Simon Rushworth
German power metal heroes Avantasia will unleash their new album in April with main man Tobias Sammet in typically boisterous mood ahead of the release of The Mystery Of Time.
With guest stars aplenty and a Bloodstock Festival showcase booked for this summer, expectations are high.
And Sammet is in no mood to dampen those high hopes as he puts the finishing touches to Avantasia’s latest opus.
“I am working hard on the new Avantasia album,” he said. “It’s a lot of work but I am so proud of what we are creating right now – it’s amazing stuff.
“Of course Michael Kiske(Unisonic, ex-Helloween) is on board again! You can hear him loud and clear and he is still the number one vocalist in that range – unbelievable!
“But what is really new is that for the first time in the history of Avantasia we’re working with a real symphonic orchestra – The German Film Orchestra Babelsberg!
“They have worked with Rammstein, Bryan Adams, Shania Twain, and also with Edguy on the Hellfire Club album. It’s an enchanting fairy-tale we are working on, so we really have no choice but to finally have a real orchestra. After all it’s an epic Rock – or probably Metal Opera – album!”
Sammet also revealed the next guest on the upcoming album is Arjen A. Lucassen (Ayreon, ex-Vengeance).
“To me he used to be what John D. Rockerduck is to Scrooge McDuck – an adamant long time rival – in our case when it comes to producing Rock Operas.
“Well, if you can’t beat your enemy make him your ally! And so I opened the door and literally invited pestilence into my world, ha!
“Seriously, the truth is that the ‘pestilence’ I’m talking about is really one of the nicest, coolest and loveliest plagues I’ve ever come to know – an ambitious artist through and through and a real great guitar player.
“So having just come back from a shopping tour in 2012 – where apparently he found himself a brand new pair of bad-ass pants and boots- he went into the studio to record some additional lead guitar for the forthcoming album. Welcome Ayreon mastermind Arjen Anthony Lucassen!”
The new album also features guest artists such as Biff Byford (Saxon), Bruce Kulick (ex-Kiss, ex-Meat Loaf) and Russell Gilbrook (Uriah Heep) with more artists to be announced soon!
The Mystery Of Time will be released via Nuclear Blast in April.