Band:
Tobias Sammet - lead vocals, bass guitar
Sascha Paeth - guitars, producer
Eric Singer - drums
Miro - keyboards, orchestration
Discography:
The Metal Opera - 2000
The Metal Opera Part II - 2002
Lost in Space Part I (EP) - 2007
Lost in Space Part II (EP) - 2007
The Scarecrow - 2008
The Wicked Symphony - 2010
Angel of Babylon - 2010
Guests:
Musicians
guitar:
Bruce Kulick (on tracks 5, 9, 11)
Oliver Hartmann (on tracks 1, 2, 3)
Henjo Richter (on tracks 10)
drums:
Felix Bohnke (on tracks 4, 6, 8)
Alex Holzwarth (on tracks 1, 2, 3, 11)
keyboards:
Jens Johansson (on track 2)
organ:
Simon Oberender (on track 9)
Singers
Jørn Lande (on tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10)
Michael Kiske (on track 1)
Russell Allen (on tracks 1, 11)
Bob Catley (on track 11)
Cloudy Yang (on track 8)
Jon Oliva (on track 4)
Info
Sascha Paeth & Tobias Sammet - prod.
Released 3/4-2010
Reviewed 17/5-2010
Links:
tobiassammet.com
myspace
nuclearblast
Avantasia is the side project of Edguy singer Tobias Sammet and if you have any idea about how this band sound you know how in which ballpark the music lies. For this project Sammet has found loads of interesting musicians to help him, guys like Jon Oliwa, Eric Singer of Kiss and guys from Scorpions and other known bands, lots of well known metal guys have helped Tobi out when it comes to making these records.
Musically it is fast melodic metal with sing-along choruses that stick in your mind immidiately and with production from Sammet and mastermind Sascha Paeth it has this clean and nice production which gives the record and lovely and fantastic sound, as usual when Sacha Produces (Rhapsody, swallow the pride and hire sascha for the production).
This is a really good record, as usual when Avantasia makes music, it has fine songs and some fantastic songs and the sound is just wonderful, I don’t think it is possible to say it enough but when Sascha produces the record will always have a fantastic sound and that will always be a benefit. This record do not need saving from great production, instead that thing raises the quality of what we get to hear.
This record has probably the two best tracks ever by Avantasia, track four Death is Just a Feeling is such a great track that you sort of forget time and space and just become hypnotised by the fantastic vocal parts from Jon Oliwa. The other of these fantastic tracks is Symphony of Life which is a majestic and forceful track, it is sort of the other side of what Avantasia is about a single with these two would be the document of what Avantasia is about, hit songs and majesty in the same band. Two fantastic reasons for this being an album to have.
In the end though I am a bit underwhelmed, this is a band that you always expect miracles from, sure it is a solid effort and two of the tracks are fantastic but the other tracks are not and certainly not in comparison with earlier works by Avantasia. It is still a great record though, no matter what you think.
Guess we all have to realise that Death is Just a Feeling and that this is a good end to this trilogy and it also makes me wonder if this will be the last from Avantasia or if Tobi will find time to cook up something more, only time will tell. If you are a fan of Avantasia you will not be disappointed and I am sure no one will really. A great part in the Avantasia story.
HHHHHHH
