For All We Know "By Design Or By Disaster"

Country: Multinational
Genre(s): Progressive Rock/Metal
Label: Construction Records
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: March 22, 2024
Tracklist

1. Forced To Be Free (5:18) 

2. Lifeline (5:50) 

3. This Hell We Know (6:23) 

4. The Future That Came Too Soon (7:05) 

5. All We Did Was Hide (4:36) 

6. Hush (2:14) 

7. Remind Me To Forget You (5:34) 

8. Flaws (7:39) 

9. Guide Me In Getting Lost (4:36) 

10. Ghosts Of Summer's Past (4:30) 

11. Goodbye (4:21) 

Total Time 58:06 

Credits

Wudstik (Ayreon) - Vocals/Screams

Léo Margarit (Pain of Salvation) - Drums, Backing vocals

Kristoffer Gildenlöw (Pain of Salvation) - Bass, Backing vocals

Marco Kuypers - Piano

Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation, Anneke van Giersbergen) - Guitars, Backing vocals & additional keys/programming

Description/Reviews:

Compared to the first two albums, 'By Design Or By Disaster' takes the listener to even more extremes, from beautiful atmospheric strings to pounding rhythms and guitars. However, Jolie continued to search for melodies and harmonies that one might not immediately expect. The music still does not conform to conventional norms. For the attentive listener, there are once again some 'easter eggs' hidden; melodies from previous albums that have found their way onto this new record but in a different form. This makes the first two albums, together with this record, a kind of triptych. The same applies to the artwork.

'By Design Or By Disaster' is not a concept album, but there is certainly a common thread in terms of the lyrics. They revolve around the journey of a young man navigating through life, building and losing relationships along the way, such as with his parents, loved ones, and later, his children. It's as if he is constantly looking in the mirror. Hence the three characters on the album cover; it's the same person but in different phases of his life. The two adults are blindfolded by the blue ribbons, symbolizing our preconceptions and the obscuration of vision. Because, whether we like it or not, we can get stuck in how we (think we) are. On the other hand, the baby is still free from judgment and completely open to life. For now…

Media/Samples

The Future That Came To Soon

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