Ayreon - Actual Fantasy (1996) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Singers: Robert Soeterboek - Lead Vocals on "Abbey Of Synn" (chorus), "The Stranger From Within" (verses, ad libs), "Computer Eyes" (chorus), "Beyond The Last Horizon" (verses, bridges), "Farside Of The World" (verses), "Back On Planet Earth" (bridges), "Forevermore" (1st & 2nd chorus) Edward Reekers - Lead Vocals on "Actual Fantasy", "Abbey Of Synn" (verses), "Computer Eyes" (1st chorus, verses, bridges), "Beyond The Last Horizon" (chorus), "Farside Of The World" (chorus, bridges), "Back On Planet Earth" (verses), "Forevermore" (verses) Okkie Huysdens - Lead Vocals on "Abbey Of Synn" (bridges), "The Stranger From Within" (bridges), "Computer Eyes" (2nd chorus, bridges), "Beyond The Last Horizon" (bridges), "Farside Of The World" (chorus), "Back On Planet Earth" (chorus), "Forevermore" (3rd chorus) The Players: Cleem Determeijer - Synth solo on "The Stranger From Within" and "Computer Eyes" Rene Merkelbach - Hammond, Synth Solo on "Abbey Of Synn" Floortje Schilt - Violin David Bauchwitz - Little Boy Voice on "Actual Fantasy" Kiki Holleman - Baby Voice on "Forevermore" Arjen Anthony Lucassen - All Other Instruments Produced and Mixed by Arjen Anthony Lucassen and Oscar Holleman. Engineered by Oscar Holleman, Assisted by Rene Merkelbach 'Slave 5'. Recorded at The Electric Castle and RS29 Studios. Mixed at RS29 Waalwijk, The Netherlands. Mastered by Peter Brussee at Q Point. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track Listing 1) Actual Fantasy (Lucassen) 1:35 2) Abbey Of Synn (Lucassen) 9:34 3) The Stranger From Within (Lucassen) 7:36 4) Computer Eyes (Lucassen) 7:31 5) Beyond The Last Horizon (Lucassen) 7:34 6) Farside Of The World (Lucassen) 6:21 7) Back On Planet Earth (Lucassen) 7:01 8) Forevermore (Lucassen) 7:15 9) The Dawn Of Man (Lucassen) 7:30 10) The Stranger From Within (Lucassen) 3:40 - Single Version ------------------------------------------------------------------------ All songs written and composed by Arjen Anthony Lucassen. Original Screenplay by Arjen Anthony Lucassen. Orchestral String and Violin Arrangements on "Actual Fantasy", "The Stranger From Within", "Back On Planet Earth", "Forevermore" by Cleem Determeijer. Animation and Art Direction Video Clip "The Stranger From Within" by Leon Van Rooy, Erik-Jan Maalderink and Alejandro Gasch-Kuhne. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1) Actual Fantasy (Lucassen) 1:35 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2) Abbey Of Synn (Lucassen) 9:34 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 another man died today like the ones before with blackened tongue and blackened finger within the labyrinth behind the bolted door lies the answer to our mystery heed the book that kills - it holds an evil power those who turn the leaves whither like a flower well guarded by the seer inside the abbey tower for laughter kills the fear within the abbey of synn we found the secret path that led us here to you give us the deadly book of laughter too many men have died for a teaching of the few open your heart reveal the mystery and then she came 2 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 the 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3) The Stranger From Within (Lucassen) 7:36 he's a stranger I don't know where he's coming from is he a danger to me or just another man he knows magic or maybe he's a charlatan is it a sly trick he plays does he have a plan he said he came from a world beyond my dreams from the depths of my mind he said he'd burn like star and disappear but leave his spirit behind he's a stranger a man with a destiny a rearranger of fate a changer of lives they will erase him for they are all afraid of him they're gonna trace him and then cause him to die he said he'd cure me I do not have to die I hold my fate in my hands he said he'd always be there everytime I'd cry one day I would understand he was a stranger they shot him and now he's dead I'm out of danger he lives on inside my head ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4) Computer Eyes (Lucassen) 7:31 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 it 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5) Beyond The Last Horizon (Lucassen) 7:34 ready for the enemy hungry for the battle fighting hard for victory in the army of the king armed with shield and sword we mounted our horses leaving on a sacred quest on our way to fight the holy war they attacked from different sides hard pressed with numbers we could not even run nor hide we had to stand and fight then I felt a blade of steel penetrate my armour I did not dream the pain was real as I went down I knew my time had come and then he rode into the night towards that eerie distant light that seemed to charm him until he came to a road that disappeared beyond the last horizon he knew there'd be no way back once he had vanished in the blackness of infinity and so he gathered all his strength not to descend into the valley of death into the valley of death I opened up my weary eyes the haze slowly lifted the mighty roar of battlecries stopped ringing in my ears I gazed upon a friendly face he carried me to safety I told him of this frightening place and of my journey back from the other side and then they rode into the night towards that eerie distant light that seemed to charm him a force so seductive and yet so destructive and cruel until he came to a road that disappeared beyond the last horizon I followed that road to the edge of eternity he knew there'd be no way back once he had vanished in the blackness of infinity I fought for my life for I had to survive the ordeal and so he gathered all his strength not to descend into the valley of death into the valley of death ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6) Farside Of The World (Lucassen) 6:21 a black shadow is crawling likee a deadly spider we're all waiting in silence for the lonely rider fore he will lead the way for he will save the town we have to leave today before the moon is down I'm haunted by dreams of a holy mission I follow the signs of my magic vision we have to dig a hole and he will be our eyes we have to reach a goal before the sun will rise journey to the farside of the world no one will catch me when I fall follow the trail of fire no one will hear me when I call journey to the farside of the world a distant place a future time we'll climb the tallest spire I will raise the cross and the bells will chime we'll pass over the river to the silver tower run before the clock strikes the final hour he saw it in a dream he knew he had to die we never heard him scream we never heard him cry journey to the farside of the world make them believe the dream is true follow the trail of fire the moon came down my time is through journey to the farside of the world this is the way it was meant to be we'll climb the tallest spire the shadow is gone the town is free ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7) Back On Planet Earth (Lucassen) 7:01 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 blue skies over the oceans sail on the wind to the valley below rise high over the hills to where the wildflowers grow and I ride ride ride the waves of time fly fly fly beyond the sky 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 black clouds over the debris storm is raging over the land no life left on this planet now you will understand ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8) Forevermore (Lucassen) 7:15 in a dusty room on a stormy night away from all the crowds I rise above the clouds into a world once so bright where no shadows fall and a thousand voices call dream on forevermore our future's in your hands close your eyes close your eyes and fantasise only one boy whose heart is pure can save them from the curse that's upon the universe he's on a quest for the secret cure across the burning sand to the edge of the fairy-land this world was built upon human dreams on hopes instead of fears now it slowly disappears scream as loud as you can scream for the empress needs a name or nothing will remain ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9) The Dawn Of Man (Lucassen) 7:30 more than a million years ago it came to earth out of the sky from whence it came is still unknown and still we don't know why way beyond infinity where time is lost and life has ceased to be there's a cosmic entity a bringer of life for all eternity is this how it all began? the dawn of man more than a million miles from earth somewhere in outer space behold a planetary birth making way for a brand new race ------------------------------------------------------------------------