Copyright & Aknowledgements

This unofficial Ayreon fan site and all its content including the Hungarian translations are created by Janos Biro with the permission of Arjen Anthony Lucassen. You may use the Hungarian translations for free referring to the source (ayreon.hu) and the author (Janos Biro).
All the other contents on the site are the intellectual property of Arjen Anthony Lucassen and the following artists.
Thank you so much for their help and contribution!


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Arjen Anthony Lucassen
 

Actual Fantasy

Actual Fantasy

First Release Date: 1996.10.23
Detailed information: Wikipedia
Releases / Editions

Release Date: 1996.10.23.
Label: Transmission
Format: 1 CD


Description: First released only on CD without any extras
Availability: not available in stores, replaced by the Revisited which also contains the original record (in 2012)

- Standard edition

Release Date: 2012.05.15.
Label: Inside Out
Format: 2 CD + 1 DVD


Description: The re-issue by the new label came with a bonus DVD featuring a 5.1 remix of the entire original album, a video clip for "The Stranger from Within," and a video featurette showing the 2004 recordings of drums, bass, and guitar for the remix
Availability: available in stores

- Revisited

Release Date: 2016.08.16
Label: Music Theories
Format: 2 LP (black)


Description: The new label re-released the album on 180g material
Availability: available in stores

- Revisited LP

Release Date: 2016.08.16
Label: Music Theories
Format: 3 LP (marble)


Description: The new label re-released the album on 180g material, 3 LPs for collectors
Availability: available in official store only, in limited number (1000 pcs worldwide)

- Revisited Deluxe LP (recommended for collectors!)
Tracks
1. Actual Fantasy
0:44
2. Abbey Of Synn
0:44
3. The Stranger From Within
0:44
4. Computer Eyes
0:44
5. Beyond The Last Horizons
0:44
6. Farside Of The World
0:44
7. Back On The Planet Earth
0:44
8. Forevermore
0:44
9. The Dawn Of Man
0:44
Available Now On:
About Album

And here comes one of my personal favorites, the most underrated and album of the whole Universe… Actual Fantasy was released only a year after The Final Experiment and it became (at least financially) the most unsuccessful album of the Ayreon saga, maybe due to some bad marketing decisions or just the songs not being part of a big overarching story concept, but instead drawing on science fiction and fantasy films for inspiration, as well as stories written by Arjen himself.

Anyways Arjen undoubtedly liked the album that much that he could not accept that it had been overlooked by most people and he finally “revisited” it, making a 5.1 remix and re-recorded the drums with Ed Warby replacing the original electronic drums.

Recently the album was also released on LP that contains both versions because for most of us (like for me as well) the original was… well, it was just better : )

YouTube and streaming services only offer the revisited edition for some reason, so I encourage everybody to get the original – which is almost an impossible mission – or just purchase the Revisited album which also has the original CD… again… that is just… better, sorry Arjen : )

However most people consider this record completely unrelated to the Universe, I would argue that it actually shows us random pictures of it… so let’s embrace this Actual Fantasy…

How does it fit to the History of The Universe?
Here you can find the answer.

Lyrics

1. 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

2. Abbey Of Synn

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 Wither 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 up your heart reveal The mystery

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

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

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

3. The Stranger From Within

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

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 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

4. Computer Eyes

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 our 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 our dreams
Material lies
Materialize
Computer eyes
Computerize

5. Beyond The Last Horizons

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

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 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

A black shadow is crawling like 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 The Planet Earth

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

And I ride ride ride the waves of time Fly fly fly beyond the sky
Blue skies over the oceans sail on the Wind to the valley below rise high over The hills to
where the wildflowers grow

8. Forevermore

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 now The 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 This universe
He's on a quest for the secret cure Across the burning sand to the edge Of the fairy-land

Dream on forevermore our future's in Your hands close your eyes close Your eyes and fantasise
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

Dream on forevermore our future's in Your hands close your eyes close Your eyes and fantasise

Dream on forevermore ....

9. The Dawn Of Man

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

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