Germany
Power Metal
Last update/review:
November 1, 2022
Avantasia
Avantasia is a running solo project for
Edguy
vocalist Tobias Sammet, initially gaining attention for the two-album
epic called
The Metal Opera .
This is precisely what one might
expect given the title and Sammet's background -- solid,
expertly crafted German melodic speed/power metal with a grandiose
and, well, operatic feel.
Over the years Sammet has employed virtually every name vocalist
to guest on Avantasia albums,
including but not limited to
David Defeis
(
Virgin Steele ),
Sharon Den Adel
(
Within Temptation ),
Kai Hansen
(
Gamma Ray ),
Andre Matos
(
Angra /
Angra ),
Timo Tolkki
(
Stratovarius ),
Rob Rock
(
Warrior ),
and others.
It's been said countless times both on these pages and elsewhere:
this form of metal is being done to death in Europe, but there are
a few bands that deserve recognition above the rest for doing it
better, and Avantasia qualifies in that regard.
Former Members/Guests
Henjo Richter
guitars (Gamma Ray )
Bruce Kulick
guitars (ex-Kiss )
Oliver Hartmann
guitars (ex-At Vance , guest for Iron Mask )
Markus Grosskopf
bass (Helloween )
Alex Holzwarth
drums (ex-Angra , Dol Ammad , ex-Luca Turilli's Rhapsody , ex-Paradox , ex-Rhapsody Of Fire , ex-Sieges Even , ex-Serious Black , Turilli/Lione Rhapsody )
Eric Singer
drums (ex-Alice Cooper , ex-Badlands , ex-Black Sabbath , Kiss )
Felix Bohnke (guest)
drums (Edguy , ex-Taraxacum )
Discography
Studio
Video
Avantasia
EP
2000
Reach Out For The Light
Avantasia
The Final Sacrifice
Avantasia (album version)
Tobias Sammet
Henjo Richter
Markus Grosskopf
Alex Holzwarth
The Metal Opera
2001
Prelude
Reach Out For The Light
Serpents In Paradise
Malleus Meleficarum
Breaking Away
Farewell
The Glory Of Rome
In Nomine Patris
Avantasia
A New Dimension
Inside
Sign Of The Cross
The Tower
Tobias Sammet
Henjo Richter
Markus Grosskopf
Alex Holzwarth
The Metal Opera, Part II
2002
The Seven Angels
No Return
The Looking Glass
In Quest For
The Final Sacrifice
Neverland
Anywhere
Chalice Of Agony
Memory
Into The Unknown
Tobias Sammet
Henjo Richter
Markus Grosskopf
Alex Holzwarth
2002 Readers' Album
#36
Lost In Space, Part 1
EP
2007
Nuclear Blast
Lost In Space
Lay All Your Love On Me
Another Angel Down
The Story Ain't Over
Return To Avantasia
Ride The Sky
Tobias Sammet
Sascha Paeth
Eric Singer
Lost In Space, Part 2
EP
2007
Nuclear Blast
Lost In Space
Promised Land
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
Scary Eyes
In My Defense
Lost In Space (Alive at Gatestudio)
Tobias Sammet
Sascha Paeth
Eric Singer
The Scarecrow
2008
Nuclear Blast
01 Twisted Mind
02 The Scarecrow
03 Shelter From The Rain
04 Carry Me Over
05 What Kind Of Love
06 Another Angel Down
07 The Toy Master
08 Devil In The Belfry
Tobias Sammet
Sascha Paeth
Eric Singer
2008 Readers' Album
#31
Angel Of Babylon
2010
Nuclear Blast
Stargazers
Angel Of Babylon
Your Love Is Evil
Death Is Just A Feeling
Rat Race
Down In The Dark
Blowing Out The Flame
Symphony Of Life
Alone I Remember
Promised Land (Part 2)
Journey To Arcadia
Tobias Sammet
Sascha Paeth
Michael Rodenberg
Eric Singer
2010 Readers' Album
#36
Wicked Symphony
2010
Nuclear Blast
The Wicked Symphony
Wastelands
Scales Of Justice
Dying For An Angel
Blizzard On A Broken Mirror
Runaway Train
Crestfallen
Forever Is A Long Time
Black Wings
States Of Matter
The Edge
Tobias Sammet
Sascha Paeth
Michael Rodenberg
Eric Singer
2010 Readers' Album
#32
The Flying Opera - Around The World In 20 Days
VIDEO
2011
Nuclear Blast
The Mystery Of Time
2013
Nuclear Blast
Spectres
The Watchmakers' Dream
Black Orchid
Where Clock Hands Freeze
Sleepwalking
Savior In The Clockwork
Invoke The Machine
What's Left Of Me
Dweller In A Dream
The Great Mystery
2013 Readers' Album
#38
Ghostlights
2016
Nuclear Blast
Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose
Let The Storm Descend Upon You
The Haunting
Seduction Of Decay
Ghostlights
Draconian Love
Master Of The Pendulum
Isle Of Evermore
Babylon Vampyres
Lucifer
Unchain The Light
A Restless Heart And Obsidian Skies
Wake Up To The Moon (bonus track)
Tobias Sammet
Bruce Kulick
Oliver Hartmann
Sascha Paeth
Michael Rodenberg
Felix Bohnke
2016 Readers' Album
#24
Moonglow
2019
Nuclear Blast
Ghost in the Moon
Book of Shallows
Moonglow
The Raven Child
Starlight
Invincible
Alchemy
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Lavender
Requiem for a Dream
Maniac
Heart
Tobias Sammet
Sascha Paeth
Michael Rodenberg
A Paranormal Evening With The Moonflower Society
2022
Nuclear Blast
Welcome to the Shadows
The Wicked Rule the Night
Kill the Pain Away
The Inmost Light
Misplaced Among the Angels
I Tame the Storm
Paper Plane
The Moonflower Society
Rhyme and Reason
Scars
Arabesque
Tobias Sammet
Sascha Paeth
Felix Bohnke