Arjen Anthony Lucassen - 'The Clock Ticks Down' (music video)

Waves of fear flood the air
No sound, anywhere
Now the word has spread from pole to pole
As if time stopped, the world’s on hold

Softly now, cries are heard
Silent whispers, fearful words
Let the truth sink in, our fate is known
Now it’s coming fast, the end is close

Time to learn to live with the fears that lie ahead
Time to hold our own, and meet our bitter end
Can we gather strength, surrender to our fate?
Or will the world collapse, will we never change?
Let’s ride it out… as the clock ticks down

Men of science, brilliant minds
Unite as one to save mankind
This was not the plan, it can’t be true
We will find a way, we always do

Crime is up, stocks are down, inflation’s running high
The whole damn world has lost its mind
The working man, he quit his job, the kids won’t go to school
No more laws, no more rules

She draws the blinds
And she switches off her phone
Alone in silence
She doesn’t want to know

He misses his son Tried to call him on the phone
They haven’t talked in ages
He just can’t be alone... as the clock ticks down

Power’s out, riots rage, the net has gone offline
Chaos reigns, all hope dies

She grabs her keys
Gonna make her dream come true
Finally see the ocean
Before her time is through

He lifts the glass
And he swallows them all down
His dream is over
He just can’t be around... as the clock ticks down

Nothing matters anymore
Nothing left worth fighting for
No plans to make, no life to build
All desires left unfulfilled

Τον Arjen Anthony Lucassen τον έμαθα ως τον κιθαρίστα των Vengeance ακούγοντας τους δίσκους "Take It or Leave It" και "Arabia" (αργότερα άκουσα και τα προγενέστερα albums). Την δεκαετία του ενενήντα δημιούργησε το project των Ayreon όπου ο πυρήνας της μπάντας ήταν ο ίδιος και ο Ed Warby. Τους υπόλοιπους "ρόλους" κάλυπταν προσκεκλημένοι μουσικοί.

Άκρως ενεργός (μουσικά και δισκογραφικά) ο Arjen έχει δημιουργήσει ή μετάσχει σε πλειάδα projects / συγκροτημάτων όπως οι (προαναφερθέντες) Ayreon, Star One, Stream of Passion, The Gentle Storm, Ambeon, Simone Simons, Vengeance, Supersonic Revolution, Guilt Machine κλπ.

Παράλληλα κυκλοφορεί και προσωπικούς δίσκους, υπό το όνομά του. Η αρχή έγινε το μακρινό 1993 ("Pools of Sorrow ~ Waves of Joy") και ακολούθησαν τα full length albums "Strange Hobby" (1996), "Lost in the New Real" (2012).

"Songs No One Will Hear" είναι ο τίτλος του νέου τους πονήματος, το οποίο αποτελείται από οκτώ τραγούδια και "βγήκε" προχθές (12 Σεπτεμβρίου 2025), σε cd, διπλό βινύλιο και τριπλό cd συν Blu-ray, μέσω της δισκογραφικής εταιρείας InsideOut Music.

Ο Arjen (εδώ "υπογράφει" ως Mr.L) έχει αναλάβει σχεδόν τα πάντα (κιθάρα, φωνητικά, μπάσο, πλήκτρα) συνεπικουρούμενος από μία... ντουζίνα καλεσμένων (guests) μουσικών. Μεταξύ αυτών η (θεά) Floor Jansen (τραγουδά στο "We'll Never Know"), ο Robert Soeterboek που συνεισφέρει φωνητικά στο "Our Final Song" (ποιος θυμάται τους Ολλανδούς Vulture που έδρασαν στα 80ς - αρχές 90ς;) και η Marcela Bovio (επίσης φωνητικά στο "Our Final Song")...

Δελτίο τύπου: «TWhat would you do if you knew the world was ending in five months? This profound question lies at the heart of Arjen Lucassen's latest creation, Songs No One Will Hear.

A sonic trip that follows humanity's final days as a catastrophic asteroid barrel toward Earth, the album blends dark humor, raw emotion, and the chaotic, surreal nature of the end times.

Some people panic, some throw parties, others fall apart—but a few find peace amidst the chaos. “It’s tragic, it’s absurd, it’s the soundtrack to the apocalypse.”

Songs No One Will Hear is an eclectic masterpiece, drawing from a broad range of styles-rock, prog, pop, electronic, and acoustic-infused with both light-hearted moments and deep, emotional intensity.

It explores the full spectrum of human emotion, from intense panic to unexpected serenity, with Arjen’s signature blend of complexity and accessibility.

Fans will experience a guitar-driven, modern, and more prog-oriented sound, evoking the energy and feeling of his earlier Ayreon work while maintaining a tight, conceptually focused narrative.

The album features more guitar solos, more female vocals, and a more band-like atmosphere than his previous release, creating a sound that is dynamic and more immediate.

This isn’t just a collection of songs, it’s a concept album that encapsulates the final days before the asteroid strikes, full of twists, turns, and a relentless energy that mirrors the impending doom.

Arjen worked tirelessly to produce and record everything himself, capturing the vision of this apocalyptic soundscape from start to finish.

Highlights include stunning vocal contributions from Floor Jansen (on "The Clock Ticks Down") and a wide array of guest performers like Robert Soeterboek, Marcela Bovio, Patty Gurdy on hurdy-gurdy, and Mike Mills narrating a chilling moment of the story.

Songs No One Will Hear is a stunning addition to Arjen Lucassen's already legendary body of work. Immerse yourself in the final soundtrack of humanity.»