Following on from the recent, hugely successful Electric Castle Live, an enthused Arjen Anthony Lucassen is back with Ayreon and a brand-new album. Entitled Transitus, it’s a typically bombastic outing, which boasts an appearance from legendary actor Tom Baker (notable for his eight-year tenure as Doctor Who) as The Narrator and, as with previous Ayreon outings, the record also features an all-star cast of rock and metal performers including Dee Snider, Joe Satriani, Simone Simmons (Epica), Marty Friedman and many more. However, that’s where the similarities end and the album breaks from the Ayreon Universe both thematically and musically. Set in 1884, the tale swaps high concept sci fi for a gothic melodrama with elements of the supernatural; whilst musically, Arjen has taken influence from well-known composers such as Jerry Goldsmith, John Carpenter and Ennio Morricone, resulting in an expansive, cinematic thrill ride. Indeed, it should come as no surprise that the LP and deluxe versions of the record are accompanied by a graphic novel (penned by Felix Vega) to flesh out the story and bring the characters to life.
Opening number, Fatum Horrificum, sets the tone for the coming album. Caught between the pulsing synth of John Carpenter and Holst’s malevolent Mars suite, it’s a sweeping and sinister introduction to the world of Transitus that is given greater weight by Tom’s wonderfully rich and theatrical delivery. Clocking in a ten minutes, as befits such a key piece of music, it draws from a range of influences, with a lush, Pink Floyd section emerging from the orchestral shenanigans, drawing us towards Daniel’s Descent Into Transitus, a short narrative piece, which recalls the conceptual passages of The Gentle Storm. With Tom on hand to guide us forward, Listen To My Story underscores the irreverent nature of the tale as Daniel (Tommy Karevik) greets the Angel of Death with the words “who the hell are you?” From here on in, we’re plunged into Transistus as horns swirl through the mix and the cast perform their roles with a relish rarely heard outside of Broadway. It’s magnificent fun with the peaceful Two Worlds Now One, the frankly mad renaissance-metal of Talk Of The Town and the fantastically whimsical Dumb Piece Of Rock. The first half reaches a peak with the deranged heavy metal might of Get Out! Now!, which sees Daniel summoned by his father (a blistering Dee Snider) and given a brutal roasting for his illicit romance. Throughout, you can feel the cast having an absolute blast in their roles and the musicians respond in kind, providing them with a soundtrack that revels in its freedom to roam across genres at will.
With the plot having reached its crisis point, CD Two opens with the dense, theatrical Condemned Without A Trial, a dizzying hybrid that combines Jethro Tull with Jeff Wayne and Dream Theater. A suitable backdrop for a trial that goes badly wrong, it leaves us plunging into the Shakespearean tragedy of Daniel’s Funeral, a track underpinned by brooding percussion and grinding guitars. Dark synths return for the guilt-strewn intro to Hopelessly Slipping Away, and yet, in the picked guitar and sweeping violin, there is still hope for all the horror the story inflicts upon a poor, haunted Abby (played with great sensitivity and power by Cammie Gilbert). With a self-referential wink, This Human Equation is the most Ayreon track on offer, with fantastic vocals from the Angel and her Furies (Simone Simons, Marcela Bovio and Caroline Westendorp having a wonderful time), who question the nature of humanity, before a short Henry’s Plot moves the story forward. Message From Beyond is a Jeff Wayne-esque highlight, the stabbing, sinister bass designed to summon feelings of discomfort parallel to the plot, and we suddenly become aware that the album is flying past.
For the final act, the songs become shorter and more direct to reflect the rapid action taking place. The thankfully short Daniel’s Vision is a syrupy piece that is soon swept away by the furious She Is Innocent which drives Lavinia Abby’ step-mother (Amanda Somerville) to finally snap for the hefty Lavinia’s Confession. The quasi-orchestral inferno reaches to the heart of this gothic melodrama as Abby’s father (Johanne James) desperately endeavours to save his daughter and its follow up sees justice done, as the Furies return for Your Story Is Over!, a deliberate (and fun) echo of Listen To My Story. The final two tracks see the story reach its resolution, Cammie leading the beautiful Abby In Transitus before Tommy returns for the closing strains of The Great Beyond, bringing the story to a close and the characters to the fate they deserved.
Transitus is a whole heap of fun. Like all Ayreon albums, it roams wildly across genres with the progressive tag remaining the most appropriate if only because it’s really impossible to define it in any other way. Arjen’s love of melodrama is given free reign here and he proves himself adept at crafting a delightful Poe-esque narrative along with the soundtrack to support it. However, all this would be for nothing if Arjen was unable to gather together a supporting cast of musicians and performers able to suspend their disbelief and have a ball with the concept. Fortunately, every single person here (and especially the leads) shine in their respective roles. There is no self-consciousness or showboating – just great performances from an ensemble cast revelling in one another’s company and secure in the knowledge that a great story is being told. The icing on the cake, Tom Baker’s brilliantly wry narration, seals the deal and I have no hesitation in recommending a trip to Transitus. The tale may be a dark one, like all good gothic pieces, but it’s a journey you’ll want to take again and again. 9
