal, and folk music; and a plethora of guest musicians and singers (both male and female) from the rock and metal world. This is no exception for the most recent Ayreon album, “01011001.”
The storyline for “01011001” is somewhat twofold. The primary plot, told by the main cast (“Forever”), is about an alien race known as Forever that creates humanity as a means of exploring the meaning of life. Throughout the Forever-oriented tracks, the listener catches glimpses into Forever’s hope, intelligence, and willingness to pass on their knowledge to their “offspring.” There is also a sense of nostalgia and desperation due to the race’s bleak fate: Existing eternally with the help of mechanical life support and disconnected from true emotions. The second plot is told by the secondary cast (“Man”) and provides snapshots of modern-day mankind. These tracks shed light on humanity’s flaws, from materialism and overindulgence to emotional disconnect – all of them indicating that Forever’s experiment may be heading in the wrong direction.
Arjen has a knack for picking exceptionally talented vocalists to tell his Ayreon stories – and on “01011001,” there is no shortage of great voices. Here are the seventeen singers featured on the album, with the female vocalists’ names italicized.
Forever (Main Cast – in order of appearance):
Tom Englund (Evergrey)
Steve Lee (Gotthard)
Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain of Salvation)
Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian)
Floor Jansen (After Forever)
Jonas P. Renkse (Katatonia)
Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering, Agua de Annique)
Jorn Lande
Magali Luyden (Beautiful Sin, Virus IV)
Bob Catley (Magnum)
Man (Secondary Cast – in order of appearance):
Ty Tabor (King’s X)
Arjen Lucassen
Simone Simons (Epica)
Phideaux Xavier
Liselotte Hegt (Dial)
Wudstik
Marjan Welman (Elister, Autumn)
Each singer executes their part effortlessly; and together, they create such a diverse group of voices that makes “01011001” all the more colorful. Steve Lee is incredibly charismatic, and Hansi Kürsch sounds right at home when the music’s at full power. Jorn Lande proves how versatile he can be by alternating between different vocal styles in “Newborn Race,” “Beneath the Waves,” and “Unnatural Selection” – just to name a few songs. Daniel Gildenlöw, Bob Catley, and Wudstik (an R&B singer with a love for rock music) are also stand-outs here.
As for the women, Anneke delivers some delightful harmonies, especially in “Waking Dreams” and “We Are Forever” (the song within the song “Age of Shadows”). Simone fits her character in “Web of Lies,” with a soft and sweet voice that’s quite expressive. On the more powerful end, Floor draws on her resonant rock voice (“Liquid Eternity,” “Beneath the Waves”) and her lush soprano (“Age of Shadows,” “Ride the Comet”) on a number of tracks. Magali is robust and vigorous, and steals the limelight in “Ride the Comet” with her ad libs. There’s also one female guest musician on the album – Lori Linstruth, the former Stream of Passion guitarist, who tears it up on “Newborn Race.”
The word “epic” is the first word that comes to mind when describing the music of “01011001.” It’s not overly bombastic or aggressive, but it has the right amount of muscle and majesty that it complements the album’s story. Arjen’s brand of progressive rock/metal also has a natural, palpable energy that’s augmented by the impressive beats of Gorefest drummer (and longtime Ayreon contributor) Ed Warby. The music is also soaked with atmospheric synthesizers and aptly chosen “space-like” programming. Another word that’s just as appropriate for describing the music is “layered.” A smorgasbord of instruments can be heard throughout, from an organ and cosmic blips and bleeps to flutes and violins. Listeners will find themselves playing both CDs repeatedly, just to see if they will something new on the next rotation.
It’s difficult to pick stand-out tracks on “01011001” – and that’s because most of the songs are nothing short of mindblowing. “Age of Shadows” is an addictive opening track with lots of catchy hooks and heavy, playful guitars. “Liquid Eternity” and “Ride the Comet” are excellent, buoyant metal numbers; and even the apocalyptic “Unnatural Selection” is great fun. The ballads are wonderfully diverse, from the mellow “Waking Dreams” to the Celtic-inspired rocker “River of Time.” “E=MC2” is urgent and desperate – both vocally and musically – and is the best track representing Man. Finally, there’s the “The Sixth Extinction,” the day-of-reckoning conclusion with myriad twists and turns that shows the collective power of the Forever cast.
Stumbling points are also hard to find in this album. Each song is essential to the album’s story, so even reviewers can’t say one track or another doesn’t belong. The weakest tracks are probably “Web of Lies,” which is a bit trite lyrically, and “Connect the Dots,” which doesn’t flow as well as the other songs. Despite this, both tracks are good enough that listeners won’t skip over them.
As you can see, it’s difficult to sum up “01011001” in just a few words. It’s powerful, melodic, innovative, emotional, enthralling, unpredictable… Or, more simply put, it’s a masterpiece – a rare, metallic gem that surfaces maybe once or twice a year. It will hook the listener with the very first note and refuse to let go with the echoes of the last song. Anyone who listens to rock or metal and has never listened to Ayreon before is missing out on an extraordinary musical journey.
Now, the next question we have to ask is… “How does Mr. Lucassen do it?”
9.5 / 10
