Songs No One Will Hear is officially Arjen Anthony Lucassen’s fourth solo album, his first since 2012’s Lost In The New Real. Not that he’s been idle in the meantime. The workaholic musician has released projects under several band names, including Ayreon (probably the most notable of the lot), Star One and Guilt Machine. Throughout, he has maintained a signature sound while exploring genres as diverse as progressive music, folk, metal, pop and rock, often in the context of concept albums/rock operas. With a revolving cast of musical luminaries (among them Fish, James LaBrie, Erik Norlander, Lana Lane, Floor and Irene Jansen) contributing to the albums, each project has had its own feel, but Lucassen’s identity is the thread that weaves them all together. The quality of his output has varied widely, with the last Ayreon album, 2020’s Transitus, nearly unlistenable to these ears. Supersonic Revolution’s Golden Age Of Music (2023) was a vast improvement, but still missed the mark. So it was with some trepidation that I approached Songs No One Will Hear. Thankfully, my fears have been allayed, as Songs… is one of the finest albums in Lucassen’s vast catalogue.
Yet another concept album, Songs No One Will Hear avoids the excess of some its predecessors to concentrate on the songs and their performances. Lucassen performs the bulk of the instruments and lead vocals and keeps the guests to a manageable few who embrace the vision and take it to another level. The story this time revolves around mankind’s demise at the hands of an incoming asteroid. With five months until impact, civilization begins to unravel. The concept could have easily lent itself to melodrama, but instead the artist takes the subject matter seriously, imbuing the characters with honest emotions, ranging from regret to let’s party to resignation to making the most of the time remaining. What makes this such a great album is twofold: the range of musical styles and the heartfelt connection with the humanity of the characters.
The Clock Ticks Down sets the mood as piano and guitar introduce the gently baleful tune. The electric guitar adds flavour as the music builds slowly, the tension finally releasing around the three minute mark. Irene Jansen is Lucassen’s vocal foil for most of the album, and here they ruminate on their fates and what they might do in the time they have left. He chooses to reconnect with an estranged son, she drives to fulfil a dream and see the ocean. The album is full of these simple yet monumental choices, the vocalists making you believe the sincerity and feel the weight upon them. No major historic event would be complete without a Goddamn Conspiracy, so the heavy guitars, Tull-like flute and snarling vocals channel the human capacity to find absurd fantasies in the face of fact. Sample lyric:
You know I’m right, you’re all misled
It’s like a disease
A goddamn conspiracy
Tricky time signatures, interesting instrumentation and weary vocals converge in The Universe Has Other Plans. A song of resignation that refuses to give in to the morose, the music at times rises in defiance, shining some rays of hope on an otherwise bleak landscape. Lucassen’s guitar crunches and soars as it also leaves space for the other instruments. The sound is markedly uncluttered, one of Lucassen’s finest production efforts to date.
Shaggathon is a short blast of bawdy fun. The arrangement has a music hall vibe to it without being blatant; it’s more about the idea of having fun, the character encouraging his mate to throw convention to the wind as reflected in the lyrical content:
All your racy fantasies
Make them all come true, you know what to do
The music is bright, bouncy and radio-friendly, although the lyrical content might need some editing. Still, this is a different and welcome take in the Arjen Lucassen universe. As if to emphasize that point, We’ll Never Know goes in an almost popish, romantic direction. Told from the point of view of an expecting parents whose child will never be born, the song is warm and sentimental. Violin, cello and flute are a gentle embrace, while Jansen’s voice beautifully conveys the anguish of a mother wondering what might have been. Lucassen never overplays his hand instrumentally, allowing the vocal performances to carry the deep well of emotion in the song. On the other end of the spectrum is Dr. Slumber’s Blue Bus, a heavily rhythmic tune where the guitar lead stands proudly out front. The music reminds me of early Kansas, bordering on playful, yet there is an undercurrent of reservation; after all, this is a trip with no good end.
A rarity in the Lucassen catalog, Just Not Today is the beating heart of the album. Simple acoustic guitar, violin and cello support Lucassen’s solo vocal. The tune is almost pastoral, Hammond organ hiding in the background, strings occupying center stage. Tender and urgent, you feel for the character as he sings “We’ll be together till the end of time /And slip away…just not today”. Which brings us to the album’s epic closer, Our Final Song. Echoing guitar phrases, burbling synths and skittering percussion build tension as the characters await their fate at ground zero. The music begins to build in intensity as some welcome the asteroid and others ponder what they should have done with their lives, each with the realization that “it’s pointless now”. The instrumental section is unhurried, almost serene, as if nothing matters but the music. The subsequent vocal sections trade between those accepting what is to come and those still hoping for a way out, the music changing to reflect each sentiment. Gentle acoustic music juxtaposed against the sounds of screaming crowds and the rapidly approaching asteroid bring the song to its abrupt end.
Songs No One Will Hear is Arjen Anthony Lucassen’s finest work since the Universal Migrator days. The songs are impressive and well written, particularly from a lyrical standpoint. The vocalists, Lucassen included, are in sympathetic synch with the characters. The nuanced production highlights the diversity of styles on display, eschewing the everything all at once approach of some past projects. For those, like me, who had begun to drift away from Lucassen’s universe, this is the album that will being you back in. Captivating, emotional and definitive, Songs No One Will Hear deserves to be heard by everyone.
TRACK LISTING
01. The Clock Ticks Down (6:47)
02. Goddamn Conspiracy (4:41)
03. The Universe Has Other Plans (5:31)
04. Shaggathon (2:45)
05. We’ll Never Know (4:57)
06. Dr. Slumber’s Blue Bus (4:03)
07. Just Not Today (3:14)
08. Our Final Song (14:26)
Total Time – 46:24
* Songs No One Will Hear is available in various formats which include bonus tracks/instrumental takes/narration.
MUSICIANS
Arjen Anthony Lucassen – Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards
Joost van den Broek – Hammond Organ
Koen Herfst – Drums
Irene Jansen – Vocals
Ben Mathot – Violin
Jeroen Goossens – Flute
Jurriaan Westerveld – Cello
Mike Mills – Narration
~ With:
Floor Jansen – Vocals (5 & 8)
Robert Soeterboek – Vocals (8)
Marcela Bovio – Vocals (8)
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Inside Out Music
Country of Origin: Netherlands
Date of Release: 12th September 2025
LINKS
Arjen Anthony Lucassen – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | Instagram
