Ambeon- A Brilliant Album from a 14-year Old Girl

 Sometimes you personally discover a great talent years after they created their greatest work.  We lose our touch with the arts, with great painters, poets, musicians. Our daily lives are so filled up.  We have work, family, finances, problems, issues, tragedy, and joy.  Yet we are surrounded by so many great artists in our time.  

We can search back and love the artists of a different age. We can fall in love with the history of art. We can do those things, but do we forget to search for that same greatness in the world alive around us?  Even in our daily lives, we may choose X-Men over Midnight in Paris, entertainment over intellectual stimulation. It is our choice but we miss something that can substantially improve our lives when we choose big explosions and cool special effects over a brilliant writer and director's vision of love and happiness.

We must keep searching for those moments of unique beauty, of brilliant talent, and of stunning artistic achievement that can enrich our lives. I love Mozart, but I also love The Beatles, Shadow Gallery, Porcupine Tree, and The Civil Wars. I also love Astrid Von Der Veen who, at the age of 14, in the year 2001 wrote, recorded ,and sang lead vocals with the progressive rock band, Ambeon.  She was an amazing writer and fantastic vocalist.  

I discovered this album in a friend's CD collection this Spring.  I am so glad I discovered her for myself.  Below is one of my favorite songs from her debut.  It is 10 years since its release and the album stands up to the test of time.   

Ambeon, a side project of Aryeon's Arjen Lucassen, only produced one album. After its release, Astrid joined another band, released a solo album in 2005, and then disappeared off the radar, perhaps forever. 

Have a listen and discover then 14-year old Astrid von der Veen for yourself.