Ayreon - Transitus (2020)
Tracklist front / back album covers
CD 1
1. "Fatum Horrificum"
I. "Graveyard"
II. "1884"
III. "Daniel And Abby"
IV. "Fatum"
V. "Why?!"
VI. "Guilty"
2. "Daniel's Descent Into Transitus"
3. "Listen to My Story"
4. "Two Worlds Now One"
5. "Talk of the Town"
6. "Old Friend"
7. "Dumb Piece of Rock"
8. "Get Out! Now!"
9. "Seven Days, Seven Nights"
Total length: 38:55
CD 2
1. "Condemned Without a Trial" 3:50
2. "Daniel's Funeral" 4:58
3. "Hopelessly Slipping Away" 4:28
4. "This Human Equation" 4:19
5. "Henry's Plot" 2:19
6. "Message from Beyond" 5:21
7. "Daniel's Vision" 1:45
8. "She is Innocent" 2:09
9. "Lavinia's Confession" 1:53
10. "Inferno" 2:17
11. "Your Story Is Over!" 2:42
12. "Abby in Transitus" 3:02
13. "The Great Beyond" 2:49
Total length: 41:46
Ayreon Band Members / Musicians
Vocalists
Tom Baker (actor for Doctor Who) – The Storyteller
Tommy Karevik (Kamelot, Seventh Wonder) – Daniel
Cammie Gilbert (Oceans of Slumber) – Abby
Johanne James (Kyrbgrinder, drummer for Threshold) – Abraham
Simone Simons (Epica) – The Angel of Death
Marcela Bovio (ex-Stream of Passion) – Fury, Servant, Villager
Caroline Westendorp (ex-The Charm the Fury) – Fury, Servant, Villager
Paul Manzi (ex-Arena) – Henry
Michael Mills (Toehider) – The Statue
Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) – Father
Amanda Sommerville (Trillium, HDK) – Lavinia
Dianne van Giersbergen (Ex Libris) – Soprano
Dan J. Pierson, Jan Willem Ketelaers, Lisette van den Berg, Marjan Welman, Will Shaw, Wilmer Waarbroek – Villagers
Hellscore – Choir (directed by Noa Gruman)
Instrumentalists
Arjen Lucassen – Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Glockenspiel, Dulcimer, Toy Piano
Joost van den Broek – Hammond Organ, Piano, Fender Rhodes
Juan van Emmerloot – Drums
Ben Mathot – Violin
Jeroen Goossens – Flutes, Woodwinds
Jurriaan Westerveld – Cello
Alex Thyssen – French Horn
Thomas Cochrane – Trumpet, Trombone
Patty Gurdy – Hurdy Gurdy
Joe Satriani – Guitar Solo on "Get Out! Now!"
Marty Friedman – Guitar Solo on "Message From Beyond"
Transitus is the 10th studio album by the Dutch progressive rock/metal band Ayreon. It was released on 25 September 2020. The album is accompanied by a 25 page comic book, not included with CD or vinyl, and illustrated by Felix Vega.
The album's plot is one of the few not connected to the main Ayreon storyline; instead, it presents a sci-fi/gothic horror story partially set in the 19th century.
A total of five music videos were released for the album. The two first came out on 16 July 2020 for the singles "Get Out! Now!" and "Hopelessly Slipping Away". The former covers the part in the story in which protagonist Daniel (Tommy Karevik) is banished from his house by his father (Dee Snider) for having an affair with their servant Abby (Cammie Gilbert). The song features a guitar solo by Joe Satriani. The other song follows Daniel's ghost as he tries to contact Abby, who can't hear nor see him but does feel his presence.
On 3 September, a video for "This Human Equation" featuring Simone Simons was released. According to Ayreon's mastermind Arjen Anthony Lucassen, it contains several references to the project's universe, besides the title, which alludes to their sixth album. On 17 September, a lyric video for "Talk of the Town" was released, featuring images of Paul Manzi performing as Henry and studio footage of the instrumentalists recording their parts. The final video, titled "Daniel’s Descent into Transitus Medley", was released on 1 October featuring Simons, Karevik, Marcela Bovio and Caroline Westendorp (the latter two as the Furies).
