On This Perfect Day
Encyclopedia
DVD
Audio Bonus Tracks- The Stranger Song (Leonard CohenLeonard CohenLeonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
cover) - vocals Jasper (4:53) - Michelangelo (The 23rd Turnoff cover) - vocals Arjen (3:23)
- Fan Messages (8:14)
- Perfection? - guide vocals Arjen (9:37)
- Twisted Coil - radio edit (4:17)
- Pull me out of the Dark - radio edit (Green and Cream) (3:36)
- Over - radio edit (3:56)
Video
- Trailer "On this Perfect Day" (4:33)
- Making of the Trailer (3:44)
- Interview with Guilt Machine (40:03)
Reception
Since its release, On This Perfect Day has received favourable reviews, despite a lot of reviewers agreeing that the songs take several plays to be enjoyed. Elements that were praised included Steverlinck's voice and the dark atmosphere developed by Lucassen; Metal StormMetal Storm (webzine)
Metal Storm is a webzine specializing in various forms of heavy metal music. It is based in Tallinn, Estonia but caters to an international audience, symbolically recognized by the acquisition of an EU domain in 2008...
considers it "the darkest and most melancholic [album] the Dutchman has ever released".
Angrymetalguy reviewer, despite admitting to not being a fan of 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 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...
, liked it and stated that it is "easily the finest release that I’ve heard from Arjen Lucassen". Metal Storm gave the album a rating of 9/10 while stating that the album enjoyed "a promising line-up" and "emotional vocal work that builds up intensity as it goes". Metal Underground remarked that it is "a bold combination of grit, beauty, and strong themes riding the line between progressive metal and rock". RevelationZ considers this album as "overall a great album and another worthy addition to the Lucassen catalogue."
The most reccurent difference between the reviews is about it's similarity with Lucassen's previous works. Metal Storm stated, "from all of his side-projects, this is probably the one closest to Ayreon" and Dangerdog.com calls it "different, but the same". However, Sea of Tranquillity stated, "I'm sure there are going to be plenty of Ayreon fans who might balk at the overabundance of atmospheric and mellow moments here and miss the more upbeat and bombastic elements of Lucassen's other releases".
Personnel
Guilt Machine- 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....
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single... - Jasper Steverlinck – lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- 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...
– 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...
– 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...
Guest Musicians
- Ben Mathot – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- David Faber – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
Additional vocals
- Rozemarijin, Stephan Venker, Ripley, Anonymous, Frederic Dessaigne, Rano Zangana, Masumi Hodgson, Jon Mellado, Ahlroos, Sen, Anonymous, Haydee Garde, Casper Sorensen, Andrew Hyslop, Jardar Folling, Pax, Vinicius TTi, Petho-Devay Ildiko, Claudia M. Luisa Murella – Spoken messages (in order of appearance)
Production
- Arjen Anthony Lucassen – Music
- Lori Linstruth – Lyrics
- Christophe Dessaigne – Artwork photography
- Jasper van Tilburgh – Band photos
- Thomas Ewerhard – Logo and layout
- Peter Brussée – Mastering