Anyone with even half a foot in the prog-metal world will be aware of Dutch master of the concept album Arjen Anthony Lucassen. Best known as the creator of the sprawling Ayreon story arc, which so far stretches over 10 albums, he has also produced three sci-fi-themed Star One albums, four collaboration Stream Of Passion..
(c) Lori Linstruth
Arjen In Transitus
It's been a busy few years for Arjen Lucassen since the release of the last Ayreon studio album The Source in 2017. Firstly, the colossal Ayreon Universe was a lavish stage production, a star-studded retrospective that spanned a quarter century's worth of music. Not to be outdone by his own opulence, Lucassen bravely upped the..
Arena announce new lineup with Damian Wilson
Arena has parted ways with singer Paul Manzi, as announced on their official page 13 July: It is with sadness that we will be parting ways with singer Paul Manzi.He has been with us for ten years, three studio albums and a lot of touring, but these commitments, particularly the touring, were becoming a strain..
Photo credit: Lori A. Linstruth
Pink castles in a purple Transitus: A chat with Arjen Lucassen
At its core, with all the adornments stripped away, beats a heart of brilliant compositions, rich in emotional melodies and lush textures... Crippling stage fright and social reclusiveness are not usually among the traits one expects to find in someone who mounts lavish, large-scale musical theater productions of which he is author, composer and performer...
Ayreon – Electric Castle Live And Other Tales (Music Theories Recordings / Mascot Label Group)
I’m the guy who comes up with the ideas, sees the big picture, and puts it all together... “I just love recording my various projects in the studio,” says Arjen Anthony Lucassen, mastermind behind the soaring series of concept albums set in the Ayreon universe, “but I’m not a live performer. I’m the guy who..