Most of you know Tobias Sammet as the singer of Edguy. The idea of recording an album with many guest singers already played around in his head for a while, and now it finally became reality. He has chosen some of the finest singers of today's Metal scene to appear on this album.
Probably the most important guest singer of the album is the mysterious Ernie, the one we know as Michael Kiske. And it still recalls feelings of hope inside of me, Miki Kiske working with Kai Hansen and Markus Großkopf again.
But that's not the most important aspect of the album. The most important aspect is the great music. This is one of the best albums I've laid my hands on for a while and I might just think it's even better than my favorite album 'Dawn Of Victory' (by Rhapsody), but I still need some time to figure that out.
Tobias must have really worked his ass of creating this great concept story and doing some great vocals. I recommend this album to everyone who likes old-style Heavy/Speed Metal with symphonic influences.
10
SONG-BY-SONG
Prelude:
A short piece of classical music which contains the intro of the next song. It's a great mood-setter for the album.
Reach Out For The Light:
A great opener. It's a great, symphonic Speed Metal song with great vocals by both Sammet and Kiske. The intro has a great solo by Henjo Richter. The other solos by Richter are great too by the way. A great classical interlude too by the and of the song (a little Labyrinth-like).
Serpents In Paradise:
Virgin Steele's David DeFeis appears on this song and that's pretty logical, because this song has a lot in common with Virgin Steele's 'House Of Atreus'-album. The intro riff is a great twin riff and the vocals by Sammet as well as by DeFeis are great. Yet another speed Metal song.
Malleus Malificarum:
A short piece of music in a wonderful horror atmosphere and that's especially because of the great narrative part by (the to me unknown singer) Ralf Zdiarstek. Just great; the way he says "Torturer...Pull on!!!"
Breaking Away:
When I first heard the beginning to the song -typical German Speed Metal with great vocals by Michael Kiske- I thought: this is Helloween! It's not fair for Tobi to compare it to Helloween, but it sure sounds an awful lot like it. Henjo Richter's solos are (once again) great! As well as the hymn-like chorus.
Farewell:
Most of this song is a ballad, but the hymn-like chorus (which is pretty typical for Tobias' compositions). The balladesque parts by Tobias are sung great, but the third verse by Within Temptation's Sharon Den Adel is even better! Man, That woman has such a Heavenly voice! I already knew that, but this song is just more proof of that. The wonderful high vocals by Miki Kiske at the end of the song are wonderful too.
The Glory Of Rome:
Together with Tobias, Rob Rock, Ralf Zdiarstek and Oliver Hartmann bring some great vocal fireworks to this song. This song has once again a hymn-like chorus. The keyboards in the slower part are great and the sound effects have a great atmosphere. A great Gamma Ray-like solo by Henjo Richter.
In Nomine Patris:
"In The Name Of The Father" (no wonder it recalls Altar to me). A short piece of classical music which has something "church-like".
Avantasia:
The single of the album is a wonderful Speed Metal song with great vocals by Tobias Sammet and Michael Kiske. The intro was something different, played on a hammond organ I think. The great bass parts by Markus Großkopf come out really good in this song. Again some wonderful solos by Henjo Richter.
A New Dimension:
Another short piece of classical music. The music really reminds me of 'The Never Ending Story' a little. It's a good mood-setter for hope.
Inside:
A short ballad with great vocals by Tobias, but also by Angra's André Matos and Kai Hansen (no introduction needed). Another song of hope (atmosphere and lyrics). Great piano parts. Especially Kai Hansen's vocals impressed me, even though he's not the best singer in this song (that's probably André Matos).
Sign Of The Cross:
No, not an Iron Maiden-cover. It is a great composition by Tobias. Some great vocals by Oliver Hartmann, Rob Rock and André Matos (and mr. Sammet himself ofcourse). The intro riff is (once again) very hymn-like. The part before Jens Ludwig's good solo is very Gamma Ray-like, so it doesn't surprise me that Kai Hansen was chosen to sing that part.
The Tower:
Without any doubt Tobias Sammet's best composition to date. Tobias' vocals in the entire song are breath-taking and that also counts for Michael Kiske's vocals. Especially the part where he sings "I realize...". Stratovarius-guitarist Timo Tolkki also appears on this song, but his voice is reformed that much that you can hardly recognize it. The violins in this song sound great. All spoken parts are wonderful as well as David DeFeis' "half-sung" part. The guitar solo by Edguy's Jens Ludwig is also great. Words cannot describe the greatness of this song enough.
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