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Rating: The album I am about to review does not introduce any kind of innovation to its genre, but it is important to underline that this was absolutely not the author's intent. His goal, which he achieved perfectly, was to gather in over an hour all the clichés of modern power metal. An open goal for the young Edguy frontman Tobias Sammet who, riding the unexpected success of the first part of the "metal opera" Avantasia, released the second chapter under AFM records in 2002. A goal announced, and not missed, characterized, as in the first part, by the presence of many famous names in metal who perform his (Sammet's) pompous songs, equipped with remarkable vocal arrangements and solos that highlight the technical prowess of the musicians involved in the project. Among the singers, we find people of the caliber of Rob Rock, Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray), Michael Kiske (Ex Helloween), André Matos (Ex Angra), Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation), Bob Catley (Magnum), David DeFeis (Virgin Steel), Oliver Hartmann (At Vance), and Ralf Zdiarstek. Among the guitarists, one cannot overlook Henjo Richter (Gamma Ray) and Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius), while behind the drums with his emerald sword are Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody) and Eric Singer (Kiss).
In short, here we are faced with a kid not even 25 years old who, with chutzpah and extreme confidence in his potential, in 2000 picks up the phone/email/uses his contacts and asks power/heavy metal institutions older than him by a few decades if they are interested in singing pieces he wrote for a metal opera in which, needless to say, he will also be the protagonist. Piece by piece, names incredibly pile up, and fans of the genre, with each new addition, are rubbing their hands together just like shopkeepers.
Avantasia is not a jumble of commercially potent hits thrown together at random, but it is also a concept album where each singer plays a real character; if you have a grasp of English and have the time, you can read in the curated booklet the story that unfolds at the beginning of the 17th century in Europe and focuses on Catholicism and the power games of this institution. Sammet also takes the liberty of assigning characters to the various singers and, to give an example, with sadism, offers Kai Hansen the role of a dwarf, teasing him, not even so indirectly, about his height! On the other hand, Tobias has always been an easygoing and humorous guy, and anyone who has seen an Edguy show at least once knows what I am talking about.
What leaves me particularly impressed by this project is its temporal context: between writing the lyrics, story and music for Avantasia I and II, from 1999 to 2001, Sammet also released with his band Edguy, two albums (Theater Of Salvation and Mandrake) complete with a promotional tour to follow.
Going through the music, among the most beautiful moments of this second chapter, one must mention the opener Seven Angels. Usually, at the start of a record, it is preferable to place an easy and immediate song. However, Sammet begins the opera with a 14-minute piece endowed with a baroque choir like never before, with vocal arrangements in which it is almost impossible not to get lost. The melodies, which brush against cartoon themes, make "Seven Angels" an extraordinary track that, due to its accelerations, pauses, several singers available, and total melodic inclination, brings to mind Meat Loaf (cf. Bat Out Of Hell I and II) in its metal version of the good old days. We rest with two academic tracks of clear "Edguyian" stamp like the insistent "No Return" and the heavier "Looking Glass" before we encounter another killer track. It is the memorable slow track "In Quest For" enriched by the wonderful, delicate, and passionate voice of Ralf Zdiarstek, accompanied by a delicate piano sound carpet. In dichotomous succession, the uncompromising heavy metal of "Final Sacrifice" stands out with Sammet straining his vocal cords (cf. Nailed To Wheel - Mandrake - Edguy) in a duet with David DeFeis, who excels in low, dirty, and very successful tones. "Neverland" and "Chalice Of Agony" are typical single songs that can be taken as a symbol of the melodic German power metal of recent years: the first simplistic with a pompous choir, the second clearly Helloweenian stamped.
What makes the Avantasia project unique is not its music but the presence of so many European and non-European metal artists guided by a 25-year-old mix of genius and madness who enjoy interpreting cheerful, melodic, fast-paced, and technical tracks. Power metal is not only about swords, dragons, princesses to save, battles, honor but it is also powerful music to sing at the top of your lungs in memorable crescendos with capable and prepared people who know what it means to sing and play instruments. Exaggerated and well-packaged, this CD (like the first one, which I consider superior) can help introduce a stranger to this genre, but big words like masterpiece or summa of power, for me, are not adequate and should be sought in other CDs.
P.S. I almost forgot. In a few months, the third chapter is being released
TRACKLIST:
1 The seven angels
2 No return
3 The looking glass
4 In quest for
5 The final sacrifice
6 Neverland
7 Anywhere
8 Chalice of agony
9 Memory
10 Into the unknown
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