| 1. Mr. Hyde |
| 2. Insidia |
| 3. Stanza Dell'oro |
| 4. Nell'attimo |
| 5. Invisibile |
| 6. Branco |
| 7. Ruggine |
| 8. Senza Rete |
| 9. Luce Che Trema |
| 10. Oceano |
| 11. Ruggine [Remix] |
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
2001 Studio Album from Litfiba Including their Smash Hit, "la Stanza De Oro". This is the Bands their 11th Album.
You are really lucky to hear a good live album, especially with the highly overproduced CD's of today. No overdubs and its unlikely that the singer can sing as high or clear as on the CD. But not so here. Arjen surrounds himself with good singers and musicians, and the sound is huge. True, some of the lyrics are cheesy, and Robert doesn't do so well in spots, but the live versions are often better than the studio versions, with a higher energy.
Standout tracks are "Songs on the Ocean", "Dawn of a Million Souls" (my personal favorite), "Into the Black Hole" (Damian is great here), "Valley of the Queens", and "Isis and Osiris". All are much better than the studio tracks and some have different arrangements which make them better live. Russell Allen and Damian are vocally great. Floor and Irene Jansenn mesh together perfectly. Irene compliments Floor's voice very well. Peter Vink's bass and Ed Warby's drums tones are huge. Arjen's guitar tone is also very good.
The DVD is good. According to Arjen's notes he never intended on releasing the DVD. It was recorded with one or two cameras and sound off the board. Then two fans submitted their extra video shots from in the crowd and they mixed them together into the video. It is surprisingly smooth, although a couple of times seems out of sync (hence the previous reviewer's comment on Robert's lip syncing). The stage is really small for so many singers/players. But overall my friend and I liked the DVD.
Arjen's "Human Equation" CD is in my CD player at home and I listen to it all the time. Star One live is my main car CD rotation.
From my point of view, the star performer and suprise here is Damien Wilson. This guy is incredible, what a fantastic singer. A very talented performer, the song "into the black hole" is fantastic due to the powerful and haunting Wilson vocals.
This Arjen guy is also very talented. This was the 1st time I had heard any of his stuff and I was impressed with the quality and depth of songs. A very good buy.
All the vocalists used are great and really fit their parts. Even if you don't pay attention to the roles each singer portrays, the trading off of multiple vocalists within a song works very well and seldom sounds cheesy.
A few vocalists really steal the show; namely Devin Townsend, Mikael ?kerfeldt, Irene Jansen, and Marcela Bovio. Those that know Devin Townsend's music know his trademark screams and they fit his part to a tee since he portrays the emotion of rage. Mikael ?kerfeldt from Opeth has a great singing voice (when he uses it) and offers a few of his trademark grunts (death metal vocals). While that form of singing prevents me from enjoying Opeth, it actually fits his parts well and are used very sparingly to great effect (coming off like some kind of demented god figure). At times his voice is quite operatic with amazing depth, especially on Day Twelve: Trauma. Irene Jansen has an extremely powerful voice, evident in the song Day Eleven: Love. Marcela Bovio is a newly discovered singer that Arjen Lucassen found in a talent competition. She has an amazingly emotive voice and is featured on his latest project.
The music has parts that are prog-metal, art rock, and prog-folk. The prog-folk sections sound an awful lot like classic Jethro Tull. The prog-metal sections vaguely sound like typical Dream Theater. The instrumentation is excellent, never sounding strained or forced into musical styles they can't reproduce. That's one of the reasons I actually like this rock opera, the music is always high quality and provides a great deal of variety. Interestingly, Day Three: Pain has a simple guitar part that sounds a lot like one of the themes from James Bond.
All in all, this is an excellent progressive recording. The music is atmospheric, heavy, and folksy all at once. The vocal performances are amazing and the overall presentation is incredible. This recording truly deserves all the accolades that it garners. I would highly recommend this to any prog fan; it truly is a masterpiece on so many levels. Shell out a few extra bucks for the special edition with the DVD. The making of documentary is actually quite interesting.
The track "Hope", for me, is a very moving and uplifting song. All at once it gives me (ironically) hope and makes me think about all the friends I have lost over the years.
Arjen has created something that will unfortunately be overlooked by bloody mainstream America. It is sad that we concentrate so much on glitz and glamour and sex and ignore bands that actually have talent. BUY THIS CD! You won't regret it! in fact, I DEFY YOU to dislike this album!
SKT
Certainly one of the most interesting releases I've heard of late is the 6th Ayreon album titled "The Human Equation". Ayreon is full-blown progressive rock and orchestral in sound, with a huge arsenal of guitars, mandolins, analog synthesizers, melotrons, hammond organ, as well as string instruments (vn, vc), flutes, recorders, bassoon (!), even the Australian folk instrument, the didgeridoo. Likewise the style of the music is extremely varied, usually within the same song, going from hard rock to folk, country and classical, sometimes in very unpredictable ways. But what really makes the album unique is the stunning array of 11 singers, each one powerful and compelling (especially the three women).
Ayreon albums are the brainchild of one person, Dutch rock musician Arjen Lucassen, who writes all the music and most of the lyrics, plays all the guitars, bass, and most of the keyboards, and even sings, and does most of the mixing and post-production! He is a composer in the truest sense of the word, spending up to 2 years writing before ever going into the studio, and the fact that he has assembled such a stellar cast (including many who don't normally "guest" on other albums) says a lot for his status in the industry and the quality of his music. His albums are not just albums or even "concept" albums, but rock operas, with characters and a story line. In this case, the story concerns a man in a coma, with his best friend and wife at his side. The real drama, however, plays out in the man's head-- Various emotions become "characters" in the story as he relives seminal episodes in his life, and we discover the circumstances that led up to his "accident". It's a fascinating concept-- Not your typical rock album, that's for sure!
Some things to listen for along the way:
CD1-
Track1-- Intro to album. Gorgeous harmony for Wife: "Why are you so concerned" Too short! I want to hear more!
Tr 2-- Full blown progressive rock number with many characters and huge arsenal of colors. Exciting instrumental interludes (phenomenal Synth solo). Refrain (Passion:"Can't you feel it burn") more intensely orchestrated with each new appearance. Also verses radically reorch, depending on the character (compare Me: "I can't move", to Love: "Close your eyes")
Tr 3 "Pain"-- Appropriately gloomy, but with a wonderful ray of hope (Love: "I can't accept this")
Tr 4-- Totally inspired use of the slide guitar, especially highlighting more gorgeous harmony for the Wife ("Do you think he's seen it?"). Also stunning a-capella reorch of verse towards end. One of my favorites!
Tr 5-- Lydian guitar and mandolin intro. Nice writing for violin and cello. Middle section (Reason: "Who are these voices", Love: "They sound familiar") great!
Tr 7-- Happy go lucky, Beach Boys like. Great harmonies (Best friend: "So much to see"). Abrupt change to "harder" orch at end, when lyrics get more serious (Me: "There's no way out").
Tr 10-- Just plain gorgeous, and very moving. Beginning sounds like intro, but actually is the same musical material as verse proper (Best Friend and Pride: "Do you remember that time"). Another re-orch of the verse at end (Passion: "Can you see her light").
Tr 11-- Incredible inspiration to end CD 1. Irresistable, swinging 6/8 rhythm, obscured by mandolin intro, then "corrected" by drum entrance. Wonderful harmony throughout, esp. bVII, IV, I progression in verse, and rich harmony in refrain (Passion: "Do it right"). Surprise new section (Agony: "Remember your father"), yet another re-orch of the verse (Fear: "You're afraid she might turn you down"), wonderful vocal counterpoint after that (Me: "Friday night"), and INCREDIBLE ending-- I call it Climax by Subtraction!!
CD 2-
Track 12-- At begining., wisps of virtually every song from CD 1 fly by. Listen real close, or you'll miss it! Yet another amazing transformation of musical material (compare Fear: "We won't let you go" to Passion: "She won't let you go"). Synth end recalls very beginning of track.
Tr 13-- Beautiful acoustic number, especially welcome after heavy, dark rock of tr 12. Again, gorgeous new music for Wife ("Can you feel me touch"). Another new section later (Wife: "Can you see") with very unusual orch. of string Pizzicato, perhaps indicating the "teardrops" in the lyrics.
Tr 15-- Wagnerian majesty in the refrain (Reason: "This memory burns inside"), which is more gloriously orch. with each new appearance. Wonderful instrumental interlude, almost Bach Toccata-like.
Tr 16-- One of the more brutal songs, especially lyrically, but has amazing Hammond solo in middle by rock legend Ken Hensley (phenomenal drumming by Ed Warby in this section as well).
Tr 17-- gorgeous Pink Floyd-esque inspiration at critical point in the story. Missing beats in verse, haunting "off stage" women's chorus (Wife: "Did you see me smile"), and great bass line during refrain (Agony: "Love left you") all highlights. And, yet another verse reorch (Agony: "Your memory begins to clear").
Tr 18-- Mostly instrumental. Flute "cadenza" at begining actually states main musical material of song. Folksy style recalls inst. track on CD 1 (#9). Fugal section explores virtually his entire arsenal of instruments, sometimes in bizarre combinations.
Tr 19-- Another gorgeous song, with more lydian tendencies. Surprise C# minor at middle section (Wife: " My sweet love"), with leaping string arpeggios. The instrumental section recalls tr 18.
Tr 20-- The climax of the entire album, both lyrically and musically. Large ABA form--- outer "A" sections fittingly use a passacaglia, recalling climactic sections of many classical works (Purcell-- Dido & Aeneas, Brahms-- Symph #4, Britten-- Turn of the Screw & Peter Grimes come to mind). "B" sec. begins with huge surprise harmonically (Agony: "Welcome to reality"), and many more harm surprises after that. Final "A" section builds to huge climax before the surprise ending puts a new twist on the whole story.
That does it! Sorry for the "cliff-notes" approach, but hopefully I got my points across. I look forward to your comments-- (...)respond on the Amazon website.
Happy listening!
Scott Tisdel
Having started out with "Into the Electric Castle" and "Universal Migrator Pts 1 and 2," I was fond of Arjen's music, but found the electronica "spacey" type stuff kinda difficult to listen to at times. When I found out about The Human Equation, and read about the fact that it didn't have all of the "space-themed" lyrics and sounds, and saw the list of singers on the album...well, I was pretty darn excited.
Upon the first couple of listens, I didn't really grasp the depth or brilliance of this album. But once I got the chance to sit down and listen to it at work on my headphones, I was simply amazed. Each time I have listened to this album, it has gotten better. There are precious few albums out there that do get better with each listen...this is one of them. I simply cannot stop playing this CD. It is to the point that I fear I will over-play it, and then grow tired of it (which happens with any album, no matter how good it is), but the damn thing just keeps getting better!!
Some of my favorite bands include Symphony X, Dream Theater, Rush, Spock's Beard, Trans-Atlantic, and Porcupine Tree. The best way I can describe Human Equation in relation to these bands is this...Imagine each band's "masterpiece" and combine the elements that made them "masterpieces" together. Bing, bang, boom, presto! You have created "The Human Equation."
This album, as someone else commented, is worth much more than the asking price, when you consider how much entertainment and pure brilliance that you get in return for your hard-earned money. In my humble opinion, you should not hesitate one little bit to purchase this album. You will be forever delighted that you did.
So, the first album since Neal Morse left the band, and the follow-up to the masterpiece 'Snow'. The sound has changed greatly - changed enough that I question whether they should be named Spock's Beard anymore. Not that the change is bad, but for dignity's sake, lets not compare this to 'The Light', 'Snow', 'V', 'Beware the Darkness', 'The Kindness of Strangers', - well, you get the point. Every other Spock's BEard album, besides 'Octane'. I don't doubt their talent - they are talented, and Nick is a good vocalist. The songs are simply poorly written, on the most part.
Onto the songs. Most songs are filler. Or, at least, would be filler on any other album. However, 'Ghost of Autumn' is amazing. Here's where the difficulty comes. That song alone is worth the price of the disc. And so it should be, because you don't want to pay for any of the other ones. It's a ballad - catchy, dominated at first by piano and Nick's vocals. The chorus is excellent, and the song then bursts into an absolutely breathtaking guitar solo. The 'epic' suite on this album is very, very poor - it's entitled 'A Boy Named Sid', and it's composed of several dry, very lacking, plain pieces. Yes, together it's a long song. But each piece sounds *completely* different from the other pieces. The lyrics are very poor and uninspired. They never revisit previous themes, so essentially it's a bunch of shorter songs that they claim is part of one longer song.
Then again, the album ends on a high note. Carry On is another good song. Some good hooks, good vocals.
All in all, this is a very poor album. But I'm not knocking the new line-up - they showed they can do well with what they have, on 'Octane'. Thats a good album. This one...well, isn't.
I always thought Neil Morse was a HAM. On Transatlantic's Live In Europe DVD he confirmed it. There's a moment of good music being played, hey wait a second, "I'm not featured!" jumping into action Morse grabs a backup guitar he's not fit to play and ruins an otherwise nice moment on the Beatles Tribute section of the show by trying to play a lead. Now lets think about this, there are two equally great guitarists in the band. Both are fine soloists, but Neil didn't have enough to do with his various keyboards and acoustic guitar. Better get to that spare electric and take a good moment, something people whine is missing on this CD, and ruins it with his fratboy party music. It was the epitome of everything that was screaming to me for Neil to take that vacation from rockin' out.
I was deeply disappointed in Snow, which Feel Euphoria should be compared to, as on Snow the sound of the album was Neil Morse and the band called Spock's Beard doing a thrilling tribute to why prog rock turned people off in the first place.
Excess is just as bad as lack of cohesion as a band gets it's legs without it's, at times, brilliant and seemingly incapable of being a team player band behind it's leader. I was positive the band would break up after Snow and was glad to see they decided to keep trying. That's something lost to a lot of people reviewing. Also lost is the idea of actually taking a band for what it is, listening to songs for what they are and not forgiving a band from being behind the dictation of a pleasant to listen to vocalist who' real art was in arrangment and song development.
Feel Euphoria stutters on it's start by the band trying new things. How un-progressive (meant in it's most scathing way.) I agree with several that the vocals are actually better post NM. The vocal arrangements need some help, and why the band decided to do a chameleon like album is questionable, but most of the album is still in the progressive mode and it's mostly sung exceptionally well. The playing is still excellent although, to me, wasted on Neo Metal and Alternative, which is an alternative to what? But that's another subject.
When the Beard get in gear and play as they are comfortable with doing they sound fine and if no one was told NM was gone there would be no objections, but because he is gone, to borrow a phrase, God is dead. Neil Morse is far from God. In fact, if you respect him you'd mention he wants to serve him rather than the small progressive rock audience that Spock's Beard inhabit. Whether Christian balladry is exactly a higher calling, it is to NM, so leave the guy be, he's happy and if you're all fans you should let him be and focus on the band that remains.
Regarding "A Guy Named Sid" I'll agree it's far from the best thing the Beard has done, but it's also miles ahead of traditional rock, which hasn't put much effort into originality other than new and better ways of getting you to buy 30 year old albums. That suggests a bit of cheapness towards the recording industry and it's unwilliness to try anything new.
And with people like many of the reviewers, who can blame them. Keep on wanting the same sandwich and you'll soon have every restaurant reproducing their version of it, some worse, some the same and most likely none better. Comparing fast food to a band may seem a terrible choice but doesn't anyone else hear a lack of substance to this material? And while the substance may be lacking it is at least played with some genuine pleasure, which seems looked on with disdain.
Bands find their way by enjoying what they play, whether it was bright to put an album out fairly quickly is partially answered here. To me there's a bit more than 50% of a good album here. It is not as good as some prior releases, but it is so far from the poop some try to make of it that those crying and wimpering should go over to Peter Gabriel's career and find an album that bothered them for a while as Gabiel is a charismatic artist that could get away with material on this album if he'd wanted. The point to this collection is that the band wants out from the yoke of Neil Morse and having a chance seemed very excited to have a shot.
From what I heard of the latest release, it was another sub-par effort by fetishists, or is that Spock's Beard fans? I think the former. The latest 2nd sans Neil Morse CD didn't seem all that terrible. It did sound like you'd need some time to get used to the music, but horror of horrors, we wouldn't want to do that, now would we?
For all the fans who listen to the NM-less Beard, why not listen and not pine away? And for any band members brave or foolish enough to actually read the reviews here, guess what, you owe it to your listeners to decide who you are. Are you now hard rocking, post progressive or are you truly NEO progressive. It's a big difference, and you are in need of cohesion. The playing, the singing and occasionally, the music is there. But it's not there enough to justify passing this on to the fans as your new calling card, as your new calling card says, good band looking for identity.
SO on both sides there are issues, but I feel more for a band behind an egotistical band leader, and his ego to some degree was acceptable as he actually delivered on his part. His arranging and singing, something I tolerated rather than enjoyed, did bring many a fine moment to Spock's Beard, as on albums like "V" and the oft maligned "Kindness to Strangers" which was my introduction to the band. In a lot of ways that album was all over the place as Feel Euphoria, but it's stronger moments were stronger and more defined while their excesses were simply annoying.
If there is a ray of sunshine here it's the lack of trying to sound like Genesis, Gentle Giant or Yes which was like a extra added feature with the Beard. As a listener, I always wanted more identity and less nostalga. And that is something that is actually good about Feel Euphoria. Though nowhere as symphonically progressive as before, the band at least tries progression.
Fanboys being what they are, they "puke" at the thought. Boy, does the recording industry want a word with you! Given a couple new areas of music you might become an A&R man looking for whatever derivitive clone band there is out in the world of music.
Reasonable listeners might pick up some rays of hope here. There's a better singer with a range that fits the feel the band seems to be going for, that is, more muscular and darker. It is a trend with prog bands of late, meet the prog metal guys halfway and stave off a complete takeover of the genre. Then there's the simplicity factor.
While not the poster child of sing-along songs, Spock's Beard still write melodic music. Some of it is a bit messy and might take some time to form, but I hear some changes for the better, mainly, change. After Snow I had no desire to hear Neil Morse do anything. It was everything that good progressive music shouldn't be, that is, bombastic for the hell of it, sprawling modest length songs that were almost more like the faux progressive sounds of "Mr Roboto" Styx to post "Leftoverature" Kansas, both discredits to the genre.
So cheer up, Feel Euphoria isn't great by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not a complete sell-out either. There is a band in great need of direction, something that often is lacking in bands that follow a leader. Where scathing critics hear terrible noise, and in you consider anything here noisy you need a dictionary and copy of any Ministry album post 1996 for a taste of noise in rock.
Oh, and let's judge the band for what they are, not who they are missing. These are not kids that are picking up their instruments for the tenth time and getting someone's wealthy dad to pay for studio time and a vanity CD pressing. The agony some of you suffer over a band missing exactly what no progressive music listener should desire, that being an idol. Had the band decided to stay in 40 minute territory the album could have been significantly tighter and while some hardcore listeners would not be satisfied no matter what, there is a lot on Feel Euphoria that could have gone to make this a more convincing album.
Rather than doing the digipack, lay it on them approach, I'd have had vastly more desire hearing a new approach to the old album by cutting the awkward opener, and really, that is a problem. Focus on there being nothing powerful enough to lead this collection of songs off to a good pace. I will agree completely on this problem. But I will never condemn a band that sincerely works on an album without dreging out the trench and building the exact same albums they'd have done with Neil Morse.
Honestly, they seemed to finish off with "V". Snow was more a song stylist in an art rock band. It didn't feel any more cohesive than Feel Euphoria. But it did sound like the familiar voice of the band with the familiar song arrangements and faux religious ethos from the past.
If I were to be outraged by an album in Spock's Beard's catalog I would have picked Snow instantly. I bring it up as most of the whininers will see that as the last legitimate SB album. Again, if that invisible band member were reading this review I'd also say, stick too your ground. You didn't have a future after Snow. You do have a future but you really need to put most of your effort into writing songs that adult listeners don't want to cringe listening to. I do not for a moment think that what we have here is the apex of Spock's Beard, phase 2. That's what has pissed off so many people; forget the slaves to the past, there are things that can be done to improve.
1. if you aren't going for memorable melodies then crank up the quality of the music
2. There's this fantastic instrument called they synthesizer. In case Neil stole the one they used it might be a fresh new sound
3. by cranking up the quality I don't mean more solos by Alan Morse, I mean arranging material that is fresh
4. look at The Flower Kings for symphonic inspiration or faces that can be argued aren't progressive but have the feel when it suits them, in this case Porcupine Tree
5. look but don't emulate, I mention this as Porcupine Tree feels more like the future and The Flower Kings more rooted in the past, but both with new band members, replacing and at minimal equaling to surpassing the band members replaced. In both cases they were not the frontman, driving force, but they were important as each band in it's own way has an identity that withstood change
And in the end, this sincere but mediocre effort isn't what offends me. It is the underlaying group of fans that whine about the good old days which is something that has all but killed YES. Name a change that was good? The Trevor Rabin based YES? The Rick Wakeman who looks as interested as a corpse that reanimates when it's time to play a riff (cha ching! there goes $14,358 in the bank for that motif, time to be bored in a band context again...when's the tour over, oops, [plays some chords] what was I thinking? Oh yeah, how many more gigs before I can go back to doing what I really enjoy?); and while I say bad things about art rock's most copied band, let me add that even they are husks of their heyday. Why do we let ourselves be lead around the nose by labels more interested on what will get a song in FM rotation than whether it's a good song?
I appreciate Feel Euphoria even if it's not the first album I go to for inspiration. At least I hear a band again and that's a start. What Spock's Beard does with it's new found freedom from it's past may be a shallow husk of the old band, at least this album doesn't reek of conformism or offend by trying to foist a new sound, new purpose marketing blitz.
I'll take the band that tries over the individuals that protect their image any time. Many listeners here won't put the time into it. They are offensive to music, not just Spock's Beard. And for all the invective they spew, at least the band puts effort into what they do. But that's not even the point to a lot of reviewers of this album. Hopefully SB v2 will have the last laugh and produce some albums that show them for the excellent artists they are in their own right. What of the Spinal Tap bands that aren't intentional lampoons? They're what sells; but Feel Euphoria sickens some of you. I'm sure you'll find a new band to fixate on, don't worry, there's clones a plenty you'll find and love.
Neither a great CD nor Satan's spawn as suggested at times by the more hysterical reviewer.
the opening track Onomatopaeia would have to be the weakest, i do not know why - there are a few awesome sections but its a great rocking tune. The Bottom Line has rapidly become one of the most enjoyable tunes SB has released. the vocal melody is the coolest ever. the title track is so different to anything ive heard from them and that makes it awesome!! the intro just kicks major ass, while the 5 note build up into the chorus is stellar! Shining Star has entered my all time list of best songs, ive always been a fan of ballads and this is amazing, Nick really shines majorly - and the lyrics tend to have an impact on me personally (which would be a first). East Of Eden, West Of Memphis did not click with me at first but i gave it time and eventually it found its place, good way to keep the album flowing. Ghosts Of Autumn - the second ballad on this disc is stunning also, i did not listen to this regularly for some time and once i did i wondered to myself why?!?! the piano is beautiful, the vocals and music really stands tall in this.
The epic Sid well that just kicks ass, i wouldve preferred it to be a continuous track but that doesnt really matter. my favourite section is "you dont know" but as a whole its truly a good start to a new epic. the album then ends on carry on which finishes the album nicely. the 2 bonus tracks are great but not up to the same standards!
2001 Studio Album from Litfiba Including their Smash Hit, "la Stanza De Oro". This is the Bands their 11th Album.
Insidia,Litfiba,Staccato,Foreign Language Rock,Italy,Jam Bands,World Music
![Live on Earth [w/ Limited Edition Bonus DVD]](http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/31AYPS0ST3L.jpg)
Average customer rating: 
|
Live on Earth [w/ Limited Edition Bonus DVD]
Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Progressive Metal
| Progressive
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
ASIN: B00008V6XO Release Date: 2003-04-29 |
Tracks:
- Lift Off
- Set Your Controls
- High Moon
- Dreamtime
- Eyes of Time
- Songs of the Ocean
- Dawn of a Million Souls
- Dream Sequencer
- Into the Black Hole
- Actual Fantasy
- Valley of the Queens
Tracks:
- Isis and Osiris
- Amazing Flight in Space
- Intergalactic Space Crusaders
- Castle Hall
- Eye of Ra
- Starchild
- Two Gates
Tracks:
- Lift Off [DVD]
- Set Your Controls [DVD]
- High Moon [DVD]
- Dreamtime [DVD]
- Eyes of Time [DVD]
- Songs of the Ocean [DVD]
- Dawn of a Million Souls [DVD]
- Dream Sequencer [DVD]
- Keyboard Solo [DVD]
- Into the Black Hole [DVD]
- Actual Fantasy [DVD]
- Valley of the Queens [DVD]
- Isis and Osiris [DVD]
- Amazing Flight in Space [DVD]
- Bass Solo [DVD]
- Intergalactic Space Crusaders [DVD]
- Castle Hall [DVD]
- Eye of Ra [DVD]
- Starchild [DVD]
- Two Gates [DVD]
- Photo Gallery [DVD] - Arjen Anthony Lucassen
- Behind the Scenes [DVD] - Arjen Anthony Lucassen
- Space Truckin' [DVD]
- Intergalactic Laxative [DVD]
- Dreamtime [DVD]
Album Description
2003 live release for rock act featuring Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon), Russell Allan (Symphony X), Damian Wilson (ex-Threshold), & Floor Jansen (After Forever). This 'intergalactic' concert was captured in September 2002. 18 tracks. SPV.Customer Reviews:
Intergalactic Space Crusaders........2006-01-07
One of the best live albums I have ever heard.......2004-11-23
You are really lucky to hear a good live album, especially with the highly overproduced CD's of today. No overdubs and its unlikely that the singer can sing as high or clear as on the CD. But not so here. Arjen surrounds himself with good singers and musicians, and the sound is huge. True, some of the lyrics are cheesy, and Robert doesn't do so well in spots, but the live versions are often better than the studio versions, with a higher energy.
Standout tracks are "Songs on the Ocean", "Dawn of a Million Souls" (my personal favorite), "Into the Black Hole" (Damian is great here), "Valley of the Queens", and "Isis and Osiris". All are much better than the studio tracks and some have different arrangements which make them better live. Russell Allen and Damian are vocally great. Floor and Irene Jansenn mesh together perfectly. Irene compliments Floor's voice very well. Peter Vink's bass and Ed Warby's drums tones are huge. Arjen's guitar tone is also very good.
The DVD is good. According to Arjen's notes he never intended on releasing the DVD. It was recorded with one or two cameras and sound off the board. Then two fans submitted their extra video shots from in the crowd and they mixed them together into the video. It is surprisingly smooth, although a couple of times seems out of sync (hence the previous reviewer's comment on Robert's lip syncing). The stage is really small for so many singers/players. But overall my friend and I liked the DVD.
Arjen's "Human Equation" CD is in my CD player at home and I listen to it all the time. Star One live is my main car CD rotation.
The best $20 you could spend!.......2004-02-29
The show in Rijssen, Holland, "lifts off", and you're on a nonstop thrillride all the way until the end. Whether the music is loud and the lights are flashing, or it's slowed down and the keyboards are haunting, there's never a dull moment. An amazing array of material is performed, not just Star One. There are about half a dozen Star One songs, and then there are tracks from every Ayreon album. Fans of Into the Electric Castle will really enjoy the spot on (or really, improved) playing of Isis and Osiris, The Amazing Flight in Space (in which Arjen and Joost have a soloing battle/shoving match, truly hilarious), Valley of the Queens (this is a real gem, an accoustic ballad with Floor doing a superb job), The Castle Hall, and in the encore, Two Gates. The rest of the songs are quite flawless as well. Songs like The Dream Sequencer are amazingly improved with the energy of a live setting.
The DVD also includes some bonus features that didn't have to be there, but certainly aren't bad. A humurous set of behind the scenes footage, an additional encore/closing song Space Truckin, which didn't fit on the audio CDs, two songs from the show in Tilburg, and a nice photo gallery. Not shabby. None of what you're getting in this package is shabby, and again I'll say, it's a fantastic deal. You're getting the entire show in CD and DVD format, for the price of what would be one DVD alone.
In conclusion- if you're a fan of progressive rock/metal music, even if you don't particularly enjoy Sci Fi and Fantasy subjects, get this album. It is surely one of the best live shows you'll ever seen recorded, period.
Russell Allen voice is amazing.......2004-01-25
He is like Paul Rodger, Steve Walsh, and Ronnie James Dio all in one but better.
Great buy with the dvd thrown in there
Hilarious but excellent at the same time.......2004-01-21
From my point of view, the star performer and suprise here is Damien Wilson. This guy is incredible, what a fantastic singer. A very talented performer, the song "into the black hole" is fantastic due to the powerful and haunting Wilson vocals.
This Arjen guy is also very talented. This was the 1st time I had heard any of his stuff and I was impressed with the quality and depth of songs. A very good buy.
![Human Equation [Limited Edition] [Bonus DVD]](http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/31PFJ92FFCL.jpg)
Average customer rating:
|
Human Equation [Limited Edition] [Bonus DVD]
Ayreon Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Progressive Rock
| Progressive
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Progressive Metal
| Progressive
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
ASIN: B00020QZNO Release Date: 2004-09-13 |
Tracks:
- Day One: Vigil
- Day Two: Isolation
- Day Three: Pain
- Day Four: Mystery
- Day Five: Voices
- Day Six: Childhood
- ,Day Seven: Hope
- Day Eight: School
- Day Nine: Playground
- Day Ten: Memories
- Day Eleven: Love
Tracks:
- Day Twelve: Trauma
- Day Thirteen: Sign
- Day Fourteen: Pride
- Day Fifteen: Betrayal
- Day Sixteen: Loser
- Day Seventeen: Accident?
- Day Eighteen: Realization
- Day Nineteen: Disclosure
- Day Twenty: Confrontation
Album Description
As with his previous "Ayreon" releases, the latest offering from the brilliant musical mind of Arjen Anthony Lucassen is both the prototype and benchmark of all modern Rock Operas. The Human Equation is the sixth studio CD from Ayreon and it is by far the most grandiose to date. It shall surely prove to be another milestone in the genre. The 2-CD set features an impressive line up of guest vocalists including: James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Mikael Akerfeld, Devin Townsend, Devon Graves (Dead Soul Tribe), Eric Clayton (Saviour Machine), Irene Jansen (Star One), Magnus Ekwall (The Quill) and Heather Findlay (Mostly Autumn). The Human Equation Special Edition 2CD and DVD collectors set comes packaged in a deluxe collectors box with 36 page book and features behind the scenes footage, the story of Ayreon, the video of Day 11: Love and more.Customer Reviews:
AN EXCELLENT EPIC WORK.......2007-03-11
Perhaps the best rock opera ever........2006-04-22
All the vocalists used are great and really fit their parts. Even if you don't pay attention to the roles each singer portrays, the trading off of multiple vocalists within a song works very well and seldom sounds cheesy.
A few vocalists really steal the show; namely Devin Townsend, Mikael ?kerfeldt, Irene Jansen, and Marcela Bovio. Those that know Devin Townsend's music know his trademark screams and they fit his part to a tee since he portrays the emotion of rage. Mikael ?kerfeldt from Opeth has a great singing voice (when he uses it) and offers a few of his trademark grunts (death metal vocals). While that form of singing prevents me from enjoying Opeth, it actually fits his parts well and are used very sparingly to great effect (coming off like some kind of demented god figure). At times his voice is quite operatic with amazing depth, especially on Day Twelve: Trauma. Irene Jansen has an extremely powerful voice, evident in the song Day Eleven: Love. Marcela Bovio is a newly discovered singer that Arjen Lucassen found in a talent competition. She has an amazingly emotive voice and is featured on his latest project.
The music has parts that are prog-metal, art rock, and prog-folk. The prog-folk sections sound an awful lot like classic Jethro Tull. The prog-metal sections vaguely sound like typical Dream Theater. The instrumentation is excellent, never sounding strained or forced into musical styles they can't reproduce. That's one of the reasons I actually like this rock opera, the music is always high quality and provides a great deal of variety. Interestingly, Day Three: Pain has a simple guitar part that sounds a lot like one of the themes from James Bond.
All in all, this is an excellent progressive recording. The music is atmospheric, heavy, and folksy all at once. The vocal performances are amazing and the overall presentation is incredible. This recording truly deserves all the accolades that it garners. I would highly recommend this to any prog fan; it truly is a masterpiece on so many levels. Shell out a few extra bucks for the special edition with the DVD. The making of documentary is actually quite interesting.
Amazing... AbsoFlippin Amazing.......2006-02-02
The track "Hope", for me, is a very moving and uplifting song. All at once it gives me (ironically) hope and makes me think about all the friends I have lost over the years.
Arjen has created something that will unfortunately be overlooked by bloody mainstream America. It is sad that we concentrate so much on glitz and glamour and sex and ignore bands that actually have talent. BUY THIS CD! You won't regret it! in fact, I DEFY YOU to dislike this album!
A Stunning Masterpiece!.......2005-12-01
SKT
Certainly one of the most interesting releases I've heard of late is the 6th Ayreon album titled "The Human Equation". Ayreon is full-blown progressive rock and orchestral in sound, with a huge arsenal of guitars, mandolins, analog synthesizers, melotrons, hammond organ, as well as string instruments (vn, vc), flutes, recorders, bassoon (!), even the Australian folk instrument, the didgeridoo. Likewise the style of the music is extremely varied, usually within the same song, going from hard rock to folk, country and classical, sometimes in very unpredictable ways. But what really makes the album unique is the stunning array of 11 singers, each one powerful and compelling (especially the three women).
Ayreon albums are the brainchild of one person, Dutch rock musician Arjen Lucassen, who writes all the music and most of the lyrics, plays all the guitars, bass, and most of the keyboards, and even sings, and does most of the mixing and post-production! He is a composer in the truest sense of the word, spending up to 2 years writing before ever going into the studio, and the fact that he has assembled such a stellar cast (including many who don't normally "guest" on other albums) says a lot for his status in the industry and the quality of his music. His albums are not just albums or even "concept" albums, but rock operas, with characters and a story line. In this case, the story concerns a man in a coma, with his best friend and wife at his side. The real drama, however, plays out in the man's head-- Various emotions become "characters" in the story as he relives seminal episodes in his life, and we discover the circumstances that led up to his "accident". It's a fascinating concept-- Not your typical rock album, that's for sure!
Some things to listen for along the way:
CD1-
Track1-- Intro to album. Gorgeous harmony for Wife: "Why are you so concerned" Too short! I want to hear more!
Tr 2-- Full blown progressive rock number with many characters and huge arsenal of colors. Exciting instrumental interludes (phenomenal Synth solo). Refrain (Passion:"Can't you feel it burn") more intensely orchestrated with each new appearance. Also verses radically reorch, depending on the character (compare Me: "I can't move", to Love: "Close your eyes")
Tr 3 "Pain"-- Appropriately gloomy, but with a wonderful ray of hope (Love: "I can't accept this")
Tr 4-- Totally inspired use of the slide guitar, especially highlighting more gorgeous harmony for the Wife ("Do you think he's seen it?"). Also stunning a-capella reorch of verse towards end. One of my favorites!
Tr 5-- Lydian guitar and mandolin intro. Nice writing for violin and cello. Middle section (Reason: "Who are these voices", Love: "They sound familiar") great!
Tr 7-- Happy go lucky, Beach Boys like. Great harmonies (Best friend: "So much to see"). Abrupt change to "harder" orch at end, when lyrics get more serious (Me: "There's no way out").
Tr 10-- Just plain gorgeous, and very moving. Beginning sounds like intro, but actually is the same musical material as verse proper (Best Friend and Pride: "Do you remember that time"). Another re-orch of the verse at end (Passion: "Can you see her light").
Tr 11-- Incredible inspiration to end CD 1. Irresistable, swinging 6/8 rhythm, obscured by mandolin intro, then "corrected" by drum entrance. Wonderful harmony throughout, esp. bVII, IV, I progression in verse, and rich harmony in refrain (Passion: "Do it right"). Surprise new section (Agony: "Remember your father"), yet another re-orch of the verse (Fear: "You're afraid she might turn you down"), wonderful vocal counterpoint after that (Me: "Friday night"), and INCREDIBLE ending-- I call it Climax by Subtraction!!
CD 2-
Track 12-- At begining., wisps of virtually every song from CD 1 fly by. Listen real close, or you'll miss it! Yet another amazing transformation of musical material (compare Fear: "We won't let you go" to Passion: "She won't let you go"). Synth end recalls very beginning of track.
Tr 13-- Beautiful acoustic number, especially welcome after heavy, dark rock of tr 12. Again, gorgeous new music for Wife ("Can you feel me touch"). Another new section later (Wife: "Can you see") with very unusual orch. of string Pizzicato, perhaps indicating the "teardrops" in the lyrics.
Tr 15-- Wagnerian majesty in the refrain (Reason: "This memory burns inside"), which is more gloriously orch. with each new appearance. Wonderful instrumental interlude, almost Bach Toccata-like.
Tr 16-- One of the more brutal songs, especially lyrically, but has amazing Hammond solo in middle by rock legend Ken Hensley (phenomenal drumming by Ed Warby in this section as well).
Tr 17-- gorgeous Pink Floyd-esque inspiration at critical point in the story. Missing beats in verse, haunting "off stage" women's chorus (Wife: "Did you see me smile"), and great bass line during refrain (Agony: "Love left you") all highlights. And, yet another verse reorch (Agony: "Your memory begins to clear").
Tr 18-- Mostly instrumental. Flute "cadenza" at begining actually states main musical material of song. Folksy style recalls inst. track on CD 1 (#9). Fugal section explores virtually his entire arsenal of instruments, sometimes in bizarre combinations.
Tr 19-- Another gorgeous song, with more lydian tendencies. Surprise C# minor at middle section (Wife: " My sweet love"), with leaping string arpeggios. The instrumental section recalls tr 18.
Tr 20-- The climax of the entire album, both lyrically and musically. Large ABA form--- outer "A" sections fittingly use a passacaglia, recalling climactic sections of many classical works (Purcell-- Dido & Aeneas, Brahms-- Symph #4, Britten-- Turn of the Screw & Peter Grimes come to mind). "B" sec. begins with huge surprise harmonically (Agony: "Welcome to reality"), and many more harm surprises after that. Final "A" section builds to huge climax before the surprise ending puts a new twist on the whole story.
That does it! Sorry for the "cliff-notes" approach, but hopefully I got my points across. I look forward to your comments-- (...)respond on the Amazon website.
Happy listening!
Scott Tisdel
This CD will be in your "top-5 favorites" of all-time list..........2005-07-20
Having started out with "Into the Electric Castle" and "Universal Migrator Pts 1 and 2," I was fond of Arjen's music, but found the electronica "spacey" type stuff kinda difficult to listen to at times. When I found out about The Human Equation, and read about the fact that it didn't have all of the "space-themed" lyrics and sounds, and saw the list of singers on the album...well, I was pretty darn excited.
Upon the first couple of listens, I didn't really grasp the depth or brilliance of this album. But once I got the chance to sit down and listen to it at work on my headphones, I was simply amazed. Each time I have listened to this album, it has gotten better. There are precious few albums out there that do get better with each listen...this is one of them. I simply cannot stop playing this CD. It is to the point that I fear I will over-play it, and then grow tired of it (which happens with any album, no matter how good it is), but the damn thing just keeps getting better!!
Some of my favorite bands include Symphony X, Dream Theater, Rush, Spock's Beard, Trans-Atlantic, and Porcupine Tree. The best way I can describe Human Equation in relation to these bands is this...Imagine each band's "masterpiece" and combine the elements that made them "masterpieces" together. Bing, bang, boom, presto! You have created "The Human Equation."
This album, as someone else commented, is worth much more than the asking price, when you consider how much entertainment and pure brilliance that you get in return for your hard-earned money. In my humble opinion, you should not hesitate one little bit to purchase this album. You will be forever delighted that you did.
![Feel Euphoria [Limited Edition] [Digipak]](http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/31FMVM8ZGDL.jpg)
Average customer rating: 
|
Feel Euphoria [Limited Edition] [Digipak]
Spock's Beard Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Progressive Rock
| Progressive
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Progressive Metal
| Progressive
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
| Music
Hard Rock
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
ASIN: B00009RDE1 Release Date: 2004-09-13 |
Tracks:
- Onomatopoeia
- Bottom Line
- Feel Euphoria
- Shining Star
- East of Eden, West of Memphis
- Ghosts of Autumn
- Guy Named Sid, Pt. 1: Intro
- Guy Named Sid, Pt. 2: Same Old Story
- Guy Named Sid, Pt. 3: You Don't Know
- Guy Named Sid, Pt. 4: Judge
- Guy Named Sid, Pt. 5: Sid's Boys Choir
- Guy Named Sid, Pt. 6: Change
- Carry On
- Moth of Many Flames [*]
- From the Messenger [*]
Tracks:
- Conspiracy - The Conspiracy
- Brand New - Steve Hackett
- Sinking Sand - Enchant
- Melrose Avenue - California Guitar Trio
- Head - O.S.I.
- Some Things You Can't Return - Dead Soul Tribe
- Starcycle - Derek Sherinian
- I Never Noticed - Jadis
- Change - Ray Wilson
- Small Acts of Human Kindness - Steve Howe
- Silent Inferno - The Flower Kings
Album Description
Limited edition contains two bonus tracks and an expanded booklet with extra text and pictures. Also includes an InsideOut Music CD sampler.Album Description
Special edition of the progressive rock act's 2003 album includes two bonus tracks, 'Moth Of Many Flames' & 'From The Messenger', plus a bonus Inside Out Music label sampler featuring eleven tracks in a paper sleeve, 'Conspiracy' - Conspiracy, 'Brand New' - Steve Hackett, 'Sinking Sand' - Enchant, 'Melrose Avenue' - California Guitar Trio, 'Head' - O.S.I., 'Some Things You Can't Return' - Dead Soul Tribe, 'Starcycle' - Derek Sherinian, 'I Never Noticed' - Jadis, 'Change' - Ray Wilson, 'Small Acts Of Human Kindness' - Steve Howe & 'Silent Inferno' - The Flower Kings. Packaged in a flip-top digibox. Inside Out.Customer Reviews:
I don't know..........2005-12-01
So, the first album since Neal Morse left the band, and the follow-up to the masterpiece 'Snow'. The sound has changed greatly - changed enough that I question whether they should be named Spock's Beard anymore. Not that the change is bad, but for dignity's sake, lets not compare this to 'The Light', 'Snow', 'V', 'Beware the Darkness', 'The Kindness of Strangers', - well, you get the point. Every other Spock's BEard album, besides 'Octane'. I don't doubt their talent - they are talented, and Nick is a good vocalist. The songs are simply poorly written, on the most part.
Onto the songs. Most songs are filler. Or, at least, would be filler on any other album. However, 'Ghost of Autumn' is amazing. Here's where the difficulty comes. That song alone is worth the price of the disc. And so it should be, because you don't want to pay for any of the other ones. It's a ballad - catchy, dominated at first by piano and Nick's vocals. The chorus is excellent, and the song then bursts into an absolutely breathtaking guitar solo. The 'epic' suite on this album is very, very poor - it's entitled 'A Boy Named Sid', and it's composed of several dry, very lacking, plain pieces. Yes, together it's a long song. But each piece sounds *completely* different from the other pieces. The lyrics are very poor and uninspired. They never revisit previous themes, so essentially it's a bunch of shorter songs that they claim is part of one longer song.
Then again, the album ends on a high note. Carry On is another good song. Some good hooks, good vocals.
All in all, this is a very poor album. But I'm not knocking the new line-up - they showed they can do well with what they have, on 'Octane'. Thats a good album. This one...well, isn't.
Transition means change...or, get over yourselves.......2005-09-05
I always thought Neil Morse was a HAM. On Transatlantic's Live In Europe DVD he confirmed it. There's a moment of good music being played, hey wait a second, "I'm not featured!" jumping into action Morse grabs a backup guitar he's not fit to play and ruins an otherwise nice moment on the Beatles Tribute section of the show by trying to play a lead. Now lets think about this, there are two equally great guitarists in the band. Both are fine soloists, but Neil didn't have enough to do with his various keyboards and acoustic guitar. Better get to that spare electric and take a good moment, something people whine is missing on this CD, and ruins it with his fratboy party music. It was the epitome of everything that was screaming to me for Neil to take that vacation from rockin' out.
I was deeply disappointed in Snow, which Feel Euphoria should be compared to, as on Snow the sound of the album was Neil Morse and the band called Spock's Beard doing a thrilling tribute to why prog rock turned people off in the first place.
Excess is just as bad as lack of cohesion as a band gets it's legs without it's, at times, brilliant and seemingly incapable of being a team player band behind it's leader. I was positive the band would break up after Snow and was glad to see they decided to keep trying. That's something lost to a lot of people reviewing. Also lost is the idea of actually taking a band for what it is, listening to songs for what they are and not forgiving a band from being behind the dictation of a pleasant to listen to vocalist who' real art was in arrangment and song development.
Feel Euphoria stutters on it's start by the band trying new things. How un-progressive (meant in it's most scathing way.) I agree with several that the vocals are actually better post NM. The vocal arrangements need some help, and why the band decided to do a chameleon like album is questionable, but most of the album is still in the progressive mode and it's mostly sung exceptionally well. The playing is still excellent although, to me, wasted on Neo Metal and Alternative, which is an alternative to what? But that's another subject.
When the Beard get in gear and play as they are comfortable with doing they sound fine and if no one was told NM was gone there would be no objections, but because he is gone, to borrow a phrase, God is dead. Neil Morse is far from God. In fact, if you respect him you'd mention he wants to serve him rather than the small progressive rock audience that Spock's Beard inhabit. Whether Christian balladry is exactly a higher calling, it is to NM, so leave the guy be, he's happy and if you're all fans you should let him be and focus on the band that remains.
Regarding "A Guy Named Sid" I'll agree it's far from the best thing the Beard has done, but it's also miles ahead of traditional rock, which hasn't put much effort into originality other than new and better ways of getting you to buy 30 year old albums. That suggests a bit of cheapness towards the recording industry and it's unwilliness to try anything new.
And with people like many of the reviewers, who can blame them. Keep on wanting the same sandwich and you'll soon have every restaurant reproducing their version of it, some worse, some the same and most likely none better. Comparing fast food to a band may seem a terrible choice but doesn't anyone else hear a lack of substance to this material? And while the substance may be lacking it is at least played with some genuine pleasure, which seems looked on with disdain.
Bands find their way by enjoying what they play, whether it was bright to put an album out fairly quickly is partially answered here. To me there's a bit more than 50% of a good album here. It is not as good as some prior releases, but it is so far from the poop some try to make of it that those crying and wimpering should go over to Peter Gabriel's career and find an album that bothered them for a while as Gabiel is a charismatic artist that could get away with material on this album if he'd wanted. The point to this collection is that the band wants out from the yoke of Neil Morse and having a chance seemed very excited to have a shot.
From what I heard of the latest release, it was another sub-par effort by fetishists, or is that Spock's Beard fans? I think the former. The latest 2nd sans Neil Morse CD didn't seem all that terrible. It did sound like you'd need some time to get used to the music, but horror of horrors, we wouldn't want to do that, now would we?
For all the fans who listen to the NM-less Beard, why not listen and not pine away? And for any band members brave or foolish enough to actually read the reviews here, guess what, you owe it to your listeners to decide who you are. Are you now hard rocking, post progressive or are you truly NEO progressive. It's a big difference, and you are in need of cohesion. The playing, the singing and occasionally, the music is there. But it's not there enough to justify passing this on to the fans as your new calling card, as your new calling card says, good band looking for identity.
SO on both sides there are issues, but I feel more for a band behind an egotistical band leader, and his ego to some degree was acceptable as he actually delivered on his part. His arranging and singing, something I tolerated rather than enjoyed, did bring many a fine moment to Spock's Beard, as on albums like "V" and the oft maligned "Kindness to Strangers" which was my introduction to the band. In a lot of ways that album was all over the place as Feel Euphoria, but it's stronger moments were stronger and more defined while their excesses were simply annoying.
If there is a ray of sunshine here it's the lack of trying to sound like Genesis, Gentle Giant or Yes which was like a extra added feature with the Beard. As a listener, I always wanted more identity and less nostalga. And that is something that is actually good about Feel Euphoria. Though nowhere as symphonically progressive as before, the band at least tries progression.
Fanboys being what they are, they "puke" at the thought. Boy, does the recording industry want a word with you! Given a couple new areas of music you might become an A&R man looking for whatever derivitive clone band there is out in the world of music.
Reasonable listeners might pick up some rays of hope here. There's a better singer with a range that fits the feel the band seems to be going for, that is, more muscular and darker. It is a trend with prog bands of late, meet the prog metal guys halfway and stave off a complete takeover of the genre. Then there's the simplicity factor.
While not the poster child of sing-along songs, Spock's Beard still write melodic music. Some of it is a bit messy and might take some time to form, but I hear some changes for the better, mainly, change. After Snow I had no desire to hear Neil Morse do anything. It was everything that good progressive music shouldn't be, that is, bombastic for the hell of it, sprawling modest length songs that were almost more like the faux progressive sounds of "Mr Roboto" Styx to post "Leftoverature" Kansas, both discredits to the genre.
So cheer up, Feel Euphoria isn't great by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not a complete sell-out either. There is a band in great need of direction, something that often is lacking in bands that follow a leader. Where scathing critics hear terrible noise, and in you consider anything here noisy you need a dictionary and copy of any Ministry album post 1996 for a taste of noise in rock.
Oh, and let's judge the band for what they are, not who they are missing. These are not kids that are picking up their instruments for the tenth time and getting someone's wealthy dad to pay for studio time and a vanity CD pressing. The agony some of you suffer over a band missing exactly what no progressive music listener should desire, that being an idol. Had the band decided to stay in 40 minute territory the album could have been significantly tighter and while some hardcore listeners would not be satisfied no matter what, there is a lot on Feel Euphoria that could have gone to make this a more convincing album.
Rather than doing the digipack, lay it on them approach, I'd have had vastly more desire hearing a new approach to the old album by cutting the awkward opener, and really, that is a problem. Focus on there being nothing powerful enough to lead this collection of songs off to a good pace. I will agree completely on this problem. But I will never condemn a band that sincerely works on an album without dreging out the trench and building the exact same albums they'd have done with Neil Morse.
Honestly, they seemed to finish off with "V". Snow was more a song stylist in an art rock band. It didn't feel any more cohesive than Feel Euphoria. But it did sound like the familiar voice of the band with the familiar song arrangements and faux religious ethos from the past.
If I were to be outraged by an album in Spock's Beard's catalog I would have picked Snow instantly. I bring it up as most of the whininers will see that as the last legitimate SB album. Again, if that invisible band member were reading this review I'd also say, stick too your ground. You didn't have a future after Snow. You do have a future but you really need to put most of your effort into writing songs that adult listeners don't want to cringe listening to. I do not for a moment think that what we have here is the apex of Spock's Beard, phase 2. That's what has pissed off so many people; forget the slaves to the past, there are things that can be done to improve.
1. if you aren't going for memorable melodies then crank up the quality of the music
2. There's this fantastic instrument called they synthesizer. In case Neil stole the one they used it might be a fresh new sound
3. by cranking up the quality I don't mean more solos by Alan Morse, I mean arranging material that is fresh
4. look at The Flower Kings for symphonic inspiration or faces that can be argued aren't progressive but have the feel when it suits them, in this case Porcupine Tree
5. look but don't emulate, I mention this as Porcupine Tree feels more like the future and The Flower Kings more rooted in the past, but both with new band members, replacing and at minimal equaling to surpassing the band members replaced. In both cases they were not the frontman, driving force, but they were important as each band in it's own way has an identity that withstood change
And in the end, this sincere but mediocre effort isn't what offends me. It is the underlaying group of fans that whine about the good old days which is something that has all but killed YES. Name a change that was good? The Trevor Rabin based YES? The Rick Wakeman who looks as interested as a corpse that reanimates when it's time to play a riff (cha ching! there goes $14,358 in the bank for that motif, time to be bored in a band context again...when's the tour over, oops, [plays some chords] what was I thinking? Oh yeah, how many more gigs before I can go back to doing what I really enjoy?); and while I say bad things about art rock's most copied band, let me add that even they are husks of their heyday. Why do we let ourselves be lead around the nose by labels more interested on what will get a song in FM rotation than whether it's a good song?
I appreciate Feel Euphoria even if it's not the first album I go to for inspiration. At least I hear a band again and that's a start. What Spock's Beard does with it's new found freedom from it's past may be a shallow husk of the old band, at least this album doesn't reek of conformism or offend by trying to foist a new sound, new purpose marketing blitz.
I'll take the band that tries over the individuals that protect their image any time. Many listeners here won't put the time into it. They are offensive to music, not just Spock's Beard. And for all the invective they spew, at least the band puts effort into what they do. But that's not even the point to a lot of reviewers of this album. Hopefully SB v2 will have the last laugh and produce some albums that show them for the excellent artists they are in their own right. What of the Spinal Tap bands that aren't intentional lampoons? They're what sells; but Feel Euphoria sickens some of you. I'm sure you'll find a new band to fixate on, don't worry, there's clones a plenty you'll find and love.
Neither a great CD nor Satan's spawn as suggested at times by the more hysterical reviewer.
Finding Their Way w/o Neal.......2005-03-03
Spocks Keep Going!!.......2005-01-30
the opening track Onomatopaeia would have to be the weakest, i do not know why - there are a few awesome sections but its a great rocking tune. The Bottom Line has rapidly become one of the most enjoyable tunes SB has released. the vocal melody is the coolest ever. the title track is so different to anything ive heard from them and that makes it awesome!! the intro just kicks major ass, while the 5 note build up into the chorus is stellar! Shining Star has entered my all time list of best songs, ive always been a fan of ballads and this is amazing, Nick really shines majorly - and the lyrics tend to have an impact on me personally (which would be a first). East Of Eden, West Of Memphis did not click with me at first but i gave it time and eventually it found its place, good way to keep the album flowing. Ghosts Of Autumn - the second ballad on this disc is stunning also, i did not listen to this regularly for some time and once i did i wondered to myself why?!?! the piano is beautiful, the vocals and music really stands tall in this.
The epic Sid well that just kicks ass, i wouldve preferred it to be a continuous track but that doesnt really matter. my favourite section is "you dont know" but as a whole its truly a good start to a new epic. the album then ends on carry on which finishes the album nicely. the 2 bonus tracks are great but not up to the same standards!
Great Album........2004-12-23
![El Nino [Limited Edition]](http://www.germanelectronics88.com/noimage.gif)
Average customer rating: 
|
El Nino [Limited Edition]
Eldritch Manufacturer: Inside Out ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000LWYZBM |
|
Average customer rating:
|
Graveyard Mountain Home [Limited Edition]
Chroma Key Manufacturer: Inside Out ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Progressive Rock
| Progressive
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000LX40XO |
|
Average customer rating:
|
Office Of Strategic Influence [Limited Edition]
OSI Manufacturer: Inside Out ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
| Music
Progressive Metal
| Progressive
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000LWZ0B6 |
Average customer rating:
|
Diamonds on the Inside (Limited Edition)
Ben Harper Manufacturer: Emi/Virgin ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Folk Rock
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock Guitarists
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
Adult Alternative
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B00008CMQO Release Date: 2003-03-03 |
Tracks:
- With My Own Two Hands
- When It's Good
- Diamonds On The Inside
- Touch From Your Lust
- When She Believes
- Brown Eyed Blues
- Bring The Funk
- Everything
- Amen Omen
- Temporary Remedy
- So High So Low
- Blessed To Be A Witness
- Picture Of Jesus
- She's Only Happy In The Sun
Album Details
Featuring the First Single "With My Own Two Hands".Customer Reviews:
Floored!!.......2003-03-08
|
Average customer rating:
|
Wounded / Time Lost [Limited Edition]
Enchant Manufacturer: Inside Out ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Progressive Rock
| Progressive
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000LX1ZPA |
Average customer rating:
|
The Inside Track
Universal Music , The Revolution Smile , Marilyn Manson , S.T.U.N. , Queens of the Stone Age , Mxpx , Rooney , Trailer Park Pam , Bubba Sparxxx , and Depswa Manufacturer: Universal Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
| Music
Indie Rock
| Indie & Lo-Fi
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000QR9Y9K |
Product Description
Tracks: 1. The Revolution Smile - Bonethrower; 2. Marilyn Manson - This is the New Shit; 3. S.T.U.N. - Annihilation of the Generations; 4. Queens of the Stone Age - Go With the Flow; 5. MxPx - Well Adjusted; 6. Rooney - Blueside; 7. Trailer Park Pam - Buyer Beware (Vula); 8. Bubba Sparxxx - Deliverance; 9. Depswa - Needles; 10. Dredg - Of the Room; 11. Cold - Stupid Girl; 12. Campfire Girls - Someday; 13. Trust Company - Figure 8; 14. Jurassic 5 - Freedom. Limited Edition Compact Disc Compilation Release.|
Average customer rating:
|
Bridge Across Forever [Limited Edition]
Transatlantic Manufacturer: Inside Out ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Progressive Rock
| Progressive
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000LWZZWA |
International Music:
- Io So Che Un Giorno [Import]
- Kanou
- Karlmarxstrasse [Import]
- Ki.Se.Ki V.1 Internal [Limited Edition] [Import]
- Ki.Se.Ki V.2 External [Limited Edition] [Import]
- Kimini Juicewo Katteageru Heart Mark [CD-single] [Import]
- L'elefante E La Farfalla [Import]
- Latinamente [Import]
- Le Cinema de Serge Gainsbourg: Musique de Films, 1959-1990 [Box set] [Import]
- Ma Chanson D'Enfance [Import]