Similarly, the styles of the different vocalists are melded together to create a singular listening experience. James LaBrie (vocalist of Dream Theater) sings the part of Me, the protagonist. Wife is sung by Marcela Bovio (of both Elfonia and Stream of Passion), and Best Friend by Arjen himself. Once inside the protagonist's head, things really start to get interesting. Mikael Åkerfeldt (of the inimitable Opeth) is Fear; Eric Clayton (Savior Machine) is Reason; Devin Townsend is stunning as Rage; Heather Findlay (of Mostly Autumn) is a breath of fresh air as Love; Magnus Ekwall (from The Quill) epitomizes Pride; the stunning Devon Graves (aka Buddy Lackey, now of Dead Soul Tribe) sings the part of Pain; Irene Jansen (formerly of Karma) is Passion personified; and Mike Baker (Shadow Gallery) puts in a chilling performance as the psychotic figure, Father. It is an impressive list of vocalists, but what is more impressive is the way in which Arjen brings them all together, uses their unique talents and styles, and tells a powerful story with each one. This is rock opera perfected.

Tracks to catch: "Day Two: Isolation" is our first real glimpse into where the album is going, and it displays not only the musical diversity of the album, but also showcases the voices of James LaBrie, Eric Clayton, Magnus Ekwall, and Irene Jansen in particular. "Day Eight: School" explores some of the past trauma of the protagonist and is brilliant. "Day Eleven: Love" is particularly moving and powerful. "Day Twelve: Trauma" is a dark, disturbing journey that unleashes the full fury of Mikael Åkerfeldt's brutal growl. "Day Sixteen: Loser" confronts us with the psychotic figure of Father, sung by Mike Baker, as the final barrier to fully coming back to life. Finally, "Day Twenty: Confrontation" powerfully resolves the epic album.

Rating: 10 out of 10
I believe every artist is entitled to a perfect album. Whether or not they produce that is another thing. But among such a stellar catalog of albums, Ayreon's The Human Equation is perhaps the quintessential example of what a prog rock opera can and should be. The writing is stunning, the performances unparalleled, the production clean, crisp, full, and flawless, and the lyrics fascinating. Even the cover artwork is stunning. This is an amazing album, and I recommend it to any music fan without hesitation, no matter what genre they prefer. As I mentioned, it was my top album of the year 2004, and continues to be my top album of the decade so far. I don't know if it can be topped. Two years later, it still shines as a singular work of art.