Ayreon's New Album...and Metal Epics for $500

Hamka took me forever to get. I eventually went through CD Inzane and it took them 4 months to get it, and they didn't even get me the version with the bonus track, which is what I ordered. So good luck finding that one! Haha.

By the way, singer number 10 has been confirmed for the new Ayreon album (see first post). This album is looking to have an amazing cast of singers!

I heard some Hamka tracks on Myspace a while back, they seemed decent.
I also heard them cover tornado of Souls, which was surprisingly good.

Cheers for the links Eyesore, I will have to look further in to a few of these bands. They seem interesting, especially Mylidian.

Smindas wrote:

I also heard them cover tornado of Souls, which was surprisingly good.

Yeah, that's actually a really killer cover tune!

Everything you listed is from above average to great (Aina and Mylidian speaking to me the most)

Thanks for the heads-up!

kmorg wrote:

That Orphaned Land disc rules.

Agreed! Listened to this about 3 times a day when I purchased it new.

Singer 11 and 12 have been confirmed for the new Ayreon album. Some dude name Phideaux Xavier (more about him HERE), who I've never heard of before, and Floor frickin' Jansen! She's been on some other Ayreon albums, but that's cool because her voice is amazing! And I'd like to make romance explosion inside her.

Samples in first post.

Eyesore wrote:

And I'd like to make romance explosion inside her.

Another epic I'm really looking forward to in the upcoming Avantasia album:

Quote :

On Saturday, September 8th BW&BK scribe Carl Begai attended a listening session for EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's forthcoming AVANTASIA album, The Scarecrow. On offer were 11 rough mixes featuring the official Avantasia line-up of Sammet (vocals), Sascha Paeth (rhythm and lead guitars), Eric Singer (KISS/drums) and Miro Rodenberg (keyboards and orchestration), Henjo Richter (GAMMA RAY/additional lead guitars), and several guest performers. According to Carl's report, the title track of the album "features Jorn Lande's best vocal performance ever"--a claim seconded by Paeth, who produced and is mixing the album--and "the heaviest song Alice Cooper has ever done." An in-depth report from the session will be available soon.

Artists appearing on the new Avantasia album include Roy Khan (KAMELOT/vocals), Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY/guitars), Oliver Hartmann, Jorn Lande (ex-MASTERPLAN/vocals), Bob Catley (MAGNUM/vocals), Michael Kiske (ex-HELLOWEEN/vocals), Rudolph Schenker (SCORPIONS/guitars), Alice Cooper (vocals) and Amanda Somerville (vocals).

The Scarecrow tracklist is as follows:

1. Twisted Mind (Vocals: Tobias Sammet, Roy Khan)
2. The Scarecrow (Vocals: Tobias Sammet, Jorn Lande)
3. Shelter From The Rain (Vocals: Michael Kiske, Bob Catley, Tobias Sammet)
4. Carry Me Over (Vocals: Tobias Sammet
5. What Kind Of Love (Vocals: Amanda Somerville, Michael Kiske, Tobias Sammet)
6. Another Angel Down (Vocals: Jorn Lande, Tobias Sammet)
7. The Toy Master (Vocals: Alice Cooper, Tobias Sammet)
8. Devil In The Belfry (Vocals: Jorn Lande, Tobias Sammet)
9. Cry Just A Little (Vocals: Tobias Sammet, Bob Catley)
10. I Don't Believe In Your Love (Vocals: Oliver Hartmann, Tobias Sammet)
11. Lost In Space (Vocals: Tobias Sammet)

Fans should note that the Lost In Space EPs (Part 1 and Part 2), due to be released on November 16th, will feature non-album material including cover versions of ABBA's 'Lay All Your Love On Me' and the ULTRAVOX hit 'Dancing With Tears In My Eyes'.

At one point Sammet said there would never be another Avantasia album, but like a lot of musicians do, he changed his mind when he thought of a good story. The choice of singers isn't as expansive as the Ayreon album, but he's still chosen some great ones. Good to see Amanda Somerville (Aina) on another metal album. He solo stuff is very poppy, even country-ish.

I'm also looking forward to the EPs coming out in November. Sammet has always provided some killer b-side material, even the ballad "The Life And Times Of A Bonus Track" was pretty good! Haha.

Some samples:

FINAL SACRIFICE (Fan-made Video)
SIGN OF THE CROSS/PRIDE (Live Video)

After one listen to Mechanical Poet-Woodland Prattlers I would say that's almost epic metal. The old vocalist had a more classic voice, the new guy reminds me a little of Mike Patton, which is fine except he doesn't sound as "metal". Unless I have them backwards?

SAHB Healer wrote:

After one listen to Mechanical Poet-Woodland Prattlers I would say that's almost epic metal. The old vocalist had a more classic voice, the new guy reminds me a little of Mike Patton, which is fine except he doesn't sound as "metal". Unless I have them backwards?

Did you buy it? It's epic in that it's sort of like a soundtrack to some fantasy story, if that makes sense.

No, the new vocalist sounds a bit weak, more like a pop vocalist. I don't have those albums, so I can only go by the samples, but I think that's accurate. The previous singer had a really strong metal voice.

Yeah I bought Woodland Prattlers. Good call! After listening to it a second time I would say it's a great epic (although what it's about I don't know and I don't want to know, didn't read the enclosed comic book). That's one of the downsides about epics, silly stories. The old NWOBHM prog band Saracen has put out an epic; and even though I'm sure it's pretty good, I've held off buying because it appears to be about The Davinci code or some damn thing. Not interested in that story.

Vocalists 13 and 14 have been announced for the new Ayreon album. See first post for names and samples.

Eyesore wrote:

Another epic I'm really looking forward to in the upcoming Avantasia album:

Quote :

On Saturday, September 8th BW&BK scribe Carl Begai attended a listening session for EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's forthcoming AVANTASIA album, The Scarecrow. On offer were 11 rough mixes featuring the official Avantasia line-up of Sammet (vocals), Sascha Paeth (rhythm and lead guitars), Eric Singer (KISS/drums) and Miro Rodenberg (keyboards and orchestration), Henjo Richter (GAMMA RAY/additional lead guitars), and several guest performers. According to Carl's report, the title track of the album "features Jorn Lande's best vocal performance ever"--a claim seconded by Paeth, who produced and is mixing the album--and "the heaviest song Alice Cooper has ever done." An in-depth report from the session will be available soon.

Artists appearing on the new Avantasia album include Roy Khan (KAMELOT/vocals), Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY/guitars), Oliver Hartmann, Jorn Lande (ex-MASTERPLAN/vocals), Bob Catley (MAGNUM/vocals), Michael Kiske (ex-HELLOWEEN/vocals), Rudolph Schenker (SCORPIONS/guitars), Alice Cooper (vocals) and Amanda Somerville (vocals).

The Scarecrow tracklist is as follows:

1. Twisted Mind (Vocals: Tobias Sammet, Roy Khan)
2. The Scarecrow (Vocals: Tobias Sammet, Jorn Lande)
3. Shelter From The Rain (Vocals: Michael Kiske, Bob Catley, Tobias Sammet)
4. Carry Me Over (Vocals: Tobias Sammet
5. What Kind Of Love (Vocals: Amanda Somerville, Michael Kiske, Tobias Sammet)
6. Another Angel Down (Vocals: Jorn Lande, Tobias Sammet)
7. The Toy Master (Vocals: Alice Cooper, Tobias Sammet)
8. Devil In The Belfry (Vocals: Jorn Lande, Tobias Sammet)
9. Cry Just A Little (Vocals: Tobias Sammet, Bob Catley)
10. I Don't Believe In Your Love (Vocals: Oliver Hartmann, Tobias Sammet)
11. Lost In Space (Vocals: Tobias Sammet)

Fans should note that the Lost In Space EPs (Part 1 and Part 2), due to be released on November 16th, will feature non-album material including cover versions of ABBA's 'Lay All Your Love On Me' and the ULTRAVOX hit 'Dancing With Tears In My Eyes'.

At one point Sammet said there would never be another Avantasia album, but like a lot of musicians do, he changed his mind when he thought of a good story. The choice of singers isn't as expansive as the Ayreon album, but he's still chosen some great ones. Good to see Amanda Somerville (Aina) on another metal album. He solo stuff is very poppy, even country-ish.

I'm also looking forward to the EPs coming out in November. Sammet has always provided some killer b-side material, even the ballad "The Life And Times Of A Bonus Track" was pretty good! Haha.

Some samples:

FINAL SACRIFICE (Fan-made Video)
SIGN OF THE CROSS/PRIDE (Live Video)

Great now another album I'm going to go crazy waiting for!!!!!!!! I love the Avantasian albums (particularly part 2) and now this!!!!! A metal addicts job is NEVER done. Sighhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And it's been confirmed that the two Lost In Space EPs will have 6 tracks a piece. So we can assume each will have the title track and one of the two covers. So that means there will be another 8 songs between the two! And according to Tobias, these sound like they'll be studio tracks, not live tracks or remixes. Sounds killer to me!

So, I'm a little confused. There's new Avantasia EPs coming out soon, that follow a plot called Lost In Space. And then next year, we get an album called The Scarecrow? That's a lot of Avantasia :D

Eyesore wrote:

And I'd like to make romance explosion inside her.

I just Google'd her - good call.

!!!

Blubbermouth wrote:

AYREON, the brainchild of Dutch guitarist/composer Arjen Lucassen, has posted an audio sample of the next guest singer who will appear on the band's upcoming album, tentatively due late 2007/early 2008: BLIND GUARDIAN frontman Hansi Kürsch.

Hansi!

Smindas wrote:

So, I'm a little confused. There's new Avantasia EPs coming out soon, that follow a plot called Lost In Space. And then next year, we get an album called The Scarecrow? That's a lot of Avantasia

Yep. "Lost In Space" is just a track on The Scarecrow. I guess Tobias has a ton of material, so he's releasing a double EP in November. I'm not gonna complain about that! Haha.

I have the Aina discs for trade in the trade room.

kmorg wrote:

I have the Aina discs for trade in the trade room.

GO! Great album.

The final three singers for the new Ayreon album have been announced (see first post for samples). Number 15 is an odd choice, some Dutch hip hop and soul artist! Haha. I guess he digs rock music, though, so he's not rapping here. He's got a solid voice.

Number 16 is another unknown. She's from a band called Elister and is an active Ayreon forum member. Pretty cool gig, huh? She's got a great voice, too.

Number 17 is unconfirmed, but it seems that everyone thinks it's Daniel Gildenlow from Pain of Salvation. I'm not a big PoS fan, but Gildenlow has a killer voice!

Let's not forget good old Bob Catley.

SAHB Healer wrote:

Let's not forget good old Bob Catley.

Yup. He's got a ton of great singers for this album. It's still really cool that he picked a forum member and some hip hop dude! Haha. Crazy.

Eyesore wrote:

SAHB Healer wrote:

Let's not forget good old Bob Catley.

Yup. He's got a ton of great singers for this album. It's still really cool that he picked a forum member and some hip hop dude! Haha. Crazy.

Thats Arjen for you. Always on the look out for new vocalists.

I have the Universal Migrator CDs, Into The Electric Castle, and The Human Equation and all three have been in regular rotaion in my music library for the past three years so you can bet your bottom dollar that I will grab the new one ASAP.

DallasBlack wrote:

I have the Universal Migrator CDs, Into The Electric Castle, and The Human Equation and all three have been in regular rotaion in my music library for the past three years so you can bet your bottom dollar that I will grab the new one ASAP.

I first heard them around the time the Universal Migrator albums came out. They've also been in regular rotation with me since. The only album I don't own is the Ayreonauts Only album (or whatever it's called). That one is hard to find.