AYREON mastermind Arjen Lucassen has just put the finishing touches on the forthcoming Ayreon three-CD + DVD compilation album, Timeline.

"I've been asked many times before to release an Ayreon compilation album, but it just didn’t feel right to present fragmented bits of story by lifting individual songs out of their greater contexts. However, my attitude changed after I completed my 2008 album 01011001, in which I connected all the previous Ayreon releases, musically as well as lyrically. Having completed the circle, so to speak, it seemed like a fitting time to put all things Ayreon into perspective and create an Ayreon timeline outlining the entire story."

Timeline follows the thirteen-year evolution of the Ayreon sound from the 1995 debut The Final Experiment to the release of 01011001 in 2008. In addition to selecting tracks from the existing Ayreon discography, Arjen has also written and recorded a new Ayreon song exclusively for Timeline. Titled Epilogue: The Memory Remains, this previously unreleased 9-plus-minute track introduces Ayreon fans to the clear, powerful voice of Jasper Steverlinck (ARID). Lyrically, The Memory Remains provides further insight into the final chapter of the Ayreon saga and what the future might hold for its characters.

In addition to The Memory Remains, Timeline's three audio CDs comprise 32 essential Ayreon tracks (almost 4 hours of music), all carefully remastered specifically for this release. The accompanying DVD features nearly two hours of released and unreleased video clips, behind-the-scenes featurettes, 5.1 mixes, and live performances of Ayreon tracks (Star one and Stream of Passion versions). To illuminate the Ayreon story further, a timeline poster illustrating the Ayreon universe and 56-page booklet containing many new photos, all lyrics, and notes on the story are included in the Timeline package. The cover is a specially commissioned painting by traditional Ayreon cover artist, Jef Bertels (see the full painting here).

Timeline will be available from InsideOut Music on November 7 (Germany/Austria/Switzerland), November 10 (Europe), and early 2009 (North America).

When asked what the release of Timeline means for the future of Ayreon, Arjen explains, "I don't see this as the end of Ayreon, but rather as a new beginning. I'll definitely be recording some side projects before I even start thinking about re-inventing Ayreon. To keep things fresh for myself I've got to come up with a completely new concept for both the music and the lyrics. I hope I can do it...it will be definitely be quite a challenge!"

For more info and updates, check the Timeline page regularly.