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Ayreon - The Theory Of Everything



8.4 | 475 votes |
Release date: 28 October 2013
Style: Progressive metal, Progressive rock

Owners:

414 have it
59 want it


Disc I
01. Phase I: Singularity
    1 - Prologue: The Blackboard
    2 - The Theory Of Everything (Part I)
    3 - Patterns
    4 - The Prodigy's World
    5 - The Teacher's Discovery
    6 - Love And Envy
    7 - Progressive Waves
    8 - The Gift
    9 - The Eleventh Dimension
    10 - Inertia
    11 - The Theory Of Everything (Part II)
02. Phase II: Symmetry
    1 - The Consultation
    2 - Diagnosis
    3 - The Argument I
    4 - The Rival's Dilemma
    5 - Surface Tension
    6 - A Reason To Live
    7 - Potential
    8 - Quantum Chaos
    9 - Dark Medicine
    10 - Alive!
    11 - The Prediction

Disc II
01. Phase III: Entanglement
    1 - Fluctuations
    2 - Transformation
    3 - Collision
    4 - Side Effects
    5 - Frequency Modulation
    6 - Magnetism
    7 - Quid Pro Quo
    8 - String Theory
    9 - Fortune?
02. Phase IV: Unification
    1 - Mirror Of Dreams
    2 - The Lighthouse
    3 - The Argument II
    4 - The Parting
    5 - The Visitation
    6 - The Breakthrough
    7 - The Note
    8 - The Uncertainty Principle
    9 - Dark Energy
    10 - The Theory Of Everything (Part III)
    11 - The Blackboard (Reprise)

Disc III [Special Edition DVD]
01. The Making Of The Theory Of Everything
02. Full-length Interviews
03. Recording Session Time Lapse Footage

Additional info
The Theory Of Everything is released in three differend formats:
- Limited Edition 2CD + 2CD + DVD Artbook
Artbook is LP-sized with a 48-page booklet
2+2 CDs (The actual album plus full instrumental versions)
DVD with 2 1/2 hours of behind-the scenes content, including a 47-minute "Making of" documentary, 90 minutes of in-depth interviews, and time lapse clips of the recording sessions.

- Special Edition 2CD + DVD Mediabook

- 2LP Vinyl Edition
2LP Gatefold vinyl (180g black) with 12-page booklet
2 CDs included (for listening convenience)

Found in 49 lists
Top lists



Comments page 5 / 5

Comments: 134   Visited by: 1617 users
05.12.2013 - 23:08
Rating: 10
LascaillesShroud

Written by LeKiwi on 05.12.2013 at 11:15

Written by LascaillesShroud on 14.11.2013 at 03:20

I've listened to this album a lot. Start to finish about 100 times since it's release.

You've listened to this 3 times a day for the last 5 weeks? I hope you weren't just sitting there listening to it

Anyways, I'm finally listening to this and 14 minutes in. Contrived, but I really like it


While at work I listen to music with my MP3 player. Before I leave to go home I listen to the album start to finish at least 5-6 times (8-10 hour day) and at least once at home while I am sitting around relaxing.

I've listened to it probably closer to 200-250 by now. The CD is in my car, in my MP3 player, and going while I am at home - I am possibly obsesses.

When should I start stalking Arjen?
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05.12.2013 - 23:26
Rating: 8
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Written by LascaillesShroud on 05.12.2013 at 23:08

While at work I listen to music with my MP3 player. Before I leave to go home I listen to the album start to finish at least 5-6 times (8-10 hour day) and at least once at home while I am sitting around relaxing.

I've listened to it probably closer to 200-250 by now. The CD is in my car, in my MP3 player, and going while I am at home - I am possibly obsesses.

When should I start stalking Arjen?

No need. Sneak in as a guest musician during the next recording
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07.12.2013 - 11:40
Creativinity

I don't get this album. I love all Arjen projects with the exception of Star One (even though it has Floor) but this CD... I just don't get. The lyrics don't awe me, the instrumentalism is good but not "I want to kiss this man's feet" like in other albums, and I enjoy some of the vocalists from their own projects, but not here. As a whole, this might be my least favorite Ayreon album, imo. I have given it a couple of dozens of listens, but still...

Fav songs on this CD for anyone? I'd like to give it one last try before completely removing it from my phone.
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07.12.2013 - 16:05
Rating: 9
Lethrokai

Written by Creativinity on 07.12.2013 at 11:40

I don't get this album. I love all Arjen projects with the exception of Star One (even though it has Floor) but this CD... I just don't get. The lyrics don't awe me, the instrumentalism is good but not "I want to kiss this man's feet" like in other albums, and I enjoy some of the vocalists from their own projects, but not here. As a whole, this might be my least favorite Ayreon album, imo. I have given it a couple of dozens of listens, but still...

Fav songs on this CD for anyone? I'd like to give it one last try before completely removing it from my phone.


What really got me on this one was Michael Mills' vocals... so I guess the best example for that would be "The Parting." This song alone put this guy up as one of my favourite vocalists of all time, and also my favourite discovered talent through Ayreon.
Also from the same "song," I quite enjoyed Mirror Of Dreams.
"Quid Pro Quo" through "Fortune?"
Diagnosis
The Theory of Everything (parts 1 and 3)
Progressive Waves, because I like the way in which it kind of represents all these different forms of prog.

To be honest though, it's not an album where you can listen to these subsections and truly enjoy it. I find that to get the real fun from the album, I have to listen to listen to the 4 main songs in their entirety.
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Sometimes you just need to roll the dice and look away.
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09.01.2014 - 15:25
Rating: 7
yeah1980

After a while I have to come back to my original evaluation: 7/10
The only song that I love seems to be "The Lighthouse".
It's a good album, but my least favourite from Arjen...
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"Be water, my friend" (Bruce Lee)
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09.01.2014 - 15:26
Rating: 7
yeah1980

Ah, I agree about the voice of Mike Mills, he's just unbelievable, listen to Toehider's song "Whatever makes you feel superior", it alone convinced me to buy the whole discography!
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"Be water, my friend" (Bruce Lee)
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12.02.2014 - 09:12
NorthernDickhead

It's not bad,but too long for me. I can't listen "not bad" album for few hours.
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12.04.2014 - 16:27
Rating: 9
R Lewis

It's not so strong on the first listen due to the lack of choruses, but it grows in time as a wonderful musical adventure.
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We could be so much more than we are. Stop.
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14.04.2014 - 06:43
3rdWorld
China was a neat
Didn't find it too special on the first listen. Spun this more than 5 times and couldn't see that it will grow on me either. Phase 1 is the only memorable song here. Rest of the album's decent though.
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18.04.2017 - 16:37
Rating: 7
Metren
Dreadrealm
Written by 3rdWorld on 14.04.2014 at 06:43

Didn't find it too special on the first listen. Spun this more than 5 times and couldn't see that it will grow on me either. Phase 1 is the only memorable song here. Rest of the album's decent though.


With this album, it felt like Arjen really wanted to scale back from the last album, which had something like 15 vocalists and probably the most expansive storyline yet, but it seems he scaled back in terms songwriting too. Many parts of this album are similar to his past works, but not quite as interesting. I think this isn't a bad album for new fans, but longtime fans spoilt by the previous opuses are bound to find it somewhat small-minded and inconsequential.
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My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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18.04.2017 - 21:04
3rdWorld
China was a neat
Written by Metren on 18.04.2017 at 16:37

With this album, it felt like Arjen really wanted to scale back from the last album, which had something like 15 vocalists and probably the most expansive storyline yet, but it seems he scaled back in terms songwriting too. Many parts of this album are similar to his past works, but not quite as interesting. I think this isn't a bad album for new fans, but longtime fans spoilt by the previous opuses are bound to find it somewhat small-minded and inconsequential.

Thats exactly what Erik used to tell me as well, the biggest Ayreon fan (and one of the biggest list police and ranters in his time). I can agree your statement about the songwriting too, both instrumentally and in variation aspects this isn't as grandiose as The Human equation which is the only other Ayreon album I've heard apart from this and the debut. I have to fast checkout his entire back catalog or else I will slowly grow out of this music. I've heard Guilt Machine and Lost in the new real and love those though.
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18.04.2017 - 21:15
Rating: 7
Metren
Dreadrealm
Written by 3rdWorld on 18.04.2017 at 21:04

Sadly I've only heard Ayreon's debut, The Human equation and this. I have to fast checkout his entire backcatalog or else I will slowly grow out of this music. I've heard Guilt Machine and Lost in the new real and love those though.


I may be entirely wrong about this, but somehow I think that if you didn't get hooked by The Human Equation, then Ayreon might just not be your thing. That album has its fair share of critics (and they make some good points too), but I still think it is Arjen's crowning achievement in terms of emotionally gripping musical storytelling, plus it has by far the best cast of any Ayreon album. You might still want to check out Into The Electric Castle too though, that one's a bit more fun and lighthearted (and as far as I can remember, Arjen's personal favorite Ayreon album).
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My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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14.11.2018 - 00:08
Rating: 6
Mountain King
K i K o
I don't like it. I understand that it's supposed to be a story and a journey but I still don't like it.
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21.02.2024 - 10:30
Rating: 5
majormalfunction

After hearing this a handful of times through the years i'm still at the point where it's only the melody from The Theory of Everything that I remember. 90 minutes not worth spending.
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Everything's twice as bright with money in your hands
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