Early next year a new epic of Tobias Sammet's Avantasia project will be released in two chapters: "The Wicked Symphony" and "Angel Of Babylon". Tobias is in the studio right now, working with producer Sascha Paeth on this new Rock Opera. Starring musicians like Klaus Meine (Scorpions), Ripper Owens (ex-Judas Priest), Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween), Jorn Lande (Masterplan), Bob Catley (Magnum), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Eric Singer (KISS), Felix Bohnke (Edguy), Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody) and new contribution comes from ' the master on keyboards' Jens Johansson (Stratovarius). The most recent contribution comes from the guy who is known amongst Metal fans all over the world as one of the best neo-classical keyboarders in the world. He was the keyboard player who fought duels with Yngwie Malmsteen at the speed of light in the eighties, he played with Ronnie James Dio, he is a key member of Stratovarius and early next year the arrowy solo skills of his fingers can be heard on the next chapter of Avantasia: Ladies and gentlemen, from Sweden, the one and only Mr. Jens Johansson!
Tobias says: "I've known Jens for years now, there has always been a friendship between Edguy and Stratovarius. We became friends when Jens was playing in the solo band of Timo Kotipelto when they joined Edguy for a tour of South America some years ago. We got shitfaced on several occasions and Jens always captured any possible embarrassment with his Powershot G5. He's a genius on his instrument -and beyond- and the stuff he played for me sounds amazing. A lot of people can shred and play fast, but unlike most of them every note that Jens plays is tasteful and exactly where it belongs. I don't know if he is the fastest keyboarder in the world, but I'd like to think so, at least I have never heard a faster one. You gotta check it out..."
Source: newsletter Avantasia
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