Customer Reviews

Human Equation [Limited Edition] [Bonus DVD]

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Fantastic, 2004 is shaping up as a defining year for the Progressive and Symphonic Metal genre. In fact in just the last two months three amazing albums (two of them double)have been released to the public, Evergrey's Inner Circle, Therion's Lemuria/Sirius B and Ayreon's Human Equation.

I'm sure many of you reading this review are familiar but for you newcomers here is a little background. Ayreon is not a band in the normal sense. It is a continuing project of Dutch Multi-instrumentalist and composer, Arjen Anthony Lucassen, not unlike Alan Parsons. This is Lucassen's eighth overall Rock opera and sixth under the name Ayreon. The other two were entitled Star One and Ambeon.

Once Lucassen has written a new rock opera he invites guest singers and musicians to participate. To date he has had ninety-two guest artists participate in his eight projects.

The first thing I noticed about The Human Equation was that it was mellower than most of Ayreon's previous projects. The second thing I noticed was that it was not as mellow as I had thought. The third thing was that, although I at first didn't think I liked it that much, the more I listened the more I liked it. In fact after three listens I decided it is one of Lucassen's best works, if not his best. After a couple more listens I have decided that it's in the running with the two above mentioned masterpieces for Progressive album of the year.

The Human Equation like all previous Ayreon rock operas tells a story. In The Human Equation we have a comatose man reliving his memories and the events leading up to his bizarre auto accident, slowly realizing only he can wake himself.

For this project we have an unprecedented eleven singers including Lucassen himself. I'm sure you'll recognize some of the names as they read like a whos who of progressive rock/metal.

Guest Singers:
"Me" - James LaBrie, Dream Theater
"Best Friend" - Arjen Lucassen
"Wife" - Marcela Bovio - Elfonia

"Father" - Mike Baker - Shadow Gallery
"Agony" - Devon Graves - Dead Soul Tribe
"Fear" - Mikael Akerfeldt - Opeth
"Rage" - Devin Townsend
"Pride" - Magnus Ekwall - The Quill
"Reason" - Eric Clayton - Saviour Machine
"Love" - Heather Findlay - Mostly Autumn
"Passion" - Irene Jansen

Conclusion:

Evergrey, Therion, Ayreon, the three extraordinary bands I mentioned that have released magnificent albums within the last three months have one thing in common. Reviewers, fans, critics, it doesn't matter, they all have trouble putting a label on their music or comparing them to other bands. That is because each of them has followed a uniquely different path than their contemporaries. They each make music like no other, within their own personal sub-genre.

If you've never heard Ayreon or Evergrey or Therion, you're in for a treat and so I leave you with this thought, I bought The Human Equation for just under $17 from Amazon. For that $17 I got 20 songs totaling 103 minutes of four to five star music. This figures out to $.85 per song or $.16 per minute. How does that compare with the last Pop, alternative or rock album you bought. The last Pop album I bought was on sale for $9.99 plus tax, for which I got two four star and one five star song totaling 8 minutes and 45 seconds. How does that break down? Why it's only $3.60 per song or $1.23 per minute.

Of course all this math won't do you any good if you don't like Ayreon's style of music, so I'm going to go out on a limb and draw some parallels to bands you are sure to know. That doesn't mean they sound like these bands, however on some level at some time, there are similarities. Here goes: The Beatles, Styx, Queensryche, Loreena Mckinnett, Jethro Tull, Kansas, Yes, Pink Floyd, The Moody Blues and believe it or not Jesus Christ Superstar(Probably because it's a rock opera).

After hearing the numerous albums Arjen Lucassen released under the Ayreon moniker as well as his side projects Star One and Ambeon, I came to the conclusion that, while each release is its own masterpiece, he would never release something better than the very first Ayreon disc The Final Experiment. That album is criminally underrated and it actually marked the beginning of a completely new era in progressive metal. I personally considered TFE and Into the Electric Castle the highpoints of Arjen's career, and as much as I like pretty much everything he's released, I prepared myself to never hear anything from him that would move me as deeply as these records.

Well, I was wrong. I was completely wrong. Arjen Anthony Lucassen has achieved the impossible and created his greatest masterpiece to date! The Human Equation is so far the best release of the year and it may become one of the greatest CDs of the last couple of years.

This is an incredibly difficult album to review, because it is so deep and rich in content with its poignant songwriting, amazingly talented singers, intriguing musicianship, perfect production work and well-thoughtout lyrics that form a deeply moving storyline. Like many other Ayreon releases, this is a concept album, but somehow I can relate to the subject theme a lot easier than some of Arjen's previous works. Maybe it's because the album deals directly with human emotions (or lack thereof), and Arjen has come up with a very original idea. He has taken the human mind as the context because the human mind can be a very terrifying realm that most people would rather not spend much time investigating. In the story, the emotions are played by various singers and this presents its own unique challenge. Each singer depicts a certain human emotion or character like Reason (Eric Clayton), Love (Heather Findlay), Fear (Mikael Akerfeldt), Pride (Magnus Ekwall), Best Friend (Arjen Lucassen), Me (James Labrie), Wife (Marcela Bovie), Father (Mike Baker), Passion (Irene Jansen), Agony (Devon Graves) and Rage (Devin Towsend). All of these singers are vocalists Arjen didn't work with before in order to make this CD all the more unique and original. The story is about a merciless man getting into a car accident and falling into a coma as a result of this. As his wife, best friend and father are waiting in the hospital room fearing for his life, he has to confront his past with the guidance of various emotions in his mind and fight them or give in to them. I'd rather not reveal what happens in the end because it has a great surprise ending that will just leave you speechless, especially if you're familiar with Arjen's back catalog. All I can say is that this album reflects the very pure form of all kinds of human emotions such as love, regret, betrayal, fear, revenge and agony. It is all seamlessly worked into the concept of this album.

Musically the album is very complex and varied in style. There is a dense mood that blankets every song setting the atmosphere which Ayreon fans are familiar with. Arjen plays almost all the instruments himself and is accompanied by long-time friend and drummer Ed Warby. There is also a beautiful folk trait present on this disc borrowing sounds from non-metal instruments such as the flute, violin, cello and bassoon. Guest musicians include Oliver Wakeman, Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep), Martin Orford (Jadis) and Joost van den Broek (Sun Caged) who all lay down remarkable synth solos on various songs. Arjen plays mighty guitar riffs and impressive melodies alongside progressive, folky and psychedelic tunes. His use of dynamics and contrast gives the album its own edge.

All singers on this album are simply phenomenal! Being a dedicated fan of most of the singers here already intrigued me even when this double CD was in the making, but I also discovered new voices here. The Mexican female singer Marcela Bovie provides an unbelievable performance with great charisma. I am speechless. Then there is Eric Clayton and Magnuss Ekwall, neither of whom I'd heard before. What have I been missing out on all these years?! Both perform exceptionally, especially Ekwall. It will be great to check out his band The Quill.

Needless to say the prog metal idols James Labrie, Mikael Akerfeldt and Devin Townsend along with female vocalists Heather Findlay from Mostly Autumn and Irene Jansen, not to mention the others, are all amazing! Akerfeldt and Townsend both use their multi-dimensional vocal delivery. Their growls and high screams are other factors that makes THE my current favourite Ayreon disc. You will be blown away when you hear Devin's vocals in the songs "Loser", "Pain" and "School" and Akerfeldt simply shines on "Trauma" along with the moving duet between Eric Clayton and Magnus Ekwall. James Labrie is always criticised by both Dream Theater and other prog fans, but I think he is an excellent vocalist. Some of his recent side projects like Frameshift and this new Ayreon CD are his proof that he can deliver if given the chance. Devon Graves' vocals on this disc are even better than his some of his work with Psychotic Waltz and Dead Soul Tribe.

It is impossible to depict each song and explain each singer in this review, but rest assured, The Human Equation won't disappoint you. It shines from start to finish with flawless production and Arjen's meticulous attention to detail. This is 103 minutes of prog metal heaven.

I've only had this album three days, as of this writing, and I can honestly tell you that I've listened to virtually NOTHING ELSE since I broke the seal. Any fan of progressive rock or metal should absolutely LOVE The Human Equation. It spans so many different musical genres and vocal styles, you need a program to keep track of everything. Fortunately, there is a full program included in the CD, aka the booklet that tells you who the characters are and what words they are singing. And this isn't a case of each guest singer doing his or her own song...at times you'll find as many as FIVE SINGERS on ONE SONG!

The most impressive part of this album is its true "progressiveness". This isn't a collection of progressive songs (although the songs do stand alone quite well)...this is a collection of progressive songs WITHIN each progressive song. It's almost like listening to thirty years of great music all condensed down into one 100-minute recording. One minute you're listening to some deep, dark David Bowie-does-Goth kind of thing, the next you're listening to Marcela Bovio belt out an awesome operatic melody, and then you're listening to that singer from Opeth scaring you half out of your wits along with some of the most crunching guitar riffs you'll ever hear. And all of it is five stars easily...there's not a moment of this cd that I don't like. And it only gets better each time you hear it.

The Human Equation really is a showcase of top-notch songwriting, awesome production, and a mixture of some of the best voices in rock and metal these days. The mellower parts are highly reminiscent of the 60's and 70's, including passages that might remind you of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, ELO, Styx, Jethro Tull and several others. The heavy parts are heavy indeed, so fans of Ayreon's Flight of the Migrator should be satisfied as well.

This album may be Arjen Lucassen's shining star...and that's saying something considering his previous works.

I bought the version with the "making of" DVD (also available here on Amazon). If you choose this option as well, I highly suggest reserving about three hours and watching the DVD first, and then listen to the entire album right after. Seeing the singers/characters interacting and Arjen explaining how the whole project was put together is a great lead-in to the album itself. Trust me, it will be an experience you'll not soon forget.

Being the only Ayreon album I've heard, I cannot compare this to any of his earlier works, but from this, I must say this is one of the most phenomenal albums I've ever had the privilage of hearing. I would probably say it's the greatest album in all my collection of music.
Arjen Lucassen who heads the project takes the same approach he's taken w/ all his other works, which is to tell a conceptual story with a plethora of huge names of non-mainstream musicians as voice guests. This time, the story stars 3 people. The first is the main character who got into a car accident and went into a coma. The second and third are his wife and his best friend who are at his side at the hospital. The story takes place in two places; the first being the hospital room itself and the second being in the main character's head. The man is in the coma for 20 days and each track on the CD is a new day, progressing the story of how the man got into the accident, flashbacks into his life and secrets revealed later on. All the big guest voices (including Mikael Akerfeldt, Devin Townsend, James LeBrie, Heather Findlay, and Irene Jansen to name a few) take parts of his emotions, like Fear, Agony, Rage, Reason, Love, etc.
The music itself is mostly progressive rock, where songs range from all different forms; such as metal, rock, celtic, folk, orchestrial, classical, spacey synths, and 70's Pink Floydish type prog - some being all mixed w/in one song or spaced out accordingly. When you think you're listening to a metal track, in pop in the oboes, flutes, violins and soft woodwinds to completely blow you off track and not to mention blow your mind. A couple even go completely off that route, simply amazing melodies! There isn't one mediocre track on this record, in fact, ALL are great and depthful enough to blow you away- from the dueted, melodic and graceful vocal arrangements, to the simply HYPNOTIZING instrumentals, to some of the most amazing atmospheres ever created, and the way they're all brilliantly merged. Each track is very unique from the next or previous, and all moods according to which emotion is being concentrated on that particular day or track are dead on and fit it perfectly. One for example uses a very hardcore metal influence w/ a few woodwinds fused, while others are mellow folk songs, and another would be a full on Dream Theateresque metal anthem. The songs aren't just brilliant, they also just plain kick ass! Arjen Lucassen is truly a musical genius.
The best way to listen to this disk is to sit back w/ headphones on, take out the lyrics sheet and follow the story along, it'll only make the impact of the story and the way the music marries w/ it all the better. The disc, as amazing as it is, will probably take a couple of straight through listens to truly appreciate though, only due to its insanely in-depth complexity. The songs are completely unpredictable, but still focused enough to where it's not ridiculously random as I've had the displeasure of hearing from other progressive bands (eh-hem, Tristania, eh-hem).
If you're going to get this 2 disc masterpiece, make sure it's the special edition w/ the DVD. The DVD itself is another great addition. It includes a 45 minute look into the making of the record, where Arjen makes sure to give credit to every contributing member. There's also the first video off the album.
If there were any flaws, I would have to say the most significant is with the writing. The lyrics telling the story are a tad too simple and easily read, whereas given more time, more metaphors or complex writing could have been achieved and this mildly takes away from the impact of the story itself. This in no way affects the incredible music though. Also, when it comes to the metal parts, they're usually very Dream Theater type staccato razoredge sounding power chord riffs, where more Power metal/Gothic type depthness couldn't have hurt. These really are minor quiffs though, and this record is still worth about 3X the amount being charged for it. Lastly (and this has nothing to do w/ the CD), Amazon advertises this album to have a special 36 pg Bonus Book w/ the special addition, I didn't recieve it and I don't even think such a book even exists, so I don't know why Amazon says there is one.
Overall, I must say: Believe The Hype. Everyone on any website you'll visit talks about this record as if it were a Godsent, and I must say it truly, TRULY is. Easily being one of the greatest recordings ever put tape in the history of rock music, any fan of great music, whether it be metal, classical, pop, folk or whatever will find this to be absolutly mind boggling. BUY THIS NOW. "The Human Equation"... UNBELIEVABLE!

I already reviewed the regular edition of The Human Equation back in May, 2004, and said that I consider it one of the most amazing pieces of prog metal ever created. In the past nine months since its release, I have listened to many albums and I can easily say that THE is still my favourite album of 2004 and one of the greatest creations in years. Please refer to my review of the regular edition if you want my opinion on the music of THE; this review will be more focused on the DVD that comes in the special edition. Not being a big DVD fan, I resisted the urge to pick this up, but everyone was raving about it so I just had to buy it and after watching it I am glad I made this purchase. The Human Equation is one of those albums you need two copies of anyway.

Okay, now on to the DVD. It consists of six parts and has subtitles in English and Dutch. The first part "Inside" (45:27) is the longest and coolest behind-the-scenes section. Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen explains how he writes his songs and how he records his music. He details in what order he records all the instruments in his home studio and why the drums are recorded elsewhere. I particularly found it fascinating how he comes up with all the great musical ideas while jogging. Most of the video was filmed in and near Arjen's house and gives a nice insight in his gear, equipment, and even cats.

One aspect of the originality of THE comes from the fact that Arjen chose to work with completely different singers and instrumentalists (except for drum god Ed Warby) this time. Since each singer recorded their parts in Arjen's studio (except Devin Townsend and Mike Baker) they are all filmed doing their parts with interesting commentary from Arjen. He explains how he decided to have them on his album and how he discovered their music. Mike Baker was also filmed by his bandmate Gary Wehrkamp, so the only missing singer is Devin Townsend. That's a shame cause Devin's work on THE is absolutely phenomenal; I'd have loved to see him doing those killer screams at the end of "Loser". Arjen himself explains how he fell in love with that WALL OF SOUND on Devin's Terria album, which he says was one of the most unique pieces of music ever. I definitely agree with that and it should be in your best interest to give it a listen.

While I was familiar with most of the singers on THE, I got to discover the amazing talents of Magnus Ekwall and his great band The Quill. Ekwall proved to be a phenomenal singer with a powerful midrange and tons of expression. Marcela Bovio, who was selected by Arjen through demo tapes sent to him, is another excellent addition to the ever-growing realms of progressive music.

All the singers on the disc are interesting. It's great to see how they warmed up and became one with their roles. I must particularly point out that Mikael Akerfeldt's performance on the DVD is by far my favourite. He not only exhibits a killer vocal performance, but his voice is just as strong as it is on the final recording of the album. It doesn't falter or crack at all, even during the highest grunts. I also enjoyed the way Mike Baker recorded those Alice Cooper-like vocals and Arjen's comment that he and Mike are perhaps the two biggest Alice Cooper fans around.

Besides the singers, Arjen also recorded most of the instrumentalists in his own studio. The footage of the classical players and how they incorporate themselves in the mix is killer. You can feel how everyone involved in this project was there mentally 100% and tried to make it more perfect than it is. Uriah Heep mastermind Ken Hensley lays down a fantastic Hammond solo from his home studio as does Martin Orford from IQ. Joost from Sun Caged also plays the same melody, yet in a virtuosity line, and blows my mind away every time.

Other parts of the DVD are "Concept" (3:05) where Arjen explains the storyline of the album. Basically it's about a man who has an accident and falls into a coma. He then is confronted with various emotions such as Pain, Love, Agony, Pride, Reason, etc. (which are all portrayed by a different singer) in his subconscious and his wife and best friend in the hospital room (portrayed by Marcela Bovio and Arjen himself). Then there is the "Ayreon" (4:26) part with the history of Arjen's long musical past. Great shots with his former bands Bodine, Vengeance and his solo album. "Drums" (3:32) features drummer Ed Warby summarising his kit and equipment. I found Warby to be an immsensely amazing drummer, probably one of the best in Europe. He's also very easy-going and even bothers to explain drum-jargons such as "click track". His rolls and fills in the little video are great too. "Video" (3:49) is the videoclip of "Day 11: Love" and it's mixed in crisp Dolby 5.1 sound. Finally there's the short "Teaser" (1:28) which is one of the most exciting teasers I've ever seen.

The packaging is neat. The DVD comes in a separate jewelcase along with the 103-minute long double CD. Both cases are in a cardboard box. The booklets are fantastic, thanks to Mattias Noren. I also feel the cover art is incredible, perhaps the best Arjen has ever had. Arjen comes across as such a down-to-earth person, so funny, so natural. I'm so glad I picked this version up.

The Human Equation just can't be accurately described. Sure, there are appropriate descriptors like incredible and amazing, but those terms get thrown around so much these days, that this album deserves something even better....and I don't have it. Very few albums can equal the sheer perfection of Human Equation (Dream Theater's Images and Words, and Devin Townsend's Terria come to mind). This CD has crystal-clear production, creativity through the roof, and more emotion than many artists these days have in their entire discography.

As far as the actual music goes, it's a blend of prog rock/metal, with influences from all over the place. For those who dislike metal, I still recommend checking this album out, as there are also many, many acoustic and symphonic portions.

To touch on the vocals, Arjen Lucassen (the mastermind behind this monster) has gotten a massive collection of other vocalists in on this project, which makes for some superb conversational lyrics (each vocalist represents a different character or emotion in the story of the album). I wont comment much on the story, lest I spoil it for those who wouldn't want it spoiled. I'll just say that it's perfectly suited for this style of album, and that I thouroughly enjoyed it.

I have no more to say. I'm out of energy. I'm just going to go back and listen again...and again. It's quite simple, this album is a MUST for fans of good music. Go get it.

This double-CD is amazing. Each song has its own identity, making it very unique and so the album never repeats itself. The emotions are portrayed well by the music; for example, you can tell that a bad emotion or thought is about to happen when the music grows more darker, and each musical piece fits the emotion so perfectly. The lyrics are well thought out and make you think; some lines might strike you and leave you depressed long after you finished listening. All of the singers are excellent with the exception of the Dream Theater guy. He is good in low range, but when he tries high range it sounds a bit embarrassing when comparing to the other singers (just listen as Clayton and LaBrie exchange lines in the second song). I think the darker songs like Day Three: Pain and Day Seventeen: Accident? are the best but the positive ones like Love are breathtaking as well. Overall, one of the best pieces of music I've had the chance to listen to.

What can be told about Ayreon that had not been told before? This album is another masterpiece. I enjoy every minute of it. The vocals are superb. James Labrie sounds even better than he sounds in most Dream Theater's releases. Production is top notch.

The story is captivating. You will be immersed in it by the music. You can feel the changes in mood all the way through the musical narrative.

Some people complaint about the ending. I think these people at least lack a sense of humour or a fertile imagination. The ending is exactly what I would expect an Ayreon offering to be: unexpected, but quite appropriate.

This release sounds more like The Universal Migrator, but with some reminiscents sounds from The Dream Sequencer. However it blends into something of its own.

The artwork in this CD is astounding too. This release must not be missed. You all be warned: go buy yourself a copy!

The first thing you might notice about this album, before even hearing one song, is that it is a beast. It is 20 songs long. It clocks in at over 1 hour and 40 minutes. It features vocals from such greats as Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad, The Devin Townsend Band), Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth), Devon Graves (Dead Soul Tribe), and James LaBrie (Dream Theatre), as well as many others (Complete List: http://www.metal-archives.com/release.php?id=41504).

The big question is: Can Arjen Lucassen's songwriting stand up to so much talent on one musical album?

Quite simply - Yes!

This album has it all: Variety, quality, and quantity. With so many talented vocalists its obvious why there is vocal variety. You have everything - Devin Townsend's insane screams, Mike Baker's humorous sneering delivery, Mikael Akerfeldt's heavenly soft vocals, and Marcela Bovio's stunningly emotional performance. My only complaint vocal-wise is Eric Clayton's delivery, which sounds almost like an opera singer and basically only works on "Day Twelve: Trauma". On top of this Arjen uses tons and tons of different instruments effectively. For example "Day Sixteen: Loser, the simplest song on the album as a didgeridoo, highland pipes and chugging metal guitars.

The songs range from happy ("Day Eleven: Love"), to bone chillingly sad ("Day Twelve: Trauma"), some quiet / minimalistic ("Day Thirteen: Sign"), to sounding like normal progressive rock ("Day Fifteen: Betrayal"). Even technically the songs vary; Arjen mixes the songs up - using duets, instrumental choruses and even the standard intro / verse / chorus / verse / chorus formula to great effect.

Like Ayreon's other albums, The Human Equation is a concept album. It is a "rock opera" in that each vocalist has a different role in the music. The concept is that the lead character is hit by a car and goes into a 20 day coma. Over the course of the 20 days his life flashes before his eyes as he contemplates memories of school, his mother, his wife and many other things. Each singer plays a different emotion (The painfully underused Devin Townsend for example is Rage) or a different character.

I would highly suggest this album to any fan of music, even if you do not like Ayreon's previous albums (I still don't), progressive rock/metal, or even metal - there is something in here for basically everyone

I'm not the biggest fan of rock operas, but this album just blew me away on the second listen. This is one album where you definitely need to follow the lyrics closely while listening the first time to get the full benefit. The voices are extremely well cast; I particularly enjoyed Heather Findlay (Love), Marcela Bovio (Wife), Mikael Akerfeldt (Fear), and Magnus Ekwall (Pride). Devin Townsend is just insane as Rage. Akerfeldt's clean voice is outstanding, but there's also a good introduction to his "cookie monster" vocals - they are used effectively (and briefly) here. All eleven voices are great and the musicianship throughout the album is outstanding. The lyrics are well done; I especially enjoyed the interplay between Pride and Reason on Day Eight: School. Favorite tracks are Day Three: Pain, Day Four: Mystery, and Day Five: Voices. There's only a single weak track on the album - the sole instrumental, Day nine: Playground. It's pleasant enough, but seems like filler.

This is my first introduction to the work of Arjen Lucassen. I'm very impressed! Arjen's truly gifted with an ability to write memorable tunes and play many different instruments well (I'd like to see him try this live!). And if you don't like his style, just wait a minute... there's everything from quiet string and Celtic-influenced passages to heavy metal, often in the same song. This rock opera is destined to be a classic, on a par with Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and The Who's "Tommy", perhaps even better.