Arjen Lucassen is a genius. Period. The way he is able to combine these super musicians and super singers, and create sci-fi journeys beyond belief!! Thank god he is a super nerd and perfectionist - only the best is acceptable. The results speaks for itself..
It's crazy he is not more popular in NA but who knows some foreign bands take some don't who knows why also why do people in NA think Ozzy is American that is really wierd it's happened a few times hurts my brain.
Another fantastic reaction. Special shout out to Irene Jansen and Marcela Bovia and their beautiful vocals. They deserve more recognition. Already submitted my Marcela recommendations on your Gentle Storm reaction. For the Jansen sisters singing together. Eye of Ra (Ayeron live) or Who I Am (After Forever live). Just magical.
Arjen: Hi Steve here is some 3 minute piece of music, would you like to write a guitar solo? Steve : Were in the part do you want it? Arjen : on the entire part... Steve : ok, hold my beer...
So, now you need to do The Fate of Man from the same album 😁 Britney Slays from Unleash the Archers 😍 Driving high energy based on The Terminator 😎👍 And yes, still Everybody Dies live for an incredible spectacle 🤘
I would recommend you to check out material from "Electric castle live and other tales", which is basically an amazing concert featuring songs across all of Arjen's projects. My personal favourites from that show are "Amazing flight" and "Isis and Osiris". If you react to the first one, you will get to hear Arjen sing.
I concur for the concert, but to get into the right headspace I recommend to start with the opening act of the show + the first song: "Welcome To The New Dimension & Isis And Osiris". This show is a full album adapted for the stage, plus some extra "best of" songs
Arjen had a guess the singer on FB, I heard Roy and started crying. Tommy and Roy are now in Arjen's Universe. I now need Tarja and Anette to have all 3 Nightwish singers in Arjen's Universe.
Hi Eric! A great reaction again! A little hint (because you will probably encounter the name "Joost van den Broek" more often: Joost is pronounced exactly like the English word "host", but then you replace the "h" at beginning by the "y" as pronounced in "yacht". The remainder of the name you can simply pronounce as Americans would pronounce "vanden Brook", but with the Emphasis on the "Brook" part.
I bought this album yesterday and its 5 star stuff! Stevie Vai's solo on this track is really reminiscent of his playing on Passion and Warfare, the tone, the ambiance, the almost randomness of it. Brilliant!!
The choir is Hellscore, from Israel. And childrens' choirs are "real choirs". Listen to Epica's latest album "Omega" and tell me they aren't a proper choir.
I want to thank you: I follow a lot of other reactors, and while they all focus on the technical aspects of the music, you focus mainly on the musical aspects. You've introduced me to a lot of things I never heard about.
You want an Ed Watby Special!? Check out 2nd album of Star One, Victims of the modern age Digital Rain ( The Matrix), when those drums kick in, u gonna bop your head off ( Vocals, Russel Allen, Damian Wilson, Floor Jansen) Human See, Human Do (Planet of the Apes) is also an absolute must ( Same vocalist plus Dan Swano) For an eargasmic Tony Martin song, same album, Closer to the stars ( one of the best songs ever imo)
Have you reviewed some of Arjen's interviews? He is great: so gentle, very humble and nice guy. I really love them because he talks about everything and, especially, when talking about his collaborators: how he recruited them, how he feels when receiving or making peace of his song with those incredibly talented people, etc. He always said that he is a very perfectionist person which could be not that nice, however, he always tries to work with people that give him good vibrations, so the hard work is not that hard, maybe. I really enjoy his interviews. And about this song....oh god! it's mesmerizing to me from A to Z.
For a Star One song I love Intergalactic Space crusaders live and from Ayreon Druids Turned to Stone. I'm usually not a live fan but both of those were just perfromed with such fidelity and quality that nobody could argue with the results.
Arjen is cool like that. he's done sit down interviews with a number of reactors. he's a reclusive extrovert. he stays at home and chats with people all over. i'm usually baked when i watch videos, so it works out perfectly!
Thx Eric, I am having a great evening, the gentle storm and Star one back to back. I am so happy you found these tracks and reacted to it. I almost never do this, but today I have a suggestion for you, The Devin Townsend project ft. Anneke van Giersbergen with the song called Grace.
Great album !! I had mine pre-ordered since November. A Hand on the the Clock with Floor on vocals is amazing just from some of the notes she hits(apparently 41 is just a number for a Valkyrie;) 🔥 and the guitar work is just sublime also🤘 Edit: and the synths of course ( I mean it is Arjen lol)
I remember Flying in a blue dream and Surfing with an alien Steve vai is guitar legend. Shout out to Floor jansen's sister Irene jansen. Thank you Arjen you are a genius and thanks to you you've brought not only great musicians and vocalists i grew up with. But you've intruduced me ti many other people and bands i've never heard of.
For sure try telling people though that he works with Arjen they get upset I say poser metalheads getting upset over an artist working on a project with another artist gets you upset maybe metal not for you then.
I'd love to see you react to one of my favorite Gentle Storm songs, "Heart of Amsterdam". Not sure if there's a live version but if not, there's an official video featuring Arjen, Anneke, Marcella and most of the Ayreon/Gentle Storm crew. And it features Anneke walking around Amsterdam in a 1700's dress. Where else are you going to see that, eh? 😉👍
Yes its a great album, my favorite so far this year. Well worth your time to check out. I am sorry to hear that your reactions are getting blocked, but not surprised. I'm not a reactor but based on what other successful reactors have said, there is no magic formula but here are the ways I've heard to get your reaction out once it has been blocked. I could be wrong and others may correct me but this what I've heard: Minimize or use a filter to obscure the video to a much smaller part of the screen. Most of the blocks are triggered off the video so just the sound and of course your reaction may make it past a block. For some reason, the literal size of the video you show seems to matter for some blocks, this is why you see reactors using small screens for the video. Get permission from the labels and distribution companies. This is by far the best way to get your reactions though but it takes work and some may not respond for quite a while, if ever. However, some labels are very friendly and will help you if you reach out to them. You are obviously adding a ton of value with your reactions so they can see how that will bring positive exposure to the bands which will eventually equal more views, merch sales, ect. The distribution companies are harder to reach but if you can get their permission (whitelisted) then you are golden and you can get that reaction past the block. Unfortunately some labels and distribution companies are still very anti-reaction and there might be little, if anything, you can do to react to their videos. I've heard that Sony is particularly difficult as an example. A few bands/artists are able to help out directly. Arjen has personally helped many reactors get their blocks removed. But usually appealing to bands doesn't do much, they are generally supportive of reactions but can't control what the labels and distribution companies are doing, often automatically without any human involvement. The appeal process. There are downsides to this tactic but it can work and if you are careful, you can avoid copyright strikes while still getting those blocks removed and even getting monetized. There are videos by other reactors on YT explaining how they use this process successfully. Some reactors are so successful they have lawyers doing that work. Sorry for the long comment, I hope it is helpful and not unintentional misinformation, just things I've heard from some great content creators on YT translated to the best of my understanding/ability. I love your content and it pains me to think that there are videos that we can never see because of the copyright process. I hope you figure it out as I can imagine how frustrating it can be to have your content blocked.
Several content creators have had trouble with the RU-vid algorithm and have refreshed their releases... contact the powers that be and see if you're running up against the same issues. When you said Billy Thorpe - Children of the Sun... you took the words right out of my mouth... The key/chord shift in the intro was subtle but it did go from melancholy to lighter tones... Then it really opened up in the second verse... Until the second verse I was a little underwhelmed😕 Yes... Irene Jansen is Floor's 'little' sister. Little as in 'younger', but she's actually taller! Little Stevie Vai has such a recognizable tone and style, it's so difficult to overrate his sound, technical mastery and feel. I wasn't all the way in until Vai's solo...I am now! Mere moments before I jumped in to your reaction I saw my first track from the Star One project's latest release, FATE OF MAN! And you have to check it out, voiced by Britney Slayes! And the video is stunning as well. Doctor Lucassen (I think he's earned at least an honorary doctorate) is not just a master musician, superior collaborator and manager of Murderers Row he's probably one of a rare few that can sit at the table with the likes of Tuomas Halopeinen, Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla or the Carl Sagans of the world. And I concur that part of his extensive genius is drawing other 'next level' performers to him and maximizing their talents as well. Hard to find enough superlatives to quantify and qualify Lucassen... Thanks Eric
Now it has to be State of Man from the same album, Brittney Slayes rocks. So many amazing singers, musicians and composers coming out of The Netherlands and Finland. And they use the best from around the world. If only the States could catch up and appreciate them. And yes Irene Jansen is Floor's sister !!
Steve Vai embodies the concept of alien music. No one uses his guitar to create the types of sounds and phrases quite like Steve. It really does have a movie soundtrack quality about this track. I am telling you Eric. Check out some of Marcela Bovio's featured songs with Ayreon and "Stream of Passion". So much more amazing music from the new record. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X0wtXGnsAn4.html - Street Spirit (Radiohead cover) - Stream of Passion w/Marcela Bovio
Arjen Lucassen is well known amongst musicians and heads in the scene his stuff is so good. I compare Arjen to the likes of Geddy Lee with Rush very similar vibe and theme.
Where does Arjen get his "people"? Well, he must have several Rolodexes with names he can choose from. And a secretary who's answering the phone when vocalists or instrumentalists want to be added to one of these Rolodexes. Arjen is just a cool guy and when he calls ....... you can't say NO. Great reaction btw.
Another nice reaction to GREAT music. I have to say though Arjen is from the Netherlands as you know but as you apparently don’t know The Netherlands have nothing to do with Scandinavia!!!!! You keep making that mistake.
AAL is brilliant, but pretty much unknown outside of the scene and I think he doesn't much care. As I gather it he's a bit of a recluse who is perfectly happy being outside of the spotlight of "public interest".
My album just got here today. They already made the movie, Arjen just made better music for it (well, them, some of the other songs really should be part of their movies)
They did basically Enders Game good movie this album gave me those vibes really good album loved it. I really skipped out on that phase of music I got into metal young really young like most lifers 8 is the average age of discovery. Epica Unchain Uptoia Omega Live trailer version is crazy good for adding that gothic sound to a song plus one little girl is just feeling it so hard she is a future Simone Simons or Floor Jansen she was into it lol.
Anybody else getting Superman vibes with the images of the artists flying across the screen in spinning glass, like they're banished to the Phantom Zone.
Perfect track to be baked for I am sure. I am shocked your head didn't actually explode. I have already consumed the whole album and now I am wishing I sought out a dispensary. Dumb question. Can you be baked and program a radio station?
I've seen it done, but wouldn't advise it. Here's why: You get baked, you're in charge of programming music, you start to program, your baked brain starts to go off on it's own doing dumb shit and eating Doritos, you hit F12 to merge the music log with the commercial log, you go home and eat Doritos, you fall asleep. When you wake up and turn on your station, you realize in your sobriety your station sound like it was programmed by an baked teenager standing in a kitchen repeatedly saying "Oh, I totally have to make these!" and all you created was a jumbled mess that is obviously overthought but at the same time, not thought out at all. Like writing a paper high...I get it, but it probably won't sound the way your brain is telling you it sounds. Hope that helps! Eric
@@TheWyldesidewithEricClark OMG. So true. Although if that station’s listeners are equally baked and eating Doritos, they will love it. And never complain because more than half of them won’t remember what they listened to. Well done sir as always. Loving your prog journey through European super groups.
I don't know. I checked on my videos today and I was able to publish it, but my dispute is still being reviewed. Not sure how any of this really works, so I'm just doing what I can when I can! Cheers! Eric
@@TheWyldesidewithEricClark Arjen is doing interviews! It couldn’t hurt to ask 😉 Also, he’s said he generally white lists review channels, so email him and I’m sure he’ll get everything released 😎
@@TheWyldesidewithEricClark If it gets to him, he will say allow it, if not, get with him and he will work to get it allowed. He loves his stuff being out there. Check his chat with The Charismatic Voice or try for one of your own (or actually just do both) if you've the ability. Elisabeth does some of the best interviews.
Eric, nooooo. You never never talk into a solo. and Specialy of Steve Vai, you just dont talk. Its like cursing in a church . I love your reaction, but please please please, dont talk into solo's . For that sin i can not give you a tumb up ;)
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