IF IT’S OUT THERE, IT’S IN HERE

It’s the end of the world as we know it, but Arjen Lucassen feels fine. So fine, in fact, that he’s written what’s described as “the soundtrack to humanity’s final days”. Thirteen years after his last proper solo album , the Dutch polymath has gone apocalyptic on Songs No One Will Hear with a little inspiration from some of his favourite sci-fi-themed records. He tells Prog what he’ll be doing when the asteroid hits and his future plans for Ayreon.

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THE STORY BEHIND

In deepest Sweden, five men have a warehouse full of tank parts, explosives and fake machine-guns. They are power metal action men Sabaton, and we are about to step inside their world

Ihsahn remains black metal’s brightest spark IHSAHN: JACQUELINE STADE. ...