Ayreon – Flight of the Migrator

Universal Migrator Part II: Flight of the Migrator is Arjen’s fifth Ayreon release.

At the time of the original release of the albums comprising the Universal Migrator (2000), Arjen had enough songs for a double CD. But at the time he was under the impression that his fan base was divided into two different camps — prog and metal — and that there was little genre crossover between the two.  So he decided to release two separate CDs, one with the proggy tracks (The Dream Sequencer) and another with the heavier, “metal” tracks (Flight of the Migrator). His idea was that fans could then choose the CD that best fit their musical preferences.

The two albums were released simultaneously, and Arjen’s surprise both CDs received favorable reactions, with most fans purchasing both! Later in 2004, when Arjen moved from Transmission to InsideOut Music, Flight of the Migrator was re-released together with the Dream Sequencer as a 2-CD special edition called The Universal Migrator: Parts I & II. As only 4 years had passed since the original release of the separate albums, Arjen did not add any bonus features because he felt that this would be unfair to the fans who had already purchased the albums.
The story
The Universal Migrator Part II picks up where Part I The Dream Sequencer leaves off, continuing the story of the last man alive on Mars as he decides to venture further back in time. He wants to go all the way back to the time just before the universe was created, a time when there was nothing but chaos. The Colonist witnesses the big bang and the creation of the first soul: The Universal Migrator. This soul divides itself into various new souls that each go in search of planets to inhabit. This is how they bring life to various planets and start different civilizations.

In the Dream Sequencer program the Colonist follows the soul that is headed for Earth. On his long journey through space, he passes astronomical phenomena such as quasars, pulsars, supernovas, black holes, and wormholes. He finally enters the solar system, but the Dream Sequencer program begins to overload. The Colonist should never have ventured that far back in time. The Dream Sequencer tried desperately to wake the Colonist from his deep state of hypnoses, but it is too late; the Colonist dies in the machine. Then the Migrator speaks to him without words: “Eternity lies before you. You are the new Migrator!”

Release info

2000 Transmission
2004 Re-released by InsideOut Music as CD2 of the 2-CD package “The Universal Migrator parts 1 and 2”
2004 Hellion (Brazil), Nems (Argentina)

Artwork
Jef Bertels (cover)
Jacques Marcoux (booklet)

Part 2: Flight of the Migrator

Vocalists

Andi Deris
Bruce Dickinson
Damian Wilson
Fabio Lione
Ian Parry
Lana Lane
Ralf Scheepers
Robert Soeterboek
Russell Allen
Timo Kotipelto

Instrumentalists

Arjen Lucassen
Clive Nolan
Ed Warby
Gary Wehrkamp
Keiko Kumagai
Michael Romeo
Oscar Holleman
Rene Merkelbach

Track List

1. Chaos
2. Dawn of A Million Souls
3. Journey on the Waves of Time
4. To the Quasar
   1. The Taurus Pulsar
   2. Quasar 3C273
5. Into the Black Hole
   1. The Eye of the Universe
   2. Halo of Darkness
   3. The Final Door
6. Through the Wormhole
7. Out of the White Hole
   1. M31
   2. Planet Y
   3. The Search Continues
8. To the Solar System
   1. Planet of Blue
   2. System Alert
9. The New Migrator
   1. Metamorphosis
   2. Sleeper Awake