Ayreon
The Day That The World Breaks Down

Ayreon, the mad yet intriguing musical project of the multi-instrumentalist metal artist Arjen Anthony Lucassen, returns. And, after over 20 years of concept albums that wink at various genres, from prog to power metal, from folk to electronics, it decides to come back with a track, "The Day That The World Breaks Down," from the new album "The Source."

The dark ambient synth and the voice of James LaBrie introduce a world where technology has surpassed and conquered human intelligence, the core of the concept album. After the flute by the indispensable Goossens, the drums of the equally ubiquitous Ed Warby, in Ayreon, inaugurate a brief folk metal section. Lucassen joins on electric guitar and Tommy Karevik of Kamelot on vocals, bringing to mind the prog metal origins of the group with a riff that in my opinion is somewhat predictable. Subsequently, we see other singers playing various roles within the concept, an interlude with a Hammond, and then the entrance of an unexpected Tobias Sammet (do Avantasia ring a bell?), which gives the track a particular mood, followed by a guitar solo by Lucassen and a choir by Micheal Mills, à la "Bohemian Rhapsody," reciting a binary code (!). A blues section sung by Russell Allen of Symphony X follows, and the piece closes at the 13th minute with a reprise of the initial metal riff sung by Floor Jansen of Nightwish.

If the morning shows the day, this album will be a great record. Certainly, one cannot speak of perfection, but Lucassen's ability to captivate the listener is unparalleled, both in music with the continuous entries of the most unexpected singers and with the prog and varied musical style that is not without sense. 5 stars without a doubt.