{"id":5731,"date":"2022-09-07T10:41:39","date_gmt":"2022-09-07T09:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/?p=5731"},"modified":"2022-09-07T11:53:34","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T10:53:34","slug":"universal-migrator-re-release","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/universal-migrator-re-release\/","title":{"rendered":"Universal Migrator Re-release"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Ayreon &#8211; Universal Migrator, Pt. I &amp; 2 (2022 Remixed &amp; Remastered)<\/h2>\n<p>Ayreon\u00a0and\u00a0Music Theories Recordings\/Mascot Label Group\u00a0will reissue Ayreon&#8217;s\u00a0<em>Universal Migrator Pt 1 &amp; 2\u00a0(2022 Remixed and Remastered)<\/em>\u00a0on\u00a018th November. <\/p>\n<p><strong>To celebrate the release, Ayreon has revealed the video for\u00a0&#8220;<em>Into the Black Hole<\/em>&#8221; ft. Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden):<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/V-Rdj6Me2dE\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/V-Rdj6Me2dE\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/V-Rdj6Me2dE<\/a><\/p>\n<p>You can pre-order the album here: <a href=\"https:\/\/lnk.to\/Ayreon\">https:\/\/lnk.to\/Ayreon<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This re-mixed version of <em>Universal Migrator, Pt. 1 &amp; 2<\/em> will be released on multiple formats \u2013 see below!<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>A limited edition 56-page artbook including a 40-page comic, exclusive images of &#8220;the process&#8221;, 5 CDs (including previously unreleased audio) and a bonus DVD with 5.1 surround mix, 2 binaural headphone mixes and more.<\/li>\n<li>A vinyl box set with 4 LPs on marble vinyl in 2 gatefolds, a 40-page comic book, a bonus DVD, a double-sided poster and a sticker sheet. The vinyl box set is limited to 1000 numbered copies webshop exclusive).<\/li>\n<li>2CD + Bonus CD. Additionally, &#8220;<em>The Dream Sequence<\/em>r&#8221; and &#8220;<em>Flight of the Migrator<\/em>&#8221; are available separately on 180-gram orange transparent vinyl and digitally on all platforms. The bonus CD will feature an hour of previously unreleased material, ranging from versions of the tracks with different (guide) vocals to entirely new (well, old) tracks that didn&#8217;t make the albums and were previously never released.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5730\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5730\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/https:\/\/lnk.to\/Ayreon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Packshot_Box_1500-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"Universal Migrator 2022 remix edition - Deluxe Box Set\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5730\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Packshot_Box_1500-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Packshot_Box_1500-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Packshot_Box_1500-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Packshot_Box_1500-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Packshot_Box_1500-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Packshot_Box_1500.png 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5730\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Universal Migrator 2022 remixed Edition &#8211; Deluxe Box Set<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Universal Migrator Pt 1: The Dream Sequencer<\/em> and <em>Universal Migrator Pt 2: Flight of the Migrator<\/em> were originally released simultaneously in 2000, following the majestically sprawling hit album <em>Into the Electric Castle<\/em> two years previously. <em>The Dream Sequencer<\/em> continues the plot from <em>The Final Experiment<\/em> (1995), starting in the year 2084 when the final world war wiped out all life on Earth. <em>Flight of the Migrator<\/em> continues the story of the last living human being, the colonist on Mars and his decision to use the Dream Sequencer machine to travel back to before the universe was formed.<\/p>\n<p>The two albums feature an extravaganza of stunning musicians and vocalists such as <strong>Bruce Dickinson<\/strong> (Iron Maiden), <strong>Floor Jansen<\/strong> (Nightwish), <strong>Edward Reekers<\/strong> (Kayak), <strong>Damian Wilson<\/strong> (Headspace\/Threshold), <strong>Neal Morse<\/strong> (Spock&#8217;s Beard\/Transatlantic\/Flying Colors), <strong>Russell Allen<\/strong> (Symphony X), Andi Deris (Helloween), <strong>Michael Romeo<\/strong> (Symphony X) and many more.<\/p>\n<p>Ayreon mastermind and Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen remembers, &#8220;<em>Into the Electric Castle<\/em> was such a huge worldwide success that when I picked up the guitar to start working on the next Ayreon, I was terrified! I realized it would simply be impossible to recreate the magic of that album. So, instead of trying to make an &#8216;Electric Castle part two,&#8217; I looked for new and challenging ways to create my next Ayreon album.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He continues, &#8220;First, I decided to have each vocalist perform one individual song instead of using multiple singers interacting within the same song as I had on previous Ayreon albums. Second, I decided to separate my two extreme styles and make two contrasting albums instead. &#8216;The Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer is a melodic and atmospheric journey through time, and <em>Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator<\/em> is a heavy progressive adventure through space.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Ayreon fans come in all shapes and sizes, but I believed that overall, there were two distinct groups: the prog fans and the metal fans,&#8221; he explains. &#8220;By releasing these two albums separately, I wanted to give each group a chance to buy the album of the style they loved and, if they wanted, ignore the other. To my (pleasant) surprise, most fans loved both albums!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Talking about &#8220;<em>Into the Black Hole<\/em>,&#8221; Lucassen says, &#8220;<em>Into the Black Hole<\/em> is one of my personal favourite songs on the\u00a0<em>Flight of the Migrator<\/em>\u00a0album. Particularly because of the amazing vocal performance of the mighty <strong>Bruce Dickinson<\/strong>. It was a true honour and pleasure for me to record one of my favourite singers of all time in my studio. I love that his singing in this track is so different from the (often faster) Iron Maiden material. If you listen well, you can hear that in this remixed version, I used some vocal lines that I didn&#8217;t use in the original version. Have fun exploring!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The 40-page comic book was designed by Spanish artist and friend of Arjen, <strong>\u00c9lan L\u00f3pez<\/strong>. &#8220;It&#8217;s an epic story!&#8221; Arjen says. &#8220;We worked on this together for three months, and we&#8217;re proud of the result. It&#8217;s cool to see the complex story portrayed now in beautiful colours.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>When approaching the considerable task of remixing and remastering the albums, Arjen had to dig through his attic and unearth his ADAT recorder and all the old 8-track ADAT tapes. He then had to import the audio of all 70 tapes (40 minutes each) into the computer. Not a job for the faint of heart!&#8221; he says. &#8220;But once I was remixing, I enjoyed revisiting the recordings and all the memories that came up as I worked.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Arjen Lucassen continues his crusade of remixing and remastering his finest work to absolute perfection and\u00a0Universal Migrator, Pt. I &amp; 2 (2022 Remixed &amp; Remastered)\u00a0is a stunning addition to his spectacular canon. Thanks to advancements in technology, fans can now get the chance to hear the albums through the ears of Lucassen as he intended them.<\/p>\n<h2>TRACK LIST<\/h2>\n<p>CD1<br \/>\n01 The Dream Sequencer<br \/>\n02 My House On Mars<br \/>\n03 2084<br \/>\n04 One Small Step<br \/>\n05 The Shooting Company Of Captain Frans B. Cocq<br \/>\n06 Dragon On The Sea<br \/>\n07 Temple Of The Cat<br \/>\n08 Burried By The Wind<br \/>\n09 And The Druids Turn To Stone<br \/>\n10 First Man On Earth<br \/>\n11 The Dream Sequencer Reprise<\/p>\n<p>CD2<br \/>\n01 Chaos<br \/>\n02 Dawn Of A Million Souls<br \/>\n03 Journey On The Waves Of Time<br \/>\n04 To The Quasar<br \/>\n05 Into The Black Hole<br \/>\n06 Through The Wormhole<br \/>\n07 Out Of The White Hole<br \/>\n08 To The Solar System<br \/>\n09 The New Migrator<\/p>\n<h2>AVAILABLE FORMATS<\/h2>\n<p>2LP Orange Transparent vinyl<br \/>\n4LP Box: Marble 27 + Comic, Stickersheet, Double-sided Posters + DVD<br \/>\n2CD+Bonus CD digisleeve<br \/>\nEarbook &#8211; 56 pages (comic included), 6 discs<br \/>\nComic book <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5749\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5749\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lnk.to\/Ayreon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ayreon_Earbook_6CD_1500-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"Ayreon Universal Migrator 2022 re-mixed edition 6-CD Earbook\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5749\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ayreon_Earbook_6CD_1500-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ayreon_Earbook_6CD_1500-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ayreon_Earbook_6CD_1500-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ayreon_Earbook_6CD_1500-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ayreon_Earbook_6CD_1500-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ayreon_Earbook_6CD_1500.png 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5749\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Universal Migrator 2022 remix edition &#8211; 6-CD Earbook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ayreon &#8211; Universal Migrator, Pt. I &amp; 2 (2022 Remixed &amp; Remastered) Ayreon\u00a0and\u00a0Music Theories Recordings\/Mascot Label Group\u00a0will reissue Ayreon&#8217;s\u00a0Universal Migrator Pt 1 &amp; 2\u00a0(2022 Remixed and Remastered)\u00a0on\u00a018th November. To celebrate the release, Ayreon has revealed the video for\u00a0&#8220;Into the Black Hole&#8221; ft. Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden): https:\/\/youtu.be\/V-Rdj6Me2dE You can pre-order the album here: https:\/\/lnk.to\/Ayreon This [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5730,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5731"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5731\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5752,"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5731\/revisions\/5752"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arjenlucassen.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}