''Transitus'' is the tenth studio album by the Dutch progressive rock/metal band

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, electro ...

. It was released on 25 September 2020. The album is accompanied by a 25 page comic book, not included with CD or vinyl, and illustrated by Felix Vega. The album's plot is one of the few not connected to the main Ayreon storyline; instead, it presents a sci-fi/gothic horror story partially set in the 19th century. A total of five music videos were released for the album. The two first came out on 16 July 2020 for the singles "Get Out! Now!" and "Hopelessly Slipping Away". The former covers the part in the story in which protagonist Daniel (

Tommy Karevik Tommy Karevik (born 1 November 1981) is a Swedish metal vocalist, best known as the singer for Seventh Wonder and Kamelot. He also appeared on Ayreon's 2013 album '' The Theory of Everything'', in which he portrayed the main character. He appe ...

) is banished from his house by his father (

Dee Snider Daniel "Dee" Snider (born March 15, 1955)Tayler, LettaTwisted Sister's Dee Snider remembers his challenging Long Island upbringing "Newsday", March 15, 2016Archived here/ref> is an American singer, songwriter, radio personality, and actor. He w ...

) for having an affair with their servant Abby (Cammie Gilbert). The song features a guitar solo by

Joe Satriani Joseph Satriani (born July 15, 1956)Prato, Greg"Joe Satriani – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". ''AllMusic''. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 28, 2014. is an American guitarist, composer, songwriter, and guitar teacher. Early in his ...

. The other song follows Daniel's ghost as he tries to contact Abby, who can't hear nor see him but does feel his presence. On 3 September, a video for "This Human Equation" featuring

Simone Simons Simone Johanna Maria Simons (born 17 January 1985) is a Dutch singer. She is best known for being the lead singer of Dutch symphonic metal band Epica, which she joined at the age of seventeen, releasing eight studio albums and touring the world ...

was released. According to Ayreon's mastermind

Arjen Anthony Lucassen Arjen Anthony Lucassen (born 3 April 1960) is a Dutch singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist musician and record producer best known for his long-running progressive metal/rock opera project Ayreon. Lucassen started his career in 1980 as the ...

, it contains several references to the project's universe, besides the title, which alludes to their sixth album. On 17 September, a lyric video for "Talk of the Town" was released, featuring images of Paul Manzi performing as Henry and studio footage of the instrumentalists recording their parts. The final video, titled "Daniel’s Descent into Transitus Medley", was released on 1 October featuring Simons, Karevik,

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 ...

and Caroline Westendorp (the latter two as the Furies).

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's media notes. ; Vocalists *

Tom Baker Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is an English actor and writer. He is well known for his portrayal of the Fourth Doctor, fourth incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the science fiction television series ''Doctor Wh ...

(actor for ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'') – The Storyteller *

(

Kamelot Kamelot is an American power metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed by Thomas Youngblood, in 1987. The Norwegian vocalist Roy Khan joined for the album ''Siége Perilous'', and shared songwriting credit with Youngblood until his departure in Apr ...

Seventh Wonder Seventh Wonder is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm, formed in 2000. History Seventh Wonder was formed in 2000 by bass player Andreas Blomqvist, guitarist Johan Liefvendahl and drummer Johnny Sandin after their previous band fell ...

) – Daniel * Cammie Gilbert (

Oceans of Slumber Oceans of Slumber is an American heavy metal band from Houston, Texas, formed in 2011. History Their self-released debut album ''Aetherial'' was released in February 2013. Lead vocalist Cammie Gilbert joined the band in 2014, after previous vo ...

) – Abby *

Johanne James Johanne James is the drummer for British progressive metal band Threshold. He joined the band officially, replacing Mark Heaney, in 2001, to record the album ''Hypothetical'', which occurred after having toured with the band in support of the a ...

(Kyrbgrinder, drummer for Threshold) – Abraham *

(

Epica Epica or EPICA may refer to: * Epica (band), a Dutch symphonic metal band * ''Epica'' (Kamelot album), 2003 * ''Epica'' (Audiomachine album), 2012 * The European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) * The Epica Awards (International Adver ...

) – The Angel of Death *

(ex-

Stream of Passion Stream of Passion is a Dutch progressive metal band with symphonic and gothic influences founded by guitarist and composer Arjen Anthony Lucassen and Mexican singer, violinist, and lyricist Marcela Bovio. They have released four studio albums. In ...

) – Fury, Servant, Villager * Caroline Westendorp (ex-

The Charm the Fury The Charm The Fury was a Dutch metal band from Amsterdam, formed in 2010. In 2013 The Charm The Fury released their first album, ''A Shade of my Former Self,'' throughout Listenable Records, after independently releasing the EP The Social Meltd ...

) – Fury, Servant, Villager * Paul Manzi (ex-

Arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

) – Henry * Michael Mills (Toehider) – The Statue *

(

Twisted Sister Twisted Sister was an American heavy metal band originally from Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, and later based on Long Island, New York. Their best-known songs include " We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock", both of which were associated with m ...

) – Father * Amanda Sommerville (Trillium, HDK) – Lavinia *

Dianne van Giersbergen Dianne van Giersbergen (born 3 June 1985) is a Dutch spinto soprano singer. She is the founder and frontwoman of the progressive metal band Ex Libris,Erwin Van Dijk, Sept. 2012, Ex LibrisInterview : Dianne van Giersbergen – Ex Libris (2010) ...

(

Ex Libris Ex Libris may refer to: *An Ex Libris (bookplate), a label affixed to a book to indicate ownership *Ex Libris (band), a Dutch metal band *Ex Libris (bookshop), a Swiss retail company * "Ex Libris" (''Charmed''), a 2000 episode of the television ser ...

) – Soprano * Dan J. Pierson, Jan Willem Ketelaers, Lisette van den Berg, Marjan Welman, Will Shaw, Wilmer Waarbroek – Villagers * Hellscore – Choir (directed by Noa Gruman) ; Instrumentalists *

Arjen Lucassen Arjen Anthony Lucassen (born 3 April 1960) is a Dutch singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist musician and record producer best known for his long-running progressive metal/rock opera project Ayreon. Lucassen started his career in 1980 as the ...

– Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Glockenspiel, Dulcimer, Toy Piano * Joost van den Broek – Hammond Organ, Piano, Fender Rhodes * Juan van Emmerloot – Drums * Ben Mathot – Violin * Jeroen Goossens – Flutes, Woodwinds * Jurriaan Westerveld – Cello * Alex Thyssen – French Horn * Thomas Cochrane – Trumpet, Trombone *

Patty Gurdy Patricia Büchler (born 1997), known professionally as Patty Gurdy, is a German hurdy-gurdy musician, singer, songwriter and vlogger. Early life and career Büchler was born in 1997. She lived in Düsseldorf while she studied there and graduat ...

– Hurdy Gurdy *

– Guitar Solo on "Get Out! Now!" *

Marty Friedman Marty Friedman (born December 8, 1962) is an American guitarist, best known for his tenure as the lead guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth from 1990 to 2000. He is also known for playing alongside Jason Becker in Cacophony from 1986 until ...

– Guitar Solo on "Message From Beyond"

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

External links

Arjen Anthony Lucassen
– Official website * Progressive rock albums by Dutch artists Ayreon albums 2020 albums Concept albums {{2020s-album-stub