Welcome back with your famous project Arjen! after a long time since the last album, Lucassen is back to offer us a double cd full of his music.
This must be noticed immediately: we walk the same old path we Always loved.
Lucassen is back to work with not famous singers. Not famous yes, but talented ones. This also marks once again how he is really skilled in keeping from each one the best and put this best in a composite plurality of voices and melodies: a perfect architecture.
Is there something wrong? nope, the album runs smoothly and maybe this could be a prob in the long distance. It seems strong album in its overhauling aspect: Two discs= two single immense songs.
It does not hit the ears on the short song distance: surely we can still find inspired minutes and lovely melodies (his inspiration is not yet dead) but nothing is sounding so strong as in the past (examples? the awarenes, hope, pride, loser, sail away to avalon, valley of queen, another time another space, the tower...); so strong to remain impressed for life.
It's this album worthy? sure, indeed, it's at last Always a good interesing and emotional tale Lucassen is telling us using the Language of music we know, between his dear "Golden age" prog plus less experimental paths (no triumph of electronic instruments as in some early ayreon's album or extreme vocals as in human equation).