Artist: Avantasia
Title: Ghostlights
Genre: Symphonic Metal / Rock
Release Date: 29th January 2016
Label: Nuclear Blast
Album Review
Tobias Sammet is still one of the most interesting characters on the modern rock scene. At first the singer of EDGUY decided to start AVANTASIA as a side-project, but as the time was passing, the project was getting more serious and with every new record attracted more and more fans. The new album of AVANTASIA entitled ‘Ghostlights’, which develops and somehow intensifies the main subject of the previous release ‘The Mystery of Time’. Sammet again creates a unique fantasy or it’s better to say a fairy tale, and of course he doesn’t forget about his favourite “blood red roses”. Besides, ‘Ghostlights’ impresses with the number of guest musicians, among which are Sharon den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION), Bob Catley (MAGNUM), Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER) and many more. The mere musical part of the album produces a good impression as this time it’s less symphonic and more powerful, with heavy guitar solos and a rather dark atmosphere.
The opening piece, ‘The Mystery of a Blood Red Rose’, sounds typical for power metal, but at the same time it carries a listener away into a fantasy world, where the action actually begins and the storm descends with the next epic composition. It’s hard to choose one or two good songs, because all of them deserve an attention. The title track allows you to enjoy the vocals of Sammet and Jørn Lande that keep on changing together with the melody. Another interesting song is the beautiful ballad ‘Isle of Evermore’, featuring Sharon den Adel, while ‘Lucifer’ pleases with the minimal piano and very emotional vocals. The only possible shortcoming of the whole release is the lack of really catchy tunes. All the compositions are peculiar in their own way and worth listening at least once, but as the album comes to an end, it’s hard to remember songs separately, only the atmosphere of the record in general. Yet maybe it’s also good, but it feels like trying to make something bigger than a metal opera Sammet didn’t manage to fulfil all his creative ideas. But even in this case ‘Ghostlights’ turned out to be simply great.
Tracklist
01. Mystery of a Blood Red Rose – 3:51
02. Let the Storm Descend Upon You – 12:10
03. The Haunting – 4:42
04. Seduction of Decay – 7:18
05. Ghostlights – 5:45
06. Draconian Love – 4:59
07. Master of the Pendulum – 5:04
08. Isle of Evermore – 4:29
09. Babylon Vampyres – 7:14
10. Lucifer – 3:51
11. Unchain the Light – 5:06
12. A Restless Heart and Obsidian Skies – 5:54
Line-up
Tobias Sammet + Guests
Website
http://www.tobiassammet.com / https://www.facebook.com/avantasia
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 8
Total: 8 / 10
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