Ayreon Album

The Time Telepathy Experiment
MERLIN:
This is the voice of Merlin.
Listen well, for it concerns you.
This chronicle commences in the year 2084 A.D.
Mankind has virtually destroyed itself.
Its survival depends on "The Final Experiment".

Scientists from the 21st century have developed a new computer-program called "Time Telepathy".
By using this technique they have sent visions of humanies' decline back in time.
These transmissions have been received by the mind of a blind minstrel, who lives in 6th century Britain.
His name... is "Ayreon".

Overture
[Instrumental]

Ayreon's Quest
MERLIN:
It shall be Ayreon's quest to sing of these visions and thus warn the world of its impending downfall in order to change its future into a long and prosperous one.

MERLIN:
Let us go back... to... the Dark Ages...
Dark Ages... Dark Ages... Dark Ages... Dark Ages...

AYREON (EDWARD REEKERS):
A cry in the silence
A shine in the dark
Like a rising star
The dream is coming

Images of violence
A flight through time and space
It's such a lonely place
The dream has started

The smoke is rising
The vision's getting clearer
And words become a song...
In the dreamtime

I've lost control
Marooned and cold
I suffer the fears
Of a future untold
I cannot change
The shape of things to come

The smoke is rising
The vision's getting clearer.
And words become a song...
In the dreamtime

WOMEN:
The smoke is rising
The vision's getting clearer.
The hands of time are whirling around
I'm realizing
The future's getting nearer
And words become a song...

AYREON (EDWARD REEKERS):
The smoke is rising
The vision's getting clearer.
And words become a song...

AYREON (LENNY WOLF):
I cannot see with these eyes!
My world is dark,
Like a cold eternal night.

I could not tell you no lies!
My words are lost,
In a shroud of mystery.

VILLAGERS:
Tell me what you see!

AYREON:
I cannot tell you now,
I see the world through the eyes of time!

VILLAGERS:
Tell me what you feel!

AYREON:
I wouldn't know how,
I cannot free my mind!
(From the eyes of time)

I do not know where I am!
I'm lost in time,
Drifting in eternity.

I cannot tell if it's real,
A fantasy,
Or a view of things to come.

VILLAGERS:
Tell me what you see!

AYREON:
I cannot tell you now,
I see the world through the eyes of time!

VILLAGERS:
Tell me what you feel!

AYREON:
I wouldn't know how,
I cannot free my mind!
(From the eyes of time)

I'm still trying to understand,
Why do I see the things I see?
Could it be a future world,
That's warning us through me?
I'm still trying to understand,
Why do I know the things I know?
Does it mean I'm a god?
Will nobody tell me so?

VILLAGERS:
Tell me what you see!

AYREON:
I cannot tell you now,
I see the world through the eyes of time!

VILLAGERS:
Tell me what you feel!

AYREON:
I wouldn't know how,
I cannot free my mind!

VILLAGERS:
Tell me what you see!

AYREON:
I see the world through the eyes of time!

VILLAGERS:
Tell me what you feel!

AYREON:
I wouldn't know how,
I cannot free my mind... Free my mind... free my mind...
Free my mind... Free my mind...

[No lyrics]

AYREON (BARRY HAY)
Noble men in shining armour,
Knights of the table round,
Go out and ride like thunder!
Cross the sky at the speed of...
Sound the horn, 'n blow the trumpets,
Upon the castle wall,
Now the quest has started,
Listen to the prophet's call!
The prophet's call, yeah yeah

Sail away!
Sail away to Avalon!
The journey has begun.
Sail away through the night!
Sail away, never die!
The gods are at your side.
Sail away through the night, sail away!

Ride on the road to glory,
Find the holy grail
And learn the ancient story's
More than just a...
Fairy-tale about the key to life,
And all its mysteries,
You'll find the grail within you,
Slay the dragon in your dreams!

Sail away!
Sail away to Avalon!
The journey has begun.
Sail away through the night!
Sail away, never die!
The gods are at your side.
Sail away through the night...

---------

Sail away!
Sail away to Avalon!
The journey has begun.
Sail away through the night!
Sail away, never die!
The gods are at your side.
Sail away through the night...

AYREON (ARJEN LUCASSEN):

All the trees have fallen,
The soil is scorched and dry.
I can't respire,
A storm of fire,
Is raging in the sky.

Where is all the wildlife?
Extinct from pole to pole.
The hunt for skin,
A deadly sin,
Took its heavy toll.

The seas are red, the skies are grim.
The soil is filled with graves.
The earth is dead, the sun is dim.
Listen to the waves.

We befoul the air,
And burn a hole in the sky.
Deadly rays,
From outer space,
Cause our race to die.

Standing at the crossroads,
A choice of life and death.
We'll take more care,
And clear the air,
Or take our final breath.

The seas are red, the skies are grim.
The soil is filled with graves.
The earth is dead, the sun is dim.
Listen to the waves.

--------------

The seas are red, the skies are grim.
The soil is filled with graves.
The earth is dead, the sun is dim.
Listen to the waves...

Actual fantasy!

Sit back and relax.
Crawl into the maze within your mind.
Leave it all behind.
Now allow yourself to slide into a world.
As real as you want it to be.

Actual fantasy!

EDWARD REEKERS:
Once upon a time, as in ancient history
High upon a hill, in a shroud of mystery
Loomed the abbey, as we journeyed through the night
And wended our way towards the light.

As we entered through the gates, we heard the silent calls
There was something evil that lurked within these walls
As I relive my days in this godforsaken place
All that appears before me now... is her face...

OKKIE HUYSDENS:
Another man died today like the ones before (Like the ones before)
With blackened tongue and blackened finger (Blackened finger)
Within the labyrinth behind the bolted door (Behind the bolted door)
Lies the answer to our mystery...

ROBERT SOETERBOEK:
Heed the book that kills - it holds an evil power!
Those who turn the leaves wither like a flower!
Well guarded by the seer inside the abbey tower.
For laughter kills the fear within...
The abbey of Synn.

OKKIE HUYSDENS:
We found the secret path that led us here to you (Led us here to you)
Give us the deadly book of laughter (Deadly book of laughter)
Too many men have died for a teaching of the few (Teaching of the few)
Open your heart. Reveal the mystery.

ROBERT SOETERBOEK:
Heed the book that kills - it holds an evil power!
Those who turn the leaves wither like a flower!
Well guarded by the seer inside the abbey tower.
For laughter kills the fear within...
The abbey of Synn.

EDWARD REEKERS:
And then she came to me, like a creature from the dawn
Enchanting as the moon, radiant as the sun.
She took the boy in me, and gave me back a man
With a force I could not withstand.

The seer burned the abbey down, and perished in the fire...
We couldn't save the book. The flames were rising higher...
So many died in vain for an ancient discipline...
Laughter kills the fear within...
The abbey of Synn.

ROBERT SOETERBOEK:
Heed the book that kills - it holds an evil power!
Those who turn the leaves wither like a flower!
Well guarded by the seer inside the abbey tower.
For laughter kills the fear within...
The abbey of Synn.

Lost in a world created by man
I can't recall how it all began
Tell me, who am I?

Fictional stars in lost galaxies
Synthetic dreams and false memories
Is this all a lie?

There is no escape
(There is no way out of here)
I'm locked in this universe
(The real world will disappear)
Where fantasy dies
(You will see your dreams)
Material lies
(Materialize)
Computer eyes
(Computerize)

Virtual reality, computer override
Actual fantasy, locked away inside

Am I no more than a program?
An artificial dream?
A river of electrons flowing with the stream?

A parallel dimension, battle simulations
Mind over matter, brain stimulation

I don't know if I exist. I think therefore I am.
Without emotions, I'm but a hologram.

There's no escape!
I'm locked in this universe
Where fantasy dies
Material lies
Computer eyes

There is no escape
(There is no way out of here)
I'm locked in this universe
(The real world will disappear)
Where fantasy dies
(You will see your dreams)
Material lies
(Materialize)

Computerize...
...Computerize...
...Computerize...
...Computerize...
...Computerize...
...Computerize...
...Computerize...
...Computerize...
...Computerize...

Roger copy!
Altitude 4200, and you are go for landing, over!
Visibility, as we said before, is... not too great.
Come in!
Planet Earth... Planet Earth... Planet Earth... Planet Earth...

EDWARD REEKERS:
I overheard the elders,
Telling each other stories
About the days when they were young,
Back on planet earth

I wish to learn the secrets
Of those who lived before me...
So I program my computer,
For a flight to planet earth

ROBERT SOETERBOEK:
Blue skies over the oceans
Sail on the wind to the valley below..
Rise high over the hills
To where the wildflowers grow

OKKIE HUYSDENS:
And I ride, ride, ride,
The waves of time!
Fly, fly, fly beyond the sky!

EDWARD REEKERS:
We've abandoned all emotions,
Whether good or bad,
Up here in this station,
Far from planet earth!

I can't tell if I'm happy,
I don't know if I'm sad
But I do know I'd have been at home,
Back on planet earth.

ROBERT SOETERBOEK:
Black clouds over the debris,
Storm is raging over the land...
No life left on this planet,
Now you will understand!

OKKIE HUYSDENS:
And I ride, ride, ride,
The waves of time!
Fly, fly, fly beyond the sky!

ROBERT SOETERBOEK:
Blue skies over the oceans
Sail on the wind to the valley below...
Rise high over the hills,
To where the wildflowers grow

Black clouds over the debris,
Storm is raging...

(Echoing words)

(A. Let The Journey Begin)

HIGHLANDER:
What heathen place is this that I've arrived in?
Is now the time I pay for all my sins?
I can't believe that this is God's creation
This realm was fashioned by the Devil's one hand

INDIAN:
No, it has been foretold in our legends of old
Wake the spirit within, let the journey begin!

HIGHLANDER:
This quest you speak of, is for redemption
How can we travel when our souls are lost?
You think we find ourselves at gates of new salvation
When I can only sense the end is here!

INDIAN:
No, it has been foretold in our legends of old
Wake the spirit within, let the journey begin!

KNIGHT:
We're at the gates of Avalon!
The island of spirits
We're at the gates of Avalon!
In search of the grail!

(B. The Hall Of Isis And Osiris)

ROMAN:
There's no way out, slaves for eternity!
Down in the underworld, the jaws of Orcus
I call on Jupiter, ruler of the gods
Show us the way, from damnation to salvation!

EGYPTIAN:
The fields of Yaaru lie waiting for us all!
Rejoice! The judges have ruled!
We have been chosen to enter the great hall
Of Isis and Osiris!

ROMAN:
No, you're wrong! We're trapped here in darkness
Among departed souls, and mislaid spirits
I call on Mars, the ancient god of war
Grant me the power, to free me from this evil!

EGYPTIAN:
The fields of Yaaru lie waiting for us all!
Rejoice!
We have been chosen to enter the great hall
Of Isis and Osiris!

(C. Strange Constellations)

HIGHLANDER:
Can you see the stars? Can you recognize the constellations?
If I could only see the hills that we're supposed to climb...
Even the sunlight doesn't warm, doesn't warm...
How are we gonna find our way?
If we can't recognize the stars, and we can't recognize the constellations...
Where do we go?

(D. Reprise)

HIGHLANDER:
The quest you speak of, it isn't bound for glory.
No grail exists within this heathen land.
You think we find ourselves at gates of new salvation
When I can only sense the end is near...

Forever of the Stars:
There is danger ahead. But do not be afraid. For I am with you,
like breath itself. Darkness will lead to light. Colour will bleed
into the night. Beautiful colours, the like of which you have never
seen. Let the dream of confusion lead you into the virgin light!
Be gone! Be all seeing, be brave... Be gone!

(A. Amazing Flight In Space)

BARBARIAN:
I'm looking 'round bewildered.
Is this some dark and evil jest?
What brought me to this cursed keep?
Perchance some crazy quest?
Gods forbid I am no coward!
Pitted against a monster, man, or ghost
I'd wield my blade with crimson gusto,
For I am the proud barbarian host!

HIPPIE:
Hey dude, you're so uncool!
But hey, that's alright...
Like, there's no need to get uptight.
My eyes reflect the stars
And a smile lights up my face
We're on an amazing flight in space!

BARBARIAN:
I shook city walls and towers!
Wreaking havoc in the streets
Burned palaces of cowardly kings
Not a one stood up to me... fools.
Bear bloody banners in blazing skies!
Brandish battle axe and broadsword!
Let drums of glory sound like thunder!
Hail Barbaric Warlord!!

HIPPIE:
Hey dude, you're so uncool!
But hey, that's alright...
Like, there's no need to get uptight.
My eyes reflect the stars
And a smile lights up my face
We're on an amazing flight in space!

BARBARIAN:
I load my black stallion
With grim determination
I found a kingdom
Where I chose to settle down
Righteous men would hang me
But I've given hell to pay
Cause nothing is as dangerous
As a barbarian warlord

I trained some of the minstrel men
I laid this place aspears
For a barbarian warlord...

(B. Stardance)

INDIAN:
(Chants)

C. Flying Colours

Behold: The Star Towers of The Electric Castle! See how it embraces the sky! How insignificant the mere mortal, dwarfed by the majesty of its electric edifice! But first, my seven searchers, you must meander through the verdant vines of the Garden of Emotions. Succumb to its allure. Breathe deep the intoxicating aroma of endless, entwined emotions...

Forever of the Stars:
At last! You enter the Electric Castle! Here, in this vast hall, where
even shadows fear the light. Here, you must confront your past.
If you have killed, beware the Gathering of Spirits,
for they do fish for men. Here, the disembodied Astral World
becomes flesh once more. I pity the men of swords.
For here, blood runs cold...

BARBARIAN:
Cries from the grave resound in my ears...
They hail from beyond my darkest fears...
Faces of the past are etched in my brain...
The women I raped, the men I've slain!

Shades of the dead are sliding on the wall!
Demons dance in the castle hall...

KNIGHT:
I call upon the sword, the mighty Excalibur
Grant me the skill to fulfill my quest!
I call upon my king, the knights of the table round
Grant me the courage to stand to this test!

I call upon the seer, Merlin the sorcerer
Grant me the magic to end my pain!
I call upon the spirit that lives in the noble heart
Grant the passion that will fill my veins

Shades of the dead are sliding on the wall!
Demons dance in the castle hall...

BARBARIAN:
Cries from the grave resound in my ears...
They hail from beyond my darkest fears...

KNIGHT: I call upon the seer, Merlin the sorcerer
BARBARIAN: (Faces of the past are etched in my brain...)
KNIGHT: Grant me the magic to end my pain!

KNIGHT: I call upon the spirit that lives in the noble heart
BARBARIAN: (The women I raped, the men I've slain!)
KNIGHT: Grant the passion that will fill my veins

BOTH:
Shades of the dead are sliding on the wall!
Demons dance in the castle hall...

Forever of the Stars:
It is time to reflect upon your ego self. Nowhere to hide when the
walls echo the you that we all see. Hahahah, the smiles dissolve.
The pulse begins to race. The face aflush of fear so plainly painted...
The Mirror World, the Mirror Maze, Confrontation...

(A. Inside The Mirror Maze)

HIPPIE:
Mirror, mirror, I can see a lonely child, he kinda looks like me
Staring out into infinity.
His father lies, his mother cries, his spirit flies up in the skies
Wandering off to another galaxy.

FUTUREMAN:
Secret fears we all try to hide
Lie dormant deep inside us...
Defy the ghosts of long forgotten days
Here inside the mirror maze...

HIPPIE:
Mirror, mirror, I can see an angry boy, oh well, I guess he's me
Rising up to the society
He's aware that no one cares and life's unfair so he grows his hair
And takes a trip into eternity

FUTUREMAN:
Secret fears we all try to hide
Lie dormant deep inside us...
Defy the ghosts of long forgotten days
Here inside the mirror maze...

(B. Through The Mirror)

ROMAN: I see a man, who's unable to withstand his fears...
BOTH: ...inside...
KNIGHT: ... we're all but frightened men, but we have to fight until the end is...
KNIGHT/ROMAN: ...here/hear...
ROMAN: ... what I say! I am doomed, I have to pay, I can't...
BOTH: ...go on...
KNIGHT: ... and persevere, for we have to make it out of here...
KNIGHT/ROMAN: ...alive/a life...
ROMAN: ... is but a dream, for in the mirror I have seen what lies...
BOTH: ...within...
KNIGHT: ... this armour cold and bright lies a noble heart with the will to fight...
BOTH: ...the pain...
ROMAN: ... cannot be healed, I'm surrounded by this shield I cannot...
BOTH: ...break...
KNIGHT: ... through the mirror now, follow me, I will show you how!

ROMAN: We've reached the other side, I have overcome my pride and made...
KNIGHT/ROMAN: ...it through/we threw...
KNIGHT: ...aside our darkest fears and stepped across these new frontiers of...
BOTH: ...time...
ROMAN: ...can only tell what awaits us in this hell full of...
BOTH: ...deceit...
KNIGHT: ..., guile and treachery, will they ever set us free again?

ROMAN:
Riding on the winds of time (Riding on the winds of time)
I've overcome my pride...
Riding on the winds of time (Riding on the winds of time)
We have reached the other side...
Riding on the winds of time (Riding on the winds of time)
Time can only tell me...
Riding on the winds of time (Riding on the winds of time)

Forever of the Stars:
And so it's come to this: Two Gates, two portals await.
Let your choice be guided by collective wisdom.
Mmm, hath the prospect of freedom ever tasted so good?
One gate completes the circle; one step away from your own
Dimension, your cherished time. One gate severs all connections;
One step away from the dreamworld of everlasting ebony.
You call it Oblivion. It is a brave soul who makes the first choice.

BARBARIAN:
Behold these gates, the first one plain and old
Behold these gates, the second forged of gold
The gate of old spells out disgrace and shame
The one of gold cries out my noble name

I challenge death to meet me at this gate!
I challenge Odin to pronounce my fate!
And if I thrive I've overcome this land
But if I fail I'll die a worthy man

ROMAN: Open the gate, we're now on our own
ALL: Enter the gate to your destiny!
ROMAN: Will it be fortune or fate, the truth shall be known
ALL: Enter the gate to your destiny!

BARBARIAN:
Cowards whine beyond the olden gate
Valhalla shines beyond the golden gate
I walk alone so dare not follow me
But choose your own and die in agony!

ROMAN: Open the gate, we're now on our own
ALL: Enter the gate to your destiny!
ROMAN: Will it be fortune or fate, the truth shall be known
ALL: Enter the gate to your destiny!

BARBARIAN:
What evil place might this be? Why are the heavens so black?
Eternity threatens, darkness crashes down upon me! Ohh!
Like a big black bat of death smothers my senses!
Makes me lose my sense of time! This cannot be a dream!
I need to be wide awake! Wide awake! When the Valkyries come to take me!
To my place among the warriors, to my place by Odin's side! Ahhhh!

KNIGHT:
We have been saved, our journey has ended!
But tell us why, why this ordeal?
What was your aim, or was it just some game?
Have we been humbled, or did we prevail?
We've been enslaved, our wounds have not mended!
And who are you, what magicians or gods?
What was your plan, we don't understand!
Did we pass, or did we fail?

ROMAN: Open the gate, we're now on our own
ALL: Enter the gate to your destiny!
ROMAN: Will it be fortune or fate, the truth shall be known
ALL: Enter the gate to your destiny!

It is the 17th century. I am a noble ensign-bearer posing with my guild for the Dutch master painter, Rembrandt van Rijn, in Amsterdam.

I'm standing proud
In this noble crowd
My banner raised high
The coat of arms of Amsterdam
To the mystic sky
A magic light enchants the land
We're marching on
The shooting company of Captain Frans B. Cocq

My uniform shines
The livery of a high-born man
The Claw-guild signs
Immortalised by the master's hand
Light and shade
With colours rich and brushwork bold
Night and day
With shadows black and armours gold
We're marching on
The shooting company of Captain Frans B. Cocq

I'm standing proud
In this noble crowd
In our golden age
Eternalised by the artist's hand
A glorious page
In the history of our tiny land
We're marching on
Up to the battlefield to where the spirits walk
The shooting company of Captain Frans B. Cocq

At the birth of time, the beginning of beginnings
One cosmic soul was created
A bringer of life, a universal migrator
Born to sow its seeds in all the galaxies

Like a cell dividing, it spreads in all directions
Creating life among the stars
Now I'm struck with awe as I join the great migrator
Now it takes flight to the brightest star of all

On a quest for life, through the sable skies
What a show! (What a show!) Behold! (Behold!)
The dawn of a million souls

On a bold crusade, in the realm of shade
What a show! (What a show!) Behold! (Behold!)
The dawn of a million souls
Yeah!

Through the glowing mist, like a fog of radiation
I can see the forming of new planets
Well it's like I've been struck by thunder as I witness all the splendor
And I realize just how small, how small we really are

On a quest for life, through the sable skies
What a show! (What a show!) Behold! (Behold!)
The dawn of a million souls

On a bold crusade, in the realm of shade
What a show! (What a show!) Behold! (Behold!)
The dawn of a million souls

Oooh, I can see forever
On the wings of dreams I fly
Is this real or is it just a fantasy?
What awaits me now at the end of this ride?

On a quest for life, through the sable skies
What a show! (What a show!) Behold! (Behold!)
The dawn of a million souls

On a bold crusade, in the realm of shade
What a show! (What a show!) Behold! (Behold!)
The dawn of a million souls

On a quest for life, through the sable skies
What a show! (What a show!) Behold! (Behold!)
The dawn of a million souls

On a bold crusade, in the realm of shade
What a show! (What a show!) Behold! (Behold!)
The dawn of a million souls

Oooh, I can see forever
Oh! On the wings of dreams I fly
Is this real, is this real or just a fantasy?
What awaits me now? What?

It is 2800 B.C. I quietly witness the astounding secret behind the creation of a
mysterious monument in Wiltshire, England.

The moon sheds no light on Salisbury plain
The day turns to night and the bonfires cease burning

The druids gather round and the chants fill the air
Their echoes resound and the living world stops turning

The magic words are spoken
As we leave the plain in silence
Now the circle stands alone
And the druids turn to stone

The dawn shines its light on Salisbury plain
The day floods the night with gilded rays of sunshine

The magic words were spoken
As we left the plain in silence
Then the circle stood alone
And the druids turned to stone

The rising sun is dancing on the edges of the stones
Casting shadows, creeping down the Avenue
Into the heart of the sarsen trilithons

I marvel at this mystery, beholder of the stars
A holy temple, a sacred burial ground
Guarding well its secrets from us all

The moon sheds no light on Salisbury plain
The day turns to night and the bonfires cease burning

The magic words are spoken
As we leave the plain in silence
Now the circle stands alone
And the druids turn to stone

(a) The Eye of Universe

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

It is 50000 B.C. The world is almost empty; nature is still untouched by man. Off in the distance, a clan of ape-like creatures gather near a cliff side.
But I am the first to stand. I must be...

In fields of green, vast as the oceans
Is this a dream, is it evermore?
A million years, Vast as an ocean
I stand alone here on the silent shore

I'm after prey in the fields
Shelter in a cave from the cold and lonely nights
And now it all seems so real
warming at the fireside beneath the pale moonlight

This is the dawn of time
I am the first to stand
Looking through the eyes of the primal man
This is the dawn of time
Witnessing the birth
I am the first man on earth

The skies of blue reach to the heavens
They go on and on forevermore
No avenues, no city sidewalks
Planet Mars is but ancient lore

This place has all that I need
No computers glowing screens, no industrial machines
Somehow it all seems surreal
Memories of days gone by, a slowly fading scene

This is the dawn of time
I am the first to stand
Looking through the eyes of the primal man
This is the dawn of time
Witnessing the birth
I am the first man on earth

No one here to blame me
No one here to hurt
So much space here to occupy my mind
I can breathe the breath of virgin land

The firefly at nighttime
The sounds of nothing known
And I belong here like I never have before
The wandering child returning home

When twilight falls, red is the sunset
Planets appear across the colored sky
No prison walls, no war, no bloodshed
Hard to believe this new world will die

I wish that I could stay for a while
In the dream world that the sequencer creates
And though it all seems so real
Now I fear the time is gone, I feel its heavy weight

This is the dawn of time
I am the first to stand
Looking through the eyes of the primal man
This is the dawn of time
Witnessing the birth
I am the first man on earth

Hold on to this moment in time (Hold on)
Savor a life how it used to be (Savior this moment... how it used to be)
Hold on to the world in its prime (In its prime)
Breathe in the air, feel the energy (Feel the energy)

Me:
I can't move, I can't feel my body
I don't remember anything
What place is this…how did I get here?
I don't understand, what's happening…

Am I alone?

Fear:
You've been deserted, everyone has left you
You know it's always been that way
Those frantic years, the people you've neglected
Now the time has come to pay

You're alone
No one here is dancing to your tune

Me: Is this a dream or is it real?
Reason: Sometimes the dream becomes reality
Me: But I don't know what to feel
Reason: Then I will guide you through this haze
Me: But who are you, why are you here?
Reason: I am you and you are all of us
Me: I can't think, my mind ain't clear
Reason: Then I will free you from this maze

Passion:
Can't you feel it burn
Deep down inside?
Won't you ever learn
Don't try to hide

Can't you feel that fire
Scorching your soul?
A wounded man's desire
Out of control

Pride:
I can't believe you're giving up
That's not your way
I can't believe you'd pass the chance to make them pay

You've always had complete control
Never thinking twice
You always called the shots, a heart as cold as ice

Me: You're all delusions of my mind
Reason: And so we are, we're all a part of you
Me: Am I a part of some design?
Reason: The one design is in your head
Me: How can it be, you look so real…
Reason: We are as real as you imagine us
Me: I can touch you, I can feel…
Reason: Then take my hand and follow me

(Chorus 1 -- Passion)
(Chorus 2 -- Pride)

Love:
Close your eyes, listen to your heart beat
Surrender to its soothing pulse
Silence the cries, gentle and carefree
Good or bad, true or false…

You're not alone

You'll find me here whenever they oppose you
I am the strongest of them all
No need to fear these feelings that enclose you
I'm here to catch you when you fall

You're not alone
I am here, dancing to your tune

(Chorus 1 -- Passion)
(Chorus 2 -- Pride + ad libs)

(Agony) I am pain
I am real. I'm not a dream
I'm the chain around your neck as you scream

Surrender now
You can't beat death at his ruthless game
Make your bow
Hang your head in shame

(Me) I can't believe there is no way out...
(Agony) You'll find you are wrong
(Me) You fill me with doubt...
(Agony) You were never that strong

(Agony) I am pain
I am the wound that never heals
It's all in vain
No compromise, no deals...

(Me) I can't believe this is the end
(Agony) It's written in stone
(Me) Where are my friends?
(Agony) You have always been alone!

(Rage) (Pain!) We lead
We hide as the pain leaves the rage inside
(Motion personified alpha)
Being here, welcomed by... a sane mind
A travelled lie

(Agony) I am pain
I am the end, I am your wraith
Nothing remains
I'm the loss of hope and faith

(Me) I can't believe there is no way out...
(Agony) You'll find you are wrong
(Me) You fill me with doubt...
(Agony) You were never that strong

(Rage) We lead, we hide as the pain leaves the rage inside
(Motion personified alpha)
Being here, welcomed by... a sane mind
A travelled lie
All the time, I had waited with rage
All the time, I was promised my salvation

(Love) I can't accept this, we will find a way
Out of this cesspool of doom and dismay
Beyond this dejection there's beauty and grace
A glorious future we long to embrace

(Rage) (Pain!) All the time, I had waited with rage
(Motion personified alpha)
All the time, I was promised my salvation

(Agony) You're alone in your bedroom
Hiding from the world, staring at the ceiling

(Me) Mother said "he'll be home soon"
But he never was, and I knew how she was feeling

(Fear) You always let him down; "you'd never be like him"
He'd always break you, never let you win
No matter what you said, he'd always disagree
You swore that one day you would be
... better than him... one day you'd win

(Agony) You're hiding out in the cellar
Aching and ashamed, covering up the bruises

(Me) And then he would tell her
How I tripped and hurt my head, how I'd always be a loser

(Fear) You always let him down; "you'd never be like him"
He'd always break you, never let you win
No matter what you said, he'd always disagree
You swore that one day you would be
... better than him... one day you'd win

(Agony) You're all alone in your bedroom
How could you learn to care, when nobody cares for you

(Me) Mother said he'd be home soon
But he never came, as for me... he didn't have to...

[Reason] Think hard, you are lying here in a hospital bed
Disregard the emotions inside your head
Concentrate on the real world beyond your mind
It's not to late to leave your burdens behind

[Fear] We won't let you go
Take you down below
Dark crypts of your soul
Locked inside your head...
You're better off dead

[Agony] Locked away, she lives in isolation
It's been that way, since he has gone
She been through life of depravation
She depends on you, her only son

[Passion] She won't let you go
Keep you down below
Dark crypts of your soul
Locked inside your head
You're better off dead

[Agony] Where are you, can't you hear her calling?
Nothing you can do, you have no time
There is no one there, to catch her now she's falling
Why should you care, you are doing fine

[Passion] She won't let you go
Keep you down below
Dark crypts of your soul
Locked inside your head
You're better off dead

[Reason] Now she's at rest, she finally found her peace
There's no need to blame yourself
You must let go, or the pain will never cease
It's time to crawl out of your shell

Your mother died, the day your father left
A part of you died as well
Feelings of guilt will haunt you 'til the end
You must fight hard to break this spell

But it hurts...

[Fear] You hear her voice, from beyond her grave
"Where were you son, when I needed you
Is this your thanks for all the warmth I gave
Did you forget what I been through?"

You hear his voice, cold and merciless
"You worthless fool, you let her die!"
And deep within yourself, you must confess
Your ways cannot be justified

[Pride] By now you realized, you have to be
relentless to survive
Repress your memories,
bury all emotions and thrive!
It's your life!

[Reason] Now she's at rest, she found her peace
[Fear] You hear her voice, from the grave
[Reason] You must let go or the pain won't cease
[Fear] Is this your thanks for all I gave"
[Reason] A part of you died as well
[Fear] You worthless fool, you let her die"
[Reason] It's time to crawl out of your shell
[Fear] Your ways cannot be justified

[Pride] By now you realized, you have to be
relentless to survive
Repress your memories,
bury all emotions and thrive!
It's your life!

[No lyrics]

[Reason] You're driving home, It's one PM
You cannot function, you're a broken man
Your past is catching up with you
Only her tenderness can help you through

you see her smile, at another man

[Wife] Did you see me smile at another man?
It was only us, please understand...

[Reason]
You see him hold her, in his arms

[Wife] Did you see him hold me in his arms?
We needed warmth, we meant no harm...

[Agony] Love left you, without me you're all alone!

[Reason] Tears of sorrow fill your eyes
Your cold and wretched life flashes by
Is that your father standing there?
You turn the wheel, you no longer care...

You saw her smile at another man

[Wife] Did you see me smile at another man?
It was only us, please understand...

[Reason] You saw him hold her, in his arms

[Wife] Did you see him hold me in his arms?
We needed warmth, we meant no harm...

[Agony] Love left you, without me you're all alone!
Love wrecked you!

[Passion] You saw her smile at another man
Now you finally understand
He held her in his arms
You've nothing left, it's gone to far...

[Agony] Your memory begins to clear
Now you see what brought you here
You try to open up your eyes
But the doubts will leave you paralyzed

[Wife] I smiled at another man
Please understand...
He held me in his arms
We meant no harm...

[Agony] Love left you, without me you're all alone!
Love wrecked you, I am the oldest friend you known!

[Tom Englund]
We never saw this coming
Pride comes before a fall
We never heeded the warnings
Buried deep within us all

[Steve Lee] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Daniel Gildenlöw] Giant machines blot out our sun
[Steve Lee] Frozen minds becoming numb
[Daniel Gildenlöw] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Steve Lee] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Daniel Gildenlöw] I won't accept what we've become
[Steve Lee] We stand to lose more than we've won
[Daniel Gildenlöw] The Age of Shadows has begun

[Tom Englund]
Our quenchless thirst for knowledge
Our urge to change and grow
Our need to expand the nation
Made us rise from the depths below

[Steve Lee] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Daniel Gildenlöw] Giant machines blot out our sun
[Steve Lee] Frozen minds becoming numb
[Daniel Gildenlöw] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Steve Lee] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Daniel Gildenlöw] I won't accept what we've become
[Steve Lee] We stand to lose more than we've won
[Daniel Gildenlöw] The Age of Shadows has begun

[Hansi Kürsch] No more aggression
[Floor Jansen] No more initiative
[Hansi Kürsch] No more suppression
[Floor Jansen] No more emotions
[Hansi Kürsch] No more recession
[Floor Jansen] No more of all the feelings we shared that made us who we really are
[Hansi Kürsch] No more possessions
[Floor Jansen] No more euphoria
[Hansi Kürsch] No more obsessions
[Floor Jansen] No more sensations
[Hansi Kürsch] No more depression
[Floor Jansen] No more of all the passions that shaped our hearts and made us who we are

We Are Forever

[Jonas Renkse]
Time… but a passageway…
The beginning of the end…
An end that never was…
Time… but a curve in space…

We are forever
Eternal prisoners in time…
We are forever
Caught in our cold inertia
Longing, hoping, waiting, for no one…

[Anneke Van Giersbergen]
Forever we yearn, forever we learn
Forever we live a lie, forever slipping by and
Forever we flee, forever we will be,
Forever is but a dream, forever is but a scream and
Forever we try, forever we die

The spell of love wore off
The zest for life not enough

Longing, hoping, waiting, for no one…
Never enough

Zero (one) one (zero) one (zero) zero (zero)
Zero (one) one (zero) zero (one) zero (one)
Zero (one) one (zero) one (one) zero (zero)
Zero (one) one (one) zero (zero) zero (zero)
Zero (one) one (zero) one (zero) zero (zero)
Zero (one) one (zero) zero (one) zero (one)
Zero (one) one (zero) one (one) zero (zero)
Zero (one) one (one) zero (zero) zero (zero)

[above translates to 'help help']

Off (on) on (off) off (on) on (off)
Off (on) on (off) on (on) on (on)
Off (on) on (on) off (off) on (off)
Off (on) on (off) off (on) off (on)
Off (on) on (on) off (on) on (off)
Off (on) on (off) off (on) off (on)
Off (on) on (on) off (off) on (off)

[above translates to 'forever']

No (yeah) yeah (yeah) no (no) yeah (yeah)
No (yeah) yeah (no) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)
No (yeah) yeah (yeah) no (no) yeah (yeah)
No (yeah) yeah (yeah) no (no) yeah (yeah)
No (yeah) yeah (no) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)
No (yeah) yeah (yeah) no (no) yeah (yeah)

[above translates to 'sos sos']

Longing, hoping, waiting, for no one

Forever we try, forever we die, forever, forever
Forever we try, forever we die, forever, forever
Forever we tie, forever we die, forever, forever

[Jonas Renkse] Longing… hoping… waiting… for no one…

[Hansi Kürsch] No more aggression
[Floor Jansen] No more initiative
[Hansi Kürsch] No more suppression
[Floor Jansen] No more emotions
[Hansi Kürsch] No more recession
[Floor Jansen] No more of all the feelings we shared that made us who we really are
[Hansi Kürsch] No more possessions
[Floor Jansen] No more euphoria
[Hansi Kürsch] No more obsessions
[Floor Jansen] No more sensations
[Hansi Kürsch] No more depression
[Floor Jansen] No more of all the passions that shaped our hearts and made us who we are

[Steve Lee] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Jørn Lande] The Age of Shadows!
[Daniel Gildenlöw] Giant machines blot out our sun
[Steve Lee] Frozen minds becoming numb
[Jørn Lande] Blot out our sun! Yeah yeah!
[Daniel Gildenlöw] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Steve Lee] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Jørn Lande] Frozen minds becoming numb
[Daniel Gildenlöw] I won't accept what we've become
[Steve Lee] We stand to lose more than we've won
[Jørn Lande] More than we've won
[Daniel Gildenlöw] The Age of Shadows has begun

[Steve Lee] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Jørn Lande] The Age of Shadows!
[Daniel Gildenlöw] Giant machines blot out our sun
[Steve Lee] Frozen minds becoming numb
[Jørn Lande] Giant machines blot out the sun
[Daniel Gildenlöw] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Steve Lee] The Age of Shadows has begun
[Jørn Lande] The Age of Shadows! Yeah!
[Daniel Gildenlöw] I won't accept what we've become
[Steve Lee] We stand to lose more than we've won
[Daniel Gildenlöw and Jørn Lande] The Age of Shadows has begun

[Tom Englund]
We never heeded the warning
Buried deep within us all

(Jørn Lande:) Find your way home, little extremophiles
(Floor Jansen:) Fly, beloved sons
(Tom Englund:) Find your way home, donors of life
(Floor Jansen:) Fly, my chosen ones
(Jonas Renkse:) You're on your own, little extremophiles
(Floor Jansen:) Ride your frozen ark
(Bob Catley:) You're on your own, cleaving the skies
(Floor Jansen:) Ride into the dark

(Magali Luyten:)
Carry out our dangerous task, sail uncharted spheres
Live out our dreams, ride the comet
Journey on the Migrator trail, cross the new frontiers
Pass on our genes, ride the comet

(Jørn Lande:) You are the future, little extremophiles
(Floor Jansen:) Fly towards the sun
(Tom Englund:) You are the future, you know what to do
(Floor Jansen:) Fly, it has begun

(Magali Luyten:)
Carry out our dangerous task, sail uncharted spheres
Live out our dreams, ride the comet
Journey on the Migrator trail, cross the new frontiers
Pass on our genes, ride the comet

[Part I - Glimmer of Hope]

[Anneke Van Giersbergen:] Through their eyes we will see
[Bob Catley:] With their hands we will create
[Anneke Van Giersbergen:] In their world we will be free
[Bob Catley:] With our minds we'll shape their fate

[Steve Lee:]
Now the die is cast, the first step taken
A glimmer of hope lights up our lives
Visions of the past, dreams forsaken
Forming right before our eyes
We're alive

[Anneke Van Giersbergen:] Through their pain we'll learn to live
[Bob Catley:] Remember all life has to give

[Jørn Lande:]
Now the die is cast, the first step taken
A glimmer of hope lights up our lives
Visions of the past, dreams forsaken
Re-ignite the sparkle in our eyes
We're alive! So alive!

[Part II - World of Tomorrow Dreams]

[Tom Englund:] I see a planet, perfect for our needs
Behold our target, a world to plant our seeds
[Steve Lee:] There must be life
First remove any trace of doubt!
They may all die; don't you think we should check it out?
[Daniel Gildenlöw:] We have no choice, we waited far too long
This is our planet, this is where they belong
[Jørn Lande:] We may regret this
Is this the way it's supposed to be?
A cold execution, a mindless act of cruelty!

[Bob Catley and Hansi Kürsch:]
In the World of Tomorrow Dreams
Our future lies
In the World of Tomorrow Dreams
Our hopes will rise

[Tom Englund:] I see mainly reptiles
A lower form of intelligence
Mere brainless creatures with no demonstrable sentience
[Jørn Lande:] What makes us superior; we did not do so great ourselves!
A dying race, imprisoned in restricted shells

[Bob Catley and Hansi Kürsch:]
In the World of Tomorrow Dreams
Our future lies
In the World of Tomorrow Dreams
Our hopes will rise

[Part III - Collision Course]

Instrumental

[Part IV - From the Ashes]

[Tom Englund:] And as the smoke slowly rises
[Jonas Renkse:] Our planet's bare and cold
[Tom Englund:] But as the black sky brightens
[Jonas Renkse:] A wondrous world unfolds
[Daniel Gildenlöw:] We're at the dawn of a new age
[Bob Catley:] As we hear the final cries
[Daniel Gildenlöw:] Ready to enter the next stage
[Bob Catley:] From the ashes we will rise
[Steve Lee:] And as the smoke slowly rises
[Hansi Kürsch:] Our planet's bare and cold
[Steve Lee:] But as the black sky brightens
[Hansi Kürsch:] A wondrous world unfolds
[Floor Jansen:] We're at the dawn of a new age
[Jørn Lande:] As we hear the final cries
[Floor Jansen:] Ready to enter the next stage
[Jørn Lande:] From the ashes we will rise!

[Part V - Glimmer of Hope (Reprise)]

[Daniel Gildenlöw:]
Now the die is cast, the first step taken
A glimmer of hope lights up our lives
Visions of the past, dreams forsaken
Re-ignite the sparkle in our eyes
We are alive

(Jonas Renkse:)
Life, imagination
Missing link in the chain
We'll fuel your minds
Colour your thoughts
Come to you waking dreams
Fire, inspiration
Missing branch on the tree
We are your root
We are your blood
Come to you in waking dreams

(Anneke Van Giersbergen:)
Sail the stream as I dance upon the waves
Of a waking dream as it passes you by
Ride the beam as I rise upon the wings
Of a waking dream as it fades in the sky

(Jonas Renkse:)
Mind transformation
You were chosen
Live the dream that we have been dreaming
Now's the time to come together
And make it come true
Oh me and you

(Anneke Van Giersbergen:)
Sail the stream as I dance upon the waves
Of a waking dream as it passes you by
(Dancing on the waves)
Ride the beam as I rise upon the wings
Of a waking dream as it fades in the sky

(Part I - Echoes On The Wind)

(Tom Englund:) It's the calm before the storm
It's the quiet before the war
It's the time when all will be decided
(Steve Lee:) All will be decided
(Tom Englund:) If nobody heeds the echoes on the wind

(Tom Englund:) It's the end of the chain
(Steve Lee:) Destruction of the fittest
(Tom Englund:) It's the end of our reign
(Steve Lee:) We've seen it all before
(Tom Englund:) It's the end of man's evolution
(Steve Lee:) The end of the evolution
(Tom Englund:) For nobody heeds the echoes on the wind

(Part II - Radioactive Grave)

(Hansi Kürsch:) Do you hear the sirens?
(Daniel Gildenlöw:) Do you see the burst?
(Steve Lee:) Do you feel the fire?
(Jonas Renkse:) All the world's a radioactive grave!
(Tom Englund:) I can hear them crying!
(Bob Catley:) I can see the fear!
(Jørn Lande:) I can feel them dying!
(Jonas Renkse And Floor Jansen:) Washed away by deadly gamma waves!
(Hansi Kürsch:) Do you hear them calling?
(Daniel Gildenlöw:) Do you see the hurt?
(Steve Lee:) Do you feel them failing?
(Jonas Renkse and Floor Jansen:) All the world's a blazing funeral pyre!
(Tom Englund:) I can hear the wailing!
(Bob Catley:) I can see the wrath!
(Jørn Lande:) I can feel them failing!
(Jonas Renkse And Floor Jansen:) Washed away by a scorching sea of fire!

(Hansi Kürsch:) Do you hear the sirens?
(Daniel Gildenlöw:) Do you see the burst?
(Steve Lee:) Do you feel the fire?
(Jonas Renkse And Floor Jansen:) All the world's a radioactive grave!
(Tom Englund:) I can hear them crying
(Bob Catley:) I can see the fear
(Jørn Lande:) I can see them dying
(Jonas Renkse And Floor Jansen:) Washed away by deadly gamma waves!

(Part III - 2085)

(Jonas Renkse:)
Silence so loud, not a soul... left alive
Darkness a shroud… 2085
All our dreams have disappeared
They burned down, tree of life
Confirming all that we have feared… 2085

(Bob Catley:)
Don't give up, remember how we felt
Fire rushing through our veins
Now's the time to rise up from our hell
Now's the time to free our brains

(Steve Lee:)
The meaning of life is to give life meaning
Go too fast, move too slow
Restore the balance between thinking and feeling, open up and let it flow

(Jonas Renkse:)
No side has won, struggle to... survive
Our quest here is done… 2085
All our hopes have disappeared
Our race will... not thrive
Time will not recall year… 2085

(Daniel Gildenlöw:)
Don't give in, remember all we learned
The spark of life it did ignite
We regained the rage for which we yearned
We regained our will to fight

(Jørn Lande:)
We must resolve this human equation
We're already dead if we don't try
To welcome challenge, generic variation
Stop the machines, prepare to die!

(Part IV - To The Planet Of Red)

(Instrumental)

(Part V - Spirit On The Wind)

(Tom Englund:) He's the last man alive
(Steve Lee:) Searching for the answers
(Tom Englund:) Knowing he won't survive
(Steve Lee:) To the mystery of life
(Tom Englund:) Relives the past, and dreams of the future
(Steve Lee:) Dreaming of the future
(Tom Englund:) And soon he'll set free
(Steve Lee:) And the sleeper will awake
(Tom Englund:) His spirit on the wind

(Part VI - Complete The Circle)

(All:)
Make us whole, Migrator soul
Follow me home, complete the circle
We must survive, restore our lives
The way I'll show, complete the circle

(Hansi Kürsch:)
Send back visions
Into the past
Of war and decay

(Floor Jansen:)
Hear the final cries!
I can see them feel
In a world without walls

(Anneke Van Giersbergen:)
Through their eyes

(Tom Englund:)
I see them dying
We have to teach them
Migrator soul

(Daniel Gildenlöw:)
We regained our will to fight
We regained…
We found a way

(Steve Lee:)
I know we'll make it in the end
Listen to the warning

(Bob Catley:)
We gave them language
What did they say?
What did they learn?

(Jørn Lande:)
We have no chance
We are the future
We are the pain
Complete the Circle

(Steve Lee:) Ah!!!!

[The last human on the Mars Colony had died, but his consciousness is transformed into the New Migrator. He follows the Migrator Trail to Planet Y, where he breathes life into the comatose Forever race by rekindling their emotions, thus ensuring that the spirit of man will live on. In the end, Mankind's brief existence has served a purpose after all.]

a) Epilogue

(Instrumental)

b) The Memory Remains

And in the end, when all the dreams are dreamt
All your desires have long dissolved
A feeling free, surreal serenity
A desperate search for truth resolved
All hope dispelled, forgotten dreams unquelled
The frailest link within the chain
Once brisk with life, too fragile to survive
A barren world devoid of pain
But the memory remains

Starlight breaks, the sleeper is awake
You understand your timeless quest
A dormant waste, a cold, forsaken place
Their bodies numb, their minds suppressed
You've felt the screams, you have dreamt the dreams
But most of all, you've lived the pain
They will revive, you will make them thrive
Your hopeless life's not lived in vain
For the memory remains

Can you feel them cry inside,
Can you feel them die inside,
You can still the screams in you,
You can make their dreams come true

[Dream Sequencer system offline]

Remember forever...