Tracklist

Disc 1 - Y

1. "Age of Shadows" - 10:47
including "We Are Forever"
2. "Comatose" - 4:26
3. "Liquid Eternity" - 8:10
4. "Connect the Dots" - 4:13
5. "Beneath the Waves" - 8:26

• "Beneath the Waves"
• "Face the Facts"
• "But a Memory…"
• "World Without Walls"
• "Reality Bleeds"

6. "Newborn Race" - 7:49

• "The Incentive"
• "The Vision"
• "The Procedure"
• "Another Life"
• "Newborn Race"
• "The Conclusion"

7. "Ride the Comet" - 3:29
8. "Web of Lies" - 2:50

Disc 2 - EARTH

9. "The Fifth Extinction" - 10:29

• "Glimmer of Hope"
• "World of Tomorrow Dreams"
• "Collision Course"
• "From the Ashes"
• "Glimmer of Hope (reprise)"

10. "Waking Dreams" - 6:31
11. "The Truth Is In Here" - 5:12
12. "Unnatural Selection" - 7:15
13. "River of Time" - 4:24
14. "E=MC2" - 5:50
15. "The Sixth Extinction" - 12:18

• "Echoes on the Wind"
• "Radioactive Grave"
• "2085"
• "To the Planet of Red"
• "Spirit on the Wind"
• "Complete the Circle"

Cast

Forever - Main Cast

Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian)
Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain of Salvation)
Tom S. Englund (Evergrey)
Jonas Renkse (Katatonia)
Jørn Lande (ex-Masterplan, ARK)
Anneke van Giersbergen (Agua de Annique, ex-The Gathering)
Steve Lee (Gotthard)
Bob Catley (Magnum)
Floor Jansen (After Forever, Star One)
Magali Luyten (Beautiful Sin, Virus IV)

Man - Minor Cast

Simone Simons (Epica)
Phideaux Xavier
Wudstik
Marjan Welman (Elister)
Liselotte Hegt (Dial)
Arjen Anthony Lucassen
Ty Tabor (King's X)

Instrumentalists

Arjen Lucassen - Guitar, keyboards, synths, bass guitar, programming
Ed Warby(Gorefest) - Drums
Lori Linstruth - Guitar solo
Michael Romeo - Guitar solo
Derek Sherinian (Planet X) - Keyboard solo
Tomas Bodin (The Flower Kings) - Keyboard solo
Joost van den Broek (After Forever) - Keyboard solo and piano
Jeroen Goossens (Flairck) - Flutes
Ben Mathot (Dis) - Violin
David Faber – Cello

This is the 7th album by Ayreon, a project of Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen, and the 5th instalment of the story that began with The Final Experiment. It’s a hard album to classify, continuing the unorthodox and experimental musical style of previous Ayreon albums, though it could be adequately described as a Rock Opera which incorporate numerous genres, including progressive rock, metal, folk, classical and electronica. This is probably the darkest, and at times heaviest, album Ayreon have released to date although it certainly isn’t lacking in folky melodies and soft, ambient passages. Music and lyrics are, as always, composed by Arjen, who once again has a small singing part, while drums are again provided by Ayreon veteran Ed Warby. Arjen has once again assembled a remarkable collection of vocalists and instrumentalists. The singers are mainly new, although a few Ayreon veterans have been included in the cast (Anneke van Giersbergen, Floor Jansen and of course Arjen himself.)

Despite expression his intention to release a single album, 01011001 stretches onto 2CDs and at 1:42 the album is almost exactly the same length as its predecessor The Human Equation. This will undoubtedly seem overlong to some, but the diverse array of vocalists and instruments on offer prevent the album from becoming repetitive. It is also important to note that the album follows a turbulent period of time in Arjen’s life: which including depression, divorce and even losing his sense of taste and smell. So, as Arjen stated in an interview, the often dark mood of the album reflected his own state of mind.

I was quite careful to lower my expectations of this album before my first listen. I know from experience that Ayreon albums are slow burners for me, and the fact that I had such high hopes for this album meant that I was setting myself up to be disappointed after the first listen. My first impressions of the album were good; however, I couldn’t help but feel a bit underwhelmed. There were some really catchy parts, especially those which I had already heard in the samples that Arjen released sporadically to introduce each singer (which can be found in the gallery: http://bluesuncorp.co.uk/images?g2_itemId=2356, along with the album artwork: http://bluesuncorp.co.uk/2007/12/29/preview-of-ayreon-01011001-artwork) but a lot didn’t click until after several repeat listens. There were some tracks, namely ‘Unnatural Selection’, ‘Age of Shadows’ and ‘The Fifth Extinction’, which clicked right away - I loved them and they’re still three of my favourite tracks on the album. Then there were tracks such as ‘Beneath the Waves’, ‘Newborn Race’, ‘River of Time’ and ‘The Sixth Extinction’ that took me longer to fully appreciate, but I love more and more with each listen.

I’ve heard this album, start to finish, dozens of times yet it is still as fresh as the first listen. With 17 singers, 15 tracks, more choruses and melodies than I can count, and the continuation to the intriguing story, there is far too much to take in on the first few listens. I find that with each new listen I pick up on another story-progressing line that I had overlooked, or I find a different melody sticking in my head. It is for this reason that it is immensely difficult for me to name a favourite track because it changes every time, though it is usually one of the seven that I have already mentioned.

If I was forced to make a criticism, it would be to do with the number of vocalists. Although they do give the album variety, they do not have strong identities like the characters on The Human Equation or Into the Electric Castle. As with any release of this scale, there are weaker points in the album but fortunately, these moments are few and far between.

A lot of the jauntier tunes (Connect the Dots and Web of Lies) were sung by the minor cast. Arjen did state that he wrote a lot of darker material and added some ‘happier’ stuff later on, and at times these tracks do feel like filler, though I’ve come to really enjoy most of them. I can only guess, but if this album was released as a single CD I’m sure that a couple of these tracks would have been left out.

Track by Track

Disc 1

1. Age of Shadows
In the past, Ayreon albums have traditionally opened with a short narrative or an instrumental track, Age of Shadows is a considerable departure from this tradition and I have little reservation in saying that it is the best opening that an Ayreon album has had. Not to fault the instrumentals that opened the Universal Migrator albums or Peter Daltrey’s wonderfully chilling opening narrative on Into the Electric Castle, but this is a striking 11 minuter, and a flawless introduction with all the idiosyncrasies that make a great Ayreon track.
This track introduces us to the beings from the planet Y, called ‘Forever’. During the course of the song we learn about their plights, specifically their loss of emotion because of their ‘quenchless thirst for knowledge’ and eventual dependence on machines to grant them immortality.
Singers: Tom Englund, Steve Lee, Daniel Gildenlöw, Hansi Kürsch, Floor Jansen, Jonas Renkse, Anneke van Giersbergen, Jørn Lande.

2. Comatose
I didn’t enjoy this track much at first and, though highly unusual for anything by Ayreon, I actually found it quite dull. This has changed. It’s a captivating little track and a pleasant change of pace after the heavy and elaborate opening.
It has exceptional vocals and a really alleviating, calm melody that is reminiscent of many tracks from The Dream Sequencer – markedly ‘My House on Mars’ for the atmosphere and the contrasting Male/Female vocals, which in this song are so skilfully performed by Jørn Lande and Ayreon veteran Anneke van Giersbergen.

Singers: Jørn Lande, Anneke van Giersbergen.

3. Liquid Eternity
Again, we learn more about the nature of ‘Forever’, with a nice chorus from Magali Luyten that draws lyrics from Peter Daltrey’s closing narrative on Into the Electric Castle. The song itself is at times heavy and guitar driven, though with softer interludes, which is very in keeping with the overall tone of the album.

Singers: Jonas Renkse, Daniel Gildenlöw, Magali Luyten, Bob Catley, Tom Englund, Jørn Lande, Floor Jansen.

4. Connect the Dots
This is the first of the four tracks (along with Web of Lies, The Truth is In Here, and E=MC²) that do not feature ‘Forever’, but are instead concerned with activities of humans that compliment the central story. This is a jaunty little tune but with some deeper meanings and social observations in the lyrics, including Global Warming and Mankind’s increased dependence on technology.
Singer: Ty Tabor, Arjen Lucassen.

5. Beneath the Waves
I feel quite sorry for the vocalists who have to follow Gildenlöw’s resplendent opening to the track. He opens the track phenomenally, but the song doesn’t let up, covering 5 different sections, each brought to life by their respective singers.
This song further describes the history of ‘forever’, and culminates in their realisation that they need to take action to save their race.
Singers: Daniel Gildenlöw, Bob Catley, Anneke van Giersbergen, Floor Jansen, Steve Lee, Jørn Lande, Hansi Kürsch, Tom Englund.

6. Newborn Race
Of all the songs on the album, I think that Newborn Race makes the best use of multiple singers. There are so many distinct choruses that are perfectly suited for their singer with equally-suitable musical backing. Because of the huge array of vocals and the numerous melodies within the song, it took a long time to grow on me, but the variety is also the reason why it has remained one of my favourite tracks on the album. In this song ‘forever’ arrive at their conclusion, and decide to use a comet to carry their DNA to a new planet, where they intend to play god by creating and controlling a new race.
Singers: Daniel Gildenlöw, Floor Jansen, Tom Englund, Jonas Renkse, Bob Catley, Hansi Kürsch, Jørn Lande.

7. Ride the Comet
This is a fairly short song, describing the journey of the DNA-carrying comet through space, with a vibrant and powerful chorus that shows off Magali Luyten’s voice in a way that Liquid Eternity barely touched upon.
Singers: Jørn Lande, Floor Jansen, Tom Englund, Jonas Renkse, Bob Catley, Magali Luyten

8. Web of Lies
The closing track of the first disc is another brief, though somewhat relevant, departure from the principal story of the album. It’s a short and sardonically sweet tale of two internet-dating users, which provides a harmonious ending to the ‘Y’ disc.
Singers: Simone Simons, Phideaux Xavier

Disc 2

9. The Fifth Extinction

This track was released early on the Ayreon Myspace site, and was I was therefore already familiar for it when I first heard the album. It’s the second of three 10 minute + tracks on the album, and is similar to ‘Age of Shadows’ in that it gives the second CD an intense and baroque opening. Of the 5 sections that comprise the song, the second is without doubt my favourite and I relish in the heavy vocals interlaced with the exquisite violins, the animated choruses of Bob Catley and Hansi Kürsch, and the culminating synth solo from Derek Sherinian.
Story wise, it describes the arrival of the comet, carrying the DNA of ‘Forever’, at Planet Earth. It details the impact, which vanquishes the Dinosaurs, and the emergence of humankind from the ashes.
Singers: Anneke van Giersbergen, Bob Catley, Steve Lee, Jørn Lande, Tom Englund, Daniel Gildenlöw, Hansi Kürsch, Jonas Renkse, Floor Jansen.

10. Waking Dreams

This is a bit like Comatose, with the contrasting male and female vocals, and the somewhat gloomy mood of the track, however it hasn’t grown on me like Comatose has. The highlight of the track, for me, would have to be the guitar solo from Arjen. The track describes the early stages of humanity, and shows how ‘Forever’ communicate with the human race telepathically, in dreams, in order to direct their evolution and to harvest their emotions.
Singers: Jonas Renkse, Anneke van Giersbergen.

11. The Truth Is In Here

This is Arjen’s track on the album, ignoring his brief appearance on the chorus of Connect the Dots; a duet with Liselotte Hegt. He plays ‘Mr. L’, a man in an asylum whose dreams recount the events of the previous instalments in the story. Liselotte Hegt plays the ‘antagonist’ of the song, a nurse, who sees Mr. L’s dreams as delusions. It is another jaunty diversion from the central story of ‘Forever, with a vivacious tone that so uniquely belongs to Ayreon.
Singers: Arjen Lucassen, Liselotte Hegt.

12. Unnatural Selection

Although I was a fan of Blind Guardian and Hansi Kürsch before I heard this album, I’ve been astounded by how distinct and memorable his parts are. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album, at first because of Hansi’s imposing and unforgettable chorus, though I’ve come to love every second of the song since. This is another song which, I feel, makes exceptional use of several vocalists, especially the duets. The story describes the beginnings of man’s decline, thanks to the impatience of ‘Forever’, and their determination to quicken man’s evolution.
Singers: Tom Englund, Steve Lee, Jørn Lande, Bob Catley, Hansi Kürsch, Jonas Renkse.

13. River of Time

I am particularly fond of the song’s introduction, with its folky nuances, though it doesn’t quite match up to either Day 16 or Day 18 of The Human Equation. There is another distinctive and zealously performed chorus from Hansi Kürsch, offset perfectly by Bob Catley – whose band Magnum I have become quite fond of since hearing this album. The song deals with Forever’s determination to save humanity, realizing their mistakes, by sending a warning of humanity’s demise back in time.

Singers: Hansi Kürsch, Bob Catley.

14. E=MC2

There is a lot of plot in this track, relating to the first Ayreon album The Final Experiment, which builds quite nicely into the concluding track. It is the story of the two scientists who develop the time telepathy program inspired by messages from ‘Forever’. They eventually succeed in sending a message back in time, though as the first album details, the experiment is a failure.
Singers: Wudstik, Marjan Welman

15. The Sixth Extinction

This song provides a stunning conclusion to the album, both through the music and the story. There is little I can say about the song, which is divided into 6 sections, each one as impeccable as the last. It’s the longest track on the album, which is a good thing as I never want it to end. But then again, when it does, I just go back to the start and listen again.

Singers: Tom Englund, Steve Lee, Hansi Kürsch, Daniel Gildenlöw, Jonas Renkse, Floor Jansen, Bob Catley, Jørn Lande, Anneke van Giersbergen, Magali Luyten.

Summary

Following The Human Equation was always going to be difficult, and in the end Arjen has delivered an album quite different in sound and tone, though just as spectacular overall. It has quickly become one of my favourite albums, eventually equalling or surpassing all of my incredibly high expectations, and I can already say for sure that it will be my favourite album of the year. 10/10.

It took me a fair while to find, but here it is. James Earl Jones (best known as the voice of Darth Vader) reading The Raven, a classic poem by Edgar Allen Poe. Awesome.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."'

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

 Since their formation in Blackwood, South Wales in 1986, the Manic Street Preachers have released eight full length albums and three EPs, had two UK number 1 singles, played a massive gig in Castro's Cuba, lost a member in a suspected suicide, and will in 2008 be named "Godlike Geniuses" at the NME awards for their career achievements. Their bassist, the self-styled Nicky Wire, frequently wears skirts and knee-high socks to gigs and uses a mic stand covered in pink tinsel. Their lead singer, James Dean Bradfield (who was originally to be called Clint Eastwood Bradfield until his mother protested) has collaborated with Tom Jones and Kylie Minogue and the band worked with notorious pornstar Traci Lords on their début album.

One of the most controversial, overtly political, outspoken and unique bands the UK has ever produced, the Manic Street Preachers are often thought of only when people are in a strictly 90s mindset – but as they continue to tour, having released their eighth album in May 2007, why are the Manics still relevant? And how best to begin to understand such a long-running, iconoclastic and cult band?

Blackwood is a former mining town in deepest darkest Wales, severely affected by the Miner's Strike in 1984-5 that occurred during the Manics' teenage formative years. A few years after that, lead singer and guitarist James Dean Bradfield began teaching himself guitar by playing along to Guns n' Roses' Appetite for Destruction in his front room with the curtains closed. For some years he lived with his cousin, Sean Moore, who subsequently became the band's talented and energetic drummer. The other two band members, Nicky Wire (born Nicholas Jones, younger brother of poet and playwright Patrick Jones) and Richey James Edwards, lived nearby. Wire eventually settled into the role of bassist once previous short-lived bassist Miles Woodward – aka Flicker, left. Edwards was supposedly rhythm guitarist, but in fact played so poorly that he would usually mime on stage or have his amps turned down, Bradfield playing all the band's guitar parts (except for on two songs).

In August 1989, the band put together their very first self-made single – "Suicide Alley". The DIY attitude was obvious by the fact that Edwards couldn't appear in the cover photo because he had taken it and because the photo itself was a clear homage to the cover of The Clash's debut album. After the New Art Riot EP in 1990, the band released their first fully-fledged non-album single in the form of the iconoclastic "Motown Junk" – it gained the band notoriety, being mentioned in national newspapers for the use of the line "I laughed when Lennon got shot." The song remains a live favourite, and has been played at the vast majority of Manics gigs, aside from a stint in 2004. Sampling both Public Enemy and The Skids, the song began to show off the endless cultural referencing he band have since become known for.

By the time the debut album, Generation Terrorists, was released in 1992, the band had already attracted a cult following due to their furious live shows. The band had long stated that their plan was to release an album that would outsell Appetite for Destruction, then they would headline Wembley for three nights and then burn out. This plan was more than slightly hindered by the fact that the anti-Americanism of much of the lyrical content crippled the US release, which had several of the album's extravagant 18 tracks dropped. That said, the album was a reasonable success, reaching #13 on the UK album chart. Unsurprisingly, the band didn't burn out but did tour extensively before thinking about their second album, named Gold Against the Soul, which was released in 1993.

Gold Against the Soul was a very different affair to the previous album. Clocking in at a much more modest 10 tracks, the album was meant to, in the words of the band, "piss on the floor of Seattle". Ironically, the album had a sound more indebted to the Seattle-based grunge sound than the band might have admitted. Perhaps worried by the fate of the previous album in the US, the Manics made sure that GATS had significantly less politically-derived lyrics and themes. It comes across as a mixture of arena rock and grunge, like a Welsh, left-wing proto-Audioslave. The album fared even better then the first in the UK charts, reaching #8. Today, a B-side on the "Life Becoming a Landslide" single – "Comfort Comes" – is now looked back on as the track which birthed the completely unique sound of the next, legendary, Manics album: The Holy Bible.

Recorded in a small studio in Cardiff's red light district, The Holy Bible saw the Manics returning to the drawing board. Bradfield was verging on alcoholism, Edwards was becoming worryingly prone to self-harming and the band felt that the GATS period had been a deeply negative one. With the band in this precarious condition, they embarked on writing and recording what is now widely thought of as one of the darkest albums in the history of rock music. The Holy Bible is fierce, punk-influenced, and harrowing. Its lyrics deal with such issues as prostitution, the Holocaust, anorexia, nihilism, misanthropy, political correctness, US military interventionism, and censorship, among others. It is about as un-radio friendly as an album could possibly be, and its singles did not perform very spectacularly. In fact the album was a commercial failure – but gained and maintained enormous critical success for its scathing condemnation of just about everything and anything, its clever use of harrowing song-intro soundbites, and unique, ferocious sound. Perhaps the most amazing thing about it is that despite how amazingly dark and brutal it is, it somehow feels like an weirdly positive experience to hear it and to know it. In a difficult to describe way, it feels like an absolving experience. There's a much-referred to soundbite by author JG Ballard in the song "Mausoleum" in which he says, "I wanted to rub the human face in its own vomit – and force it to look in the mirror". In many ways, it feels as though this is what the Manics wanted to achieve with The Holy Bible. They explored the dark recesses of the human condition, so – to quote Mr Muscle – we don't have to. It's as though we can hear it all, in all its chainsaw-guitar fury, and then feel that having been exposed to it, having been educated about these things, we can move on and get back to living life. It is thought that at least 70% of the lyrics on The Holy Bible were written by Edwards.

1995 was a very bad year for the Manics. On the 1^st of February, Richey Edwards disappeared. His car was found on the Severn Bridge, a notorious suicide spot, and Edwards had not taken his passport or anything else of any importance with him. Various sightings have been reported over the years, including one of him apparently being seen in Goa, India – but none have ever been confirmed. In 2002, Edwards' parents were given the chance to have their son declared legally dead, but they declined. Richey Edwards remains listed as a missing person, having now not been seen for almost 13 years. Most assumed that Manic Street Preachers would cease to exist, but in 1996, the Manics were ready to release their fourth album, Everything Must Go, without Edwards. The album's recording was spurred on by Wire's writing of "A Design for Life" now one of the most famous Manics songs, which reached #2 on the UK singles chart.

Like The Holy Bible, Everything Must Go is often vying for the position of the best-loved Manics album – but the two could hardly be more different. By contrast to its predecessor, EMG was built around accessible, anthemic arena rock – in some ways an extension of the sound used on Gold Against the Soul. "A Design for Life", a idealised ode to the working class, quickly became the most successful Manics single to that point. The other singles, like "Australia", which was cryptically inspired by Edwards' disappearance, also fared well. In terms of capturing a wide audience, EMG was a massive success for the band, and claimed almost as much critical acclaim as the previous album without the harrowing content. Far from being destroyed by Edwards' disappearance, the band were moving on strongly. That said, the album did include Edwards' contributions for the last time – five of the songs, including the almost Holy Bible-esque "Small Black Flowers That Grow in the Sky" were all or partly written by him.

In 1998, the band gained the very first UK #1 single with the brilliantly-titled "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next", which broke a world record for the longest #1 single title without brackets. Interestingly, it is also the only Manics song ever to have been released as a single in the United States. Inspired by Spanish Civil War works such as Orwell's Homage to Catalonia and The Clash's song "Spanish Bombs" , the song was from the band's fifth album, the also excellently-titled This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours. The album itself spent a full three weeks at #1 on the UK album charts – it was the height of the Manics' chart success to date.

In 2001 and 2004, the Manics released arguably their two least-popular albums – Know Your Enemy and Lifeblood respectively. The sound had again changed dramatically on Lifeblood – Wire described the aesthetic as "elegiac pop" and whilst the change was not popular with all the band's fans the singles were surprisingly successful. After Lifeblood was over with, the band were silent for three years until March 2007.

Now having been a band for 21 years, the Manics announced that they would release a new song called "Underdogs" as a free download – a gift to the many fans who had supported them in their lengthy and often difficult career. Short, loud and punchy, the song went down well and in May, the eighth Manic Street Preachers album was released – Send Away the Tigers. The band themselves described it as "a mixture of Generation Terrorists and Everything Must Go" and their endless cultural and historical referencing returned to the fore – the album's title is a reference to a phrase made by Tony Hancock, and the album deals with such themes as extraordinary rendition, the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the JFK assassination – even featuring a soundbite from Lee Harvey Oswald. As if in another nod to their debut album (which had featured that duet with notorious pornstar Traci Lords) SATT features its own duet, this time with Swedish songstress Nina Persson of acclaimed band The Cardigans. "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough", a return to OTT song titles, narrowly missed out on a UK #1 single, charting at #2 instead. The album itself also reached #2 on the UK album chart, missing out on the top spot by just 690 copies.

SATT has rejuvenated the Manic Street Preachers. Far from being another victim of the demise of Britpop (with which they were scarcely affiliated in the first place – being far too hard-edged and political) they have survived enormous changes to the music industry and landscape. Suddenly they are darlings of the musical press again – their award from NME is a testament to that, and they are newly in demand for magazine interviews and articles. Like Radiohead, they are embracing the internet music revolution – releasing their second free song of 2007 in the shape of the enormously fun Christmas song "Ghost of Christmas". And with another album still to come on their current Sony contract (and promises of venturing into independence after that) the Manic Street Preachers have every chance to become more relevant and powerful than ever.

NB: The Manics are a challenging but extremely rewarding band – their works are known for referencing popular culture, history, politics and more in an almost Thomas Pynchon-esque fashion. To get the very most from their extensive discography, keep the lyrics to hand on the first few listens – and I would also recommend the excellent "The Annotated Manic Street Preachers".

10 - Waking Dreams

11 - The Truth is in Here

12 - Unnatural Selection

13 - River of Time

14 - E=MC2

15 - The Sixth Extinction

Artists

NINE INCH NAILS - Leeds festival, 2007

I went expecting them to be good, and they still blew me away. Alongside an incredible light show (Muse paled in comparison) they played all of their best tracks, including loads from their new album, Year Zero. It was a warm Summer evening, and it was beautiful.

Among the tracks they played were Hurt, March of the Pigs, Only, The Hand That Feeds - despite my devotion to the band, I had yet to hear their new album at the time, so I have little idea which of the tracks they played from it - suffice to say, for the most part they blew me away.

21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID BAND - Customs House, South Shields, 2003

I'm a massive King Crimson fan, and I have been for almost ten years now. So when I got the chance to see Schizoid Band (which, by the way, isn't a cover band, with the exception of Fripp they were mostly the real thing) I was overjoyed.

Aside from a few wrong words - and it has been a long time to remember - it was perfect. An incredibly small venue, all of my favourite Crimson tracks, and even some new ones. If you ever get a chance to see them - which is unlikely - don't miss it for the world.

INTERPOL - Radio 1 Weekend, Sunderland, 2004

Interpol are an acquired taste. Indie Rock has always been hit and miss, for me; and although I'll admit their latest album is incredibly easy to listen to, the earlier two took some getting used to. And I love 'em even more for it.

I saw Interpol later, at Leeds, and while it was still amazing, the set at Radio 1's 2004 weekend was perfect. Having just released Antics, they didn't have such a huge following, and I could see the whites of their eyes as I tried to decide whether I liked their music or not. I walked away a devoted fan.

STEELY DAN - Liverpool, July 2007

I had never hoped - or dreamed - of ever seeing Becker and Fagen play as Steely Dan. I payed more than I should have for the tickets, even went all the way down to Liverpool from Newcastle to see them. But damn, was it worth it. They played most of Aja, along with nearly all of the classics, including Bodhisattva, My Old School, Pretzel Logic…

My Dad always likes to tell me about how he liked Steely Dan when he was young - I can tell my children I actually saw them.

FIELDS - Carling Academy, Newcastle, 2005

I hadn't even heard of The Fields before this. I was actually there to see an Editors concert (not to give the wrong impression, this was incredible too). I haven't heard much of them since - but if this performance was anything to go by, I'd wager they're doing well.

The Ones I Missed

The most significant of the bands I missed seeing live was the Queens of the Stone Age. I literally missed the tickets selling out by about a day. I have no doubt that they would have been top of this list otherwise. The second is Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, whom discovered were playing when I was due to set off on holiday. And lastly: Interpol (yes, Interpol again) - simply because none of my friends or relatives wanted to go. Including the co-author of this site, Rich, who seemed to think an interview for Med-School was more important. Can't have 'em all, I guess.

Progressive music was the first genre that really captured my interest, although I had been listening to far more mainstream rock music for several years before I came across any of the albums in this list. It was doubtlessly the originality that first attracted me to prog, progressive metal in particular, because so far I had never managed to find any music that I still enjoyed after several listens. Even though it took me quite a while to appreciate many of the albums in this list, there isn't a single entry that hasn't remained fresh - in fact I still find myself enjoying these albums more with each listen.

It's near impossible to create a definitive list of the best progressive metal albums because of the incredible variety that exists within the genre. The ten which I have eventually settled on are all albums which I love, and which show the all the extremes and the diversity of the genre; I've included softer albums, which feature a lot of progressive rock, and heavier albums that are interlaced with death metal elements. There is of course a lot of personal bias in this list; I love albums with stories or strong themes, so I’ve favoured some concept albums.

The ten albums I have selected, in no order, are:

Ayreon - The Human Equation

Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory

Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element

Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime

Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet

Ark - Burn the Sun

Evergrey - The Inner Circle

Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance

Amorphis - Silent Waters

Opeth - Still Life

—

Ayreon - The Human Equation

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This was the sixth album from Ayreon, a project of the immensely talented Arjen Lucassen, and seemingly the first that was completely devoid of a sci-fi theme. It is an incredibly complex and well-structured concept album, although at first glance the story is deceptively simple: We're taken into the head of a man in a coma, known simply as 'Me' as he is confronted by his strongest emotions, each portrayed by a different singer, which gives them all very unique and evocative sounds. We are also occasionally shown a glimpse of the outside world, where Me's wife, Best friend and at one point, his father, talk to him from his bedside. Slowly, over the course of 20 days, one day per track, secrets are revealed as we discover the events that caused and the repercussions that result from Me's coma.

The brilliance of this album is in the variety, especially the excellent choice of singers. The incomparable Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth brings his visceral tones to the character of Fear. Although he primarily uses the warm and compelling side of his voice, there are a few grunts thrown in for good measure (including an incredible scream on the final track). Devin Townsend plays Rage, as well as writing his own lyrics. His sections are possibly the most distinct, and it was his parts which stood out the first time I heard the album, specifically 'Day Three: Pain' and 'Day Eight: School'. The other emotions present are Reason (Eric Clayton - Saviour Machine), Love (Heather Findlay - Mostly Autumn), Passion (Irene Jansen), Pride (Magnus Ekwall - The Quill) and Agony (Devon Graves - Dead Soul Tribe). The music is composed and performed by Arjen, with the exception of wind Instruments, Violins, Cellos and several guest soloists. The drums are once again performed by Ed Warby, who has established himself as Ayreon's official drummer following his flawless drumming on Flight of the Migrator. There is a wonderful mixture of harmonious and melodic passages, which provide a distinct compliment for emotions such as love, and dark and mysterious passages, which are perfectly suited for Fear, Rage and Agony. The instrumental sections are exquisite, and the truly exhilarating opening of 'Day Eighteen: Realization' is my particular favourite.

As for the human characters, James LaBrie, of Dream Theater, brings his talent to the central character, while Marcela Bovio, who has since worked with Arjen in the symphonic metal band Stream of Passion, plays his wife. Arjen also sings on the album, playing Best Friend, and there is even a 'cameo' from Mike Baker, of Shadow Gallery, who plays the twisted character 'Father' in the austere, folk metal meets Alice Cooper track 'Day Sixteen: Loser'.

If there is one criticism, it is that it lacks the sci-fi theme that Arjen does so well, and as a result some of the music has a down-to-earth quality that just doesn't quite seem right for Ayreon. Regardless, as far as prog metal goes, it doesn't get much better than this. Its a long album with lots of depth to it, incredible ambition, variety, talent, innovation, and a dramatic twist at the end. This is easily one of my favourite albums of all time. Be sure to check out other Ayreon albums, especially the new album, 01011001, which is released in January and should provide an answer to the ambiguous ending of The Human Equation.

Best Tracks: Day Eleven: Love, Day Sixteen: Loser, Day Three: Pain, Day Twenty: Confrontation.

Dream Theater - Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory

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This is without doubt Dream Theater's Magnum Opus. It is a masterpiece of storytelling and technical prowess that is told in two acts, composed of 12 songs in total that weave together so well that they could almost be seen as two songs. Although the immense talent of Dream Theater's musicians has never been in doubt, they exceed all expectations with this album. Their skill is evident on the album's two instrumentals, in particular the meticulously performed 6 minute long track 'The Dance of Eternity', which features over 100 time signature changes.

This album is a marvel of storytelling. It begins with Nicholas, the album's central character, speaking with a hypnotherapist. We discover that he has been having dreams about a woman called Victoria, who was murdered in 1928. Through the course of the two acts and nine scenes of the album we learn about the connection that Nicholas shares with Victoria, and we follow his attempts to uncover the truth about her murder and the events that preceded it. The album alternates between Nicholas in the present day and 1928, where we follow Victoria's fateful love triangle until it culminates in her death.

I've already mentioned the instrumentals, 'Scene Two: Overture 1928', and 'Scene Seven: The Dance of Eternity', which are effectively a playing ground for the technically gifted band members John Myung (Bass), John Petrucci (Guitar), Mike Portnoy (Drums) and Jordan Rudess (Keyboard). There are three tracks that exceed 10 minutes in length, the longest of which is 'Scene Six: Home', which is 12:53 in length. It shows many similarities to 'Metropolis, Part 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper', the song, from the album Images and Words, to which this album is a sequel. The final track of the album, 'Scene Nine: Finally Free', is another which exceeds the 10 minute mark and is a perfect way to end the album. As with The Human Equation this album ends with a unexpected twist. Amidst the intensely complex and heavy songs, such as 'Home' and 'Finally Free', there are softer songs like 'Scene Five: Through Her Eyes' and 'Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On', which provide perfect mediums for the soft side of James LaBrie's sublime voice.

I don't think there is an album that I have heard which I have enjoyed more than this, it truly is spectacular. Although they are still releasing extraordinary works, Dream Theater have not come close to equalling their crowning achievement, and I suspect they never will. The album was also recorded live, in its entirety, and released on DVD, entitled Metropolis 2000: Scenes from New York. It includes commentaries from the members of Dream Theater and a behind the scenes documentary, and is well worth buying if you enjoy the album.

Best Tracks: Scene Five: Through her Eyes, Scene Six: Home, Scene Nine: Finally Free.

Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element

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Pain of Salvation are fronted by the multi-talented Daniel Gildenlöw, who provides vocals and guitar as well as writing the lyrics and much of the music. The band was founded by Gildenlöw in 1984, when he was only 11, under then name Reality. The Perfect Element, Part 1 was their third album, following their first two acclaimed albums, Entropia and One Hour By The Concrete Lake. This is the first Pain of Salvation album that I heard, and I'll readily admit that this album grew on me over time. My first impressions of it were not overly positive, however, it was an intriguing piece of work with enough creativity to justify a few extra listens, and the critical acclaim that it had amassed within the prog community convinced me that there I was missing something spectacular, and I was.

This is yet another concept album, although it is slightly more cryptic than the last two. The story focuses on a Boy and a Girl and the and the emotional experiences that they encounter during their traumatic childhood. To say this album is ambitious is an understatement when you factor in all the emotions and themes which are included: violence, regret, loss, society and the soul, as well as all of the emotions that these children experience in their adolescence. I get the sense that Gildenlöw extracted from his personal experiences when writing this, the evidence of which is in his empathetic vocal performance. The album is divided into 3 chapters, each with 4 songs. Chapter I is called "As these two desolate worlds collide", Chapter 2: "It all catches up on you when you slow down" and Chapter 3: "Far beyond the point of no return"

The opening track, 'Used', involves some dark, almost spoken word, vocals and its only on the chorus that Gildenlöw's stirring voice comes into play. The highlights of Chapter 1 are undoubtedly 'Ashes' and 'Morning on Earth', two entrancing songs with a great chorus that keep popping up during the album's 74 minute length. There are parts when the vocals become dominant over the music, which can be a shame as the band are very capable of producing brilliant instrumental sections, 'Her Voices' being an excellent example.

Overall, this is a stunning and highly original piece of work and when it gets into its stride it is truly exemplary. The second part of the planned trilogy of albums, Scarsick, was released earlier this year and, despite falling short of the quality of The Perfect Element, it is an accomplished album and a worthy follow up.

Best Tracks: Ashes, Reconciliation, Idioglossia.

Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime

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I've only rediscovered this album recently, after I stopped listening to Queensrÿche after a series of meagre albums left me disillusioned with them, especially the dismal attempt to recapture the glory of the early days that was Operation: Mindcrime II. The story is a tangled web of love, murder and brainwashing in 80s America. We begin with a short narrative track that introduces us to the protagonist, who is seemingly in some form of hospital. We are soon transported to the past as the protagonist, Nikki, is suddenly plagued by forgotten memories. We see how Nikki, then a desperate heroin addict, was lured into anarchistic organisation, where his is brainwashed and used unwillingly as an assassin by the villainous Dr. X. Nikki's inner turmoil reaches a peak after he falls in love with Sister Mary, a former prostitute, and begins to question the society to which he belongs. Without spoiling the plot, the ending is left deliberately ambiguous with many unanswered questions. Although the sequel to this album provides many of these answer, I still would not recommend it.

The album is full of political statements, and a complex story that requires the use of narrative interludes in order to really make it work. This does not detract from the overall quality of the album with the album's 'cast' performing their roles very well, with special mention due to the immensely talented Pamela Moore, who plays Sister Mary. Although the music on the album is first-rate, with 'Speak' providing a real musical highlight, it is Geoff Tate who steals the show with his vocals. The ease and skill with which he manages the demanding vocals required is evident from the very first line of 'Revolution Calling', and the memorable choruses of 'Spreading the Disease' and subsequent song 'The Mission'.

Flaws are few and far between, though they do exist. The story, while excellent, causes the songs to become somewhat convoluted in moments. I'm also a fan of experimentation and this album is lacking somewhat in musical variety, nevertheless what it lacks in variety it makes up for with sheer quality.

Best Tracks: Revolution Calling, I Don't Believe in Love, Eyes of a Stranger.

Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet

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It was perhaps Steven Wilson's time with Opeth that brought Porcupine Tree, until then a strictly 'progressive' rock act, into the eyes of the metal community. Since then, Porcupine Tree's albums have all shown Wilson's willingness to adapt to his new fan base by ingraining large amounts of progressive metal into Porcupine Tree's traditional sound, a process that has been met with much critical and commercial approval. I love absolutely everything that Porcupine Tree have produced, from the psychedelic early albums of the Wilson-only era, to the melodic offerings of The Sky Moves Sideways and Stupid Dream, however I felt that Fear of a Blank Planet was best suited to this list, as it is another step away from the generic mainstream sound of rock music today.

The album is an engaging journey, first minute to last. The album opens with title track, 'Fear of a Blank Planet', which, in keeping with their recent material, is probably the heaviest track on the album. It sets the tone of uncertainty that the album revels in with the catchy riff and Wilson's trademark vocals used to perfection . The overall concept of the album is inspired by the novel Lunar Park, the influence of which is particularly prominent in the powerful ballad that is 'My Ashes'. Porcupine Tree collaborate with Robert Fripp (of progressive rock legends King Crimson) on the track 'Way Out of Here'. Fripp's soundscapes are put to good effect and are perfectly in keeping with many of the ambient sections of the album, such as the closing sections of the epic 18 minuter track 'Anesthetize', a prodigious track which also features a guitar solo by Alexander Lifeson (of the equally legendary progressive band Rush). The piano driven opening of 'Sentimental' is one of my favourite parts of the album. It continues with a great chorus and employs several acoustic sections that are eerily reminiscent of Porcupine Tree's classic song, 'Trains'. At only 50 minutes, it is short for a Porcupine Tree album with 6 tracks and no filler material. An EP, entitled Nil Recurring, was released later in the year with 4 tracks recorded during the Fear of a Blank Planet sessions, any of which could have made a worthy addition to the album.

The album has several thematic similarities to The Perfect Element, in that it deals with adolescence, however Fear of a Blank Planet is far more focused on the consequences that may result from a technologically heavy society's influence on children - the title track in particular has some strong and focused lyrics on the subject. There is very little to dislike about Fear of a Blank Planet, and in my opinion, this is the best and most enthralling album of 2007.

Best Tracks: Fear of a Blank Planet, Anesthetize.

Ark - Burn the Sun

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Burn the Sun was Ark's second, and sadly last, album. It shows huge advancements from their first album, in quality of the compositions and musicianship while the production gives the album a very crisp sound. Although the album has a very modern feel, Ark show their versatility by lacing the music with many unorthodox styles, whether it is Latin, 80s style rock, or the breathtaking Spanish guitar on 'Just A Minute'. The sheer range of styles and sub genres that they incorporate is clear from the numbers of bands that Ark have been compared to, from Dream Theater to Rush, Whitesnake to Deep Purple, Guns N' Roses to Journey, and even Led Zeppelin have been mentioned.

Jørn Lande's powerful and dynamic vocals are a real focal point of the album, and make for some memorable choruses on the title track, and the riveting opener 'Heal The Waters'. The sheer diversity of his voice has to be heard to be believed, with the album's closing track, the tender 9-minute power ballad 'Missing You', showing the emotional capacity of his voice.

Tore Ostby's guitar parts are phenomenal, proving himself equally adept at creating classic metal grooves as he is with creating a beautifully melodic Spanish guitar part. Not to forget the Drummer and bassist, John Macaluso and Randy Coven, both of whom are at the top of their game on this album, as evidenced by the complexities of songs such as 'Noose'.

Ark disbanded after this album with Jørn Lande going on to achieve success with power metal band Masterplan, and I am genuinely saddened that they never recorded a third album together. However, if you want to go out on a high, this is a great example of how to do it.

Best Tracks: Heal The Waters, Burn the Sun, Just A Little.

Evergrey - The Inner Circle

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In 2003, Evergrey released Recreation Day, an incredible album in its own rights. It featured a song called 'Unforgivable', which dealt with the use of religion to cover up atrocities such as child abuse. The Inner Circle sees Evergrey return to the theme of religion, and their stance against religious fanatics, but this time they take it much further with an ostentatious concept album that deals with religious fanatics and cults. The album is not anti-Christian, but Evergrey show their devout opposition to corrupt spiritual leaders and cultists, and at times the lyrics become quite intense.

Tom Englund's voice brings the album alive, he has a gift for emotional and compassionate vocals, and without him the band simply could not pull off songs like the balladic 'Waking up Blind' or the exemplary 'Harmless Wishes'. There are a few criticism I have to make of this album. Firstly, the length. 48 minutes just isn't long enough for a concept album of this variety, meaning that the final product lacks some of the depth of the other albums in this list. Secondly, there is not quite enough variation. Despite frequent line-up changes, Evergrey developed their own unique sound over the course of their 5 previous albums, and the album is full of their characteristic heard hitting riffs, however this does cause the sound to become quite monotonous at times. There are exceptions, such as the morose but poignant closing track, 'When The Walls Go Down'. This song features some superb piano and some wonderfully integrated orchestral arrangements. Gradually as the song progresses the anger builds in the spoken vocals as we observe the loss of hope and faith in the individual, and soon the metronomic drums kick in, leading to the albums explosive culmination.

Criticisms aside, this is an exceptional album with an unorthodox charm that grew on me with each listen. The sentiments and moods of the album are stunning. Melancholy in places, with powerful vocals and melodies, The Inner Circle is dazzling, and becomes vastly more meaningful as the themes and concepts which the album covers become more apparent on subsequent listens.

Best Tracks: A Touch of Blessing, Harmless Wishes, When The Walls Go Down.

Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance

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Katatonia have flirted with numerous different genres in their 16 year history. Their first album, Dance Of December Souls, was Doom metal, with black and death metal elements also present. When their lead singer, Jonas Renkse, became unable to grunt properly, Mikael Åkerfeldt provided the guttural vocals, with Renkse providing the clean vocals, changing the bands direction to a more straightforward death metal act. Their latest album, The Great Cold Distance, is the zenith that many years of mastering their softer sound has produced. It stays true to the stylistic origins of Katatonia, with strong doom and Gothic overtones, whilst improving on their melodic and atmospheric sound of recent albums.

Renkse is an extraordinary lyricist, and despite losing his ability to grunt, he has maintained his impressive array of clean vocals. 'My Twin' is the album's peak, with a beguiling chorus, an alluring melody and a few Gothic nuances, it really incorporates the essence of Katatonia. Although the album is predominantly focused on its soft and bitter tone, The Great Cold Distance is not without heavy sections. The opening track has a powerful riff that is one of the heaviest moments on the album, while 'Rusted' gives the middle of the album a perfectly timed heavy interlude. 'In The White' brings about the album's denouement, and is a intriguing song which somehow embodies the albums bleak nature despite having an abundant charismatic allure.

I can't find a fault in this albums production. The sound is spot on, giving generous time to the docile and hypnotic riffs while saving plenty of room for the blistering riffs that dominated their earlier work. Katatonia are on top of their game here, and have released a captivating album that is worthy of high praise and success.

Best Tracks: Leaders, My Twin, In The White.

Amorphis - Silent Waters

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This is the heaviest album in the list so far, and also the most recent. It is a blend between the death metal of Amorphis' early albums and the far more melodic metal of heavy metal / rock era. Stylistically, it is similar to their last album, Eclipse, though it improves on many of the key elements. There is a much better arrangement of death grunts and clean vocals, it certainly shows a degree of similarity to Opeth, and there are some excellent sweeping and striking riffs on the album.

Tomi Joutsen proves himself a very able front man. His singing and effortless flair is one of Silent Water's strongest points; his clean vocals have a wonderful Gothic quality that defines the album's title track, while his dark, almost doom metal, grunts give a new-found depth to tracks such as 'Weaving the Incantation'. It is also excellent to behold that, 14 years since the bands first album The Karelian Isthmus, they retain glimpses of the Folk metal that first propelled them into the eyes of the metal community. The opening two tracks provide a very heavy start to the album, almost in the same vein as tracks from their death metal days, however the mesmeric piano-heavy title track introduces a sense of calm that is present in the middle of the album. This atmospheric section, which is significantly aided by the superbly polished sound of the album, builds up throughout the tracks until it reaches the climactic peak that is 'The White Swan'. Comprised of an excellent riff and instrumental and equally stunning vocals, with callous death grunts that lead into a powerful clean chorus, the penultimate track on the album is really the culmination of the album.

Amorphis are renowned for basing their lyrics on stories from the Finish national epic, the Kalevala (Although I am rarely enticed into reading poetry, I have enjoyed reading several stories from the Kalevala, which can be seen in its entirety here: http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/ Even though it isn't in its native language, it has translated well.) Silent Waters is no exception to this, remaining true to the themes that have graced nearly all of Amorphis' albums. This really is Amorphis back to their best.

Best Tracks: Weaving the Incantation, Silent Waters, The White Swan.

Opeth - Still Life

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The hardest decision I had to make in writing this article was which Opeth album to include. They have been so consistent in releasing brilliant albums that I could probably justify including any of their albums. In the end I decided on Still life, just narrowly beating Blackwater Park. Still Life is very dark concept album, rife with all the complexities that define an Opeth album. Mikael Åkerfeldt is magnificent, not just because of his hybrid of gutteral grunts and clean vocals, but we also see a mixture between his deeper grunts and the violent, shrill screams that recent Opeth albums seem to have been lacking in. This was probably Opeth's best line up, (Lindgren, Mendez, Lopez and Åkerfeldt) and the band gels really well on the album, and despite the experimentation the album feels really polished.

The first two tracks on the album are exceptional. 'The Moor' kicks the album off to a heavy start, with a real emphasis on the more harsh side of Åkerfeldt's voice. The broad-layered 'Godhead's Lament', one of my personal favourite Opeth tracks, really shows the versatility of Opeth, and contains one of the most beautiful choruses of any of their songs. 'Benighted' was another advancement for Opeth, a Camel-influenced all acoustic track that is completely devoid of death vocals, while 'Face of Melinda' shows Opeth's growth as a band with the song's gradual increase in momentum, eventually reaching an incredibly atmospheric climax. 'Serenity Painted Death' has some incredibly haunting and mournful vocals and is the heaviest song in the album, and although there are a few melodic interludes, it really communicates the anger and hate of the central character in the story. 'White Cluster' wraps the album up nicely, with a strong array of vocals and intricate, dynamic riffs that are present throughout the seven tracks.

The story involves an atheist, who has been violently shunned from his community, and his doomed love affair with a nun called Melinda. Even though, in my eyes, the story takes a back seat to the music, I still feel that it gives the songs that little bit of extra depth that transforms this from an excellent composition, into a masterpiece.

Best Tracks: The Moor, Godhead's Lament.

—

The albums that I have named here are ones that I have enjoyed, and ones which I feel accurately represent all ends of the huge spectrum of music that is progressive metal. I'd love to hear your comments, whether you agree with me or not, and I am very open to recommendations for bands which I may not have heard. Most of the albums in this list are quite recent, the oldest being Queensrÿche's Operation: Mindcrime, which was released in 1988, so I've probably ignored a lot of earlier, genre-defining albums, although I did contemplate a few, such as King Crimson's Red and Uriah Heep's Demons & Wizards, both of which I consider to have played significant roles in the birth of progressive metal music.

I really was spoiled for choice in making this list, and I've had to leave out albums by some of my very favourite albums: Devin Townsend's Terria, Riverside's Second Life Syndrome, countless Symphony X albums, and the one song masterpieces that are Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness, by Green Carnation and A Pleasant Shade of Grey, by Fates Warning to name a few.

The album is also available to pre-order in three different editions: the regular 2CD edition, the special edition with a bonus DVD, and the Limited Deluxe Edition which comes in a DVD case with the bonus DVD and a 36 page book of extended artwork (which I bought). The latter two can also come signed if pre-ordered now. Further information can be found here: http://www.ayreon.com/ayreon/preorder.html

Much of the story is still unknown, but the Insideout music website has released this brief synopsis:

"Through technological advancement, 'Forever', a race of aquatic beings living on Planet Y, has found the secret of longevity. They have advanced to the point that they have become completely dependent on machines and are losing their emotions. A passing comet on a collision course with Planet Earth provides the opportunity to revitalize their race; 'Forever' harness the comet to carry their DNA to a new home on Earth. When the comet and Earth collide, the cataclysmic impact exterminates the dinosaurs (the Fifth Extinction), but from the ashes of destruction, humans arise. At first, the experiment with seeded DNA seems successful: through the humans ‘Forever’ vicariously relive the emotions they experienced before the age of machines. In order to help mankind overcome their physical ailments and mental limitations, 'Forever' speeds up human evolution. But the result is tragic: people develop a similar technological dependency with their emotions waning just like 'Forever' and moral development not keeping pace with their capacity to invent. 'Forever' must find a way to save mankind from its imminent self-destruction… or should they?"

It's quite hazy in the detail, but I'm already beginning to see how this is going to tie in to the previous albums. To say I'm excited is an understatement.

Part 1

Part 2

I know this has been posted on various sites in the past, but I figured I'd take it a level further. It's possible to search for mp3s on google using a search query to single out public index pages of people's uploaded tracks. I've created a simple form to do this for you:

Just insert your chosen track, album or artist and hit go!

Please note that BlueSunCorp is neither affiliated with Google, nor the sites you'll find with this search.

I can honestly say that I have never looked forward to an album as much as this. It's Ayreon's 7th album, and the 5th instalment of the story that began with The Final Experiment. Ayreon, a project of Arjen Lucassen, have an unorthodox and experimental musical style. Their albums are Rock Operas incorporating numerous genres, including progressive rock, metal, folk, classical and electronica.

Music and lyrics are, as always, composed by Arjen, who once again has a small singing part. Drums are again provided by Ed Warby. The singers are mainly new, although a few Ayreon veterans have been included in the cast. Samples for each vocalist (with stripped-down music) can be found in the gallery:

http://bluesuncorp.co.uk/images?g2_itemId=2356

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I often browse for new music on MySpace.com - but there's no easy way to download it from their site. With this in mind, here are some handy third-party solutions for downloading music from MySpace bands and profile pages.

1. downloadmyspacemusic.co.uk - This gives you individual download links for each track on a myspace band's page, and it's as fast as lightning. The only problem is, it doesn't seem to work if you want to download tracks from individual users' pages.

2. myspacegrab.com - This only returns one link for band pages, but works perfectly if you want to download the track featured on someone's profile page.

3. orbitdownloader.com- This is a software based downloader, which allows you to download the track directly from the myspace page in your browser.

These are the best three I've found so far: there are methods to get the tracks without using any of them, but these take far less effort, and I've found they work perfectly for me every time. Enjoy!

I'm just posting this now because I found a stream of Pinsky reading it; anyway, this is one of my favourite poems, and if you want to listen for yourself I've uploaded it to the gallery. Enjoy.

http://bluesuncorp.co.uk/v/audio/pinsky.mp3.html

Robert Pinsky - Impossible To Tell

Slow dulcimer, gavotte and bow, in autumn,
Bashõ and his friends go out to view the moon;
In summer, gasoline rainbow in the gutter,

The secret courtesy that courses like ichor
Through the old form of the rude, full-scale joke,
Impossible to tell in writing. "Bashõ"

He named himself, "Banana Tree": banana
After the plant some grateful students gave him,
Maybe in appreciation of his guidance

Threading a long night through the rules and channels
Of their collaborative linking-poem
Scored in their teacher's heart: live, rigid, fluid

Like passages etched in a microscopic cicuit.
Elliot had in his memory so many jokes
They seemed to breed like microbes in a culture

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A friend from a community I visit posted a link to his band's myspace page. I had a listen, expecting to be underwhelmed, but some of the tracks - although there are only 4-5 on there - are really quite good. I really see this band going somewhere.

http://www.myspace.com/farplanehalo

Combining gritty rock with classical vocals and modern sounds, Farplane Halo scorches on to the alternative music scene. The band is a unique collaborative effort between 4 friends with various musical backgrounds. Charlie Stuettgen, Helen Casper, Ian Frye, and Lance Burns breathe life into Farplane Halo through their musical efforts.

Definitely give it a listen, if you can. My favourite tracks thus far are 'Solstice' and 'Hate to Love' - I'm hoping I can get a copy of the mp3s, and when I do they're going straight up in the gallery. Maybe they've got some more unreleased demos… (watch this space).

Update:

I've managed to get hold of those mp3 files. Up in the gallery:

http://bluesuncorp.co.uk/v/audio/farplanehalo

The first thing to note is that he has a lot of videos under his belt. Even if his only feature length film is Torque, he's hardly lacking in experience - and whether Torque is bad because of the director, or for other reasons (the concept for one…) I've yet to find out; I'll post a review just as soon as I get round to watching it. Heck, I may even enjoy it, in some bizzare attempt to persuade myself that Neuromancer is going to be the best thing since Serenity. Expect my biased, subjective opinion soon.

The videos: (in chronological order)

Widowmaker - Long Gone

Not a bad start. This video perfectly compliments the music.

Onyx - Last Dayz

Weird, but I like it. The man knows how to do a good rap video.

Public Enemy - So Whatcha Gone Do Now

Sublime. And not just because I like the track.

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These are audio files of William Gibson reading an abridged version of Neuromancer. Each of the eight parts is about forty minutes long - and even if you're not into the cyberpunk genre, it's a good listen (and an even better read). They weren't incredibly easy to find - and I don't think they're available on tape any longer; so I figured I'd mirror them here.

Feel free to listen + download in mp3 format from the gallery.

http://bluesuncorp.co.cc/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=2159