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
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