| 01011001 | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Ayreon |
| Cover: | Ayreon - 01011001.jpg |
| Released: | 23 January 2008[1] |
| Recorded: | April–November 2007 |
| Length: | 102:16 |
| Label: | Inside Out Music |
| Producer: | Arjen Lucassen |
| Prev Title: | The Human Equation |
| Prev Year: | 2004 |
| Next Title: | Timeline |
| Next Year: | 2008 |
01011001 is the seventh studio album by Arjen Anthony Lucassen's long-running Ayreon project. "01011001" is the binary representation of the ASCII value of the letter Y.
01011001 is a concept album that tells the story of aliens called the "Forever", who create humanity, only to later endanger it by providing it with technology.[2]
Seventeen singers in total, including Lucassen himself, contributed to the album, more than any other Ayreon album.[3] Apart from Lucassen, only Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering) and Floor Jansen (After Forever, Nightwish) had sung on previous Ayreon albums, on Into the Electric Castle and respectively.
It also stars, among others, Bob Catley from Magnum, Hansi Kürsch from Blind Guardian, Jørn Lande, and Steve Lee from Gotthard in his final guest appearance before his death in 2010. The album was a commercial and critical success.
AllMusic reviewer Cosmo Lee praised the album, saying that it has "pristine production [and] byzantine songs that feel like full albums." He went on to say that "Music this over the top almost defies criticism. Reviewing it is like reviewing the world's tallest building. It doesn't care; it just goes on and on." Exclaim's Laura Wiebe Taylor felt that the album had some great songs, such as "Liquid Eternity" and "E=mc2," but that some of the other songs were weaker, including "Newborn Race" and "Web of Lies."[4] She concluded her review by saying that "ultimately, 01011001 is a hard rock extravaganza."
Chad Bower, in his review for About.com, said that 01011001 "has something for everyone," and that the album is "a musical tour de force that takes the listener on a musical journey with an interesting storyline and very well-written songs." Record Collectors Tim Jones noted the differing styles of the album's songs, saying that "The Truth is in Here" is similar to the music of Blackmore's Night, that "River of Time" is reminiscent of Jethro Tull, and that "Beneath the Waves" reminded him of Pink Floyd.