From an interview recently posted to the official site:

First off, a lot has happened in the past few months, we all are curious to know how you are doing.

 

 

 

I'm sad to say that I've been through a personal hell the last couple of months. I worked non-stop for many years and due to living on my own after the divorce with Jolanda, I have had a new (at first completely different) lifestyle. It has taken its toll, I guess.

 

 

 

On top of everything else, I lost my sense of taste and smell (Anosmia) two months ago and sunk into a deep depression. With medical help and, most of all, the help of my closest friends (including Jolanda) I'm slowly climbing out of the black hole now. Last week I kicked my own butt back into the studio and fortunately the inspiration is slowly beginning to flow again.What are your plans concerning Stream of Passion at this moment?

 

 

 

Because I will be fully concentrating on the new Ayreon for at least the next year, I have no more time for SoP, so I quit the band. It would be unfair to have them wait until I'm ready, especially now things are going so well for SoP.

 

 

 

Does this mean the end of Stream of Passion?

 

 

 

Fortunately not, the band will continue without me. They will write their own songs and I'm sure there's enough talent in the band to make a great new album and undertake successful tours without me pulling the strings.

 

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Can you give us a tiny hint of what we can expect musically?

 

 

 

Because of my frame of mind the material so far is quite dark. There are some pretty heavy passages and the soft parts are quite mysterious. Though, to even it out, I will probably record some folky and happier stuff in the coming months when I feel better. I do think I will succeed in having it sound different from my previous albums again. I'm also thinking of releasing a single album this time, and using the remaining tracks as bonustracks for those who are interested. As some know, I hate to repeat myself and do the expected! Don't know if I will succeed though, things often turned out differently than the way I planned them...

 

 

 

Have you got any ideas yet as to the story of the new Ayreon?

 

 

 

Yes, but I haven't decided yet which way to go. I do know it will be a science fiction theme again, I really missed it :-) This time I would like to make the lyrics and the concept less obvious and more cryptic than before, if I can do it. It will be a new challenge. So if you can follow the story, I did something wrong :-)

Yeah I read that a few weeks ago on his website. I was pretty annoyed that the UK dates were all cancelled. Apparently the French wouldn't let some of the member of the band thru the tunnel or summit cus they were Mexicans and thought they were going to claim asylum :(