King Ultramega have released a powerful new single, a cover of “Preaching The End Of The World”, recorded in loving memory of Chris Cornell while raising funds and awareness for MusiCares, the Recording Academy’s nonprofit that provides mental health services, addiction recovery support, and emergency assistance to members of the music community.
Originally written and performed by Chris Cornell, “Preaching The End Of The World” remains one of the most emotionally resonant songs of his solo career. The new interpretation from King Ultramega preserves the emotional core of the original while expanding its sonic landscape with layered guitars, cinematic keyboards, and a dynamic, atmospheric arrangement.
The recording features vocals by Ian Thornley of Big Wreck, guitars by Pete Thorn, bass by MarkMenghi, keyboards and synth by Dave Kerzner and Frank Mitaritonna, and drums by KennyAronoff. The track was produced by Mark Menghi, engineered by Frank Mitaritonna, Dave Kerzner and Mark Menghi, mixed and mastered by Josh Wilbur, with cover artwork and video created by Costin Chioreanu. Original music by Chris Cornell.
Speaking about joining the project, Ian Thornley said: “Pete Thorn is a dear friend and fellow Canadian who I know played with Chris Cornell for many years. He’s a great musician, and we’re always looking for projects to do together, so it was a quick ‘yes’ from me.”
Kenny Aronoff shared: “I wanted to be part of this project because I know Mark was involved, and I’ve always been a huge fan of anything Chris Cornell on so many levels. “Preaching The End Of The World” is an amazingly beautiful song, and Chris’s vocal performance is one of the most passionate and emotional vocal performances I have ever heard.”
Producer and bassist Mark Menghi reflected on the song’s meaning, saying, “It’s a song about loneliness and searching for connection, something I can relate to. Just listen to the lyrics of this song. Chris is authentic, emotional, and vulnerable.”
Pete Thorn also looked back on performing the song live with Cornell. “‘Preaching The End Of The World’ is a beautiful song that I always enjoyed performing with Chris during my time on tour with him. I remember a show in Tel Aviv where he talked about writing it during a dark time, but ended by saying, ‘but I made it!’ I always think about that in a positive way. He made it for a long time, and we should all be thankful for that.”
Discussing the musical direction, Menghi added: “When I chose this song for King Ultramega, I had a late 60s Beatles production vibe in mind. I tried to honor what made Chris’s original recording so special, not only instrumentally but in the production as well.”
Ultimately, the musicians view “Preaching The End Of The World” as a defining piece of ChrisCornell’s artistic legacy, and hope this tribute both honors his songwriting and helps support members of the music community through MusiCares.
The LP featuring “The Day I Tried To Live” and “Rusty Cage” is available exclusively on the Reigning Phoenix MusicEU and US webstore, Soundgardenwebstore, and King Ultramegawebstore.
A limited run of 500 purple vinyls (available to US purchasers) and 300 lilac vinyls (available to European purchasers) are available.
Sabaton are thrilled to announce that their concert film Sabaton – The Tour To End All Tours has officially landed on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and YouTube in a wide range of territories.
This means you can now experience The Tour To End All Tours – which travelled across Europe in 2023 and hit cinemas worldwide in 2024 – from the comfort of your own sofa, bringing the Sabaton energy straight into your living room. So round up the troops… and let’s go!
Sabaton – The Tour To End All Tours means a great deal to the band. It was recorded at a completely sold-out Ziggo Dome in 2023 in Amsterdam, where thousands of fans came together to share an unforgettable night.
For those who know Sabaton’s story, this concert carried special significance. When they first played in the Netherlands – six years after they formed – it was in front of a handful of people. Looking back at that moment and comparing it to the packed arena of Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome is truly mind-blowing.
For more detailed information on this project, visit here.
Here we find ourselves, among the Canadian miscreants EGREGORE whereupon they return from whence the wind howls like a damned choir and the Earth knows no master, to chart a broader sonic wilderness via It […]
Canadian progressive rock duo Crown Lands have steadily emerged as one of the genre’s most ambitious modern voices. Following their JUNO Award-winning self-titled debut in 2020 and Fearless in 2023, the band expanded their conceptual universe in 2025 with the instrumental releases Ritual I and Ritual II (also recently Juno-nominated), their first releases on InsideOutMusic. Now, the band deliver their new studio album Apocalypse, their most demanding and fully realized work to date, set for release on May 15th, 2026.
Musically and creatively, Apocalypse marks a clear turning point. After completing Rituals entirely in their home studio, the band gained the confidence to take near-total control of the production process. Guitarist/bassist/keyboardist Kevin Comeau explains, “That record gave us the confidence to realize we could make a Crown Lands album in our own space, without a major-label budget or a big, fancy studio.” That confidence carried directly into Apocalypse, with much of the album written and recorded in the same room the band has worked in since 2020. To enhance the album’s most crucial moments, Crown Lands selectively collaborated with producers Nick Raskulinecz and David Bottrill.
Conceptually, Apocalypse is designed as a complete, album-sides narrative experience, crafted with the classic album format in mind. At the heart of the album lies the 19-minute title track, a sprawling epic that anchors the record both musically and narratively.
You can check out the track now here:
About the track, drummer/vocalist Cody Bowles says, “With long-form songs, it always starts with the music. We built Apocalypse from instrumental sections, some older riffs, a lot of newly inspired ones, and mapped them out on a whiteboard, figuring out how one section could melt into the next.”
“Fearless and Ritual exist in the same story,” says Bowles. “But Ritual takes place much earlier in the timeline—it shows the planet during times of peace. Apocalypse moves the story forward and sets up the events that lead directly into Fearless.”
Apocalypse’ will be released as a Ltd CD Edition, Gatefold Neon Yellow LP, Limited Gatefold Neon Green LP & as Digital Album.
1. Proclamation I 1:22
2. Foot Soldiers of the Syndicate 4:20
3. Through the Looking Glass 3:45
4. Blackstar 4:00
5. The Fall 4:31
6. The Revenants I 5:29
7. Apocalypse. 19:01
****
Crown Lands will be on tour in Canada beginning on Feb 28th along with a stop on Cruise to the Edge in Miami, Florida.
FEB 28 – Windsor, ON – The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
MAR 4 – Miami, FL – Cruise to the Edge 2026
MAR 20 – Kingston, ON – Kingston Grand Theatre
MAR 21 – Milton, ON – FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton
MAR 24 – Ottawa, ON – Shenkman Arts Centre
MAR 25 – North Bay, ON – Capitol Centre
MAR 27 – Guelph, ON – River Run Centre
MAR 28 – London, ON – Wolf Performance Hall
MAR 31 – Richmond Hill, ON – Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
APR 1 – Oakville, ON – The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts
JUL 4 – Miramachi, NB – New Maritime Music Festival
Canadian progressive rock duo Crown Lands have steadily emerged as one of the genre’s most ambitious modern voices, and in 2026, they return with their most demanding and fully realized work to date – Apocalypse.
On this album, the band has collaborated with famed producers Nick Raskulinecz and David Bottrill (both known for their work with Rush), whose contrasting approaches informed the album’s creation. Conceptually, Apocalypse is designed as a complete, album-side narrative experience, crafted with the classic album format in mind and unfolding as a cohesive story set in the same universe as their 2023 album Fearless.
At the heart of the record lies the 19-minute title track, a sprawling epic that anchors the record both musically and narratively. Ultimately, Apocalypse is about change, the end of one thing and the uncertain beginning of another. That theme resonates not only within the album’s sci-fi narrative but in Crown Lands’ own evolution, capturing a band fully in command of its vision and ready to push beyond every boundary it has previously set.
You can check out the title track now below, and pre-order the album here.
Guitarist/bassist/keyboardist Kevin Comeau explains, “That record gave us the confidence to realize we could make a Crown Lands album in our own space, without a major-label budget or a big, fancy studio.” That confidence carried directly into Apocalypse, with much of the album written and recorded in the same room the band has worked in since 2020.
Musically and creatively, Apocalypse marks a clear turning point. After completing Rituals entirely in their home studio, the band gained the confidence to take near-total control of the production process.
About the track, drummer/vocalist Cody Bowles says, “With long-form songs, it always starts with the music. We built Apocalypse from instrumental sections, some older riffs, a lot of newly inspired ones, and mapped them out on a whiteboard, figuring out how one section could melt into the next.”
“Fearless and Ritual exist in the same story,” says Bowles. “But Ritual takes place much earlier in the timeline—it shows the planet during times of peace. Apocalypse moves the story forward and sets up the events that lead directly into Fearless.”
Crown Lands will be on tour in Canada beginning on Feb 28th, along with a stop on Cruise to the Edge in Miami, Florida.
02/28 – Windsor, ON – The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
03/04 – Miami, FL – Cruise to the Edge 2026
03/20 – Kingston, ON – Kingston Grand Theatre
03/21 – Milton, ON – FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton
03/24 – Ottawa, ON – Shenkman Arts Centre
03/25 – North Bay, ON – Capitol Centre
03/27 – Guelph, ON – River Run Centre
03/28 – London, ON – Wolf Performance Hall
03/31 – Richmond Hill, ON – Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
04/01 – Oakville, ON – The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts
07/04 – Miramachi, NB – New Maritime Music Festival
R.O.C. – R.O.C. (Setanta) Originally released in January 1996. Reissued for the first time on vinyl by Metal Postcard Records in 2015. A 30th anniversary reappraisal of the genre-hopping Brixton collective’s shape-shifting debut album of 1996. Martin Gray reflects on its addictive and magical allure which remains undiminished even now. The 1990s was an exceptional […]
Do you like beautiful things? Your answer to that question is surely “yes, of course,” but also likely involves some concept of “beautiful” that might be up for discussion between individuals. Here at Last Rites, for example, you might see the word beautiful right next to a word like “ugly” or “despondent” or even “brutal,” and certainly “dark.” And that conversation flows because we’re all familiar with the intersection of that Venn diagram, no matter how many sets one might introduce.
One of progressive rock’s longest running and most loved bands, Big Big Train, has become renowned for many things but above all for cultivating this space. Their music teems with expressive melodies and harmonies, instrumental prowess and singing talent, inspiring stories of historical events and the lives of the people at the heart of them from mundane to heroic, and imagery of picturesque vistas and landscapes, all of it most often described with words like “beautiful” and its myriad synonyms. They’ve approached the darkness at the edges of beauty before, touched on themes of sadness and melancholy and heartbreak and longing, but never quite so deeply and intimately as they have on their most recent album, Woodcut. And the results are breathtaking.
Release date: February 6, 2026. InsideOut Music.
Whereas fans are surely aware, the newly interested might appreciate some light, mostly more recent history in understanding just how the Train arrived at Woodcut. Founded by Greg Spawton and Andy Poole in 1990, Bournemouth, England’s Big Big Train began a now decades-long journey marked by inspirational, emotional, and elaborate melodic progressive rock with folk undertones. Most often compared to Genesis and Marillion, Big Big Train’s ability to craft melodies that might also appeal to popular tastes shift them stylistically from neo-prog to crossover prog, although it must be said, this is a band that found its own voice very early on which, over the years, has become one of the most unique.
Instantly recognizable by now, the Big Big Train sound comes down to a couple main things, including lush, beautiful, (typically) long songs with complex arrangements that feel immediate and comfortable. The core of the sound comes via the classic rock and roll arrangement of electric guitars, bass, and drums, in which melodies and harmonies might be carried delicately by one or a few instruments, including keyboards, violin, cello, or brass, or as part of a grand orchestration to reflect the beauty and splendor of thematic content ranging from simple life to machinery and industry to war and especially the underlying human experience; what Spawton calls, “third person storytelling songs.”
A second critical aspect of Big Big Train songs has always been the vocal elements, provided over the years by four lead singers, including David Longdon beginning in 2009 who ushered in the band’s most successful run of records from The Underfall Yard to 2021’s Common Ground. Longdon died in 2021 from injuries related to an accidental fall. His loss dealt an incredible blow to the band, as Longdon was an instrumentalist and songwriter and, as remembered by Spawton, “above all… a first rate and very kind man.” Understandably, there was a great deal of uncertainty about the band’s future. They responded by making 2022’s posthumously arranged Welcome To The Planet as a sort of farewell, followed the next year by a reworking of four of their best songs, epics focused on transformative technology, called Ingenious Devices, with full orchestra and Longdon’s recorded vocals, and determined to forge ahead.
2024 brought vocalist Alberto Bravin into the fold after Spawton and others had recently seen him perform with Premiata Fornieri Marconi and, despite his supporting role there, recognized right away that his voice would be perfect for Big Big Train, and a new partnership was born.
Though enthusiastic about his voice, Spawton and company could not have been prepared for the active role Bravin would take on the new album, 2024’s wonderful The Likes of Us, for which he wrote five of eight songs and contributed not only lead vocals but guitars, piano, keyboards, and brass arrangements, as well. Other band members joined since include Clare Lindley (2021; violin, guitar, vocals, keyboards), Oskar Holldorff (2023; keyboards, vocals), and most recently Paul Mitchell (2024; trumpet, percussion, backing vocals). And so with the new partnerships came a new approach to songwriting, in which the band shifted from sharing files across the globe to sharing space in the same room, and from narrative storytelling to a more broadly collaborative focus on music inspired by personal experiences, leading first to the poignant warmth of The Likes of Us and then to Woodcut.
For a band in its fourth decade, one might suppose inspiration would be in short supply, but Spawton and company seem to have kept the fire by remembering the curiosity that lit it in the first place. Studying the woodcut exhibit at the Munch Museum in Oslo, Spawton and Bravin became curious about the artistic process of it and the stories therein. From those notes Big Big Train’s first ever full concept album was conceived. The band worked together to create Woodcut, a 16-song record designed to tell the story of The Artist across 66 minutes of what, effectively, is a single work in two major movements.
Big Big Train fans will notice a major shift in the artwork for Woodcut, as well. Where every album prior has featured brightly colored scenes, Woodcut’s cover is comparatively stark, black on white, particularly salient in light of the album’s concept. The two-tone woodblock print is an artist’s interpretation of the album’s theme, commissioned from Dorset-based illustrator and printmaker, Robin Mckenzie. Using an actual woodcut for the album cover is an important statement about beauty and truth in art as the world struggles with understanding the real impact of AI on the art we experience. Less dramatically, it makes a poignant statement about contrast, specifically, the symbolic significance of a negative image that becomes a positive one.
Finally, Woodcut is also Big Big Train’s first album with Bravin as full producer which, according to Bravin and Spawton, happened organically as he kind of just did the work where and how it needed to be done until the album was complete (Bravin says he didn’t even give it a thought until he saw himself credited as Producer in the liner notes).
And with that, Big Big Train’s 16th album comes together, a reflection of a firmly established, well-honed musical entity redesigned, refocused, and re-energized.
“More than any Big Big Train album, this one took control of our lives.” ~ Greg Spawton
For evidence of the purported egalitarian approach to song-making on Woodcut, just have a look at the liner notes where you’ll notice a whole lot of names credited for pretty much all the things. Alberto Bravin is the primary lead singer, of course, but every other member of the band has a lead vocal moment. Every member plays multiple instruments (20+ in total counted conservatively). Most have composer credits, including a newly expanded role for violinist Clare Lindley that paid dividends, and four members contributed lyrics to the story.
While it’s true that Bravin “did the heavy lifting,” all agree that Woodcut is the product of a concerted effort in which each member took a personal stake in the album’s story while, at the same time, preserving the spirit of the band in all its various manifestations.
Woodcut tells the story of a block printer called The Artist, his art, and his process. Big Big Train hit all media in fleshing out the story, including music, of course, cover artwork (with an available mediabook), lyrics, stop-motion type animated videos in wood-carving style, and web-based interactive multimedia provided by InsideOut Music. All of that is really neat and testament to the band’s commitment to concept. It’s risky, though. A concept album so well thought out and fully executed runs the risk of depriving the listener of their own experience as it fills in all the blanks for you, imprinting the experience rather than presenting it freely. Make it too cryptic, on the other hand, and the concept is all but lost.
Woodcut resists hand-holding but presents this wonderful story with just enough detail to facilitate relatability and empathy. You may never have made a woodcut or even seen an Albion Press but you can surely relate to the emotional ebb and flow of creative (or personal, relational, academic, or professional, etc.) pursuits from the exhilarating spark of inspiration to the deep ache of unrealized potential, a dream once vividly dreamed turned hazy and tainted by failure. This story could be about any of us.
The use of motifs is critical to the Woodcut experience, as themes connect the listener with the protagonist musically and lyrically in a variety of ways throughout the album, sometimes clearly, sometimes more subtly. Recurring melodic themes are introduced as early as the opening instrumental, “Inkwell Black,” which works to set the scene, especially in terms of contrast between light and dark. Lyrically, the use of woodcutting terminology is obvious with references to ink, blades, cuts, and presses, but just how these relate metaphorically to the artist’s experience is often less apparent, thus allowing the listener to find their own connection (although, sometimes the metaphor is made quite pointedly).
Contrast is equally important, as motifs are cast in both light and shadow, major and minor keys, and sometimes oscillate in time with the highs and lows of the artist’s journey. Again, this allows for an outsider’s view of the process, the high at creativity’s peak and the low darkness of its waning. And again, it’s subtle enough to invite empathy born of like experience, surely relatable to the artists out there but also to the rest of us, highlighting the absurd notion that our productivity defines us, that what we make is who we are, and then of course the tenuous hold that allows on one’s sense of self-worth.
To carve a thousand birds And never hear them sing
“The Artist” introduces the main character and his story. The music is classic Big Big Train with warm melody and harmony and yet there is darkness at the edges against which bursts of creative energy are symbolized by cannonade from the bass and drums. Bright guitar and keyboard riffs illuminate the artist’s creative spirit, longing for the spark against the struggle of lighting it, but also impart a feeling like unchecked drive, a growing sense of chaos, culminating in the pure energy of its discovery and uncertainty it portends.
Of course, contrast features prominently in the songwriting, as well, where light passages tend toward pure progressive rock, very much the picture of Big Big Train as they have ever been. Vocal melodies run the range from soft to ebullient and harmonies build context, sometimes delicately, sometimes like towering cascades, always bright and effusive. 12-string guitars and assorted keyboards and synthesizers paint vibrant scenes of quiet contemplation and stimulating epiphany. The darker passages on the other hand, though they trace a feeling to some of those earliest songs, such as King Crimson’s “Epitaph” or Genesis’ “The Knife,” they have just as much in common with contemporary heavies like Grayceon or Hammers Of Misfortune when they dial it back and let the melody take the lead.
“The Sharpest Blade” is Clare Lindley’s most impactful contribution to Woodcut as primary composer and lyricist, and violinist. Composed mostly from the darkest fringes of folk rock, it is a departure for Big Big Train, maybe their darkest song ever. And it is absolutely critical to the story, conveying the bone-deep ache of the artist’s struggle to form his experience into art.
They say what doesn’t kill you But I say that’s just not true We fold these fragile hurts And dig them down deep But they’re not gone They want to be free And when they come They cut just as deep And it just takes longer
Lindley and Bravin exchange verses of dark and light, perhaps representing artist and art, and find a kind of resolution in the final verse, though it’s uncertain just what that might mean. “The Sharpest Blade” makes a certain kind of sense when you know the story so far and it’s main character but, even if you didn’t, it still presents a relatable conundrum of coping with frustration and pain and disappointment with which any of us can surely identify.
As Woodcut flows through its first half (essentially the first major movement), it becomes clear that the music has been crafted in service of the story. Ideas are explored slowly and deliberately, layers peeled back and themes revealed carefully so that the Artist’s character develops in light of the artistic process, a sort of character in its own right. This is remarkable especially because this is prog rock, a subgenre notorious for its infatuation with style over substance. And yet there is no gratuitous showmanship here. Rather, even more complex arrangements feel intentional, melodies and harmonies, rhythms and accoutrements layered and interwoven in support of the particular part of the story a song is telling.
Now that isn’t to say there is no virtuosity on display, just that it’s meted judiciously. The players here are renowned for their instrumental prowess. There are songs on Woodcut that demand a repertoire of specialties limited to a particular class of musicians and Big Big Train’s players navigate these with ease. That rock and roll core of Nick D’Virgilio (Spock’s Beard; Steve Hackett; Mr. Big; lots of other bands) on drums, Rikard Sjöblom (Beardfish; Gungfly) on the electric guitar, and Spawton on bass, deliver combinations of rhythm and riff that light up the soundstage. Oskar Holldorff’s keys paint the corners in shades of darkness to fit the mood and, in just the right moments, fill the sky with technicolor fireworks. That they fit these rock staples into so many different shapes and forms for the story is something like magic. This is a band as likely to drift the listener into memories of prog rock giants as it is to dip into jazz, blues, and folk rock, sometimes all within the same song, and every note and beat sounds selected especially for its place in the story.
One of the common pitfalls of prog is that it forgets to rock and, while that’s not always such a terrible thing, it’s not an issue on Woodcut. Sjöblom’s rockin’ riffs are plentiful, if carefully placed, and top notch throughout. He plays delicately, as needed, and with driving power as rock demands. But it is in Rikard’s solos that you’ll find his greatest strengths. There are many of them, ranging from your sort of standard hard rocker to an Allman-esque (or Caldwell-ian, if that’s more your cuppa) Southern rock sweetness to surf rock to a dreamy, contemplation reminiscent of Gilmour. If you’ve been looking for a new guitar hero or just always have room for one more and don’t already know Rikard Sjöblom then he’s your huckleberry. And, as good as he is on his own, he is a band member first and some of Woodcut’s best moments happen when he ascends into madness with the rest of the band for a good old fashioned prog rock instrumental workout, of which there are a few here, each masterfully designed and oriented within the story to reflect some of the most meaningful moments of the artist’s journey.
Woodcut’s latter half, or second major movement, features more of the full-band frenzy mentioned above because it suits the story. There’s more variety in the vocals here, as well, for the same reason. It will be a challenge for anybody to identify any one thing that accounts for the high quality of this album, but the vocals will be a common choice, partly because they are an index of superior songwriting, and not at all because these are the most technically proficient singers in prog, but mostly because they are simply enchanting. One gets the impression that each member took the lyrics the way a method actor takes a script. Add the choice to match singers to the mood and feel of a song, to a specific element of the story, and the result is that rare level of authenticity that pushes good music to great and great to outstanding.
As Woodcut is stood up against other albums by other bands, even great ones, it’s going to become evident that it succeeds on its merits. The magic that these musicians have conjured together is special in a way that will render such comparisons largely moot, because it is the pure product of their selfless and wholly invested collaboration.
It’s all wonderfully exemplified by the way “Last Stand” brings everything together. Motifs are reprised and themes integrated, building to the story’s denouement in grand fashion. As a closing number, it offers something of a statement in its seemingly effortless culmination of all Woodcut‘s musical and lyrical ideas to assure the listener they’ve arrived at just the right place, as if to remind us that even as beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, its immutable truth lies at the heart of the process.
Alberto Bravin – Lead Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Keyboards, Moog, Mellotron Nick D’virgilio – Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Acoustic and 12-String Guitars, Vocals Oskar Holldorff – Grand Piano, Wurlitzer and Fender Rhodes Electric Pianos, Hammond Organ, Mellotron, Synthesizers, Vocals Clare Lindley – Violin, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals Paul Mitchell – Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet, Vocals Rikard Sjöblom – 6- and 12-String Guitars, Hammond Organ, Vocals Gregory Spawton – Bass, Bass Pedals, 12-String Acoustic Guitar, Mellotron, Vocals
With guests: Maddie Wegg – Flute, Clarinet Brian Mullen – Cello
In September 2025, Tilburg in the Netherlands was once again transformed into Ayreon City, as six spectacular shows took over the 013 venue— or what is fast becoming known as “Home” by Ayreonauts around the world.
All 15,000 tickets were snapped up within minutes, with fans traveling from an astonishing 71 countries to witness the latest Ayreon live experience: the 30th Anniversary – An Amazing Flight Through Time. This will now be released on 22 May via Music Theories Recordings/Artone.
For one unforgettable week, Tilburg lived and breathed Ayreon. The city center became a playground of Ayreon beer and themed dinners, streets flying Ayreon flags, Ayreon Camping, Ayreon Karaoke, and legions of fans filling the city sporting Ayreon T-shirts from every era. Among the week’s highlights was the return of a now-cherished fan tradition: the Ayreon cinema quiz. Back for its third edition, Lucassen and van den Broek once again reinvented themselves as gloriously cheesy quizmasters, turning the quiz into a show in its own right.
On stage, the setlist spanned three decades of Ayreon history — from beloved fan favorites to songs never performed live before, with highlights from Arjen Lucassen’s many side projects woven seamlessly into the experience.
The performance included songs from; Into the Electric Castle (Amazing Flight, Valley of the Queens, Castle Hall), The Final Experiment (Dreamtime, Sail Away to Avalon),The Theory of Everything (The Theory of Everything, Lighthouse), Universal Migrator (House on Mars, Dragon on the Sea, Carried by the Wind, First Man on Earth, Dawn of a Million Souls, Into the Black Hole), The Source (Everybody Dies), plus gems from Star One (Set Your Controls, Year of ‘41) and so many more.
The first song released from the spectacle is ‘Loser’ – originally from the 2004 album The Human Equation, for which the video you can watch below. Pre-order the album here.
“I’m extremely proud to share the first full live video from the upcoming Ayreon 30th Anniversary release!” says Lucassen, “I chose ‘Loser’ because it’s not just a personal favorite of mine, but a massive highlight for the fans. The moment Jeroen Goossens plays those iconic opening notes on the didgeridoo, the energy in the room explodes. This performance truly captures the magic of the night: Mike Mills delivers an incredibly charismatic lead, Joost van den Broek tears through a wild Hammond solo, and Ed Warby provides his signature virtuoso drumming. My absolute favorite part, however, is when Mike lets the crowd take over the first verse—hearing the audience roar “Loser!” back at the stage is pure goosebumps.”
Talking about the show Arjen Lucassen says, “Bringing Ayreon‘s 30th anniversary to life with ‘An Amazing Flight Through Time’ was a dream come true. From the six sold-out 013 shows, uniting 15,000 fans from 71 countries, to turning Tilburg into ‘Ayreon City,’ it was an epic, immersive journey across three decades of music, including ‘deep cuts’ and tracks from side projects I never thought we’d play live. The grand production, the massive cast, the hard-hitting visuals: it was a truly unforgettable experience I’m incredibly proud of.”
The event marked 30 years since the release of Ayreon’s debut album, The Final Experiment (1995). This massive, state-of-the-art production involved over 100 cast and crew members, featuring a one-of-a-kind stage design, stunning visuals, and spectacular special effects that elevated the show beyond a concert into a true theatrical happening.
Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen, alongside lead producer and keyboardist Joost van den Broek, assembled a remarkable cast of many fan-favorite Ayreon vocalists that includes; Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), Anneke van Giersbergen, Dino Jelusick (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Whitesnake), Maggy Luyten, Heather Findlay, Marcela Bovio, Irene Jansen, Wudstik, DamianWilson (Arena), Robert Soeterboek, Mike Mills (Toehider), as well as Lucassen himself.
The album also features the musical majesty of Joost van den Broek ( Keyboards), Ed Warby (Drums), Johan van Stratum (Bass), Timo Somers (Guitar), Ferry Duijsens (Electric and Acoustic Guitar), Ben Mathot (Violin), Jeroen Goossens (Flute), and Jurriaan Westerveld (Cello).
Ayreon’s 30th-anniversary celebration in Tilburg was a unique moment—etched forever into the hearts and minds of those who experienced it live. With this upcoming release, the wider world will finally have the chance to step into the Ayreon Universe and experience the magic from the comfort of one’s own home.
Canadian alternative rock band Awake & Dreaming has announced a high-profile re-release of their breakthrough track, “I U Me.” Far from a simple remaster, the band describes this version as a “rebirth,” reimagined from the ground up for radio and global playlists. The track was mixed by 9-time Juno Award winner Jay Dufour and mastered […]
Fans of The Lousy Hitchhikers have a reason to celebrate this week with the release of Ambiguous Meanderings. Now available on Wreckoning Crü Records, this 21-song compilation album brings together the band’s singles, splits, and EPs recorded between 2023 and 2025. The collection isn’t just a retrospective; it features remixed and remastered versions of fan […]
great deal of uncertainty about the band’s future. They responded by making 2022’s posthumously arranged Welcome To The Planet as a sort of farewell, followed the next year by a reworking of four of their best songs, epics focused on transformative technology, called Ingenious Devices, with full orchestra and Longdon’s recorded vocals, and determined to forge ahead.
