Star One
Live On Earth

October 2003
Released: 2003, Insideout
Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewer: JP

I absolutely loved the debut Star One so as a big fan of live albums is it any wonder I also love the double live version? Live on Earth is a cool double live CD and DVD that comes in a really slick package. I haven’t fully absorbed the DVD so I’ll just make a few comments on the live CD part.



As with everything Arjen does it is top notch all the way. Apparently it was quite a feat to pull all the people necessary together to make these few short shows happen but it was well worth the effort and this high quality live recording has preserved it for all eternity.



It’s startling how well these songs that were highly polished and produced on the studio version hold up in the live environment. The guitar tone is crushing and the individual performances are stellar. It is truly a testament to the initial quality of the songs and the caliber of the musicians reproducing them.



18 tracks with a good portion of SPACE METAL and the rest being Ayreon tunes. The highlight in my mind was ‘Songs of the Ocean’ with it’s female back vocals, it’s incredibly catchy chorus and the great audience participation segment. I also was delighted to see that my favorite cut from Space One was included namely ‘Intergalactic Space Crusaders’, with it’s dual vocal roles fully intact.



The whole album is a vocalists delight, my respect for Sir Russell Allen grows every day and the integration of keys, vocals and guitars works flawlessly. It is surprising to hear Ed Warby (ex-Gorefest) in such a subdued role but there is no better drummer for this role. Great packaging, great presentation and great songs all combine for a live CD that will delight prog fans, metal fans and musicians everywhere.