After a two-year hiatus, Arjen Anthony Lucassen has released his solo concept album.

Songs No One Will Hear, released in September 2025, is a captivating fusion of styles, creating a progressive rock/metal album with a twist about Earth’s apocalypse, which is envisioned as destroyed by a meteor on a crash course towards the planet. Lucassen’s eccentric style pulls from a variety of genres – from heavy metal to acoustics – to create a somewhat palpable feeling that the world is ending. He also handles several instruments, lead vocals, and production, which he uses to combine various approaches and evoke multiple moods.

While primarily a solo artist, Lucassen is joined by several contributing musicians for his dark, thematically driven songs, in Songs No One Will Hear, this group of musicians includes Irene Jansen (lead vocals with Lucassen), Koen Herfst (drums), Joost Van Den Broek (Hammond organ), Ben Mathot (violin), Jeroen Goossens (flute) and Jurriaan Westerveld (cello). This diverse instrumental combination helped shape his quirky apocalyptic sound that is primarily influenced by bands that include The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin, among other legendary acts.

Shifting focus to the album’s second track, “As the Clock Ticks Down,” which begins with a subdued and theatrical feel alongside a slight sense of immediacy. The song is intricately layered with an acoustic sound combined with the progressive metal one. It features driving guitar riffs and solos, complementing the tumultuous mix of emotions as the world comes to an end.

Serving as the third song on the album, “This is a Goddamn Conspiracy” is a lighter track that explores conspiracy theories. With lyrics like, “they are going to lie to you and hide the truth,” the musical work takes a sarcastic tone at times that is consistent with much of the album. It also showcases Irene Jansen’s versatile female vocals on the song’s chorus.

The ninth song, “Our Final Song,” is aptly named as it exhibits the breadth of styles from the entire album. At 15 minutes long, this track follows people who have gathered on Sanctuary Island to await the meteor’s impact. The lengthy apocalyptic piece incorporates many, if not all, of the instrumentalists plus Marcela Bovio’s vocals, culminating in a complex and emotional finale that summarizes the album’s sound.

Ultimately, progressive rock and metal enthusiasts who enjoy Lucassen’s work will find the new album, Songs No One Will Hear, a satisfying one. Despite the impressive complexity of the album, some rock fans may find the album’s story of the Earth being struck by an asteroid a little cliché. Regardless, Lucassen’s latest album will demonstrate a powerful sound and even a witty sense of humor for casual rock lovers and aficionados alike.