Year: 2020
Total Time: 2:36:18
Label: Music Theories Recordings
“Electric Castle Live And Other Tales” is a Live album and DVD / Blu-ray by Arjen Anthony Lucassen’s Progressive Rock / Metal Rock Opera project, released March 27, 2020. It is essentially a live studio album performance of 1998’s “Into The Electric Castle”, performed here as a real rock opera. It’s the recording of one of the four live performances between September 13 and September 15, 2019 in Tilburg, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original album in a similar way to “The Equation”.
Lucassen, along with a truly impressive group of artists, returned to reprise their roles from their original album with drummer Ed Warby and Thijs van Leer on the flute. The incredible cast includes Fish (ex-Marillion), Anneke van Giersbergen (VUUR, ex-The Gathering}, Damian Wilson (Threshold), Thijs van Leer (Focus), Ed Warby (Ayreon), Edward Reekers (ex-Kayak) ), Edwin Balogh, George Oosthoek (Mayan, ex-Orphanage), Simone Simons (Epica), Mark Jansen (Mayan, Epica), John Jaycee Cuijpers (Praying Mantis), Marcela Bovio (Mayan, ex-Stream of passion), Dianne Van Giersbergen (Ex Libris), Johan van Stratum (VUUR), Joost van den Broek, Marcel Singor (Kayak), Ferry Duijsens (VUUR), Bob Wijtsma (Ex Libris), Ben Mathot, starring John de Lancie as the narrator.
The album is complemented by a selection of songs from other works by Lucassen. Highlights include “‘Shores Of India”‘ from “The Diary”‘ by THE GENTLE STORM band with Van Giersbergen, “Ashes”‘ from AMBEON’s “Fate Of A Dreamer”‘, “Out In The Real World” from “Embrace The Storm” from his former band STREAM OF PASSION, “Pink Beatles In A Purple Zeppelin” from his solo album “Lost In The New Real” and more, from his own work and collaborations.
The live performances of AYREON are truly magnificent and unique. Concerts that are definitely worthy to attend to. Fortunately, some of the concert’s magic, comes to us through their new CD / DVD / Blu-ray.
Rating: N/A
Editor: Fanouris Exintavelonis
Related Link: AYREON – Facebook Page
Track listing:
Disc 1:
- Welcome to the New Dimension
- Isis and Osiris
- Amazing Flight
- Time Beyond Time
- The Decision Tree
- Tunnel of Light
- Across the Rainbow Bridge
- The Garden of Emotions
- Valley of the Queens
- The Castle Hall
- Tower of Hope
- Cosmic Fusion
Disc 2:
- Robby Valentine
- The Mirror Maze
- Evil Devolution
- The Two Gates
- Forever of the Stars
- Another Time, Another Space
- Shores of India
- Ashes
- Out in the Real World
- Twisted Coil
- Kayleigh
- Pink Beatles in a Purple Zeppelin
- Songs of the Oceans
