Ayreon Universe – The Best Of Ayreon Live
''Ayreon Universe – The Best of Ayreon Live'', alternatively known as ''Ayreon Universe – Best of Ayreon Live'' or simply ''Ayreon Universe'', is a live album and DVD/Blu-ray by Arjen Anthony Lucassen's progressive rock/metal rock opera project Ayreon, released on March 30, 2018. Unlike Ayreon's first live album ''The Theater Equation'', which was a stage performance of the album ''The Human Equation'', ''Ayreon Universe'' was performed as a traditional concert, with two additional songs from Star One, another project by Lucassen. It was recorded during a series of concerts in September 2017, which were the first ever official Ayreon concerts, although ''The Theater Equation'' was released (but not performed) as an official Ayreon product. The performance featured 16 singers, all of whom had previously worked together with Lucassen on his studio albums. Production Recording It was recorded during a series of concerts in September 2017, which were the first ever official ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ayreon
Ayreon is a musical project by Dutch songwriter, singer, musician and record producer Arjen Anthony Lucassen. Ayreon's music is described as progressive rock, progressive metal and power metal sometimes combined with genres such as folk, electronica, experimental and classical music. The majority of Ayreon's albums are dubbed "rock operas" (or "metal operas") because the albums contain complex storylines featuring a host of characters, usually with each one being represented by a unique vocalist. Each Ayreon album tells a different story, but all, with the exceptions of ''Actual Fantasy'', '' The Theory of Everything'', and ''Transitus'', take place in the same fictional, science fiction universe; additionally, Lucassen's solo album ''Lost in the New Real'' is also set in the Ayreon universe. Ayreon's music is characterized by the use of traditional instruments in rock music (guitars, bass guitar, drums, analogue synthesizers, electric organs) mixed with instruments more native ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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LP Record
The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a vinyl (a copolymer of vinyl chloride acetate) composition disk. Introduced by Columbia in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry. Apart from a few relatively minor refinements and the important later addition of stereophonic sound, it remained the standard format for record albums (during a period in popular music known as the album era) until its gradual replacement from the 1980s to the early 2000s, first by cassettes, then by compact discs, and finally by digital music distribution. Beginning in the late 2000s, the LP has experienced a resurgence in popularity. Format advantages At the time the LP was introduced, nearly all phonograph records for home use were made of an abrasive shellac compound ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Flight Of The Migrator
''Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator'' is the fifth album from Ayreon, a progressive metal/ rock opera project by Dutch musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen, released in 2000. The musical styles found on ''Flight of the Migrator'' contrast its counterpart '' The Dream Sequencer'', illustrating a wild, raucous journey through the tumultuous and chaotic reaches of outer space. In keeping with the setting of the story, the album's tone is much heavier, exuding a powerful, guitar-driven metal feel throughout. Both albums were released simultaneously, sold well and were received positively. In 2004, Lucassen moved to a new record label - Inside Out Music - and with this move came re-issues of all the previous Ayreon releases, including ''The Dream Sequencer''. The special edition re-issue merged both albums into a single release, titled ''Universal Migrator: Parts I & II''. The album was also released on vinyl in December 2012. As ''Universal Migrator'' had enough con ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jonas Renkse
Jonas may refer to: Geography * Jonas, Netherlands, Netherlands * Jonas, Pennsylvania, United States * Jonas Ridge, North Carolina, United States People with the name * Jonas (name), people with the given name or surname Jonas * Jonas, one of two Jeneum (figures in the Book of Mormon) * Jonah or Jonas, a prophet in the Hebrew Bible * Jonas (footballer, born 1943), full name Jonas Bento de Carvalho, Brazilian football midfielder * Jonas (footballer, born 1972), full name Carlos Emanuel Romeu Lima, Angolan football midfielder * Jonas (footballer, born 1983), full name Jonas Brignoni dos Santos, Brazilian football defender * Jonas (footballer, born 1984), full name Jonas Gonçalves Oliveira, Brazilian football forward * Jonas (footballer, born 1987), full name Jonas Jessue da Silva Júnior, Brazilian football defender * Jonas (footballer, born 1991), full name Jonas Gomes de Sousa, Brazilian football midfielder Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Jonas'' (novel), a 1955 novel b ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Anneke Van Giersbergen
Anna Maria "Anneke" van Giersbergen (born 8 March 1973) is a Dutch singer, songwriter and guitarist who became known worldwide as the lead singer for the rock band The Gathering between 1994 and 2007. She also has a solo career. The project was originally called Agua de Annique, but now goes by her own name. A frequent collaborator of Arjen Anthony Lucassen, she portrayed main characters in the albums ''Into the Electric Castle'', '' 01011001'' and ''The Theater Equation'' by his project Ayreon. In 2014 they collaborated on a project called The Gentle Storm, which produced an album titled '' The Diary'' that was released in 2015. Since 2016 she has formed a new band VUUR with members of The Gentle Storm live band and her own solo band, to focus on the heavier side of her music. They released their debut album '' In This Moment We Are Free – Cities'' in October 2017. Van Giersbergen has also prominently collaborated with Devin Townsend on many of his albums, Within Temptation ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Floor Jansen
Floor Jansen (; born 21 February 1981) is a Dutch singer and songwriter. She is the lead vocalist of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. Jansen first became known as a member of symphonic metal band After Forever, standing as their lead vocalist from 1997, when she joined at age 16, to their disbanding in 2009. When After Forever disbanded, she formed ReVamp and has released two albums with them. In 2012 following the departure of their lead vocalist Anette Olzon, Nightwish brought in Jansen as a touring member until the end of their Imaginaerum World Tour. In 2013, they announced Jansen was now their full-time lead vocalist; she subsequently disbanded ReVamp to focus on Nightwish. In 2018, she and Pagan's Mind guitarist Jørn Viggo Lofstad premiered their hard rock duo Northward. A frequent collaborator of Arjen Anthony Lucassen, Jansen is a member of his progressive metal supergroup Star One, and sang in the Ayreon albums '' Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer'' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Marcela Bovio
Marcela Alejandra Bovio García (born October 17, 1979) is a Mexican singer and violinist who is currently a member of the Dutch symphonic death metal band MaYaN. In 1995, she joined Hydra, a Mexican metal band, singing and playing violin. In 1999 they released an EP called "''Bosquejo''". After leaving them, Bovio co-founded the Mexican experimental rock band Elfonía in 2001, which was active until 2006. In 2003, she responded to a "casting call" by Dutch musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen for relatively unknown singers, who chose her to play the character of Wife in the Ayreon album ''The Human Equation''. In 2005, he also picked her for his new project, the progressive metal band Stream of Passion. The band released their debut album ''Embrace the Storm'' the same year, with Bovio acting as sole lyricist. Lucassen left the band to continue on its own in 2007; this resulted in Bovio acting as band leader and one of the main songwriters (including for composition) on subsequent a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lori Linstruth
Lori Von Linstruth is an American guitarist, lyricist and manager. She currently resides in the Netherlands where she lives with her partner and musical collaborator Arjen Anthony Lucassen. She is also his manager. In addition, Linstruth is the webmaster of Lucassen's official website, a member of his band Guilt Machine (she wrote all the lyrics of their first album ''On This Perfect Day'') and a former member of his former band Stream of Passion. She also co-wrote all the lyrics of the Ayreon album '' The Theory of Everything'', again with Lucassen. In 2010, Linstruth announced on her blog she was taking a "guitar sabbatical" to focus on other pursuits, such as dog-training, citing a loss of enthusiasm. Personal life She currently resides in the Netherlands where she lives with her partner and musical collaborator Arjen Anthony Lucassen; she previously lived in Sweden. In a 2017 interview, Lucassen mentioned that, in addition to her work with him, she was also an English tea ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Theory Of Everything (Ayreon Album)
''The Theory of Everything'' (stylized as ''ŦĦΣ ŦĦΣΦɌ¥ ΦƑ ΣVΣɌΨŦĦIΠG'') is the eighth studio album from Ayreon, a progressive metal/rock opera project by Dutch musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen, released on 28 October 2013. As with every Ayreon album, it is a concept album with each character being portrayed by one singer, however being released five years after ''01011001'' which concluded the original Ayreon story, ''The Theory of Everything'' is a fresh start from the Ayreon storyline developed since Ayreon's first album ''The Final Experiment'' in 1995; in addition, while previous albums which took place in a sci-fi context, it is set in a realistic world. Lucassen composed all the music, and wrote the story and lyrics with his girlfriend Lori Linstruth, making it the first Ayreon album in which he shares lyrics credit for all the songs. In the typical style of the project, the album features several guest singers to portray the characters across the album, inc ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Marko Hietala
Marko Tapani "Marco" Hietala (born 14 January 1966) is a Finnish heavy metal vocalist, bassist and songwriter. Internationally, he is best known as the former bassist, male vocalist and secondary composer to Tuomas Holopainen, of the symphonic metal band Nightwish. He was also the vocalist and bassist as well as composer and lyricist for the heavy metal band Tarot. He is also a member of the supergroup Northern Kings, and portrayed one of the main characters in Ayreon's 2013 album '' The Theory of Everything''. Biography Marko Hietala was born in Kuopio, and is the youngest child of the Hietala family. Hietala lived in Tervo until the age of 15, after which he moved to Kuopio to study classical guitar, vocals and musical theory in high school. In 1984, he and his brother Zachary formed the heavy metal band Tarot under the name ''Purgatory''. In 1986, Tarot received a deal for their first album and went on tour. Before becoming a full-time musician, he worked as a live and stu ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hansi Kürsch
Hans Jürgen "Hansi" Kürsch (born 10 August 1966) is a German singer, songwriter and former bass guitarist, best known as a member of the power metal band Blind Guardian. One of the founders of the band, he has been its lead vocalist since its creation in 1984, and also acted as the band's bass guitarist until 1996. He is also the former lead vocalist of Demons & Wizards, a side-project with Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer until his departure from the project in 2021. Additionally, he has worked prominently as a guest with other artists, including Angra, Edguy, Iced Earth, and Therion; he notably played characters in the Ayreon albums ''01011001'' and ''The Source''. Early life Hansi Kürsch was born on 10 August 1966 in Lank-Latum, near Düsseldorf, to a working-class family in West Germany. He is the youngest of four siblings. Kürsch was raised in the suburb of Lank-Latum, near a castle called Burg Linn. Having spent his childhood playing football near the castle nurt ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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01011001
''01011001'' is the seventh studio album by Arjen Anthony Lucassen's long-running Ayreon project. "01011001" is the binary representation of the ASCII value of the letter '' Y''. ''01011001'' is a concept album that tells the story of aliens called the "Forever", who create humanity, only to later endanger it by providing it with technology. Seventeen singers in total, including Lucassen himself, contributed to the album, more than any other Ayreon album. Apart from Lucassen, only Anneke van Giersbergen (ex- The Gathering) and Floor Jansen (After Forever, Nightwish) had sung on previous Ayreon albums, on ''Into the Electric Castle'' and '' Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer'' respectively. It also stars, among others, Bob Catley from Magnum, Hansi Kürsch from Blind Guardian, Jørn Lande, and Steve Lee from Gotthard in his final guest appearance before his death in 2010. The album was a commercial and critical success. Reception AllMusic reviewer Cosmo Lee p ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |