1103. Avantasia / Moonglow. 2019. 4/5

Avantasia started off as a pet project that had a wonderful concept – a metal opera – and when the initial stretch of two albums was completed it was appetite sating. When the next trilogy came through it also was exciting. Two further albums have since surfaced and have been well received. Following the album and tour for Ghostlights Tobias Sammat expressed he was tired and would need to do something different for a time. Some thought it would be a solo album, I hoped for a return to form with Edguy. Instead, surprise surprise, what eventuated... was another Avantasia album. Not that I’m complaining, it just seemed a little too predictable to stay with the supergroup concept than to return to the band he began with.

Tobi isn’t reinventing the wheel here. He is using a well-worn formula that has worked for him and his cohorts over the past three or four Avantasia albums. Listening to Moonglow you will come across plenty of sections of songs or chorus lines or vocal melodies that will remind you of several songs from the Avantasia catalogue. That’s probably always going to be an end result of this kind of project and with plenty of similar people being involved throughout. I have only been listening to it for the past week since its release and can already pick out the similarities. This is nit-picking of a type as none of it matters if you enjoy the songs and album as a whole.
Try it for yourself. Apart from Tobi’s sweet high range throughout each song of the album, you can pick out the usual suspects. Ronnie Atkins and his soft but strong vocals range, Eric Martin still crooning like it is the early 1990’s, Bob Catley piercing through the speakers every time he has his piece and Jorn Lande’s honeyed booming vocal chords dominating front and centre in each song he is a part of. It is the familiarity of these vocalists within the project that makes Avantasia what it is, and not just a different sounding album with every release. Their consistent contributions add that stability to the group and allow the newcomers who arrive on each album a chance to make their own contribution without having their toes stepped on.
The addition of Candice Night is a winner, and the harmonies between she and Tobi on the title track “Moonglow” are worth the admission price alone. It’s a shame she isn’t given a part in one of the heavier song to really give her something different to work with. The small part that Kreator vocalist Mille Petrozza adds to “Book of Shallows” is also terrific.
The introduction of Hansi Kursch to the mix is an inspired one. His unique vocals go a long way to not only giving the songs he is involved in a point of difference from the others on the album but will also be the watermark down the track when Moonglow is compared to the other Avantasia albums. “Book of Shallows” and “The Raven Child” are lifted by his presence alone.
I don’t much like songs like “Invincible” which is very much of the ballad variety, but what does mark this as special is the vocal performance by Geoff Tate, who makes this his own. Sadly this is the route Geoff has taken his own music over recent years, but he does a terrific job with this song and makes it better than it would have been. The much heavier and faster paced “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn” has him join the whole ensemble of well-versed Avantasia vocalists, and he shines here as well which is gratifying to hear.
As ever, Michael Kiske’s appearance and performance is one of the starring efforts of an Avantasia album. His amazing vocals lift every song he is a part of, and this is once again the case with “Requiem for a Dream”. The song itself is upbeat and lively, filled with the double kick and racy guitar riff that are the best elements of the best Avantasia songs, and yet Kiske’s vocals kick it up a further notch. His high pitched perfect notes, well supported by Tobi, make this probably the best song on the album for me. It’s interesting that Kiske’s contribution was left to the end of the album, no doubt his involvement with the reformed Helloween cut down his ability to contribute more heavily this time around.
The music itself is once again a revelation even if in places it does sound a bit formula driven, that a drum beat and bass riff is found and is drawn out to the ends required. Long time collaborator Sascha Paeth again contributes all the guitars on the album and Edguy drummer Felix Bohnke again does double duty here, while Tobi holds the bass guitar once again.

I’ve always looked forward to each Avantasia release and have enjoyed them all. This time around it was more exciting given they are finally touring Australia and I will see them live on this tour. It means I will be listening to this album a lot more over the coming months as I prepare myself for what is to come. And while this isn’t their most outstanding effort it still ticks most of the boxes for anyone who enjoys this genre of the artform. And that’s the key to this album. Someone coming in having not experienced the previous albums is at a disadvantage because the way you listen to the vocals on this album is directly tied to what has come before. You can listen to this and enjoy your favourite vocalists for their contribution, but it is the combination of all as a part of their characters in the story that makes this the full experience rather than just an album full of songs. It’s a small concession, but I do think fans of the Avantasia experience will get more from this than a first timer coming in at this stage of the game.

Best songs: “The Raven Child”, “Requiem for a Dream”, “Book of Shallows”, “Moonglow”

Rating:  “Everything you've come to dream is gonna turn out real.”   4/5

938. Avantasia / Lost in Space Part 2. 2007. 4.5/5

After Lost in Space Part 1 comes Lost in Space Part 2, and while it is a safe assumption that this could have been consolidated into one EP if it wasn't for that ability of commercialism to try and soak up every dollar from the fans out there, and ensure there is just enough on each EP to force you into buying what is essentially the same single, you will need both if you are going to satisfy your curiosity as to what has been gifted to you on this occasion.

The same lead single exists here, and in retrospect it becomes a little too sugar coated. Let's face it, if my wife can suggest that this sounds like modern day Bon Jovi, then it's a sure bet you lovers of metal out there are going to think the same thing. The song is catchy enough, and I will always sing along with it, but it really is a soft rock song, one that targets an audience that most probably has little interest in the majority of what Avantasia is about.
"Promised Land" is an interesting addition here, if only for the fact that it didn't appear on The Scarecrow, but in fact surfaced on Angel of Babylon a further two years later. Was this a deliberate plan? Or by accident did Tobi realise that it was such a good song it needed to go on an album? I don't know the answer, but it is a terrific song and bounds along here in great style. "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" is a cover of an Ultravox song, and much like the cover songs on the previous EP this is done well with great poise and energy to make it worthy of the original song. "Scary Eyes" is a non-album track, which in retrospect seems like a missed opportunity. Everything here works fine, and for me, unlike the non-album track on the first EP, "The Story Ain't Over", this has the energy and drive and up-tempo feel to hold its own in that company.
"In My Defence" is another cover, this time of a Freddie Mercury-helmed track from a musical called Time, and which I knew from The Freddie Mercury Album that came out after his death. Tobi does a pretty fair job filling the boots of the great man, and this song fits in nicely for this package. The album is then completed by a live studio acoustic recording of... yes... you guessed it... "Lost in Space", which given does sound good in this environment.

Once again, the extra material is worth the listen, as much a any EP carries. As with Part 1, it will eventually be of main interest to fans of the band who like to have their collections complete.

Rating:  "It was you who took my hand, come into the promised land"   4.5/5

937. Avantasia / Lost in Space Part 1 [EP]. 2007. 3.5/5

It was generally assumed after the release of The Metal Opera and The Metal Opera Pt. II that the Avantasia experiment was complete. That all changed in 2007 when two EPs arrived as a prelude to the release of the next Avantasia album,The Scarecrow. Both EPs sprouted the single lifted from the new album, as well as some teasers for what was to come, and some other material to fill out the CD. The single to be released was "Lost in Space", and this is the first EP of the two that surfaced.

The lead single is the title track "Lost in Space", which drips of a commercial nature in order to receive the airplay required to make a single popular. This is followed by a rousing version of ABBA's "Lay All Your Love on Me", which is given the perfect heavier treatment musically, as well as a great vocal rendition from Tobi. It is an interesting phenomenon in that so many bands of this generation from Europe all have a desire to cover a song from a 1970's pop icon such as ABBA - Helloween and Yngwie Malmsteen are just two other example of bands to have covered ABBA songs in the past. Their influence on those in my age bracket, who embraced the band during their formative years in that decade, is still plain for all to see.
"Another Angel Down" is the second song from the upcoming album on this EP, and it is a beauty. Featuring Jorn Lande as well on vocals, it is one of the best songs from the album, and thus was well suited in ramping up interest in what was to come the following year. This is followed by "The Story Ain't Over", a non-album track that fits into the framework of the Avantasia project nicely. This was played by the band on their World Tour to support The Scarecrow, but I can't say it has ever been a favourite of mine.
The orchestral short track "Return to Avantasia" is followed by another hard rocking cover, this time a version of a Lucifer's Friend song "Ride the Sky". Initially I was disappointed, as I thought I would be getting a version of Helloween's magnificent "Ride the Sky", but it was not to be. Still, this is a good version of the song that also came from the early 1970's.

Out of the six songs here, three will be of interest to Avantasia fans, being the two cover songs and the non-album track. It's a solid EP, but probably only one for the collectors and hard core fans.

Rating:  "And who is there to tell me not to give and not to go"  3.5/5

936. Avantasia / The Flying Opera: Around the World in Twenty Days. 2011. 4/5

It is one thing to produce a rock opera - sorry, metal opera - concept, put it all together with artists and musicians, record it, and release it to the world, and be able to do a good job of it. And there is little job that Tobi Sammet did just that with his Avantasia project. However, it is then a different prospect altogether to decide to take that concept out to the people and perform it live. It again requires all of that determination and drive to do it well, and do it successfully. Thus we have this album, The Flying Opera: Around the World in Twenty Days.

By all accounts it was collaborator and guitarist Sascha Paeth who convinced Tobi that this was a feasible option, and that it was something that should be pursued. So it was that, following the release of The Scarecrow, Avantasia took on a short tour during the European festival season, and recordings from that tour make up this album. I guess my thoughts at the time were that if they were going to do it, they should perform all of The Metal Opera from start to finish, with the original band and vocalists. What a show that would have been. Instead, they put together a performing band and a number of vocalists, though not always the ones who were originally involved in the songs that were performed, and did songs ranging over the three albums that had been recorded to that point in time. No doubt this was a much easier way to bring together the concept live, but I admit I would still have loved to have heard my idea out there.
The band put together are all handy vocalists in their own right, which helped to fill the choir chorus through each song, especially guitarist Oliver Hartmann, who is a brilliant singer in his own right. They are helped by the excellent vocals throughout of Amanda Somerville and Cloudy Yang who help to keep that choir up to the required heights and standard. Along with Tobi, who is front and centre on every song throughout the set list, four other members of the Avantasia family are along for the ride, to lend their vocals in various songs along the way. these vocalists are Jorn Lande, who appeared on The Scarecrow album, Andre Matos and Bob Catley, who had both appeared on all three Avantasia albums, and Kai Hansen who was involved in the first two albums. All in all it is a pretty impressive line up of talent.
So how does it all come out? Overall it is as good as you would expect. Some of the songs here are improved markedly in the live environment, while others possibly lose a little bit without the operatic production behind them. The opening foray from the recent album, "Twisted Mind" and "The Scarecrow" soar here impressively, while "Another Angel Down" with Jorn and Tobi duelling on vocals is just brilliant. "Prelude" and "Reach Out For the Light" from the first album sounds amazing, but undoubtedly misses Michael Kiske's amazing vocals on this version. "Inside" becomes a crowd participation number, with Tobi encouraging their singing so they can hear themselves on the live recording. This is followed by "No Return" which kicks things back to a more impressive speed. "The Story Ain't Over" comes from the LOST IN SPACE EP, and mirrors the soft rock overtones of that track "Lost in Space", which follows the excellent "Shelter From the Rain".
The second half of the album showcases the side of Avantasia that is best. Oliver Hartmann shines on "I Don't Believe in Your Love", while the brilliance of songs such as "Avantasia", "Serpents in Paradise", "Promised Land" and "The Toy Master" sound just as terrific here as they did in their natural habitat. The final 'medley' of "Sign of the Cross" and "The Seven Angels" is somewhat cast back from the 18 minutes, as the first 12 minutes of the track are Tobi introducing all the band members, before there is six minutes worth of a medley of these two tracks. I'm all for the ensemble getting their moment of thanks from the audience, but surely that could have extended to a longer version of both of these great tracks? Oh well.

This live album does justice to the live performance of this project. As I mentioned earlier, I would have loved to have heard a production of both The Metal Opera and The Metal Opera Pt. II with the original performers, and who knows, maybe one day we will. As a live album, this still ticks the boxes.

Rating:  "Serpents on their way to paradise"   4/5

935. Avantasia / Ghostlights. 2016. 3.5/5

Yet another Avantasia release crept up on me while my attention was diverted elsewhere, and on the back of it another world tour of the project. Though it will never likely reach Australia shores, I can at least content myself with the fact that this new album has some excitement about it. This purports to be the closing chapter of The Mystery of Time, and thus has a mixture of constant companion artists and some new artists joining the fold for this album. With a slight changing of the styling of the music on the previous release, would this album be able to produce the material that will not only give a satisfying end to the story, but capture the imagination with the music?

Perhaps the most amusing part of the Ghostlights album is the opening track, "Mystery of a Blood Red Rose". Not only was it apparently written for Meat Loaf to be the vocalist on the track (something that was apparently first agreed to, and then rescinded), it also became a contestant for Germany's entry to the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, and while it made the final qualifying stages it ultimately was not chosen. That's a roller coaster rise for the first track on a new Avantasia album, that's for sure. Tobi eventually was the sole lead vocalist on the track, which while it is fine in all respects, certainly is not anything special - though it does feel as though it would have suited Meat Loaf down to the ground and given it a much more rock opera appeal.
"Let The Storm Descend Upon You" is probably the epic opening track the album needed, before the pushing of the previous song for higher honours began. Incorporating the same theme sound that punctuated the previous album, the song here is spread between the vocal talents of Jorn Lande, Ronnie Atkins and Robert Mason, as well as Tobi as ever, and the harmonising between them is the highlight of the track. At just a tick over 12 minutes in length it needs to be good to hold your attention, and for the most part this song does that.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Dee Snider was making an appearance on the album as one of the guest vocalists, but I must say that I felt a bit let down by the song written for him to perform on. "The Haunting" is certainly not like anything that Dee has sung on before, and in essence that isn't a bad thing. It's good to have a vocalist come in and try and interpret a different style of song from what the listening public knows them for. In the end, I just think "The Haunting" is not one of the better songs the project has produced, and that Dee is somewhat wasted on such a song. "Seduction of Decay" is another moody, sludgy paced song, the type that haven't been seen very often in this project's history. The fact that Geoff Tate is the guest vocalist on it is probably fitting giving the mood of his music over recent decades. In the end, it is up-tempo just enough to raise it above the mediocre, and Tate does a good job within the framework of the track.
The title track "Ghostlights" returns us to a more atypical Avantasia song, where as has been the case in the past, Michael Kiske comes along, with a double kick drum and flying guitars, and dominates the track with his amazing vocals. Oliver Hartmann again provides the perfect riposte with his guitar solo, and Jorn Lande drops in to lend Michael and Tobi a hand on vocals. This track lights the album up after, and let's be blunt, a fairly average start to the opus. "Draconian Love" has a unique sound to it, with thanks to Herbie Langhans who deliberately sings an octave lower than Tobi to give the whole song a different perspective. Intriguing. "Master of the Pendulum" explodes out of the blocks and kicks along at a pleasing pace throughout, with Marco Hietala doing a great job as "The Watchmaker" and singing up a storm. This is followed by Sharon den Adel in the very power balladish "Isle of Evermore", which might be tangible to the story, but is also an automatic song to go for the skip button. "Babylon Vampyres" conversely jumps out of the blocks, driving along by a much more high tempo beat, which Robert Mason takes full advantage of to get the album back on the front foot.
"Lucifer" kicks off as the epitome of the dreaded power ballad, featuring piano and keyboards, with Jorn crooning over the top. However, halfway through this the band joins the party, finishing off the song in a stronger, more powerful fashion than appears likely in the first half of the exercise. It's a two way switch, which depending on your leanings and possibly your mood at the time will either excite you or make you cringe. But it's okay! Because "Unchain the Light" lifts that tempo once again, and also sees the return of the double kick and a decent guitar riff. So, by now you should know who it features on vocals, right? Yep, our old friend Michael Kiske returns, and his anthemic music as insisted upon by Tobi Sammet again jumpstarts the album. Along with Tobi himself and Ronnie Atkins, and the chorus as well, and Oliver Hartmann again providing the guitar solo, "Unchain the Light" proves to be one of the better tracks here. "A Restless Heart and Obsidian Skies" is anchored by Bob Catley, who along with Tobi and the chorus gives us a closing track that settles into the soft rock or AOR genre, and perhaps most disappointingly concludes the album this way, in almost the same way the other recent Avantasia albums have done, more with a whimper than a bang.

I probably wanted to like this too much, which has perhaps clouded my ability to take in everything on offer on the album. What strikes me the most about Ghostlights is that it seems to be trending much like the recent Edguy albums have been - away from the roots, away from what made the best albums of both those bands great, and into a style that becomes more like a formula, and with a lessening degree of inspiration and excitement. Perhaps this is still too new in my collection, and on a second coming will prove to me a better album than I have in my mind at the moment. Or maybe the concept has run its course, and it's time to try something else.

Rating:  "And after it's all said and done, we won't fear the transience no more"  3.5/5

934. Avantasia / The Mystery of Time. 2013. 3.5/5

Avantasia started off as an idea, a one off project that would give the world a metal opera, and an opportunity for like minded wonderful musicians from the heavy metal genre to come together and produce something special. More than a decade later, and following denials of further albums before the appearance of said albums anyway, and a growing spectacle as a result, we now had two complete stories told. With the Wicked Trilogy having been put to bed, The Mystery of Time signalled a new era in the Avantasia story.

It was always going to be important to have some sort of changes on this album, not only to separate the stories being told from previous albums but also to ensure that we didn't get bogged down with the same sounds - or more precisely, the same performers. Otherwise there was a danger that it would be appear to be more of the same. As will always be the case with Avantasia, some of the regular performers do return, but it is the addition of the 'new blood' that helps to give this album its own face.
As with the previous Avantasia albums, The Mystery of Time is opened by an epic, anthemic song, one that creates the scenery and imagery from the outset. Here it is "Spectres", and not only does it capture you immediately with its change in style from the previous trilogy, it starts off the new story in a positive fashion. Joe Lynn Turner makes his first appearance on an Avantasia release, and his distinctive vocals mesh with Tobi's perfectly here. While the structure of the song seems a tad unusual to me - it's almost like two songs cut and pasted in a couple of places - for the better part of the song it works. This is followed by the faster paced action of "The Watchmakers' Dream", where Turner again plays a starring role. To be honest, it is great to hear him on songs such as these, which stretch him from the genre he usually resides it, and gives him a great platform to really show what he is capable of. Again alongside Tobi's vocals, they work really well together. My only question mark on the song is the greater use of the keyboards in the song. I mean, that middle part just makes it sound like it is trying to be a Rainbow or Deep Purple song, two of the bands that JLT has fronted at different times. Too much! Let the power metal ride!
"Black Orchid" drops that tempo back into mid range again, looking for the powerful vocals to come through and drive the song forward, while the greater orchestration and keyboards that are prevalent through this album rise along with it. Biff Byford of Saxon fame comes aboard here to lend a hand, and he sounds great though without having a great deal of impact on what has been laid out for him. "Where Clock Hands Freeze" raises the stakes again, and Michael Kiske again makes his mark and provides another key moment on an album. It is still remarkable given his aversion to metal music for so long, that a song like this is what Tobi must have insisted he perform on. The faster pace, the double kick drums and guitar riff all suit his voice perfectly, no doubt why Tobi continues to put him out the front for such occasions. Another watershed moment where Michael Kiske is the star attraction. This is followed by "Sleepwalking" which features Cloudy Yang and a very pop rock commercial sound about it, which doesn't grab me a great deal but is obviously aimed at another audience.
"Savoir in the Clockwork" is the epic track of the album, clocking in at over ten minutes, combining the best of everything that Avantasia does. It may be too keyboardish in places for my tastes, and a tad too much orchestration, but it sounds brilliant. Add to this combining the vocal talents of Turner, Byford, Kiske and Sammet all in the same track, and you have something special again. Yeah ok, the quiet silent part in the middle of the track does become annoying - why oh why is it required? - but overall it is a solid track. "Invoke the Machine" is another of the harder rocking tracks on the album, and Ronnie Atkins does a great job on vocals through this track, while the highlight is perhaps the guitaring of Oliver Hartmann who really lets loose in his solo slot. "What's Left of Me" is the slower creeper track, fronted by Eric Martin who excelled on these type of tracks in Mr Big. No prizes for guessing it is probably my least favourite song on the album. This is followed by the redemption of "Dweller in a Dream", where once again Tobi has saved his fastest and most uplifting musical treats to share between himself and Michael Kiske, which again provides the spotlight of the album. The album is then closed out by "The Great Mystery", which probably delves a little too much into the contemplative side of soft metal for me to enjoy completely, despite the excellent vocal performances again from Turner, Byford and Sammet, along with frequent Avantasia vocalist Bob Catley.
The good side of this album mirrors the excellence that can be found on that which has come previously, while the stuff that doesn't quite measure up for me is probably more to do with personal preference of heavier material than the quiet and keyboard backed slower material. Overall though this is another fine addition to the Avantasia collective.

Rating:   "Time flies from the space of an hour"  3.5/5

933. Avantasia / Angel of Babylon. 2010. 4/5

The basis of releasing two albums at the same time can be a bit daunting for the fan. While it is initially exciting to get not one but two new albums filled with new material ready to be digested, in the long run it makes it twice as hard, as you have to split your listening time between the two, and try and inhale twice as much material than you would in trying to take in one album's worth. I guess in the long run, much like I did with Guns n' Roses Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II albums you have to treat it like a double album, listen to them back to back and then rotate. In many ways this is probably easier in the fact that the two albums in this case, The Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon, are the final two chapters of Avantasia's concept story, the Wicked Trilogy, so by listening to these albums back to back at least keeps the story in order. Unless you change the order in which you listen to them I guess.

As stated, Angel of Babylon is the third and final chapter of this concept from Tobi Sammet. And as also outlined above, it was a difficult path that I trod in order to not only give both this and its twin album the kind of listening they required in order to enjoy the songs, but also to find out how much I enjoyed the album as a whole. It took some time, more from the fact that I fell in love almost immediately with The Wicked Symphony and so it sucked up a lot of my listening time. Eventually however, I dedicated the time required to this album, to give it the opportunity to show me how good it was of its own accord. While this is another good album from the conglomerate of Avantasia, it is more similar to The Scarecrow than its sister release. By that, I mean there are a few holes here that I don't think appear on The Wicked Symphony, and comparatively throughout it does wane in brilliance to the material on that album.
There is another monster opening track in "Stargazers", which combines the vocal talents of Jorn Lande, Russell Allen, Michael Kiske and Oliver Hartmann with Tobi. At almost ten minutes in length it is a good song again to open the album, with Kiske being the major voice in occupation. This moves into the title track "Angel of Babylon", and "Your Love is Evil", which both also have Jorn on vocals. "Angel of Babylon" moves swiftly along driven by the double kick of the drums and the fast talking vocals along the way. "Your Love is Evil" drops the tempo back a peg and the riff down a notch to a gutteral beginning while Tobi's voice reaches for the heights most of the way.
The next two songs for me are the highlight of the album. I don't know for sure, but I would reckon that "Death is Just a Feeling" was written for Alice Cooper, because not only does it suit his voice, but the singer here pretty much sings it like Alice would anyway! Jon Oliva of Savatage fame makes his appearance on vocals here, and is astonishingly good, making the song his own. Sure, the fact it stands out because it is so different from the other songs around it also helps to individualise it, but Jon's vocals are perfect here. terrific stuff. This is then followed by the electrifying "Rat Race" which picks up speed and the energy, encouraging everyone to sing along and join in the joy of the album. "Down in the Dark" doesn't quite match this, though it is satisfactorily performed by all involved.
"Blowing Out the Flame" is a ballad, a power ballad the likes of which did not appear at all on The Wicked Symphony, and is all the more disappointing because of it. And yet, "Symphony of Life", the only song not written by Tobi - it is written by guitarist Sascha Paeth - and sung magnificently by Cloudy Yang, is a triumph. The complete difference in style of tracks from those around it, just as with "Death is Just a Feeling", makes it stand out from the crowd, and really makes a statement.
"Alone I Remember" is just a rather weak song, not just musically but vocally, and here is part of the problem. The fact that Jorn Lande is so prominent throughout this album tends to water down the effect his influence has on the album as a whole. He appears on six of the tracks, mostly alongside Tobi, and while they both combine together as well as they have done in the past, it sometimes becomes overwhelming, compared to the number of songs other guest vocalists appear on. Obviously this occurs because of the importance of Jorn's character within the story, but it doesn't detract from the fact that it feels like it's just a little too much. Having said that, they both appear in the following song "Promised Land", which regains the momentum lost with the previous song, and has both vocalists utilising their strengths rather than just going along for the ride.
The final song of the album, and the Trilogy, is "Journey to Arcadia" and is a fitting way to bring the circle to a close. The chorus of singers brings a great harmony to this final track, and the excellent contributions from Bob Catley and Russell Allen really lift this final song to its rightful elevation at the conclusion of the journey.

While not being as strong overall as its same-day-of-release partner, this is another excellent addition to the Avantasia catalogue. It may not have as many stand out tracks, nor may it be as perfect in an overall sense, but it is an album that not only completes the story being told, but ends it in a way that is satisfying to the majority of the fans of this project.

Rating:   "Dead and alive, come a little closer".  4/5

932. Avantasia / The Wicked Symphony. 2010. 4.5/5

Given the length of time that passed between the initial two albums by the Avantasia project and the third installment The Scarecrow, it came as somewhat of a surprise when a follow up album came so swiftly in the scheme of things. An even bigger surprise came with the announcement that not one, but two albums, would be released simultaneously, and would combine with the previous release to complete the tale of what was now known as the Wicked Trilogy. Thus, the middle chapter of the Wicked Trilogy is told here on The Wicked Symphony.

From the first time I got this album, it felt like a better all round effort than the previous album. There are holes, and soft spots, on The Scarecrow that have always hindered my complete love of the album. The band itself this time is a real conglomerate mixture, with the core who recorded the previous album still on board, though not all of them for all tracks. While Sascha Paeth completed the majority of the guitar tracks, there were guest appearances from Bruce Kulick and Oliver Hartmann who did solo performances on different songs. The drumming was shared between Eric Singer, along with drummer from the original albums Alex Holzwarth and also Tobi's fellow band mate from Edguy, Felix Bohnke. While all of the songs were still written and composed by Tobi Sammet, the mixing of musicians, I think, has helped to give a differing emphasis on the music on different songs throughout the album.
The first half of this album is as strong an opening to an album of this genre of the metal industry as I can think of. The songs are strong lyrically, musically and vocally. Each has its own style, and is not reminiscent of the previous track, yet they all fit together perfectly. The opening title track, "The Wicked Symphony", is a perfect example of how a song of this type should be performed. The opening builds to the crescendo of the crashing opening, before the three characters come into the song. And this is performed brilliantly by the three in question, Tobi Sammet, Jorn Lande and Russell Allen. Each voice is distinctive and amazing, and here all three are used to perfection. It is both anthemic and epic in quality, and kicks off the album in a wonderful fashion. This is followed by "Wastelands", where frequent Avantasia collaborator Michael Kiske revives memories of his great days from the 1980's with a performance which echoes from that time, stretching his vocals to the heights which prove he still has what it takes. It's a great song also. "Scales of Justice" features a genuinely unique performance from first time Avantasia vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens, who in his inimitable style makes this song his own. Some may find it over the top, but it is great to hear Ripper giving it all and leaving his mark on the album as a result. This is then followed by the single lifted from the album, "Dying For An Angel", a duet performed terrifically well between Tobi and Scorpions' Klaus Meine, whose amazing vocals dominate the song and give it the punch it really needs. These four songs to start the album are the pinnacle of Avantasia for me, a quartet that produces great vocal battles and allegiances, and magnificent drumming and guitar riffs. Awesome.
While it may not be to the same standard, the remainder of the album is well above average. "Blizzard on a Broken Mirror" features the excellent vocals of Andre Matos, and along with Tobi they soar through this song, while backed by a perfectly performed backing track. "Runaway Train" softens up the sound of the album, and drops back a notch in tempo as well. While I like the song, I do find it is a bit of a 'wailer', in that the chorus of vocals provided by Bob Catley, Jorn Lande, Michael Kiske and co. doesn't quite bring it back into the genre of the dreaded power metal ballad, and the song itself isn't that, but the vocals feel like they are pushing it in that direction. It's a tad overlong as well. This is followed by "Crestfallen", which in places sounds like an opera piece, though a very metal opera piece.
"Forever is a Long Time" is dominated by the distinctive vocal talents of Jorn Lande, who along with the hard hitting drums from Alex Holzwarth and guitar solo from Oliver Hartmann keeps the tempo on the upside and the vibe of the song positive and enjoyable. "Black Wings" is a soaring emotive song perfectly pitched by Ralf Zdiarstek, and fits surprisingly well in this landscape. "States of Matter" becomes a vehicle for Russell Allen's amazing vocals, and he is the star of this song, driving it along perfectly to the accompaniment of the great guitar riff. The album closes with "The Edge", allowing Tobi to close out the album on a slightly soft rock edge (much like the previous album) which is (just quietly) a little disappointing given everything that has come before it.

I was not as enamoured with the previous album as I was with the first two, but The Wicked Symphony restored my faith and love for the Avantasia project. It is interesting to compare it to the project that two of the heavily featured artists here have elsewhere, the Allen/Lande project, which does not showcase the respective artists talents as well as they are showcased here. What this does it not only further the story of the now-dubbed Wicked Trilogy, it also given us individual songs that work away from the framework of the concept album in place, and that is the true mark of quality. The first five songs, along with "Forever is a Long Time" and "States of Matter" are shining lights. No doubt some will disagree, but I think this is an album that perfectly portrays the best that the European metal genre has to offer.

Rating:   "Way down to the hideaway, where do we go from here, heroes in a tragedy"  4.5/5

931. Avantasia / The Scarecrow. 2008. 3.5/5

The appearance of a third album from the Tobias Sammet backed project Avantasia came as something of a surprise. The excellent vision and production of the original The Metal Opera album, and the follow up The Metal Opera Pt. II which concluded the story, was something that no one would have wanted to have tarnished. So when The Scarecrow was announced and then released, it was another album where my feelings were mixed completely - the desire to hear if this could continue with the excellence of the first two albums, and the fear that it would fall flat and not work at all.

This time around there are some changes to the whole concept. The musicians who performed on the original metal opera have been replaced, though guitarist Henjo Richter does make an appearance on several songs as a 'guest' lead guitar. Tobi Sammet takes on the bass playing duties himself, something he is quite comfortable with. Michael Rodenberg and Sascha Paeth, both of whom have been involved in a plethora of high profile European power metal bands, both playing and producing and engineering, fill the positions of keyboards and guitars respectively here, while Eric Singer came on board to provide the drums. Though Tobi still remained in charge of writing the songs for this album, it would be interesting to know whether the subtle change in music direction comes from him, or the period of time between the albums, or from the different personnel involved in recording.
Because there is a definite switch on The Scarecrow from the previous project. Whereas it was most definitely a metal opera, with songs firmly in the power metal genre and tied to an operatic feel in most places, this album progresses to a bit more rawness in the music, with riffs that are more of a traditional heavy metal sound and song arrangements that also drift that way as well. So certainly this is a concept album - which would eventually stretch to a concept trilogy - but we have moved on from the metal opera vision to simply creating an album exploring a theme, with many different players being involved. The story, which revolves around the central character trying to find themselves inner peace having suffered through unrequited love, and eventually facing somewhat the opposite, is played over the eleven tracks on the album.
"Twisted Mind" is an immediate heavy start on the album, with great duelling vocals between Tobi and Roy Khan. This floods into the lengthy tome of "The Scarecrow", where not only does Tobi show his great abilities, but we get the first efforts of Jorn Lande in the Avantasia universe, and it is spectacular. His vocal performance defies his usual pitch and range, and adds another dimension, really throwing his usual panache out the window and stretching himself into the role. The second half of this song is quite amazing, thanks in the main to Jorn's part. "Shelter From the Rain" keeps ripping up this part of the music landscape, through the remarkable efforts of returning duo Michael Kiske and Bob Catley. One wonders how Tobi was able to convince Kiske to return again to his music roots, given his reluctance in recent years to acknowledge his metal heritage. Here again, his distinctive vocals come in over the top of the music bridge and make the song his own. The extra pace and double kick and guitar riff through the song lifts the tempo nicely.
"Carry Me Over" slows the tempo down a touch, providing Tobi the opportunity to let his vocals soar, and put in a chorus that tends to be repetitive throughout. "What Kind of Love" shuttles in with Amanda Somerville lending support, in a real power ballad atmosphere that wreaks havoc with the senses for those that are so inclined. "Another Angel Down" cracks back in through the periphery, with Tobi and Jorn again lifting the intensity of the album supported by a faster paced tempo in the music. Both vocalists play off each other nicely and give a great performance on this track, while the duelling guitar solos in the middle of the song are blistering.
"The Toy Master" is written perfectly for Alice Cooper, and indeed could have easily been one of his own songs. The tempo comes back to suit his performance perfectly. This is followed by "Devil in the Belfry" which like "Another Angel Down" combines the vocal talents of Jorn and Tobi, and again impresses by the energy shown throughout the song. Somewhat disappointingly, this is then followed by another power ballad, "Cry Just a Little", which no matter how much it may be relevant to the story being told, just harms the output of the album. The penultimate song "I Don't Believe in Your Love" does pull back some of that, while the soft rock rendition of "Lost in Space" concludes the album.

Overall, The Scarecrow is more uneven than the predeceasing albums in musical content, and given that this is a concept album rather than a rock opera, I guess that can be seen. It has its holes, and places where for me it doesn't quite work. Even the songs if taken individually don't quite come up to the standard of what has gone before. But that's not to say that there isn't lots to like here, and the vocal performances of Michael Kiske and Jorn Lande in particular are just spectacular. It's still a very good album, despite the couple of places where I would have done things differently.

Rating:  "From the cradle to the madhouse, a twisted mind". 3.5/5

930. Avantasia / The Metal Opera Part II. 2002. 4/5

After the unexpected gloriousness of the concept of a heavy metal opera called The Metal Opera being brought to life by a standalone project called Avantasia, utilising the talents of a number of the better known players in the power metal community and consisting of strong material performed in an excellent light, there should probably have not been much surprise that a follow up was written and organised, to see if lightning could strike twice. The answer was a resounding yes to that notion.

I initially approached this with some trepidation, hoping for it to be great, and worried that it would not hold up against the original. There was little to fear though. The same musicians that formed the band for the first instalment are retained, and their excellence and professionalism again shines through on this album. Gamma Ray's Henjo Richter on guitars, Helloween's Marcus Grosskopf on bass and Rhapsody of Fire's Alex Holzwarth on drums, along with Tobi Sammet on keyboards, do a fantastic job again. When you talk about a super group, this is a pretty fair collection. The songs sound brilliant through their excellence, laying the platform for the multitude of characters who combine to create the story of the second stanza of this metal opera.
The songs themselves range in style, depending on the part of the story being relayed in each, and the characters involved. As in the first album, each vocalist is playing a different part in the opera. This one starts off with a cast of thousands - well, seven to be precise, with the title "The Seven Angels" probably giving that away. At fourteen minutes in length, it is the monster opening an album like this requires. Along with principle vocalist, Edguy's Tobias Sammet, who is also the creator of the Avantasia project and appears on vocals on every track, the other 'angels' are portrayed by some of the best vocalists in the genre - Oliver Hartmann, David DeFeis, Rob Rock, Andre Matos, Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen. Each is given their space, and then when they choir together it brings the whole body together. "No Return" is a faster paced song featuring Michael Kiske and Andre Matos and the flying guitar of Henjo as the basis. This is followed by "The Looking Glass", when Tobi goes it alone on lead vocals, though backed by the 'choir' throughout, with a heavier riff and plenty of emoting throughout.
On most other albums I would have issues with a song such as "In Quest For", because after the initial onslaught with the three powerful songs that begin the album, I would be ranting about how this quiet piano driven ballad had halted all momentum of the album, and how it was sucking the life out of what had already been injected through those opening tracks. Here however, it has its purpose, a part of the framework and story of the album, and Bob Catley again combines with Tobi in portraying their characters emotions.
This is overridden immediately when we rush straight into "The Final Sacrifice" which is dominated by the great riffing from Henjo and Marcus, and Alex's drumming. The musicianship here is something that comes forward after the quiet defining of the previous track, and while David DeFeis and Tobi are great here on vocals, just concentrate on those guitars from Henjo. Just awesome. From here, you can feel the joy in which "Neverland" is performed, and in the voices of those singing. This is one of those songs that you can't help singing along with the lyrics, performed with gusto by Rob Rock. This is a power metal staple, one of those songs that covers the best that this genre of metal can offer.
"Anywhere" under normal circumstances as well would fall in that same category that "In Quest For" does, for similar reasons. Again here though it probably fits the story being told, rather than being taken individually as a song as I would on the majority of other albums. It still isn't something that I have a great love for though.
"The Chalice of Agony" is another of the best songs on the album. The speed of the song here is the key, along with the brilliant duelling vocals between Kai, Tobi and Andre, and the brilliant guitaring of Henjo. Yes, this feels like a Gamma Ray song, and the two members of that band highlight the best of this song here. "Memory" mightn't be as fast as the previous song, but has that great riff running through it and sensational vocals from Ralf Zdiarstek and Tobi that produces another brilliant song, of an operatic quality even! The album concludes with "Into the Unknown", where the chorus comes together to complete the story, and the album in a melancholy yet satisfying way.

Whether or not you are interested in the story itself - and in this instance I honestly put my hand up to be in 'less interested' category - The Metal Opera Pt. II is a terrific album, laden with talented players and wonderful singers who all put their best foot forward here. Led by Tobias Sammet, who has again not only arranged the performers but also written the material for the album, the Avantasia metal opera project is a resounding success. While its success has parlayed itself into further albums and possibly even greater fame, this closed the door on the initial concept and many of the original performers, who have not appeared on later productions. It is a nice way to close that circle, before the next circle begins.

Rating:  "Out of the wine, out of the chalice of agony, welcome to Avantasia"   4/5

691. Avantasia / The Metal Opera. 2001. 4/5

When I first heard of the concept of recording an album entitled The Metal Opera, I thought it was a great idea. Of course, some "knowledgeable" people came out and suggested "it's not an opera!" Well of course it isn't, but what a terrific idea. Write a concept album, with not only a storyline but characters that can be portrayed by some of the finest singers in the power metal genre. Put together an all-star band to lay down the music, and voila! You have the beginnings of an "opera" staged and written for the heavy metal world.
What was better was that you couldn't argue with the line-up of talent that was drawn to make this happen. The brainchild of Edguy front man Tobias Sammet who also contributed keyboards, we have Gamma Ray's guitarist Henjo Richter, Helloween's bassist Markus Grosskopf and Rhapsody of Fire's drummer Alex Holzwarth. Along with the band, just some of the vocalists lending their support to the project to support Tobi's main character of Gabriel Laymann are Michael Kiske of Helloween fame as well as other projects, Rob Rock of Impellitteri and other bands, Andre Matos of Angra, Timo Tolkki of Stratovarius and Kai Hansen of Gamma Ray. Sharon den Adel from Within Temptation is excellent in "Farewell". A terrific line-up.

In the long run, you can take or leave the story that is being told here if you like (if you are interested, the Wikipedia page can be found here), but none of it would work unless the songs and the vocals made it so. And there is no danger of that not occurring here. "Reach Out For the Light" is a brilliant song, mixing the wonderful vocals of Sammet and Kiske along with some magnificent guitaring from Henjo. The whole song is a triumph, and sets the album off at a cracking pace. While the mood of the album meanders throughout as the story changes, it is anchored in that power metal style, with everyone's nuances combining excellently. Henjo Richter's distinctive solo's are wonderful, Markus Grosskopf's bassline's are just as powerful as they are in Helloween, Alex Holzwarth's drumming is just scintillating in places, and helps to set the stage for each song. Not only is it powerful, and the tempo just right in all respects, it has been set up perfectly by the producer and sound engineer - it doesn't become overpowering, but it is also prevalent in each song. Just wonderful.
The middle of the album rocks along, with "Serpents in Paradise", "Breaking Away" and "The Glory of Rome", with David DeFeis and Rob Rock making great contributions. "Avantasia" is the big anthemic piece of the album, the one crowds would no doubt find to be the feel good song of an operatic production.
Given Kiske's stated preference for less heavy material, it is somewhat amusing that the slower balladesque "Inside" has vocals by Kai Hansen, something he also does well, though to be honest I would loved to have heard him on something faster. Instead, Kiske powerfully brings home the closer "The Tower" to finish off the album in an uplifting speed metal way.

Tobi Sammet is prominent most of the way through the album, and his vocals are terrific throughout. Having made several albums with his band Edguy before The Metal Opera, this became a halcyon period for him, with this album and its sequel, as well as what I consider his best Edguy albums, Mandrake and Hellfire Club, all in this four year period. He is wonderfully supported by Michael Kiske who, having suffered somewhat from his post-Helloween days and statements that he was uninterested in the metal genre, shows here exactly how talented he is. His vocals on this album are the equal of anything else he has ever done. I don't think it is any coincidence that probably the five best songs on the album - "Reach Out For the Light", "Breaking Away", "Farewell", "Avantasia" and "The Tower" - are the five songs where Kiske and Sammet perform together. They are brilliant together. The music throughout is amazing and brilliantly performed by the four piece already mentioned.
In the long run this all-star production more than holds its own as an album of substance, creating and showing off the best that this genre of metal has to offer. It may not be seen as a real opera, but in heavy metal it is an album that it can be proud of in showcasing the great talent of the industry.