Metal's artisan of ambitiousness Arjen Anthony Lucassen returns with his project Ayreon taking time off from his other musical projects Star One, Guilt Machine and The Gentle Storm to embark on yet another sonic journey into the world of science fiction, where he unleashes yet another concept album that is a prequel to 2008's "01011001" laid out in his usual monstrosity of a double album with an army of guest vocalists and musicians to play the proper roles in his larger than life metal operas. As a prequel, The Source tells the origins of the Forever which is an alien race that is a key force in the overall storyline. While Ayreon is accustomed to mostly new cast members changing things up on any given album, The Source makes use of plenty of returning performers which include James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Simone Simons (Epica), Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian)…

Arcane is the nom de clavier of Paul Lawler when producing astounding recreations of 1970s and 1980s Berlin School electronic music, with Tangerine Dream in their Baumann and Schmoelling eras as specific referents.
The music on this album is built from layers of self generative modular synth atmospheres, sequences, vintage Fx, and Drums, to musically mimic the self propelled nature of the Automaton.

"Three Piece Suite" follows the highly successful reissues of "The Power And The Glory" and "Octopus", and features Steven Wilson mixes of a specially curated selection of songs taken from the band’s first three albums ("Gentle Giant", "Acquiring the Taste", "Three Friends"). The album also includes the previously unreleased song "Freedom’s Child" (from the band's first recording sessions with producer Tony Visconti).