Arjen Lucassen News
25 Aug |
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In his latest video update, Arjen reveals the vocalists an concept of the new Star One album, "Victims of the Modern Age." |
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14 Aug, 2010 |
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Arjen has just completed work on a new Star One album. The album is titled "Victims of the Modern Age" and is due for release in late October 2010. Watch the video below for a message from Arjen and a look at the cover artwork.
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10 April, 2010 |
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Those who follow Arjen on Facebook, Myspace or Twitter have probably already heard that the Mastermind is hard at work on what will be a new STAR ONE album. The instrumental demos are completed, and Arjen is now working on lyrics and melody lines. Stay tuned for more! A few weeks ago, Arjen's former manager Yvette graciously hosted a demo listening party for the people on Arjen's message board. It was an open invitation, although because of limitations of space, attendance was limited to the first few people who confirmed they could make it. The 9 attendees got to listen to the demos, munch on assorted goodies, and fill in feedback forms to catalog their reactions to the songs for Arjen. Keep in mind that they heard rough demos -- no vocals, no solos -- these are the first demos that Arjen puts together just to get the structure and feel of the songs down before starting serious work on lyrics and vocal melodies. Yvette kindly edited a very short video clip that gives an idea of what happened that day. In this video not only do you get to SEE what happened, you get to HEAR some snippets of the demos as well |
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Aug 18, 2009 |
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We've just uploaded the full song Green and Cream, the third audio preview from "On This Perfect Day". The song clocks in at 10:32, and highlights the intricate drumming of Chris Maitland (ex-Porcupine Tree). You can find it on the Guilt Machine MySpace. If you've not preordered yet, it's not too late to order your signed copy of "On This Perfect Day" from Mascot Records. Be advised that quantities of signed copies are limited! |
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Aug 12, 2009 |
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If you visit the Guilt Machine Myspace site, you can now see the four-minute video trailer for "On this Perfect day," featuring a medley of selected passages from 5 songs. Aardschok album of the month The first reviews of "On This Perfect Day" have been really positive. In fact, we're pleased to report that the album came in on top of the Aardschok magazine soundcheck, thus becoming the album of the month for the August/Sept issue. Photographer Jasper van Tilburgh shot the cover and article photos -- thanks Jasper!
Pre-order "On This Perfect Day" Thanks to all of you who have already pre-ordered the album. Mascot tells us that the pre-orders are going great! If you've not preordered yet, you can still order your signed copy of "On This Perfect Day" from Mascot Records.
In our next newsletter we'll be presenting a third song in its entirety, so stay tuned! Pre-order info |
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Jul 21, 2009 |
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If you visit the new Guilt Machine Myspace site, you can listen to the second song from the forthcoming Guilt Machine album "On this Perfect Day". We've uploaded the 11-minute song "Perfection?" in three parts. Arjen's Myspace :: Arjen's Facebook :: Arjen @ Twitter :: Email Thanks to everyone who's already preordered copies of "On This Perfect Day." If you've not preordered yet, you can still order your copy from Mascot Records. Our next newsletter will contain a link to the Guilt Machine promotional trailer, so stay tuned! |
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Jul 07, 2009 |
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Guilt Machine audio samples posted! If you visit the new Guilt Machine Myspace site, you can listen to the first song from the forthcoming Guilt Machine album "On this Perfect Day". We've uploaded the 12-minute song "Twisted Coil" in three parts. Guilt Machine US release date set USA -- 29 September. Guilt Machine album preorders start now! Preorders for the Limited and Special Editions of "On This Perfect Day" have begun, and are being handled by Mascot Records directly. Preorders will be shipped near the release date, and (depending upon your country of residence) should arrive during the week of release (31 August). All pre-ordered copies will be signed by Arjen Lucassen, Jasper Steverlinck & Lori Linstruth. Paypal is the only method of payment accepted. EDITIONS and PRICES DIGIPACK SPECIAL EDITION CD + DVD
Our next update will contain a link to another song sample, so stay tuned! |
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Jun 23, 2009 |
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We're happy to finally announce the European release dates and details of the forthcoming album from Arjen's new project, Guilt Machine! The album, titled "On This Perfect Day," will be released by Mascot records on the following dates: Germany, Austria, Switzerland: 28 August The art for the cover (pictured above) and booklet was created by Christophe Dessaigne, a talented new artist whom we discovered (quite by chance) while browsing Flickr. Coincidentally, it turned out that Chris is an Ayreon fan, and was thrilled beyond belief when we asked him to do the artwork. The Guilt Machine logo and packaging layout were created by Thomas Ewerhard. On This Perfect Day will be released in 3 different editions: Limited Edition 32-page Digibook (CD + DVD)
TRACK LIST CD (all editions):
DVD (Limited and Special editions only): Guilt Machine: Next week's newsletter will contain pre-order information and.... links to the first audio samples, so stay tuned! |
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May 14, 2009 |
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Thanks for your audio messages Because we know how disappointing it must have been for those whose messages weren't chosen, Arjen has put together an 8-plus-minute instrumental bonus track filled from beginning to end with as many messages as possible. Even then there wasn't room for all of the messages (that would have required a much longer song), but we've done our best to choose messages from as many people as possible. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for music previews and other updates about Guilt Machine! |
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Mar 22, 2009 |
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The deadline for submitting messages to the Guilt Machine project is now over, and the finalists who provided an email address have been notified. In the end we received far more messages than we expected, and it was extremely difficult to make the final selections. We were touched by the amount of thought and effort many of you put into composing your messages; whether or not your messages was chosen, thanks very much for taking the time to participate. |
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Mar 09, 2009 |
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We're pleased to announce your chance to submit your own personal material for possible inclusion in Arjen's new project, Guilt Machine. The songs of Guilt Machine center around the themes of guilt and regret: guilt for past wrongs (real or imagined) and regret for words unspoken and deeds undone. Everybody has a secret, a regret, or something important they'd like to say before it's too late. We'd like to invite you to submit your story for possible inclusion on the album by recording it in a brief audio message in your own language. For example, you might choose to express one of the following:
Our goal is to use voice recordings in various languages as a part of the soundscape of the album. So, all you need to be able to submit your message are:
Note that we can't possibly use all submissions, but will be choosing the strongest ones from among those we receive.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday, 15 March 2009, at midnight Central European Time. If you have questions about recording your message or how to participate, please refer first hand to this topic on Arjen's forum, where many questions have already been answered. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for music previews and other updates about Guilt Machine! |
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Feb 23, 2009 |
Arjen unveils new project: Guilt Machine |
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There's not been much news from us lately, but don't let that fool you. There has been a bustle of feverish activity going on behind the scenes here at the Electric Castle. With this update from ArjenLucassen.com we're excited to officially announce the details of Arjen's new project, Guilt Machine. GUILT MACHINE As Ayreon fans have come to expect from Arjen, the music of Guilt Machine ranges from dark and heavy to atmospheric and melancholic. But Guilt Machine introduces some new twists as well, particularly when it comes to the vocals. Rather than putting together an ensemble cast of vocalists from the prog, rock and metal scene, Arjen has enlisted the talents of a single alternative rock vocalist, Jasper Steverlinck. How did Arjen get an alternative rock vocalist to switch genres and sing on a prog rock project? "In the beginning it was hard to convince Jasper to sing on this album, because he comes from a completely different musical background. He didn't even know what prog was, but we've made a believer out of him! What I admire about Jasper's voice, besides its beautiful clear timbre, is the emotion and credibility he puts into his performance and his enormous range. Because this project features just one singer I needed someone versatile enough to portray all of the different moods, and Jasper didn't disappoint. And he's a really nice and dedicated guy as well!" For Guilt Machine Arjen also chose to record with a different drummer, Chris Maitland (ex Porcupine Tree). "Chris was the ideal choice this time, having both the power for the heavy sections and the subtle touch needed in the more atmospheric parts." Rather than the explicit storyline you would expect in an Ayreon release, the songs of Guilt Machine revolve around a central theme. Instead of looking outward into a world of fantasy or science fiction, the songs look inward, exploring the destructive psychology of guilt, regret and the darkest form of secret -- the secrets we hide from ourselves. "At first I asked my partner and personal manager Lori to quickly write scratch lyrics for one of the songs so I could record some guide vocals. I was so impressed by what she produced that I asked her to write the lyrics for all the songs. I was unable myself to create the type of darkly enigmatic, open-ended lyrics I wanted for these songs, my specialty being sci-fi lyrics about sinister aliens ;-) She definitely gave the songs an extra dimension with her lyrics, exorcising the demons we both had faced in the past few years. It's also no secret that I've always been a big fan of her melodic guitar style, so she also plays all the guitar solos on this album." Despite these differences, Guilt Machine still has much in common with Ayreon. The songs are mainly long, "epic" tracks that feature dynamic contrasts between softer, dreamy sections and powerful, heavy passages. There are intricate harmonies, complex rhythms, soaring melodies, and an eclectic selection of instruments -- all what you'd expect from an Ayreon release. "In my view this is my best side project so far. It comes completely from the heart, for it was written and recorded during a new inspiring phase in my life after my heavy depression. This being an entirely new project there were no expectations whatsoever, which enabled me to just let my inspiration guide me without any (outside) pressure." Stay tuned in the coming weeks for music previews and other updates about Guilt Machine! |
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Sept 30, 2008 |
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It's time again for the Ayreon Fanmeet! Just like last year, a group of Arjen's fans in the Netherlands have organized a special meeting for Ayreon fans. The press release from the Ayreon fanmeet organization reads: This year's event features performances by the bands Galanor (www.galanor.com) and LadyLau (www.ladylau.com). Both bands will be playing Ayreon songs in addition to their own music. LadyLau and members of Galanor were part of The Ayreonotes, a band formed by musically talented fans for last year's fanmeet. Besides the live music, the fanmeet offers a chance for Ayreon fans to meet and mingle. There will also be a few special guests (musicians that have played on one or more of Arjen's albums). You can talk to them and they'll bring their merchandise as well. Tickets are 10 Euro each. Fanmeet visiors attending the Alquin (www.alquin.org) concert later that evening will receive a 5 euro discount on their Alquin ticket! For fanmeet tickets and all the latest info, please visit www.ayreonfanmeet.com. And feel free to contact us if you have any questions. All together it will be a great day for anyone who likes Arjen's music; hope to see you there! ~Ayreon Fanmeet Organisation. |
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Sept 16, 2008 |
Timeline: New Ayreon compilation album |
The latest news from the Electric Castle is that Arjen has just put the finishing touches on the forthcoming Ayreon 3CD + DVD compilation album, TIMELINE. "I've been asked many times before to release an Ayreon compilation album, but it just didn’t feel right to present fragmented bits of story by lifting individual songs out of their greater contexts. However, my attitude changed after I completed my 2008 album 01011001, in which I connected all the previous Ayreon releases, musically as well as lyrically. Having completed the circle, so to speak, it seemed like a fitting time to put all things Ayreon into perspective and create an Ayreon timeline outlining the entire story."
TIMELINE will be available from InsideOut Music on 7 November 2008 (G.A.S), 17 November 2008 (Europe), and 13 January 2009 (N. America). When asked what the release of TIMELINE means for the future of Ayreon, Arjen explains, "I don't see this as the end of Ayreon, but rather as a new beginning. I'll definitely be recording some side projects before I even start thinking about re-inventing Ayreon. To keep things fresh for myself I've got to come up with a completely new concept for both the music and the lyrics. I hope I can do it...it will be definitely be quite a challenge!" For more info and updates, check the TIMELINE page regularly |
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June 27, 2008 |
Ask Arjen Anything - and get answers! |
Every so often we collect all the weird and wonderful questions that Arjen's fans can come up with in an event called "Ask Arjen Anything" (AAA). The results of the most recent AAA are posted online now on the Message Board and on the blog. Enjoy! |
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May 27, 2008 |
Release Party Videos online |
01011001 Release Party videos online |
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Apr 21, 2008 |
Elected EP samples online |
We've just posted some audio samples from the new Ayreon EP Elected. |
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Mar 9, 2008 |
01011001 on vinyl! |
As reported in the Arjen Lucassen newsletter #82, the new Ayreon album 0011001 is to be released on vinyl. It will be a triple-album set on clear vinyl. However, the mid-March release date has been postponed. The new (but still tentative!) release dates are as follows: |
Mar 1, 2008 |
01011001 in the charts |
International album chart positions for 01011001 Holland (#2) |
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Jan 14, 2008 |
In-store appearances January 2008 |
We've just received confirmation that Arjen will be making at least two in-store appearances this month. Joining him for a short acoustic set will be vocalist Marjan Welman, whose powerful vocals are featured on the song E=mc2 on 01011001. Admission to the in-store performances is free. 25 January -- 17:00 Velvet Music in Breda 25 January -- 20:00 Waterput in Bergen op Zoom 26 January -- 17:00 Velvet music in Delft Hope to see you there! |
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Jan 10, 2008 |
01011001 Preview video |
A new preview video of 01011001 has been posted on Arjen's MySpace, featuring a glimpse into the studio and previews of the songs -- don't miss it! |
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Jan 1, 2008 |
Beneath the waves CGI movie |
You can watch the CGI movie for Beneath the Waves from 01011001 here. Happy New Year! |
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Dec 24, 2007 |
01011001 album artwork online |
Each day until January 1, 2008 we'll be unveiling selected album artwork from 01011001. The first previews, created by Simon van Vegten of DPI Animation House, are already up and available here. |
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Dec. 3rd, 2007 |
Preview on MySpace! |
You can listen to the track 'The Fifth Extinction' taken from the forthcoming Ayreon album '01011001' on Arjen's MySpace. The track is divided up in two parts to meet with MySpace limitations (the song is just over 10 minutes long). |
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Banners! | |
You can download banners to promote the new Ayreon everywhere. ![]() ![]() |
Nov. 27th, 2007 |
Teaser Online! | ||||||||||||||
You can download the teaser trailer for 01011001 at this location (right-click and save). Or visit MySpace.
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Nov. 26th, 2007 |
New Management! | ||||||||||||||
Here follows a statement from Y. Boertje, Personal Manager for Arjen Lucassen: "After working for Arjen for as a manager for nearly five years, I decided it was time to move on and, among other things, pursue my screenwriting career. |
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Nov. 21st, 2007 |
Pre-Order 01011001!! | ||||||||||||||
Signed editions of 01011001 are now available for pre-order through the Plato.nl store. Please check the pre-order page here for information. |
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Nov. 21st, 2007 |
Asian release date | ||||||||||||||
The new Ayreon album will be released in Asia (Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and other territories) through Avalon/Marquee Records on January 23rd, 2008. It will be the regular 2 CD edition containing two Arjen guide vocal bonus tracks, plus one exclusive Arjen guide vocal track. |
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Nov. 15th, 2007 |
Release Party 01011001 | ||||||||||||||
To celebrate the newest Ayreon release, we'll be throwing a party for the fans. The location is (like The Human Equation Pre-Release Party) in the Stairway to Heaven Cafe in Utrecht, The Netherlands on Sunday January 27th, 2008.
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Nov. 15th, 2007 |
Editions and contents 01011001 | ||||||||||||||
- A regular 2CD edition with a 28 page booklet. *The bonus DVD contains: Pre-order will be available shortly! Please check the 01011001 page for release dates and all official information. |
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Nov. 8th, 2007 |
Cover Artwork! | ||||||||||||||
For the lay-out artwork (the images inside the booklet) Arjen has called in the talents of Colombian graphics artist Felipe Machado Franco. You can check out his website at this location.
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Nov. 8th, 2007 |
Release dates and editions | ||||||||||||||
The album will be in stores end of January 2008. Here are the release dates per territory: In Europe and North America the album will be released through InsideOut/SPV records and in the following
editions: |
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Nov. 1st, 2007 |
Track List Revealed! | ||||||||||||||
The full track list for the new Ayreon double disc release has been announced. Please check the 01011001 page for all information.
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Oct. 28th, 2007 |
Guest Keyboardists Announced! | ||||||||||||||
Beside guest guitarists, Arjen also invited keyboard players for the new Ayreon album. They are (in order of appearance) Derek Sherinian (Planet X), Tomas Bodin (The Flower Kings) and Joost van den Broek (After Forever).
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Oct. 25th, 2007 |
Jeroen Goossens returns! | ||||||||||||||
Flutist Jeroen Goossens of the Dutch folk band Flairck returns to Ayreon. Jeroen who previously played on Ayreon's The Human Equation and starred in the "Loser" video, recently recorded his parts in the Electric Castle. Other instrumentalists we previously announced include Ben Mathot of the band Dis on violin, David Faber on cello and of course Gorefest's drummer Ed Warby. |
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Oct. 21st, 2007 |
Solo Guitarists announced! | ||||||||||||||
The following three guitarists play solos on the new Ayreon album called 01011001: Lori Linstruth, Arjen Lucassen himself, and Michael Romeo. Stay tuned for more guessing when we give you a sample of the guest keyboardists! |
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Oct. 10th, 2007 |
"01011001" | ||||||||||||||
We're now able to reveal the title for the new Ayreon album due out in January 2008. It is called 01011001. You can check all official information such as sound clips and future downloads by visiting the special 01011001 page. |
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Oct. 10th, 2007 |
Daniel Gildenlow confirmed! | ||||||||||||||
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Oct. 8th, 2007 |
Wudstik and Marjan Welman | ||||||||||||||
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For the past few years Arjen has made it a point to invite relatively unknown vocalists to sing along with the more well known artists. Arjen chose these two Dutch singers because, as he puts it: "...they are very talented, they have charisma and they possess the drive needed to make it quite far in the music business".
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Sept. 28th, 2007 |
Hansi Kursch Announced! | ||||||||||||||
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Sept. 19th, 2007 |
Steve Lee Announced! | ||||||||||||||
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Sept. 19th, 2007 |
Ayreon Fan Meet! | ||||||||||||||
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September 15th saw the birth of what may become a tradition: the very first Ayreon Fan Meet. Fans from across the globe, who spend a lot of their time on the Ayreon messageboard, planned to meet up in what once was to be a simple lunch meeting in the Amsterdam Zoo. The plan steadily grew into an official meeting. |
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Sept. 14th, 2007 |
Floor Jansen and Phideaux announced! | ||||||||||||||
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Sept. 7th, 2007 |
Bob Catley announced! | ||||||||||||||
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Sept. 3rd, 2007 |
Anneke van Giersbergen announced! | ||||||||||||||
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Aug. 29th, 2007 |
Jonas P. Renkse on Ayreon! | ||||||||||||||
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Aug. 27th, 2007 |
Jorn Lande announced | ||||||||||||||
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Now that wasn't so hard for most of the guessers on our messageboard and among our MySpace friends! Jorn Lande is the eighth vocalist to be announced for Ayreon. Although there are some of you who haven't heard this fantastic vocalist who flew in from Norway to sing at the Electric Castle. If you want to know more about Jorn Lande, do check out his official MySpace site, and his official website for more information. |
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Aug. 21st, 2007 |
Tom Englund is vocalist number 6! | ||||||||||||||
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Tom S. Englund of Evergrey has been announced as the sixth vocalist on the new Ayreon album. Tom flew over to the Netherlands last week from Sweden to record all his vocal parts. For more information on Tom or his band please visit:
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Aug. 16th, 2007 |
Arjen and Liselotte Hegt on Ayreon | ||||||||||||||
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It wasn't such a hard guess, at least for one half the duo we revealed last week. Indeed, Arjen Lucassen takes on
a bit of vocal duty for this new Ayreon album as well. The second vocalist proved a lot more difficult, as we
expected. But eventually someone figured it out. |
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July 30th, 2007 |
Ty Tabor on Ayreon | ||||||||||||||
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There were some pretty good guesses, anything ranging from Neal Morse, to Steve Wilson, and some even thought it
was Arjen Lucassen himself. |
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July 9, 2007 |
Simone Simons on Ayreon! | ||||||||||||||
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Simone's recording session was on July 5th. Epica's new album "The Divine Conspiracy" is due for release September 7th, 2007 through Nuclear Blast Records. You can check out the following MySpace sites for more information on Simone and her band:
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June 26, 2007 |
Magali Luyten stars on new Ayreon | ||||||||||||||
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June 14, 2007 |
First vocalist recorded! | ||||||||||||||
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The very first vocalist for the seventh Ayreon album was recorded in the Electric Castle Studio last week. We're not revealing the name of the vocalist just yet, but you can listen to a sample of the voice (without instruments) here. During the time leading up to the official announcement of each of the vocalists participating on the new Ayreon album, we'll be giving acapella previews of every vocalist. Currently 12 vocalists have been confirmed, and a few more will be added. Discuss the sample, and all things Ayreon, on our messageboard or on Arjen's official MySpace site. |
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June 14, 2007 |
Drums Finished! | ||||||||||||||
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Arjen and Ed Warby (Gorefest) finished all drum recording together with producer Gordon Groothedde.You can read the studio report here. |
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May 14, 2007 |
Ayreon Demos Completed | ||||||||||||||
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Arjen just finished recording the demos for his seventh Ayreon album. As previously reported, Arjen went through a difficult time last winter. Since then he's been doing a lot better. He discovered that music truly is the best medicine and also drew inspiration from the many encouraging e-mails, letters, and postcards he received from his fans. Though Arjen initially planned to release a single album, the plan -- as always -- changed as the composing
progressed. Like 'The Human Equation' and 'Into the Electric Castle', the new Ayreon will be a
double album featuring 15 tracks with a combined length of nearly 100 minutes. Arjen is currently checking the availability of vocalists and instrumentalists to see who can be scheduled to appear. A number of vocalists have already responded enthusiastically. Arjen has a long wish-list, and it promises to be quite a puzzle to figure out who will be singing where and what. No release date has been set. Be sure to check Arjen's official MySpace site for special updates and upcoming previews. |
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Mar. 4, 2007 |
Exclusive interview! | ||||||||||||||
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Available now: a brand new exclusive interview with Arjen, in which he talks candidly about the difficult past few months, the future of Stream of Passion and some of his plans for the new Ayreon album. |
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Feb. 7, 2007 |
Arjen in MusicMaker Magazine | ||||||||||||||
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Dec. 20, 2006 |
Stream of Passion Tour! Another UK date has been added to the Stream of Passion feat. Ayreon tour roster.
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Dec. 16, 2006 |
Stream of Passion DVD release in Brasil! The Stream of Passion feat. Ayreon DVD Live in the Real World will be released in Brasil on December 18th through Masque Records. |
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Nov. 21, 2006 |
Arjen's next Project Finally, we are able to bring you some news about Arjen's next recording project. At the end of September 2006, Arjen's new studio was finished and ready to use. The very next day, Arjen went in with his trusted little tape recorder, and papers with dozens of song ideas that he'd been working on for the past year. He has been in his studio nearly every day (and night) since then, getting the ideas translated into songs. The musical ideas are so extremely varied that only one project could possibly hold them all: Ayreon. Arjen has already been in contact with some very interesting and talented people to help create a new dimension of the Ayreon Universe. Of course, we'll keep you informed on Arjen's progress over the next months! |
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Sept. 9, 2006 |
New P.O. Box address! As a result of Arjen's recent move, his P.O. box address has changed. You can send Arjen vocalist demos, postcards, autograph requests, or whatever you want! However, because Arjen receives dozens of demos a week, we hope you understand that he simply can't guarantee a reply. Ayreon Productions |
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Apr. 20, 2006 |
Ask-Arjen-Anything Questionnaire Taz, a faithful messageboard and Ayreon Yahoo-groups member, has collected all sorts of questions from Ayreon/Stream of Passion/Arjen fans, and posed them to Arjen in this Ask-Arjen-Anything Questionnaire. Have fun reading Arjen's sometimes rather 'tongue in cheek' answers here |