Fate of a Dreamer [Import]

Ambeon | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 12, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Import [Generic]
• ASIN: B00005K8B6
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,293 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Estranged

2. Ashes

3. High

4. Cold Metal

5. Fate

6. Sick Ceremony

7. Lost Message

8. Surreal

9. Sweet Little Brother

10. Dreamer

Editorial Reviews

Dark and atmospheric Ayreon side project featuring a 14 year old female vocalist Astrid Van Der Veen. The name Ambeon is a combination of ambient and Ayreon. 10 tracks. 2001 release.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Stunning, September 10, 2003

By 

Clarissa "MoonGoddess" (Ontario, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Fate of a Dreamer (Audio CD)

Getting straight to the point, 'Fate of a Dreamer' is melodic rock with a tinge of progressive. As a whole it sounds like a mixture of Lacuna Coil, Mostly Autumn, Blackmore's Night and maybe even Symphony X, which are some very impressive styles to culminate. Not to mention the female singer Astrid Van Der Veen was only 14 years old at the time of this recording! You'd never guess it though because the maturity of her voice is astounding as it travels far beyond her actual age. She was most likely the inspiration to this side-project by Ayreon - a group I definitely plan on checking out someday - and the lush atmospheres interweaving symphonic orchestra with hungry guitar licks and even Celtic influences will leave anyone amazed by the sheer beauty and genius of this album.

Warning: Despite the gorgeous instrumentation, the lyrics are dark and cryptic and very similar to Porcupine Tree's 'In Absentia' for they both mirror the thoughts of a murderer's twisted mind. Neither group is copying the other though because the music and storyline are very different. Ambeon's sound is much more ethereal and the killer is female instead of male.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Multi-layered, angelic, dripping with melancholy, December 17, 2004

By 

Ryan Seek "trans-siberian_outcast" (Maricopa, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fate of a Dreamer (Audio CD)

Ambeon is a side project of Arjen Anthony Lucassen, best known for his compositions in the highly-acclaimed progressive rock/metal bands Ayreon and Star One. But this album is nothing like his prog-metal entities.

If you are ONLY into metal and don't like anything mellow at all, this album may not be for you (although I know many "strictly metal" fans who make an exception for this album). Now, don't get me wrong. This isn't Barry Manilow or Air Supply mellow. It still has a strong rock beat, albeit a very slow one, and there are distortion guitars in places. Mostly it is driven instrumentally by Arjen's spooky keboard effects and the soothing fretless bass lines of Walter Latupeirissa.

On top of the awesome music are the stunning vocals of 14-year-old Astrid Van Der Veen. This young lady is such a spectacular talent on this record. She wrote and sang such beautiful vocal melodies; multi-layered, angelic, and positively dripping with melancholy. If the music here doesn't bring you to tears, her voice will.

Fate of a Dreamer has a very gloomy feel to it; very gothic. If you listen closely (something that is very fun to do with this album) you'll hear all kinds of strange effects in the background. Sprinkled throughout, you will also find the flute and fiddle virtuosos of John and Pat McManus (formerly of the 80's Irish rock band Mama's Boys) as well as additional snyths from Erik Norlander and backing vocals from his wife, Lana Lane.

The best part of the Ambeon project is that it serves two roles: you can slap on your headphones, crank up the volume, and get lost in it's magical melodies or you can simply play it softly in the background while you work or visit with friends and family. I have played this album for many people and virtually all of them are impressed, no matter what style of music they are into.

If you were ever drawn into the gloomy atmospheres of 70s Pink Floyd or even the modern-day Lacuna Coil and Evanescence, Fate of a Dreamer might be a great cd to add to your collection. I know it was a great addition to mine.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most beautiful ablums ever made, February 23, 2002

By 

Sam Maston (St. Petersburg, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fate of a Dreamer (Audio CD)

I heard about this CD in BW&BK a few months ago...needless to say I was interested since I love Ayreon's previous releases. I was kind of hesitant though about him turning over the vocal AND lyric writing duties over to a 14 year old! I figured she will probably sing fairly well and the lyrics will be rather dull. Was I WRONG! Never could I have imagined what kind of talent this 14 year old Dutch girl named Astrid possessed! Not only does she belt out the song like a pro, but she performs each song with so much emotion like she's had a liftime's worth of pain and suffering bestowed upon her. The lyrics deal with suicide, murder, and sacrifice....they cut deep. When the CD was done, I just sat there in shock at what I had heard...and then I pressed play again. Arjen's music is probably the best he has ever written. It's very atmospheric...but yet heavy...but not really metal. Buy this CD, play it really loud, with the lights out....and maybe old Britney Spears will hear it and realise how friggin' childish her stuff sounds....I am just waiting for Astrid to take over the whole music industry...just wait till they hear this!!!!