Ayreon 01011001

This album is a strong follow up to The Human Equation. Very well produced with vocalists and musicians giving the best of them. It has its good moments (I could even say it has his great moments... some of the songs here are unbelievable) and also its cheezy parts like its predecessor.

A subpar concept album about an immortal and technological advanced alien race hooked on machines deciding to plant their DNA in a comet creating humans. To their disappointment, the humans got hooked on machines and myspace.

The music is carefully crafted, but for some reason, I find the music dull, unoriginal, monotonous, and overlong. There are tons of talented musicians and vocalist trying to save this album, to no avail.

I think this is Mr. Lucassen's best work so far. Production, musicians and especially the vocalists are nearly perfect, but what makes this album so unique and interesting is how it connects the previous albums ... they all become part of one largely consistent story (with the exception of Actual Fantasy of course). But not only the lyrics reference the previous albums, the songs are also re-visited and cunningly interwoven with new ideas. Pure brilliance!