Kino:Picture // got it just a few days ago

[3-LockBox]

and I like it right off the bat...not really prog though...well, maybe a little.But it is a nice change of pace and its very well done. Really good sonics along with some well written toons. Straight forward hard rock.

My other amazon.com grab was Ayreon:Into The Electric Castle; its pretty good, though I'm not enamored with the rock opera style, it still has some great moments, and is a cornicopia of styles. The guy who sings the Roman's part has just a killer, bluesy voice (can't remember the name and I don't have the liner notes with me). The story is corny and isn't very well fleshed out either, but the music is great.

[Troy]

Yeah, I liked that Kino right out of the box as well. Poppy and accessible, yet filled with moments of peculiar harmonic choices. I like the tongue in cheek quality of several of the tracks. It's one of my faves of the year.

That Electric Castle thing tho . . . pure cheese. Total lack of charm, irony or meaning.

[Dusty Chalk]

Herein are the vocal credits:

Fish, Sharon den Adel, Damian Wilson, Edwin Balogh, Anneke van Giersbergen, Jay van Feggelen, Edward Reekers, vocals; Peter Daltrey, Robert Westerholt, George Oosthoek, voice

Any of those ring a bell? I remember Fish's voice standing out, but I doubt that's the one you mean...I think you'd remember that...

[BarryL]

and I like it right off the bat....

I also think that this is one of the better releases of the year. I look forward to their second release.

As for Ayreon, he always has his moments on these CDs and in general I like them, but I agree with Troy, they are for the most part cold and lack the emotion required to draw in the listener. But I like the prog-metal sound, and his work fits that space for me and provides a solid foundation for others to build on.

His latest effort, The Human Equation, was a big creative leap forward in my opinion.

[richmon]

The first disc of Electric Castle is cheesewiz, but ooo la la, that second disc is good. The sonics on it are great as well. Give it another try, just the second disc, with some V's (volume), late in the evening.

[3-LockBox]

Herein are the vocal credits:



Any of those ring a bell? I remember Fish's voice standing out, but I doubt that's the one you mean...I think you'd remember that...

Jay van Feggelen...he has this incredible bluesy voice

What band does he hail from?

[3-LockBox]

I also think that this is one of the better releases of the year. I look forward to their second release.

As for Ayreon, he always has his moments on these CDs and in general I like them, but I agree with Troy, they are for the most part cold and lack the emotion required to draw in the listener. But I like the prog-metal sound, and his work fits that space for me and provides a solid foundation for others to build on.

His latest effort, The Human Equation, was a big creative leap forward in my opinion.

I am wishing I'd picked Human Equation myself actually, not that I dislike Electric Castle, but my interest prolly won't last with this like the Universal Migrator has. As for being 'cold' or lacking emotion; I think all rock opera has this problem. I'll probably condense this into one CD down the road cuz it does have its moments and it hasn't turned me 'off' of Lucassen at all. He has an 'Alan Parsons' like quality to his work. Arjen can rock with the best of them and some of his poppy, story songs could make Tim Rice jealous.