Brace yourself for Armageddon... here is ‘Everybody Dies’, the first lyric video for the new Ayreon album. The Source is an exciting new chapter in the Ayreon saga, with contributions from renowned vocalists like James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Simone Simons (Epica), Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia), and Russell Allen (Symphony X). The Source will be released on April 28.

The story of The Source is set six billion years in the past relative to Earth. It begins on Planet Alpha, a world in the Andromeda system where computer intelligence has far surpassed that of humanity.  Alpha is facing a massive global crisis, with ecological and political catastrophes threatening all human life. The Alphans (our human ancestors) try to save their planet by entrusting the global computer mainframe—The ‘Frame—to find a solution. Given total control of the planet, the ‘Frame reaches the logical conclusion that its creators are the cause of all the trouble. The only way to solve Alpha’s problems is to exterminate humanity. This leaves the Alphans no other option than to try and escape their horrific fate. But their escape comes at a terrible price. It’s the beginning of a story that contains everything that has made the Ayreon epics so endlessly fascinating all these years.

2017 will be a particularly exciting year for Ayreon fans thanks to a unique chance to actually see Ayreon live. Limited to three exclusive performances, “The Ayreon Universe” will take place in September in the prestigious 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. This unprecedented live event features the best of twenty years of Ayreon music, brought to life by a top cast of musicians such as Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Damian Wilson (Threshold), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), Anneke van Giersbergen, and various others. The reclusive Arjen Lucassen himself is also expected to make a rare appearance on stage. The tickets for all concerts – 9000 in total – sold out within a day, proving once again that the Ayreon magic is still very much alive and kicking.

Erasure (Andy Bell and Vince Clarke) announce details of their 17^th studio album, World Be Gone, out on Mute on 19 May 2017. World Be Gone is the follow up to 2014’s The Violet Flame, and follows the band’s recent 30th anniversary celebrations. Their new album sees the award-winning songwriters in a more reflective mood, giving the world and recent political upheavals a thoughtful examination and, as highlighted on the painted artwork showing a ship's masthead rising up from being submerged in the stormy waters, looking forward to the future.

Explains Vince Clarke, “Obviously the current political climate lends itself to lots of ideas”, Andy Bell continues, “I think there’s an underswell of opinion, and people are slowly waking up. I’m hoping that people will take the album in a positive way, that they’ll use it as optimistic rabble-rousing music.”

The enduring BRIT and Ivor Novello winning pop duo have released a staggering number of albums, including 5 UK Number 1’s and 17 top 10 singles (35 singles charted in the UK Top 40) and their recent best of, Always, saw Erasure entering the Top 10 album charts once again. They have been invited as special guests on Robbie Williams’ 2017 stadium tour taking place in the summer. Ahead of those dates, they perform three headline shows: 27 May in Glasgow, 28 May in Manchester and 29 May at London’s historic Roundhouse.

World Be Gone Tracklisting;

Love You To The Sky

Be Careful What You Wish For!

World Be Gone

A Bitter Parting

Still It's Not Over

Take Me Out Of Myself

Sweet Summer Loving

Oh What A World

Lousy Sum Of Nothing

Just A Little Love

Erasure Headline Tour Dates;

27 May – Glasgow, 02 Academy

28 May – Manchester Albert Hall

29 May – London Roundhouse

Erasure Tour Dates With Robbie Williams – 2017

2 June – UK Manchester, Ethiad Stadium

6 June – UK Southampton, St Mary’s Stadium

9 June – UK Edinburgh, Murrayfield Stadium

13 June – UK Coventry, Ricoh Stadium

17 June – IRE Dublin, Aviva Stadium

21 June – UK Cardiff, Ethiad Stadium

23 June – UK London, Stadium (Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park)