The Human Equation
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The Human Equation is the sixth album of Ayreon. It was released on May 25, 2004. The Human Equation is the first album of Ayreon which doesn't have lyrics based on sci-fi. Its lyrics are quite serious and deal with a comatose patient who barely survived a car crash. While in coma he has to face the monsters of his past.
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Outline
The story begins when the character Me is lying in a hospital bed. His Wife and Best Friend are speaking about his condition, while Wife hints that there is something that she and Best Friend is hiding. Afterwards, Me finds out that he is isolated from the world, and facing his very own emotions. In this new concept of his reality, he remains comatose until his awakening on Day 20, and struggles to sort through his own emotions, and face his own past.
Tracks
- 01 - Day One: Vigil [1:33]
- 02 - Day Two: Isolation [8:42]
- 03 - Day Three: Pain [4:58]
- 04 - Day Four: Mystery [5:37]
- 05 - Day Five: Voices [7:09]
- 06 - Day Six: Childhood [5:05]
- 07 - Day Seven: Hope [2:47]
- 08 - Day Eight: School [4:22]
- 09 - Day Nine: Playground [2:15]
- 10 - Day Ten: Memories [3:57]
- 11 - Day Eleven: Love [4:18]
- 12 - Day Twelve: Trauma [8:59]
- 13 - Day Thirteen: Sign [4:47]
- 14 - Day Fourteen: Pride [4:42]
- 15 - Day Fifteen: Betrayal [5:24]
- 16 - Day Sixteen: Loser [4:46]
- 17 - Day Seventeen: Accident? [5:42]
- 18 - Day Eighteen: Realization [4:31]
- 19 - Day Nineteen: Disclosure [4:42]
- 20 - Day Twenty: Confrontation [7:03]
All songs composed by Arjen Lucassen except:
- Heather Findlay wrote Love's lyrics on Day 13
- Devon Graves wrote Agony's lyrics on Day 17
- Devin Townsend wrote Rage's lyrics on Days 3, 8, 16
Editions
This album is released as three different editions: The Regular Edition containing 2 CDs, The Special Edition containing 2 CDs and one DVD with behind-the-scenes videos and The Limited Deluxe Edition containing also 2 CDs and one DVD but also 36-page booklet.
DVD
- Inside [45:27] - behind the scenes
- Concept [3:05] - the concept of The Human Equation
- Drums [3:32] - Ed Warby's drums
- Video [3:49] - videoclip of Day Eleven: Love
- Teaser [1:28] - teaser trailer
Personnel
Vocals
- James LaBrie as Me
- Mikael Åkerfeldt as Fear
- Eric Clayton as Reason
- Heather Findlay as Love
- Irene Jansen as Passion
- Magnus Ekwall as Pride
- Devon Graves as Agony
- Marcela Bovio as Wife
- Arjen Lucassen as Best Friend
- Mike Baker as Father
- Devin Townsend as Rage
Instruments
- Arjen Lucassen - all electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitars, mandoline, lap steele guitar, keyboards, synthetisers, Hammond
- Ed Warby - all drums and percussions
Acoustic instruments
- Robert Baba - all violins
- Marieke van den Broek - all cellos
- John McManus - low flute on Days 13, 16 and 18 and whisle on day 18
- Jeroen Goossens - flute on Days 3, 5, 9, 14 and 18, alto-flute on Day 2, bass flute on Days 5 and 14, panpipes on Day 6, descant and treble recorder on Day 13, didgeridoo on Day 16, bassoon on Day 18
Additional keyboards and solos
- Joost van den Broek - synth solo on Day 2, spinet on Day 13
- Martin Orford - synth solo on Day 15
- Ken Hensley - Hammond solo on Day 16
- Oliver Wakeman - synth solo on Day 17