Ambeon

Ambeon是Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon)的又一个充满神秘感的旁支乐队，它的主要特色是拥有年轻又有才华的女主唱Astrid van der Veen.虽然Arjen错误地说Ambeon只是Ayreonauts的又一个分支，不过，他还是纠正说，Ambeon是Astrid 和Arjen的一个计划项目。
Arjen最开始着手录制的是一张基于电子，和声和旋律（这些旋律来自Ayreon当初测试他新的硬件系统时录的一些歌）的全器乐专集。在制作新歌的过程中，Arjen想在一两首歌中加些温暖的女声。Ambeon这个名字就是ambient（周围的）和 Ayreon的结合体。（也就是说Ambeon只是Ayreon的分支）。
AMBEON is a unique project of Arjen Anthony Lucassen (AYREON) featuring a young and talented female vocalist, Astrid van der Veen. Lucassen had originally set out to record an ambient instrumental album made up of various patterns and melodies taken from existing AYREON material. Wanting to add a warm human touch to it, he sought out some female vocalists and fell upon a recording by a 14-year old Dutch singer: Astrid van der Veen's was exactly the voice he was looking for. The CD ended up as a mostly vocal album, where Astrid not only sings but wrote the storyline and lyrics as well as melodies to go over some of these remixed ambient tracks.
The project also involved many other talented musicians/singers such as Stephen Van Haestregt (acoustic and electronic drums and percussion), Walter Latupeirissa (bass and fretless bass guitar), John McManus (low flute and Uillean pipes), Pat McManus (fiddle), Erik Norlander (additional synths) and Lana Lane (reversed backing vocals).
While each track on AMBEON stands alone perfectly, the album works equally well as a cohesive whole, successfully blending atmospheric, Celtic, electronic, gothic, metal and progressive styles, and where Astrid's strong, beautiful vocals fit the music like a glove. Her pure, crystalline voice is altogether powerful and soothing, moving nicely with the ebb and flow of the melodies.
Especially recommended to AYREON fans, but lovers of Tori Amos, Kate Bush and folk proggers BLACKMORE'S NIGHT will also appreciate the magical qualities of this unique and faultless production.