Guilt Machine
Encyclopedia
Guilt Machine is a musical project by Dutch
musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen
, owner of other musical projects such as Star One
, Ayreon
and Ambeon
. The project's debut release, On This Perfect Day
, was released in August 2009.
) on lead vocals, Chris Maitland
(ex-Porcupine Tree
) on drums and Lori Linstruth
(ex-Stream of Passion
) on lead guitar.
On March 9, Arjen announced that fans would be able to submit their own recorded material for a possible inclusion on the project. The material had to be sent in the form of a brief audio message containing the person's thoughts in his/her mother language
, with a translation. The deadline for submission was on March 15.
Recently, Arjen has signed a deal with Mascot Records.
Together with the announcement of the signing with Mascot Records at his official website, Arjen reported that more than 200 audio messages were sent, but only 19 would be included on the album. According to him, the languages range from Chinese
to Tagalog
and from French
to Russian
.
He informed that the album will include an eight-minute instrumental track filled with as many messages as he could have used (although many recordings would still remain unused).
. It was released on August 28 in Germany
, Austria
and Switzerland
, on August 31 in the rest of Europe
, September 29 in the US, and dates for Japan
still pending. Most of the songs are relatively long, the shortest lasting 6:11. Limited and Special editions were released, the limited edition contained a 32-page digibook and a DVD and the special edition came with a Digipack 24-page booklet and a DVD.
Regarding a future album of the project, Arjen stated that "we definitely want to make another Guilt Machine album.".
Although Jasper and his band are from the alternative rock
genre, he was convinced by Arjen to work on this progressive metal project. Arjen has stated:
Instead of working with Ed Warby
, the drummer that performed in most of Ayreon albums, Arjen chose Chris Maitland, which, according to him, "was the ideal choice this time, having both the power for the heavy sections and the subtle touch needed in the more atmospheric parts".
Lori Linstruth, the lead guitarist and manager, pleased Arjen with her lyrics:
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen
Arjen Anthony Lucassen
Arjen Anthony "Oswold Jr." Lucassen is a progressive metal/rock composer, singer and musician from the Netherlands, best known for his long-running progressive opera project titled Ayreon....
, owner of other musical projects such as Star One
Star One
Star One is a Dutch progressive metal supergroup/side-project of Arjen Anthony Lucassen of Ayreon fame. Unlike Ayreon, the band did not follow one storyline; instead, each song was a different story with a sci-fi concept, most of the tracks based on existing movies and series.-Origins and first...
, Ayreon
Ayreon
Ayreon is a project by Dutch composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen.Ayreon's musical style derives mostly from heavy metal and progressive rock, but combines them with genres like folk, classical and electronica...
and Ambeon
Ambeon
Ambeon is a Dutch progressive metal act, a project consisting mainly of multi-instrumentalist composer Arjen Anthony Lucassen and vocalist Astrid van der Veen. The act's first and only album to date, Fate of a Dreamer, was recorded in 2001, when van der Veen was just 14 years old...
. The project's debut release, On This Perfect Day
On This Perfect Day
-DVD :Audio Bonus Tracks#The Stranger Song - vocals Jasper #Michelangelo - vocals Arjen #Fan Messages #Perfection? - guide vocals Arjen...
, was released in August 2009.
Background
In February 2009, Arjen announced in his website that he would be working on his new side project Guilt Machine. This project features a very limited line-up, comparing to other Arjen's side projects: Arjen Lucassen on the instruments and backing vocals, Jasper Steverlinck (AridArid (band)
Arid is a Belgian rock band, formed in the mid-1990s, made up of four members: Jasper Steverlinck , David Du Pré , Filip Ros and Steven Van Havere .-History:...
) on lead vocals, Chris Maitland
Chris Maitland
Chris Maitland is an English drummer.After being the drummer for No-Man on their Autumn 1993 tour , Maitland was asked by the band's Steven Wilson to join his other main project, the progressive rock band Porcupine Tree...
(ex-Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
) on drums and Lori Linstruth
Lori Linstruth
Lori Linstruth is a guitarist. She currently resides in the Netherlands where she lives with Arjen Lucassen.-Warbride:Linstruth first came to prominence in the late eighties when she was featured in Mike Varney's "Spotlight" column in Guitar Player magazine...
(ex-Stream of Passion
Stream of Passion
Stream of Passion is a progressive metal band with symphonic metal and gothic metal influences founded by Arjen Anthony Lucassen and Marcela Bovio. Because the musicians in the band lived thousands of miles apart, Lucassen composed the group's debut album, Embrace the Storm, over the Internet...
) on lead guitar.
On March 9, Arjen announced that fans would be able to submit their own recorded material for a possible inclusion on the project. The material had to be sent in the form of a brief audio message containing the person's thoughts in his/her mother language
First language
A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...
, with a translation. The deadline for submission was on March 15.
Recently, Arjen has signed a deal with Mascot Records.
Together with the announcement of the signing with Mascot Records at his official website, Arjen reported that more than 200 audio messages were sent, but only 19 would be included on the album. According to him, the languages range from Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
to Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
and from French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
to Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
.
He informed that the album will include an eight-minute instrumental track filled with as many messages as he could have used (although many recordings would still remain unused).
On This Perfect Day
On June 23, 2009, Lucassen announced the release of Guilt Machine's first release, On This Perfect DayOn This Perfect Day
-DVD :Audio Bonus Tracks#The Stranger Song - vocals Jasper #Michelangelo - vocals Arjen #Fan Messages #Perfection? - guide vocals Arjen...
. It was released on August 28 in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, on August 31 in the rest of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, September 29 in the US, and dates for Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
still pending. Most of the songs are relatively long, the shortest lasting 6:11. Limited and Special editions were released, the limited edition contained a 32-page digibook and a DVD and the special edition came with a Digipack 24-page booklet and a DVD.
Regarding a future album of the project, Arjen stated that "we definitely want to make another Guilt Machine album.".
Musical style
According to Arjen, the music will range "from dark and heavy to atmospheric and melancholic". Regarding the concept, Arjen stated that instead of fantasy and science fiction themes, Guilt Machine will explore "the destructive psychology of guilt, regret and the darkest form of secret -- the secrets we hide from ourselves." In spite of the differences, the songs are expected to keep the dynamic contrasts, intricated harmonies, complex rhythms and soaring melodies of any Ayreon release.Although Jasper and his band are from the alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
genre, he was convinced by Arjen to work on this progressive metal project. Arjen has stated:
Instead of working with Ed Warby
Ed Warby
Edward R. Warby was born and raised in Rotterdam and is best known as the drummer for Gorefest and Ayreon.He also appeared in the band Agressor in 1982 and joined the Eindhoven-based prog-outfit Elegy in 1987...
, the drummer that performed in most of Ayreon albums, Arjen chose Chris Maitland, which, according to him, "was the ideal choice this time, having both the power for the heavy sections and the subtle touch needed in the more atmospheric parts".
Lori Linstruth, the lead guitarist and manager, pleased Arjen with her lyrics:
Line-up
- Arjen Anthony LucassenArjen Anthony LucassenArjen Anthony "Oswold Jr." Lucassen is a progressive metal/rock composer, singer and musician from the Netherlands, best known for his long-running progressive opera project titled Ayreon....
(AyreonAyreonAyreon is a project by Dutch composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen.Ayreon's musical style derives mostly from heavy metal and progressive rock, but combines them with genres like folk, classical and electronica...
/AmbeonAmbeonAmbeon is a Dutch progressive metal act, a project consisting mainly of multi-instrumentalist composer Arjen Anthony Lucassen and vocalist Astrid van der Veen. The act's first and only album to date, Fate of a Dreamer, was recorded in 2001, when van der Veen was just 14 years old...
/Star OneStar OneStar One is a Dutch progressive metal supergroup/side-project of Arjen Anthony Lucassen of Ayreon fame. Unlike Ayreon, the band did not follow one storyline; instead, each song was a different story with a sci-fi concept, most of the tracks based on existing movies and series.-Origins and first...
/ex-Stream of PassionStream of PassionStream of Passion is a progressive metal band with symphonic metal and gothic metal influences founded by Arjen Anthony Lucassen and Marcela Bovio. Because the musicians in the band lived thousands of miles apart, Lucassen composed the group's debut album, Embrace the Storm, over the Internet...
) - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboards, various intruments, backing vocals - Jasper Steverlinck (AridArid (band)Arid is a Belgian rock band, formed in the mid-1990s, made up of four members: Jasper Steverlinck , David Du Pré , Filip Ros and Steven Van Havere .-History:...
) - lead vocals - Chris MaitlandChris MaitlandChris Maitland is an English drummer.After being the drummer for No-Man on their Autumn 1993 tour , Maitland was asked by the band's Steven Wilson to join his other main project, the progressive rock band Porcupine Tree...
(ex-Porcupine TreePorcupine TreePorcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
) - DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Lori LinstruthLori LinstruthLori Linstruth is a guitarist. She currently resides in the Netherlands where she lives with Arjen Lucassen.-Warbride:Linstruth first came to prominence in the late eighties when she was featured in Mike Varney's "Spotlight" column in Guitar Player magazine...
(ex-Stream of PassionStream of PassionStream of Passion is a progressive metal band with symphonic metal and gothic metal influences founded by Arjen Anthony Lucassen and Marcela Bovio. Because the musicians in the band lived thousands of miles apart, Lucassen composed the group's debut album, Embrace the Storm, over the Internet...
) - lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...