Obviously, the record company, to whom it must be food for thought, will have sold everything else highlighting the bloated list of prestigious guest stars as each other which are used, in fact, cache- misery to an album could not be more routine. Not that we are not delighted to hear Steve Hackett drag a solo which he has the secret to regain Keith Emerson recently rather discreet in abuses "clavieristiques" typical of his legendary ELP, or hear that old skinflint of John Wetton playing the vocal cords in one of the roles of concept album. No, really, no bad news in the performance of these old evergreen beards. Where the bottom lies on a generally correct album is in the wear of a formula that begins darn dating.
Because from the beginning of its progressive project, the former Vengeance Batavian group Hard'n'Heavy fairly exceptional, Arjen Anthony Lucassen has more or less always the same furrow dug a symphonic prog metal "rock -opératisé "effective and elegant but ultimately too derivative to being mistaken for anything but a substitute for a more glorious past. There were some real good times (Into The Electric Castle in 1998, The Human Equation in 2004) but nothing fundamentally that allows fans of the genre to get excited beyond reason. Especially since, at present, the concept, based in the real this time, nothing justifies daffolant and in any case the instrumental chatter overflowing of a musician who must, we have no doubt, a lot of fun Studio. Occasionally, we have fun with it but not often enough to be captivated.
So yes, it is played (well executed would say those who see in this kind of vanity exercise the death of the uppercase Music), although product. Is that enough? For some perhaps for me either.
Finally, too scattered in too many projects, to dilute his inspiration in all directions (Ambeon Finch, Guilt Machine, Star One, solo, etc.), also want to do too much on each of her recording outputs, one Lucassen says that eventually get lost, be redundant by more than reason and the result is there, shouting evidence in this Theory of Everything so full of all that came to nothing. It is a pity that the boy has a real potential that unfortunately drowns in its "Sea group." In a word a thousand, Arjen, concentrate boudiou!
Vocalists
JB (Grand Magus) as The Teacher
Sara Squadrani (Ancient Bards) as The Girl
Michael Mills (Toehider) as The Father
Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) as The Mother
Tommy Karevik (Kamelot, Seventh Wonder) as The Prodigy
Marco Hietala (Nightwish, Tarot) as The Rival
John Wetton (Asia, UK, ex-King Crimson, former Family, former Roxy Music) as The Psychiatrist
Wilmer Waarbroek - backing vocals
Musicians
Arjen Anthony Lucassen - electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar, mandolin, analog synthesizers, Hammond, Solina Strings
Ed Warby - drums, percussion
Rick Wakeman (ex-Yes) - synthesizer solo on "Surface Tension" piano
Keith Emerson (formerly Emerson, Lake & Palmer) - synthesizer solo on "Progressive Waves"
Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment former) - synthesizer solo on "Progressive Waves"
Steve Hackett (ex Genesis) - guitar solo on "The Parting"
Troy Donockley (Nightwish) - uilleann pipes, whistles
Ben Mathot - violin
Maaike Peterse (Kingfisher Sky) - cello
Jeroen Goossens - flutes, bass flute, piccolo, bamboo flute, contrabass flute
Siddharta Barnhoorn - orchestrations
Michael Mills (Toehider) - Irish bouzouki
2.5 / 5
