Arjen Lucassen (Simone Simmons/ Ayreon/ Star One et.al)

Arjen Lucassen, the mastermind behind countless albums and groundbreaking projects, discusses his collaboration with Simone Simons (Epica) on her solo album "Vermillion." Arjen shares the story of how this partnership came to life and the unique creative process that shaped the album. He also discusses songwriting and production aspects, explaining how they balanced heavy and atmospheric elements while integrating Simone’s contributions to song titles, themes, and lyrical fragments. Reflecting on the album's themes, Arjen touches on contemporary issues like AI. Additionally, he talks about composing soundtracks for classic novels and creating albums based on unexpected themes. Watch the video for 'In Love We Rust' now at: https://youtu.be/45SP4O2PcJs Pre-order and pre-save Vermillion now at: https://simonesimons.bfan.link/vermillion