Ayreon
„01011001“
3-LP. Clear-blue Vinyl.

In 2008, "01011001" was released, adding another album to the long-running Forever narrative. Chronologically, it ranks second for me, as it connects the backstory of the Alphans and the Forever in "The Source" with "The Final Experiment," the Forever's futile attempt to save humanity from its own annihilation. This alien race has lost its emotional capacity over the millennia. In short: Ayreon makes progressive, metal-infused rock music. Concept albums to which Arjen invites numerous guest musicians.

When Arjen calls, musicians come running. This album is no exception. Floor Jansen (Nightwish, ex-After Forever), Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), the sadly deceased Steve Lee (Gotthard), Tom S. Eglund (Evergrey), and many more. Each musician plays or sings a distinct part. Each of these musicians has their strengths, and Arjen consistently manages to translate them into musical imagery.

The Forever have thus influenced our fate to prevent their own downfall. Ayreon, in general, explores themes such as genetic manipulation. Who is worthy of survival? Are we allowed to play God? Are all means justified? Where will technology and AI lead us? These are still relevant questions today, not only philosophical but also practical. However, the extent to which listeners engage with these themes (or want to) is not the focus here. Does the music work even without delving deeply into the story?

And it's something special! Every note is perfectly placed! Every nuance, every breath is meticulously dissected, analyzed, and re-inserted. There's no room for chance here. For some critics, perfection is anathema. For me, perfection works too. Some love blues or jazz, music that comes more from the gut. I love that as well. Don't expect anything instinctive here. With Arjen Lucassen, despite numerous guest musicians, everything sounds cohesive. But why should I criticize "01011001" for its epic, bombastic form? It's purely a matter of taste and has nothing to do with quality. Those who don't like perfectly epic music will find happier elsewhere. This album can definitely be enjoyed even without knowing the deeper story. Imagine Tolkien's Silmarillion, transpose it to space, and you get the genesis of the Forever of planet Y and our own (because we originate from their DNA). And have the Forever repeated the mistakes of the past? Just look at us humans.

The first three songs alone, “Age Of Shadows” (beautifully spacey, epic, rocking metal, with the divine Anneke van Giersbergen), “Comatose” (dark rock) and “Liquid Eternity”, are a feast in just over 23 minutes. It's also progressive, albeit without any technical flourishes. So, there's something truly great for the ears right from the start. In contrast, “Connect The Dots” sounds out of place without reference to the previous album "The Human Equation". That's part of the concept, and I can live with it. Arjen proves that it can be done much better with "Beneath The Waves", which clearly recalls the albums "The Final Experiment" and "The Dream Sequencer". In fact, there are several passages that allude to the other five albums. And no, dear critics, this isn't a weakness of the album. It weaves these short threads into a grand whole. And it does so exceptionally well.

Other great songs include "Ride The Comet," "Web Of Lies" (more relevant than ever), featuring a magnificent Phideaux Xavier. "E=MC²" and "The Sixth Extinction" round out this album. 

Wait a minute! The record is perfectly flat and has very little surface noise. All three LPs lie almost perfectly on the turntable. Technically, there's nothing to criticize about the music either. Everything sounds familiar, typically perfect, nothing harsh or jarring. If you don't like progressive rock, metal, art rock, dark rock, or epic, vocal-driven concept albums, then this isn't for you. For me, that's not a matter of quality, but rather a matter of taste. And yet, I don't know of any other album that can compare to this one. Feel free to try the mentioned songs individually if concept albums are new to you. The songs work quite well on their own.

1995 The Final Experiment
1998 Into the Electric Castle
2000 Universal Migrator Part I „The Dream Sequencer“
+
2000 Universal Migrator Part II „Flight of the Migrator“
2004 The Human Equation
2008 01011001
2017 The Source

The photos are all from my LP. The rights to all designs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.

TheProgThief
©04.11.2024
Mk 3