AYREON – The Human Equation (Remixed & Remastered 2025) *HQ*
Dutch genius musician Arjen Lucassen is presenting his own remixed and remastered 2025 version of the classic AYREON album ‘The Human Equation’, originally released in 2004. ‘The Human Equation’ was the sixth album from the progressive rock project, and as with other Ayreon albums, it features guest appearances from several musicians previously unrelated to the project, including James LaBrie of Dream Theater, Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth, Eric Clayton of Saviour Machine, and Devin Townsend, performing music arranged and written by Lucassen.
“The Human Equation (Remixed & Remastered 2025)” really sounds and feels refreshed, more powerful than never before. The bass lines are huge now, the cymbals clearer, and Lucassen has added new layers into the new mix not present in the original.
The album explores the idea of psychological rebirth, and follows the story of a man who, after falling into a coma following a car crash, is confronted with his past, his emotions, and his current situation as he lays trapped inside his own mind.
The circumstances surrounding the crash are mysterious, as the man (“Me”, portrayed by James LaBrie) ploughed into a tree on a deserted road in broad daylight. Following this, he slips into a twenty-day coma, with each day represented by a single song.
Each song follows a slightly different format, though there are major common themes, such as the presence of Me’s manifest emotions in his dream world including Fear (Mikael Åkerfeldt), Reason (Eric Clayton), and Pride (Magnus Ekwall); the presence of Me’s Wife (Marcela Bovio) and Best Friend (Arjen Lucassen) at his bedside; and the past events that Me is forced to reflect on.
Disc 1
1. Day One: Vigil
2. Day Two: Isolation
3. Day Three: Pain
4. Day Four: Mystery
5. Day Five: Voices
6. Day Six: Childhood
7. Day Seven: Hope
8. Day Eight: School
9. Day Nine: Playground
10. Day Ten: Memories
11. Day Eleven: Love
Disc 2:
1. Day Twelve: Trauma
2. Day Thirteen: Sign
3. Day Fourteen: Pride
4. Day Fifteen: Betrayal
5. Day Sixteen: Loser
6. Day Seventeen: Accident?
7. Day Eighteen: Realization
8. Day Nineteen: Disclosure
9. Day Twenty: Confrontation
Vocalists:
James LaBrie (Dream Theater) as Me
Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth, Bloodbath) as Fear
Eric Clayton (Saviour Machine) as Reason
Heather Findlay (ex-Mostly Autumn) as Love
Irene Jansen as Passion
Magnus Ekwall (The Quill) as Pride
Devon Graves (Deadsoul Tribe, Psychotic Waltz) as Agony
Arjen Anthony Lucassen as Best Friend
Marcela Bovio (Elfonía) as Wife
Mike Baker (Shadow Gallery) as Father
Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad) as Rage
Peter Daltrey (ex-Kaleidoscope) as Voice (uncredited cameo)
Arjen Anthony Lucassen – guitars, bass, keyboards, synthesizers
Ed Warby (Gorefest, Hail of Bullets) – all drums and percussion
Robert Baba – all violins
Marieke van den Broek – all cellos
John McManus (Celtus, Mama’s Boys) – low flute and whistle
Jeroen Goossens – flute, panpipes
Joost van den Broek (After Forever) – synthesizer
Martin Orford (IQ, Jadis) – synthesizer solo on Day 15
Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep) – Hammond solo on Day 16
Oliver Wakeman – synthesizer solo on Day 17
Pre order
ayreon.bandcamp.com/album/the-human-equation-remixed-remastered
