Within a distant nebula in the Taurus zodiac I hear the wailing of a star, the weak pulse of a fading sun
All its fuel is burning out and its light will fade to black I can't ignore its hopeless shout as it fires its death cry out in space
A star in Taurus lights up and outshines the galaxy A fleeting moment of glory in time and space A supernova resounds, a desperate symphony Leaving behind a beacon fallen from grace
Lift your head up to the sky And hear the faraway cry of a dying star
I heard its message from afar A frequent surge of sight and sound We approach the fallen neutron star Spinning round and round and round
We attend this cosmic mass and we hear its sad lament But even stars and planets pass in this cold and everlasting place
Lift your head up to the sky and hear the cry...
"We have encountered a quasar in the constellation Virgo. But does it really contain a black hole, the portal to our final destination?" (b)Quasar 3C273
Heading off into the core of a newborn galaxy We have reached a brilliant star-like source of energy This cosmic spectacle of radiance was formed Fifteen billion years ago when the universe was born
To the quasar Beyond the Milky Way The red shift is high, a bright light in the sky
To the dark star Beyond the light of day The gravity's high, a black sun in the sky 3C273
As we approach the sea of light I'm forced to close my eyes I can feel the vibrant waves of centuries go by Then the pull of an unseen force is tearing us away Could it be we found the entrance to our passageway?
A dark sphere surrounds us Surreal...oblivious... In the centre of the galaxy A hidden force has found us Powerful...mysterious... At the boundary of eternity
Nothing escapes, not even light Beyond the mystical horizon We surrender to its might Gazing into the eye of the universe
A deep roar is sounding Deafening...thunderous... As if the universe were crying My heart is pounding Frantic...delirious... My every nerve is dying
(b) Halo of Darkness
I hear screams of fallen souls, sad cries of agony Within the void of this evil hole, deep inside the black
Could it be my imagination, the mirror of my fantasy? A fear-induced hallucination Or is there no way back from the halo of darkness?
Spirits - apparitions - misery - suffering Horrid dreams and dire visions rising up from the black
Look away in disbelief, this cannot be happening The end has come, I bow in grief There is no way back from the halo of darkness
(c) The Final Door
Now silence devours us Massive...suffocating... The calm before the storm Gravity overpowers us Invincible...dominating... And leads us through the final door
Feed me light, I'm the halo of darkness Feel my might, I'm the eye of the universe
Hold on tight, we've reached the gate that leads us to the mystic zone What a sight! I cannot wait to cross the bridge to the unknown
Defy the laws of relativity, gravity will be our guide Surrender to the sea of energy that drives us to the other side
Faster than light, we're traveling time through the wormhole Out of the night, into a vortex of fire Time slips away as we plunge into unknown dimensions A brilliant display, quenching my deepest desires
Will it take us where we want to be? Will it show us what we want to see?
Through the wormhole
We're crashing down to our goal that lies beyond this cosmic gate Spinning round this spiral hole towards a cold and lonely fate
"We come out of the white hole into the M31 galaxy, which is also known as Andromeda. We see a planet that looks much like Earth. Could it sustain life? And if, who lives there?"
[Timo Kotipelto]
[A. M31]
And out of nowhere we materialize From a blaze of fire to a world of ice We folded space to a distant sun Inside the heart of M31
On a steady course to the planet Y Circling round a star in Sirrah's eye The search for life has now begun In the constellation M31
Light years away, beyond our Galaxy I see a planet like our own A golden sun is shining down on me Could it be that we are not alone?
We're passing Sirrah in Alpha Pegasi Into the atmosphere of planet Y What will we find? chances almost none.. Will there be life in M31?
[B. PLANET Y]
We're diving through the nebulae and arrive on planet Y A hundred thousand hollow eyes are gazing at the sky
There seems to be no motion, no pleasure and no pain No symptoms of emotion, no loss and no gain
Solar screens and cold machines are covering up the ground Crystal covered fields of green and oceans underground
Countless different entities but they all look the same But then one of the entities is crying out its name:
Forever... Remember Forever...
[C. THE SEARCH CONTINUES]
It's time to leave and carry out our quest Miles to go and things to see before we rest We came in vain, our search is not yet done For there's some kind of life in M31!
I can feel the sun burning on my skin I can feel the sun from deep within I can hear the earth calling out my name I can hear the earth crying out in pain
I'm coming home to the planet of blue Our own sun is coming into view I'm reaching out to the planet of blue Can you see me fly? Can you feel me die?
I can almost touch the glorious rings of Saturn But then I feel them slip away I can almost see the yellow clouds of Venus But then the sequence slowly fades
I'm coming home to the planet of blue Is this the end, can it be true? I'm reaching out to the planet of blue Can you see me try? Can you feel me die?
(b)System Alert Dream Sequencer system alert warning - core processor buffer overload please abort Universal Migrator sequence System failure imminent return to consciousness, return to consciousness, return to consciousness...
(a) Metamorphosis "For the first time during my journey, the Migrator communicates with me. He speaks to me directly, but without words. The Migrator tells me that my corporeal body inside the Dream Sequencer has died. While my body will now sleep forever, my consciousness must awake to eternity that lays before me ... for I am the new Migrator!" (b) Sleeper Awake
Atomically into existence A creator of life was born This universal migrator In his celestial form
Astronomical segmentation A division from which I came To go forth with a task bestowed me And seek out new worlds for all
Fly up into the skies A sea of blue has crossed thine eyes A quest to save mankind is made Just one earthly being his soul shall remain
My power of thought calls you Sleeper...sleeper awake, oh you sleeper Open your mind hear me sleeper Sleeper awake, come alive Our spirits they can never die
A cataclysmic end for many Annihilated Earth to the core But one soul survives in stasis A colonists spirit the source
You're the one not I, the chosen With visions, a bright new dawn To cross the starlit systems A place where new planets are born
Rise up, you must awake The here and now shall separate The body frees the soul and mind Your spirit will join me in time
My power of thought calls you Sleeper...sleeper awake, oh you sleeper Open your mind hear me sleeper Sleeper awake, come alive Our spirits they can never die
Sleeper...sleeper awake, oh you sleeper Dormant inside, hear me sleeper Sleeper awake, come alive Your body is dead not your mind
Sleeper awake come alive, come alive Sleeper awake there's a world waiting for you to find!
RELEASES
2000 (추정)
CREDITS
Performed by Ayreon 1기 (1995) - Arjen Anthony Lucassen : 베이스 기타, 기타, 신디사이져, 키보드, 보컬 - Arjen Lucassen / electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar, analogue synthesizers, Hammond, Mellotron and additional keyboards - Erik Norlander / analogue synthesizers, piano, vocoder, Hammond and additional keyboards - Ed Warby (Gorefest, ex-Elegy) / drums Guitar solos: - Arjen Lucassen on 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 - Michael Romeo (Symphony X) on 2 - Oscar Holleman 2nd solo on 4 - Gary Wehrkamp (Shadow Gallery) on 6 Keyboard solos : - Erik Norlander (Rocket Scientists, Lana Lane) on 1, 3 (Hammond solo), 4, 5, 7 - Rene Merkelbach last solo on 4 - Clive Nolan (Arena, Pendragon) 2nd synth solo on 5 - Gary Wehrkamp on 6 - Keiko Kumagai (Ars Nova) on 9 (+ Hammond solo) Singers: - Russel Allen (Symphony X) on 2 - Ralf Scheepers (ex-Gamma Ray, Primal Fear) on 3 - Andi Deris (Helloween) on 4 - Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) on 5 - Fabio Leone (Rhapsody) on 7 - Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarius) on 7 - Robert Soeterboek (Ayreon) on 8 - Ian Parry (Vengeance, Elegy) on 9 Backing vocals: - Damion Wilson on 2 - Lana Lane on 4, 5, 6, 9 and narration on 1