 | | |
| | Actual Fantasy Revisited | | | Music Artist : | | Ayreon | | Music Style : | | General | | Record Label : | | Inside Out U.S. | | Release Date : | | 2004-11-25 | | Discs : | | 2 | | Store Price : | | $17.98 | | Artistopia's Price: $17.98 | | Usually ships in 24 hours | | |
|
|
|
|
|
CD Tracks/Songs
Disc 11. Actual Fantasy
2. Abbey Of Synn
3. The Stranger From Within
4. Computer Eyes
5. Beyond The Last Horizon
6. Farside Of The World
7. Back On Planet Earth
8. Forevermore
9. The Dawn Of Man
| |
Other Artist Albums
|
|
|
|
Customer Reviews of This Album/CD |
|
 Awesome
Submitted on: 2008-10-14 |
|
| If you like new age, you will like it. If you like metal, you will lik it! |
|
|
|
 Weak and unnecessary remake. WHY NOT JUST KEEP THE REMASTERED ORIGINAL?
Submitted on: 2008-03-02 |
|
This was the first Ayreon album I purchased a year and a half ago, and since then I'm a fan and own every album, including the recent release 01011001.
I'm also intensely grateful they included a remaster of the original 1996 "Actual Fantasy" in the bonus DVD, but from a pro-"Revisited" point of view, it was a mistake.
Comparing the two albums shows very clearly that "Actual Fantasy Revisited" is inferior and considerably weaker than "Actual Fantasy" itself.
For one, the synthesizer, which sounded rich and full in the original Actual Fantasy, has a more sharp, snipped tone to it; it sounds as if the last millisecond of each synthesized note has been cut off so it sounds staccato every time.
The bass, which in the original was quiet, yet profound and booming, is now more noticeable not because of an increase in volume or presence, but simply the irritating sound of the strings twanging.
The guitar, in some places, most audibly in "Abbey of Synn" is intensely toned down in volume and presence, and the guitar solos no longer ring out, echo, and entrance the listener with their drama, but sound more casual, as if done while sitting down drinking beers and telling jokes to friends.
The drums in the original were booming, thunderous, and had a slight echo in places where needed. In "Revisited", they sound meek and uninteresting, as if done on an electronic drum set, with the bass drum, once the center-piece of the post-introduction of "Abbey of Synn", is muffled and wimpy, while the once echoing snare drum is content to die out quickly, like a middle-school band snare drum.
The vocals are also victimized, as in some songs where once there was rich vocal harmony, some of the voices are removed so that a homophonic texture in "Farside of the World" becomes monophonic (that is, a high voice and a low voice in unison is replaced with just a low voice).
Mentioned by Arjen in the documentary in the bonus DVD, he didn't use many real instruments (other than guitar and bass) because of the "genre" of his album, being based mostly in science fiction and fantasy, he wanted it to have a more artificial and electronic sound and feel to it. This worked wonderfully, but in re-recording, he seems to have forgotten that original intention, as the natural instruments fail to live up to the power of the originals. For example, the flute sampling in the original song "Actual Fantasy" is beautiful, rich and lush, whereas the real flute in the Revisited "Actual Fantasy" has more spirit and improvisation to it, but has a highly scratchy sound to it, likely from the flute player blowing too hard into the instrument, or having the microphone too close to their lips to pick up the blowing.
The re-recording is flimsy and weak compared to the remastered original included with the bonus-DVD, but the release is definitely worth buying solely for including the original album, plus a music video and documentary. Great starter kit for the new Ayreon fan. |
|
|
|
The Best Progressive Rock Band Actualy.
Submitted on: 2008-01-30 |
|
It's a great cd by Ayreon. I think Ayreon is the best progressive rock project. Arjen Lucanssen is genius.
ALL THE PEOPLE MUST TO LISTEN TO THE AYREON. |
|
|
|
This album deserves 5 stars
Submitted on: 2007-07-20 |
|
| The other reviewers have described why this album is so good. Easily on par with all his other work...don't let the lower sales make you think otherwise. |
|
|
|
Ayreon's most underrated album
Submitted on: 2005-12-21 |
|
I was a fan of the original of this album, but i never got around to buying it, and as a result, never did really listen to it as much as the other ones i had. About a week ago this new version came in the mail, and WOW. it really is a stellar album, and while i can't really say it's as good as Electric Castle, The Dream Sequencer, or The Human Equation, it really isn't far behind at all. The rerecorded guitars sound much thicker than on the original recording as well, which really drives the music home.
If you've gotten the majority of the Ayreon catalogue already, i wouldn't hesitate for a second on picking up this rerecording/remaster. All the classic Ayreon elements are there (the instantly recognizable synths, chuggy guitars, beautiful spacey melodies, etc.). The main difference between this album and others is that this one seems to be a bit more electronic in feel, and the songs all plod along happily at the same pace throughout. That could be considered a downside i guess, as there are no real upswings in the music, but it's pleasant enough as it is. Standout tracks for me are Stranger From Within, Back On Planet Earth (which uses some of the vocals in the background from the Ambeon reworking of the tune, very nice touch!), and Beyond The Last Horizon. It may be Ayreon's least popular album, but don't pass it off as his worst. Very highly reccomended for anyone looking for just a bit more Ayreon after hearing Electric Castle or The Human Equation. |
|
|
|
![The Human Equation [Regular Edition] by Ayreon](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/616KBGCKHHL._SL160_.jpg)
