Arjen Lucassen- "Songs No One Will Hear"

Prog in the way 70s used to call it, VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR, FOCUS, KAMEL are all here in a mid tempo, slow burning prog alum, that let Lucassen shows another side of him, that AYREON didn't let him expose in full. Melodic, sentimental, shoe gazing (sometimes) compositions are always well crafted from a man who lives and breathes for progressive rock. Along with Mikael Akerfeldt of OPETH and Steven Wilson of PORCUPINE TREE, these three musicians are the epitome of progressive rock aficionados of the 70s in the 21st century. Arjen just pays tribute to his idols and influences, never getting bored ,to slow down and let simplicity and emotions take over technical proficiency and complexity. Note that the album is a pop album. It has the melancholy and time absence that albums by KAMEL, KING CRIMSON, PINK FLOYD, dare to challenge time duration and song structure, all in order to create the right feeling for the listener. As the Bandcamp page notes "This is the soundtrack to humanity’s final days – chaos, humor, and raw emotion collide!Experience a guitar-driven, modern, and more prog-oriented sound, evoking the energy and feeling of his earlier Ayreon work while maintaining a tight, conceptually focused narrative!" .

 The help of a number of musicians that usually won't appear in a traditional progressive metal orr metal album like   Ben Mathot – Violin,  Jeroen Goossens – Flute, Jurriaan Westerveld – Cello plus  Koen Herfst – Drums,Irene Jansen – Vocals, Joost van den Broek – Hammond and  Mike Mills – Narration. Lucassen takes over  Guitars, Vocals, Bass, Keyboards to accomplish his target. A concept album that creates atmosphere and focuses on melodies and lyrics, beyond orchestration and complex time keeping. He has  the additional help of Floor Jansen – Vocals, - Robert Soeterboek – Vocals, - Marcela Bovio – Vocals, Peter Daltrey – Spoken Word/Narration, Patty Gurdy – Hurdy-Gurdy creating the perfect blend between AYREON, NIGHTWISH and his personal vision.

 "Goddamn Conspiracy" is progressive rock of the 70s with metal influences,, KANSAS and CITIES with violin take over in reminiscent in "Our Final Song" , an epic song lasting 14 minutes and a tribute to his influences,the 70s and his artistic journey,with echoes of QUEEN, female and male vocals duelling and mesmerizing, a multi layer, epic, stand out track."We'll Never Know"feat. Floor Jansen is another mid tempo, powerful prog rock elegy with Jansesn taking the emotional lead."The Universe Has Other Plans","Dr. Slumber's Blue Bus","Just Not Today" are all small 70s inspired progressive rock masterpieces, elegant, mid tempo and trippy. An album that is more a personal tribute and testimony of an artist living in a collapsing world who decides to be outvert with innerversion to his influences and past, in the most articulate way. A must for the 70s prog rock fans of JETHRO TULL, KANSAS,CITIES, FOCUS and of course early AYREON.

7,5