The Human Equation
Ken Petersen- Zboneman.com
19-07-2004
Ayreon is the brainchild of composer/guitar virtuoso Arjen A. Lucassen. The Human Equation is his epic concept album in the tradition of The Wall or Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.
In order to spin this tale he titled The Human Equation he has recruited some of the best vocal talent on the planet. This dramatic musical masterpiece tells the story of a man who has lapsed into a coma and experiencing the emotions of his life though an almost operatic form as there are four human characters that in turn provide the narrative that propels the story. "Wife," "Best Friend," "Father" and the protagonist referred to simply as "Me."
"Me" is given voice by James LaBrie, the singer from Dream Theatre. He offers an amazingly emotional performance here and also brings an enormous built-in fan-base to the table. The part of "Wife" is brought to life by the unknown Latino siren Marcela Bovia from the band Elfonia. She has a lilting Celtic quality to her voice which belies her Mexican lineage.
Every emotion has a voice in the Human Equation. Fans of Opeth should recognize Mikael Akerfeldt as "Fear." Fans of David Bowie might mistake Eric Clayton from Savior Machine as the thin white duke, there's definitely a resemblance. Clayton gives voice to "Reason" the saving grace that keeps "Me" from losing his sanity. "Rage" is portrayed by Devin Townsend and "Love" by Heather Findlay of Mostly Autumn. This is truly a melting pot of exceptional vocal talent.
The influences to be found in the Human Equation are widely varied from the Beatles and Zeppelin to the progressive rock of bands like Kansas, Deep Purple and Boston. Prevalent is a wall of Hammond organ that at times builds to thunderous levels. Ayreon uses these points of reference and definitely pays homage far more so than ripping any of these classic bands off.
The soundscapes this album explores is about as diverse as is possible. It fuses Heavy Metal with folk and classical, as well as Celtic, eastern and western styles. There are flutes a.l.a. Jethro Tull, cellos, strings - a harp and drowned-out vocal give one song a sweet Delgados sound. There's even a Digeree Doo included just to prove that everything but the kitchen sink. If you had to categorize this record, I suppose Symphonic Rock Opera would be as close to accurate as you could come. Still Lucassen's innovation seems to merit a category of it's own.
My favorite track is "Day Sixteen: Loser" performed by Mike Baker of Shadow Gallery who tosses in a dash of Alice Cooper in his delivery. The most striking part of the song is the festive acoustic guitar and drum as the pompous "Father" character belittles his son until he gives in to "Rage" in the end. The last vocal bits are intense and so brutally amazing they're unprecedented.
The Human Equation is offered in a package that includes two Cds a DVD and a book. I have real all the lyrics, watched all the special features and studied the art. But what keeps me coming back is the music.
The Human Event is not an event, but rather a journey. It deals with issues such as love, betrayal and, for me, helped to resolve a few in my own life. I have dropped plenty of names in this review, in hopes of interesting as many people as possible. This project is very popular in Europe and I hope that one day it finds fertile soil here in the states. If you prefer Lacuna Coil to Evanescence - then I need say no more.
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