Monday 9 March 2020

#35 - Top of 2019

Avantasia - Moonglow (Nuclear Blast)

2019 was a great year for Tobias Sammet, releasing another great chapter that can be proudly added to the journey of his symphonic power metal project, Avantasia. Tobias has been busy collaborating with a range of bands from different genres and making some interesting guest appearances in the recent Ayreon (2017) and Magnum (2018) albums! Ghostlights (the previous Avantasia record) might have been a bit more unmemorable, though still enjoyable, addition as it was released closer to the last Edguy album (that made it to the 2014 Top), but in Moonglow you can listen to the amazing elements that made earlier Avantasia instantly recognisable and memorable! The album is packed with great star-power including Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Geoff Tate (ex-Queensryche), Bob Catley, Michael Kiske (Helloween) and Jorn Lande, making the songs a great remix of some of the most talented singers out there! The album has some nice simply structured songs, like the melodic "Monglow" which is definitely aiming for a wider crowd but the highlights of the album are without a doubt songs where Sammet takes some risk by interchanging between musical and lyrical themes as well as masterfully combining numerous guest singers whose voices beautifully complement each other. Such an example is amazing "The Raven Child" which spans over 11 minutes and gives us some of the most memorable moments of the record featuring an awesome mix of Kürsch and Lande's voices! Another great moment is "Invincible" where Tate shines with his mellow voice in this piano-based melancholic composition that inevitably has a Queensryche-like vibe to it and acts in juxtaposition to the quick-paced "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" spearheaded by Jorn Lande. A definite improvement over the latest Avantasia albums and another glorious chapter in the European power metal mythos
 


93.3/100

Below are the official lyric video for the the song "The Raven Child" and the official music video for "Moonglow".




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