ALBUM REVIEW: Transitus – Ayreon

Over the years, AYREON – the prog metal outfit masterminded by Arjen Lucassen – has continued to push the boundaries of both what progressive music can be and how many singers are appropriate for one album. With Transitus though, AYREON have taken a minor step back from their prog roots to flex their creative muscles elsewhere. That’s not to say this isn’t an album filled with instrumental experimentation, extended interludes and extravagant refrains. On the contrary, Lucassen is steadfast to push the boat out musically as ever. However, Transitus sees the group more heavily inspired by musicals, shifting from elaborate concept albums to prog rock opera.

While of course AYREON have always flirted with such an idea (particularly on 2004’s opus The Human Equation), there is a clear stylistic shift with Transitus. Compared to the rest of AYREON’s discography, the story is much more at the forefront here thanks to emphatic narration from Tom Baker (yes, of Dr. Who fame), whose warm storyteller voice is the ideal balance between charming and cheesy. The story itself plays out like a heavy metal Downtown Abbey, as a 19th century man finds himself in the afterlife, recanting the events that led to his demise. Although dealing with the supernatural, the lyrics touch on privilege, class, romance and betrayal throughout. As a result, Transitus feels more grounded than a lot of Lucassen’s space epics, with the personal focus evoking memories of The Human Equation’s exploration of emotional turmoil.

That said, the story and its narration are simply there to contextualise the music, which is where AYREON truly excel. Transitus spans the spectrum of anything that could be associated with prog, playing with stylistic tropes from a wide array of genres to create something mesmerising. On the side of more “traditional” AYREON material are cuts like This Human Equation, a catchy and haunting prog metal jaunt spearheaded by the sinisterly smooth sounds of EPICA‘s Simone Simons, and the folk-tinged Dumb Piece of Rock, a number filled with spiralling riffs, musical interludes and borderline ridiculous interweaving melodies. There are even moments that hark back to the synth-led, textured atmospheres of The Dream Sequencer, such as the melancholy ballad Hopelessly Slipping Away. In contrast, the fiery Get Out! Now! toes a far more traditional heavy metal line, with crunchy riffs and the biting barks of Dee Snider supplemented by Hammond organs and pomp.

As ever, AYREON never hesitate to mix multiple styles in a single track. Talk Of The Town is one such song, seamlessly bouncing from harpsichord melodies and whistling flutes to heavy, lamenting metal riffs. Despite this, songs remain shorter than typical for an AYREON album. Pulling influence again from musical theatre, Transitus relies more on recurring motifs across different songs to create a great sense of flow, rather than needlessly extend individual cuts. On paper, so much of this shouldn’t work, but the album stands as a testament to how well Lucassen has honed his ability to write complex and engaging songs throughout his career.

Of course, in true AYREON fashion, Lucassen has assembled an incredible mix of musicians and singers to help bring his lofty creative visions to life. Transitus sees appearances from metal royalty (the aforementioned Snider), melodic metal masters (KAMELOT’s Tommy Karevik plays leading man Daniel, whereas both Simons and Amanda Somerville of AVANTASIA hold two of the most enjoyable roles) and shred virtuosos (Marty Friedman and Joe Satriani) alike, amongst many others. Each musician adds their own unmistakable flavour to the record, littering it with stellar performances across the board. Yet these contributions would be mere novelties if there wasn’t great material to back them up.

What makes Transitus so compelling is how all these elements come together so cohesively. Through the mix of multiple musicians, myriad overlapping vocal parts, frequent narration and heavily layered instrumentation, Transitus could have easily become a cluttered mess in less experienced hands. Additionally, the album clocks in at a not insignificant 80 minutes and yet, Transitus miraculously doesn’t drag.

Whilst not every aspect will lodge in your memory, Transitus is meticulously crafted and does an incredible job of transposing the format of a traditional musical in to a rock and metal context. Musicals are rarely wholly concerned with sticking to one genre, a philosophy that AYREON and Lucassen have always embraced, but the increased emphasis on recurring motifs and the narration itself are pulled straight out of the musical playbook. These theatrical flourishes are expertly delivered, with the duality between songs like Listen To My Story and Your Story Is Over! ensuring the album comes full circle like any good stage show. From opener Fatum Horrificum’s Phantom of the Opera meets SHADOW GALLERY stylings to the rousing penultimate The Great Beyond, Transitus is truly a journey of an album and a refreshing change of pace in the AYREON discography.

Rating: 9/10

Transitus is set for release on September 25th via Music Theories Recordings.

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