Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer
Encyclopedia
Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer is a progressive rock
album released in 2000 by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen
, and is the fourth album of his Ayreon
project.
The Dream Sequencer features a musical style quite disparate from its counterpart Flight of the Migrator
, telling the story of a trip through time from a variety of perspectives, it features a prog-infused
atmospheric feeling, with a softer and more melodic sound than that of Flight of the Migrator.
Both albums were released simultaneously, sold well and were received positively, with most fans purchasing both separate discs. In 2004, Arjen moved to a new record label - InsideOut Music
- and with this move came re-issues of all the previous Ayreon releases, including The Dream Sequencer. The special edition re-issue merged both albums into a single release, titled Universal Migrator: Parts I & II. No new features were added, as Arjen felt it would be unfair to those fans who bought both albums originally, in 2000.
, Arjen felt he had to create an album that was a worthy release all on its own, without being derivative or treading on similar ground. To this end, he made some fundamental changes to his previous composition process. Arjen decided to have each vocalist only sing one track each, as opposed to the almost conversational, rock opera-style singing which was utilized in previous albums.
As Universal Migrator had enough content to form a two-CD album
, Arjen made a key decision to sell each disc as a separate release. He believed his fans to be fundamentally divided into two groups by genre of choice, being either progressive rock
or heavy metal
fans. The Dream Sequencer was meant to appeal to the prog enthusiasts, and Flight of the Migrator to the metal fans, so that each could simply purchase the album of their choice, if so inclined, but to his surprise, fans bought and loved both albums.
, starting in the year 2084, when the final world war wiped out all life on Earth. During the final years of fighting on Earth
, a number of humans escaped to live on Mars
. These people brought supplies with them, but with Earth ravaged, there was no way to replenish their resources, and soon almost all humans perished. The Dream Sequencer tells the story of the last human being alive, living alone on the Martian colony.
Born of the earliest settlers on Mars, the colonist never lived on Earth, and could only experience it through a machine known as the Dream Sequencer. Developed by scientists on Mars to curb boredom, the Dream Sequencer uses a form of hypnosis that allows the user to travel back in time to their youth, or even farther beyond, to previous incarnations of their persistent selves.
The colonist uses the machine and revisits his own youth, living on Mars, and eventually views many of his past lives: a woman fighting in the war of 2084, Queen Elizabeth I
overlooking her fleet, a man present at the building of Stonehenge
, and even the first human being to live on Earth, among other lives. Each track on The Dream Sequencer revisits one of these past lives.
and Erik Norlander
. This song is about the Colonist's preparation to use the Dream Sequencer, and the orders given by the machine. After the spoken words, the Dream Sequencer plays a background music (which is, in fact, the track "The Dream Sequencer") that, supposedly, finishes on the eleventh track, "The Dream Sequencer (Reprise)".
(of Tiamat
) and Floor Jansen
(of After Forever
, ReVamp). Edlund is also the composer of the song's vocal melody. The song is apparently about the main character of the story as a child, with his sister, mourning the death of his father in the war on Earth and its destruction in 2084. By the end of the song, he has forgiven his father for leaving him, and breaking his promise to take him to Earth.
", and later in "01011001
." Still, the character speaking here is not the main protagonist himself, but one of his past lives (as told in My House on Mars, the protagonist never saw Earth).
mission. It uses the famous words of Neil Armstrong
, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind". The song contains samples from the voices of astronauts, captured during moon landings. Vocals on this song were provided by Edward Reekers
and backing vocals were provided by Lana Lane.
and his militia
, immortalised on the painting The Night Watch
by Dutch
painter Rembrandt. The painting dates from the Dutch golden age
, 1642. In the song's title, Arjen Lucassen makes use of a title which is considered the most accurate for the painting. Vocals on this song were provided by Mouse of Tuesday Child and backing vocals were provided by Lana Lane.
and the "Speech to the Troops at Tilbury
" given by her in July of 1588, on the light of an attack by the Spanish Armada
, which consisted of a grand naval fleet
of 130 ship
s bearing over 30,000 men. The English
fleet won the battle under the leadership of Sir Francis Drake
— the "dragon" on the sea — and Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham
. Vocals on this song were provided by Lana Lane
. Erik Norlander
is the composer of the song's lyrics.
, taking place circa the 8th century. According to Arjen Lucassen, it speaks especially about the Jaguar Temple and the city of Tikal
. Certain samples used on the song come from an authentic Maya festival. Vocals on this song were provided by Jacqueline Govaert
of Krezip
. Arjen Lucassen has stated that this is his least favorite Ayreon song.
folk music
, and makes reference to the blind minstrel Ayreon, one of the protagonists from The Final Experiment
. Vocals on this song were provided by Arjen Anthony Lucassen himself. According to the lyrics of the song, Ayreon's spirit notices that the Final Experiment has failed, and looks on to Mars for mankind's new hope. This "spirit on the wind" is also referenced in the Sixth Extinction on 01011001
, a monument
located near Amesbury
in the English county of Wiltshire
, which is believed to have mainly been built between 2500 BC and 2000 BC. Due to the uncertainty regarding the origins of the monument, Arjen Lucassen proposes the fantasy
explanation that a group of druid
s was turned to stone by means of magic
, and thus became the Stonehenge. Vocals on this song were provided by Damian Wilson
(Threshold
).
(ex-frontman of Spock's Beard
) and backing vocals were provided by Mark McCrite. Neal Morse, Erik Norlander and Arjen Anthony Lucassen are the composers of the song's lyrics.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
album released in 2000 by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen 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....
, and is the fourth album of his 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...
project.
The Dream Sequencer features a musical style quite disparate from its counterpart Flight of the Migrator
Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator
Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator is a progressive metal album released in 2000 by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen, and is the fifth album of his Ayreon project....
, telling the story of a trip through time from a variety of perspectives, it features a prog-infused
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
atmospheric feeling, with a softer and more melodic sound than that of Flight of the Migrator.
Both albums were released simultaneously, sold well and were received positively, with most fans purchasing both separate discs. In 2004, Arjen moved to a new record label - InsideOut Music
InsideOut Music
Inside Out Music is a German independent record label based in Kleve, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles music albums.-History:...
- and with this move came re-issues of all the previous Ayreon releases, including The Dream Sequencer. The special edition re-issue merged both albums into a single release, titled Universal Migrator: Parts I & II. No new features were added, as Arjen felt it would be unfair to those fans who bought both albums originally, in 2000.
Creation
After the success of the previous Ayreon release, Into the Electric CastleInto the Electric Castle
Into the Electric Castle is a progressive metal two-disc album released in 1998 by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen A. Lucassen. It is the third album of his Ayreon project....
, Arjen felt he had to create an album that was a worthy release all on its own, without being derivative or treading on similar ground. To this end, he made some fundamental changes to his previous composition process. Arjen decided to have each vocalist only sing one track each, as opposed to the almost conversational, rock opera-style singing which was utilized in previous albums.
As Universal Migrator had enough content to form a two-CD album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
, Arjen made a key decision to sell each disc as a separate release. He believed his fans to be fundamentally divided into two groups by genre of choice, being either progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
or heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
fans. The Dream Sequencer was meant to appeal to the prog enthusiasts, and Flight of the Migrator to the metal fans, so that each could simply purchase the album of their choice, if so inclined, but to his surprise, fans bought and loved both albums.
Plot background
The story of The Dream Sequencer continues the plot found in The Final ExperimentThe Final Experiment
The Final Experiment is a progressive metal/rock opera album released in 1995 by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen A. Lucassen. Originally penned Ayreon: The Final Experiment with no artist noted, at the suggestion of the record label the subject was later detached, and used as the name for what...
, starting in the year 2084, when the final world war wiped out all life on Earth. During the final years of fighting on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, a number of humans escaped to live on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
. These people brought supplies with them, but with Earth ravaged, there was no way to replenish their resources, and soon almost all humans perished. The Dream Sequencer tells the story of the last human being alive, living alone on the Martian colony.
Born of the earliest settlers on Mars, the colonist never lived on Earth, and could only experience it through a machine known as the Dream Sequencer. Developed by scientists on Mars to curb boredom, the Dream Sequencer uses a form of hypnosis that allows the user to travel back in time to their youth, or even farther beyond, to previous incarnations of their persistent selves.
The colonist uses the machine and revisits his own youth, living on Mars, and eventually views many of his past lives: a woman fighting in the war of 2084, Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
overlooking her fleet, a man present at the building of Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
, and even the first human being to live on Earth, among other lives. Each track on The Dream Sequencer revisits one of these past lives.
The Dream Sequencer
The digitized voices on this song were provided by Lana LaneLana Lane
Lana Lane is a North American rock singer. She sings lead in her eponymous band, and has sung backing vocals for the band Rocket Scientists and guest sung on Ayreon and Erik Norlander albums....
and Erik Norlander
Erik Norlander
Erik Norlander is an American musician who describes himself as a 'keyboardist, composer, producer and engineer'. Norlander has produced albums for Rocket Scientists and his wife, Lana Lane. He also has a progressive rock solo project titled simply Erik Norlander...
. This song is about the Colonist's preparation to use the Dream Sequencer, and the orders given by the machine. After the spoken words, the Dream Sequencer plays a background music (which is, in fact, the track "The Dream Sequencer") that, supposedly, finishes on the eleventh track, "The Dream Sequencer (Reprise)".
My House On Mars
Vocals on this song were provided by Johan EdlundJohan Edlund
Johan Edlund is a Swedish singer, guitarist and keyboardist who is the leader of the bands Tiamat and Lucyfire. He has also done remixes for some of Rammstein's and London After Midnight's songs. He was also a guest singer in the Dutch progressive metal project, Ayreon...
(of Tiamat
Tiamat (band)
-Biography:Initially, the band played straightforward black metal under the name Treblinka. After having recorded the album Sumerian Cry in 1989, vocalist/guitarist Johan Edlund and bassist Jörgen Thullberg parted ways with the other two founding members, and subsequently changed the name to Tiamat...
) and Floor Jansen
Floor Jansen
Floor Jansen is a Dutch singer, who was the lead singer of the symphonic metal band After Forever which disbanded in 2009, and is the current singer for ReVamp.-After Forever:...
(of After Forever
After Forever
After Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts. In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded.-Biography:...
, ReVamp). Edlund is also the composer of the song's vocal melody. The song is apparently about the main character of the story as a child, with his sister, mourning the death of his father in the war on Earth and its destruction in 2084. By the end of the song, he has forgiven his father for leaving him, and breaking his promise to take him to Earth.
2084
Vocals on this song were provided by Lana Lane. This song is about the war which ultimately leads to mankind's destruction, referenced in "The Final ExperimentThe Final Experiment
The Final Experiment is a progressive metal/rock opera album released in 1995 by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen A. Lucassen. Originally penned Ayreon: The Final Experiment with no artist noted, at the suggestion of the record label the subject was later detached, and used as the name for what...
", and later in "01011001
01011001
01011001 is the seventh studio album by Arjen Anthony Lucassen's long-running Ayreon project. "01011001" is the binary representation of the ASCII value of the letter Y...
." Still, the character speaking here is not the main protagonist himself, but one of his past lives (as told in My House on Mars, the protagonist never saw Earth).
One Small Step
According to Arjen Lucassen, the song tells of the events he lived during first manned lunar landing - the Apollo 11Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
mission. It uses the famous words of Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind". The song contains samples from the voices of astronauts, captured during moon landings. Vocals on this song were provided by Edward Reekers
Edward Reekers
Edward Reekers is a Dutch singer. Most notable is his work as lead singer for Dutch progressive rock band Kayak.Having been a fan of the band for years, Reekers joined Kayak in 1978. He replaced Max Werner, who became the band's drummer. With Reekers as the new lead singer, Kayak immediately...
and backing vocals were provided by Lana Lane.
The Shooting Company of Captain Frans B. Cocq
This song makes reference to Captain Frans Banning CocqFrans Banning Cocq
Knight Frans Banning Cocq was a burgemeester of Amsterdam in the mid-17th century. He is best known as the central figure in Rembrandt's masterpiece The Night Watch....
and his militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, immortalised on the painting The Night Watch
Night Watch (painting)
Night Watch or The Night Watch or The Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq is the common name of one of the most famous works by Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn....
by Dutch
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...
painter Rembrandt. The painting dates from the Dutch golden age
Dutch Golden Age
The Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648...
, 1642. In the song's title, Arjen Lucassen makes use of a title which is considered the most accurate for the painting. Vocals on this song were provided by Mouse of Tuesday Child and backing vocals were provided by Lana Lane.
Dragon On the Sea
This song makes reference to Queen Elizabeth I of EnglandElizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
and the "Speech to the Troops at Tilbury
Speech to the Troops at Tilbury
The Speech to the Troops at Tilbury was delivered on 9 August Old Style, 19 August New Style 1588 by Queen Elizabeth I of England to the land forces earlier assembled at Tilbury in Essex in preparation of repelling the expected invasion by the Spanish Armada....
" given by her in July of 1588, on the light of an attack by the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
, which consisted of a grand naval fleet
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
of 130 ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s bearing over 30,000 men. The English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
fleet won the battle under the leadership of Sir Francis Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
— the "dragon" on the sea — and Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham , known as Howard of Effingham, was an English statesman and Lord High Admiral under Elizabeth I and James I...
. Vocals on this song were provided by Lana Lane
Lana Lane
Lana Lane is a North American rock singer. She sings lead in her eponymous band, and has sung backing vocals for the band Rocket Scientists and guest sung on Ayreon and Erik Norlander albums....
. Erik Norlander
Erik Norlander
Erik Norlander is an American musician who describes himself as a 'keyboardist, composer, producer and engineer'. Norlander has produced albums for Rocket Scientists and his wife, Lana Lane. He also has a progressive rock solo project titled simply Erik Norlander...
is the composer of the song's lyrics.
Temple of the Cat
This song makes reference to the Mayan civilization and Maya mythologyMaya mythology
Mayan mythology is part of Mesoamerican mythology and comprises all of the Mayan tales in which personified forces of nature, deities, and the heroes interacting with these play the main roles...
, taking place circa the 8th century. According to Arjen Lucassen, it speaks especially about the Jaguar Temple and the city of Tikal
Tikal
Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in what is now northern Guatemala...
. Certain samples used on the song come from an authentic Maya festival. Vocals on this song were provided by Jacqueline Govaert
Jacqueline Govaert
Jacqueline Govaert is a Dutch singer, songwriter, and pianist. She is best known as the lead singer of Dutch band Krezip.After Krezip disbanded in 2009, Govaert started working on her solo career. She released her debut album Good Life in August 2010.-Musical career:Govaert wrote her first songs...
of Krezip
Krezip
Krezip was a Dutch band from Tilburg, formed in 1997. It is notable for the band member's young ages during their original breakthrough. Since then, the band has had several successful albums and singles in the Benelux countries...
. Arjen Lucassen has stated that this is his least favorite Ayreon song.
Carried By the Wind
This song is influenced by IrishIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, and makes reference to the blind minstrel Ayreon, one of the protagonists from The Final Experiment
The Final Experiment
The Final Experiment is a progressive metal/rock opera album released in 1995 by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen A. Lucassen. Originally penned Ayreon: The Final Experiment with no artist noted, at the suggestion of the record label the subject was later detached, and used as the name for what...
. Vocals on this song were provided by Arjen Anthony Lucassen himself. According to the lyrics of the song, Ayreon's spirit notices that the Final Experiment has failed, and looks on to Mars for mankind's new hope. This "spirit on the wind" is also referenced in the Sixth Extinction on 01011001
01011001
01011001 is the seventh studio album by Arjen Anthony Lucassen's long-running Ayreon project. "01011001" is the binary representation of the ASCII value of the letter Y...
And The Druids Turn to Stone
This song makes reference to the StonehengeStonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
, a monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
located near Amesbury
Amesbury
Amesbury is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is most famous for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is in its parish, and for the discovery of the Amesbury Archer—dubbed the King of Stonehenge in the press—in 2002...
in the English county of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, which is believed to have mainly been built between 2500 BC and 2000 BC. Due to the uncertainty regarding the origins of the monument, Arjen Lucassen proposes the fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
explanation that a group of druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
s was turned to stone by means of magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
, and thus became the Stonehenge. Vocals on this song were provided by Damian Wilson
Damian Wilson
Damian Wilson is a singer known in the progressive rock genre. He is lead singer with the band Headspace along with Adam Wakeman and is lead singer for Threshold....
(Threshold
Threshold (band)
Threshold is a progressive metal band, formed in Surrey, UK in the late 1980s.-History:Threshold began their career in 1988, initially playing covers of metal groups like Ratt and Testament. As they continued playing together, they began to write their own songs, and eventually stopped playing...
).
The First Man On Earth
This song makes reference to the appearance of the first Homo sapiens on Earth, circa 50,000 BCE. Vocals on this song were provided by Neal MorseNeal Morse
Neal Morse is an American multi-instrumentalist and progressive rock composer based in Nashville, Tennessee.-Background:...
(ex-frontman of Spock's Beard
Spock's Beard
Spock's Beard is a progressive rock band formed in 1992 in Los Angeles by brothers Neal and Alan Morse. Neal played keyboards and was the lead vocalist, as well as being the primary songwriter before leaving the band in 2002 to pursue a solo career. Alan plays electric guitar...
) and backing vocals were provided by Mark McCrite. Neal Morse, Erik Norlander and Arjen Anthony Lucassen are the composers of the song's lyrics.
The Dream Sequencer (Reprise)
This is an instrumental track. As no singer sings on this song, some fans believe that this song is the end of the background music played on "The Dream Sequencer" track, after the machine gave all the instructions to the Colonist. Thus, due to the songs ends, it can be interpreted as if the Dream Sequencer is turned off. This idea is supported by the fact that, in the beginning of the next album, Flight of the Migrator, the Dream Sequencer speaks again some orders and warnings (there is no background music, the journey commences immediately).Reception
Allmusic reviewer Glenn Astarita praised the album, saying that "Basically, Lucassen's strong compositions and alluring arrangements strike an engaging chord as the music and overall production hearken back to the glory days of defiantly inventive progressive rock."Track listing
Vocalists
- Lana LaneLana LaneLana Lane is a North American rock singer. She sings lead in her eponymous band, and has sung backing vocals for the band Rocket Scientists and guest sung on Ayreon and Erik Norlander albums....
- backing vocals on tracks 4 and 5, vocals on tracks 1, 3, and 6 - Johan EdlundJohan EdlundJohan Edlund is a Swedish singer, guitarist and keyboardist who is the leader of the bands Tiamat and Lucyfire. He has also done remixes for some of Rammstein's and London After Midnight's songs. He was also a guest singer in the Dutch progressive metal project, Ayreon...
(TiamatTiamat (band)-Biography:Initially, the band played straightforward black metal under the name Treblinka. After having recorded the album Sumerian Cry in 1989, vocalist/guitarist Johan Edlund and bassist Jörgen Thullberg parted ways with the other two founding members, and subsequently changed the name to Tiamat...
) - track 2 - Floor JansenFloor JansenFloor Jansen is a Dutch singer, who was the lead singer of the symphonic metal band After Forever which disbanded in 2009, and is the current singer for ReVamp.-After Forever:...
(After ForeverAfter ForeverAfter Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts. In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded.-Biography:...
, ReVamp) - track 2 - Edward ReekersEdward ReekersEdward Reekers is a Dutch singer. Most notable is his work as lead singer for Dutch progressive rock band Kayak.Having been a fan of the band for years, Reekers joined Kayak in 1978. He replaced Max Werner, who became the band's drummer. With Reekers as the new lead singer, Kayak immediately...
(KayakKayak (band)Kayak are a Dutch progressive rock band formed in 1972 in the city Hilversum by Ton Scherpenzeel and Pim Koopman. In 1973, their debut album "See See The Sun" was released, including 3 hit singles. Their main popularity was in the Netherlands, with their top hit reaching #6 on the Dutch charts in...
) - track 4 - MouseMouse and the TrapsMouse and the Traps is the name of a garage rock band from Tyler, Texas that released numerous singles between 1965 and 1969, two of which, "A Public Execution" and "Sometimes You Just Can't Win", became large regional hits. The leader of the band, nicknamed "Mouse", was Ronnie Weiss...
- track 5 - Jacqueline GovaertJacqueline GovaertJacqueline Govaert is a Dutch singer, songwriter, and pianist. She is best known as the lead singer of Dutch band Krezip.After Krezip disbanded in 2009, Govaert started working on her solo career. She released her debut album Good Life in August 2010.-Musical career:Govaert wrote her first songs...
(KrezipKrezipKrezip was a Dutch band from Tilburg, formed in 1997. It is notable for the band member's young ages during their original breakthrough. Since then, the band has had several successful albums and singles in the Benelux countries...
) - track 7 - Arjen 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....
- track 8 - Damian WilsonDamian WilsonDamian Wilson is a singer known in the progressive rock genre. He is lead singer with the band Headspace along with Adam Wakeman and is lead singer for Threshold....
(ThresholdThreshold (band)Threshold is a progressive metal band, formed in Surrey, UK in the late 1980s.-History:Threshold began their career in 1988, initially playing covers of metal groups like Ratt and Testament. As they continued playing together, they began to write their own songs, and eventually stopped playing...
)- track 9 - Neal MorseNeal MorseNeal Morse is an American multi-instrumentalist and progressive rock composer based in Nashville, Tennessee.-Background:...
- track 10 - Mark McCrite - backing vocals on track 10
Instrumentalists
- Arjen 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....
- electric and acoustic 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...
s, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, analog synthesizers, MellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
, HammondHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
, and additional keyboardsMusical keyboardA musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the... - Rob Snijders - 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 ....
- Erik NorlanderErik NorlanderErik Norlander is an American musician who describes himself as a 'keyboardist, composer, producer and engineer'. Norlander has produced albums for Rocket Scientists and his wife, Lana Lane. He also has a progressive rock solo project titled simply Erik Norlander...
- analog synthesizers, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, vocoderVocoderA vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
, Hammond, and additional keyboards - Clive NolanClive NolanClive Nolan is a British musician, composer and producer who has played a prominent role in the recent development of progressive rock...
- synthSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
solo on track 3 - Peter Siedlach - stringsString instrumentA string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
Technical
- Arjen 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....
- producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Oscar Holleman - sound engineer
- Jef Bertels - cover art