Arjen Lucassen has revealed the inspiration behind The Diary, his collaborative album with Anneke van Giersbergen, to be released under the name The Gentle Storm.
The title will be launched on March 23 via InsideOut and it’s available to pre-order in a variety of bundles via Lucassen and van Giersbergen’s websites.
In the exclusive video interview below, the Ayreon mastermind discussed how he wanted to create a contrast to the work he’s best known for. He says: “I asked the fans on Facebook, ‘What would you guys want to hear from me next?’”
The resulting opinions led him to ask the question: “Why don’t I split it up – do 10 songs in two completely different versions?”
He also explains how he chose van Giersbergen from a “very short list” of singers.
The Gentle Storm play their debut show in the Netherlands on March 26 with Lucassen – although he won’t be in the lineup for the band’s live dates in the UK in April:
Apr 23: London Garage
Apr 24: Leicester Musician
Apr 25: Manchester Roadhouse
