Looking forward to reading the review since this just came out today. Curious to see how their dual CD of "gentle" and "storm" approach turned out.

Written by EmeraldSword on 23.03.2015 at 23:02

Looking forward to reading the review since this just came out today. Curious to see how their dual CD of "gentle" and "storm" approach turned out.

I listened to both and I have to say that I like the storm version more than the gentle one with few exceptions. I think the metal approach on the storm version adds a more epic layer to the music, which kinda lacks in the gentle one. But this is just me though...

As much as I wanted to like this, the album contains 50% good material and 50% filler. It just gets bogged down by what it wants to achieve. Unfortunately.......

Written by progpiggy on 26.03.2015 at 08:04

As much as I wanted to like this, the album contains 50% good material and 50% filler. It just gets bogged down by what it wants to achieve. Unfortunately.......

The second cd is quite good and this coming from someone who doesn't like symphonic metal. I don't think it deserves a 5. A 6 at least maybe.

This album is far beyond excellent. However, I was expecting the storm version would be...stormier. It's not terribly heavy, but still awesome.

I enjoy the "Gentle" cd MUCh more than the "Storm" one - mainly because it incorporates a lot of new instruments and instrumental melodies on several of the "Gentle" version (for example - check out the chorus in "The Heart of Amsterdam" on both versions).

I actually expected more.
It sounds a little bit too repetitive, and after I finish the album I don't feel at all the urge to listen to it again.
Plus I was hoping in a "heavier storm".
Anyway the guys are genius so they never fail, still a good album.

After the first listening I was blown away, but then I realized it was only the Arjen/Anneke duo that got me excited about this album. After that, with every spin it started to become something less than I was expecting, and it actually became boring, sadly. Great musicians, no question about the talent here, but somehow the music lost its taste in a really short time. Only names won't make a good album.
P.S. I'm gonna see them live soon, and hopefully that will be more interesting.

Looking in the album booklet, I think Mr Lucassen's running out of ideas to not thank his brother.

9 for disc 1, 8 for disc 2. Does that equal 8 or 9 overall? The Gentle side sound's very Ayreon-y.

Written by yeah1980 on 09.04.2015 at 08:55

I actually expected more.
It sounds a little bit too repetitive, and after I finish the album I don't feel at all the urge to listen to it again.
Plus I was hoping in a "heavier storm".
Anyway the guys are genius so they never fail, still a good album.

Unfortunately with time the album got "stale" to me...
Probably the album I enjoy the less for both Arjen and Anneke.

Beautiful album held up by the stunning voice of Anneke. On the other hand the gentle version can get a bit dull while the storm version feel a bit generic in it's guitar chugging. My favourite song gere is the storm version of The Storm but other than that I think most songs works better in the gentle version.