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Posts tagged James LaBrie
Ayreon – Human Equation (2004) (@256)
25 Jul 2010
(Review from seaoftranquility.org, metal-archives.com, progarchives.com)
With his new Ayreon album, Arjen Lucassen seems to be moving deeper and deeper into the rock opera world. Looking at the lyric sheet here it looks like something written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The guest list on each album is getting longer with the singers on this album being assigned roles to play.
The Human Equation follows the story of a man who falls in a coma after plowing his car into a tree. While in a coma, he unlocks some hidden region of his mind where he confronts his emotions and and memories. Meanwhile, his best friend and wife sit at his hospital bed waiting for a sign of life.
Like most rock operas, the songs work best as a unified whole, but songs like “Day Eleven: Love” and “Day Sixteen: Loser” certainly do stand out for the great vocals and melodies. There is one thing that cannot be overlooked and that is the impressive roster of singers and instrumentalists Lucassen has assembled for his latest project: Martin Orford from IQ and Ken Hensley from Uriah Heep make small but invaluable contributions. Hensley’s short but raging Hammond organ solo on “Day Sixteen: Loser” certainly takes us back to Hensley’s work with Uriah Heep.
As for the singers, James LaBrie from Dream Theater plays the part of the man in the coma, simply known as Me. If you are used to Labrie’s work with Dream Theater, be prepared to be surprised here. For the most part, his singing is mellow and happily he proves that he has more depth as a singer than he is generally given credit for. Heather Findlay from Mostly Autumn is cast as Love and her singing is as impressive and moving here as it is with her own band. Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth is given ample opportunity to shine as well; the man has a great voice. Relative newcomer Marcela Bovia also deserves a mention as the wife; judging from her performance with Ayreon, she has a bright future ahead of her.
Line-up:
- Arjen Lucassen / electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar, analogue synthesizers, Hammond, Mellotron, additional keyboards, mandoline, vocals as ‘Best Friend’
- Devon Graves / vocals as ‘Agony’
- Devin Townsend / vocals as ‘Rage’
- Eric Clayton / vocals as ‘Reason’
- Mikael Akerfeldt / vocals as ‘Fear’
- Magnus Ekwall / vocals as ‘Pride’
- Heather Findlay / vocals as ‘Love’
- Irene Jansen / vocals as ‘Passion’
- James LaBrie / vocals as ‘Me’
- Marcela Bovio / vocals as ‘Wife’
- Mike Baker / vocals as ‘Father’
- Ken Hensley / Hammond (16)
- Oliver Wakeman / keyboards (17)
- Martin Orford / keyboards (15)
- Ed Warby / drums
- Joost van den Broek / synthesizer (2), spinet (13)
- John McManus / Low-flute (13,16,18), tin-whistle (18)
- Jeroen Goossens / flute (3,5,9,14,18), alto-flute (2), bass flute (5,14), panpipes (6), descant and treble recorder (13), didgeridoo (16), bassoon (18)
- Robert Baba / violins
- Marieke van der Heyden / cello
Track List:
CD1
01. Day One: Vigil – 1:33
02. Day Two: Isolation – 8:42
03. Day Three: Pain – 4:58
04. Day Four: Mystery – 5:37
05. Day Five: Voices – 7:09
06. Day Six: Childhood – 5:05
07. Day Seven: Hope – 2:47
08. Day Eight: School – 4:22
09. Day Nine: Playground – 2:15
10. Day Ten: Memories – 3:57
11. Day Eleven: Love – 4:18
CD2
12. Day Twelve: Trauma – 8:59
13. Day Thirteen: Sign – 4:47
14. Day Fourteen: Pride – 4:42
15. Day Fifteen: Betrayal – 5:24
16. Day Sixteen: Loser – 4:46
17. Day Seventeen: Accident? – 5:42
18. Day Eighteen: Realization – 4:31
19. Day Nineteen: Disclosure – 4:42
20. Day Twenty: Confrontation – 7:03
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Dream Theater – Scenes From A Memory Metropolis Part II (1999) (@256)
05 Jan 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
When Dream Theater appended the notation Part 1 to a track called “Metropolis” on their second album “Images and Words”, it was intended as a sort of private joke. The fans however kept asking when part 2 would be recorded, so while the band were in the studio to record “Falling into Infinity”, they set about doing so. The piece bludgeoned from a mere track to a complete 20 minute suite, the intention being to make “Falling Into Infinity” a double album with “Metropolis Part 2″ occupying the second disc. The record company however would not sanction a double album, so the suite was held over. When the band came to record their 1999 album a couple of years later, the piece was used as the basis for the album, with more material being added.
The concept tells the disturbing tale of a character called Nicholas who in a past life went under the name of Victoria. With the help of hypnotherapy, Nicolas delves into his former life, discovering that he/she was murdered.
After the rather corny spoken intro where the hypnotherapist induces the trance and the gentle introductory “Regression”, the instrumental “Overture 1928″ sets the scene perfectly, with the newcomer Jordan Rudess immediately adding some fine keyboard sounds. The track draws in themes both from the rest of the album and indeed from Part 1.
As the story unfolds, the instrumental sections help to build on the narrative lyrics. In general, the band avoid the temptation to be over literate, the concise nature of the vocal passages allowing plenty of space for some fine guitar and keyboard breaks.
While the album has plenty of the hard edged riffs and the racing drum infused runs we associate with the band, there is to a welcome undercurrent of subtlety throughout. This is perhaps at its most poignant on the quite stunning “Through Her Eyes” which closes “Act 1″; surely one of the finest ballads by a prog metal band ever. While James LaBrie (assisted by Theresa Thomason) offers a truly great vocal performance here, it is the sympathetic guitar of John Petrucci which sets the track apart.
It is probably futile to talk of track lengths, as this is very much a complete concept, and as such a single track in various sections. Act 2 has just four tracks, three of which run to 10+ minutes. The lengthy nature of these tracks contributes to an album running time of just under 80 minutes, yet the time seems to pass in the blink of an eye, the band ruthlessly curtailing any temptation to prevaricate.
For an album which was developed in rather piecemeal fashion, it is pleasing that this is arguably Dream Theater’s most coherent effort. The emphasis on melody and the strength of the concept are major contributors to the overall attraction of it.
Line-up:
- James LaBrie / vocals
- John Myung / bass guitar
- John Petrucci / guitars, vocals
- Mike Portnoy / drums, percussion, vocals
- Jordan Rudess / keyboards
Track List:
01. Scene I: Regression – 2:06
02. Scene II Pt. I: Overture 1928 – 3:37
03. Scene II Pt. II: Strange Deja Vu – 5:12
04. Scene III Pt. I: Through My Words – 1:02
05. Scene III Pt. II: Fatal Tragedy – 6:49
06. Scene IV: Beyond This Life – 11:22
07. Scene V: Through Her Eyes – 5:29
08. Scene VI: Home – 12:53
09. Scene VII Pt. I: The Dance Of Eternity – 6:13
10. Scene VII Pt. II: One Last Time – 3:46
11. Scene VIII: The Spirit Carries On – 6:38
12. Scene IX: Finally Free – 11:59
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