Album Description
Avantasia’s The Metal Opera is the concept album masterpiece created by Edguy vocalist Tobias Sammet. Features members of some of the leading power metal acts like Helloween, Gamma Ray, Stratovarius, Virgin Steele, Rhapsody and, of course, Edguy. 13 tracks. 2001 release…. More >>
Ideas Product
#1 by Anonymous on June 25, 2010 - 10:50 pm
I purchased this CD for a friend (Dr. Berman) WOW it took me back to the age of Iron Madien( Hail Bruce),,Iron Madien will always be my Collectors Heavy Metal CD/Vinlyn. I will quote a statement from Bruce From one of his interviews…Iron Madien could have set the standards for other bands to follow..Tobais have done Bruce a lot of Justice in this Album..I like the Malfeus Malfecurium(witche’s Bible)…track ..just great Tobais ,,sorry i would not keep u in my collection,,,,as i like the Hard Core Stufffffffffffff……..393
Rating: 4 / 5
#2 by Marcel Wild on June 26, 2010 - 12:54 am
While I still mainly listen to and further explore 70’s progressive and psychedelic rock, I recently opened up to heavy
metal. So far Axel Rudi Pell’s cds Shadow Zone, followed by Masquerade Ball and Oceans of Time lead the pack by a large margin, second comes AC/DC with Men In Black, Stiff Upper Lip, afterwards the less impressive groups Avantasia, Gotthard, Krokus, Andromeda. The problem with the latter four: They confuse speed with skill, lack melody, and their lead singers are blown away by Axel’s (new) singer. I was tricked by some 30 second sound bites to buy Avantasia, now I’m not sure whether I regret it. I appreciate their effort to create a “metal opera”, at occasions it sounds alright (the woman should have sung more often), but it just can’t compete with ARP’s epic songs or other (non heavy-metal) attempts at rock operas (Jesus Christ Superstar, Salisbury from Uria Heep, In Held Twas in I from Procol Harum, Journey to the center of the earth from Rick Wakeman, Mekanik DK from Magma).
Rating: 3 / 5
#3 by king wolf on June 26, 2010 - 3:25 am
I have neither the time nor the inclination to list and explain all the ways in which this album fails, because it fails on so many levels, but I would like to warn you that this is the single most over-rated album in the entire history of the genre of fantasy metal. There is nothing approaching an interesting melody, guitar riff, or lyrical theme on this entire album. I am certain of this, having searched for one in vain during several attempts to stay awake while listening to this record. This is the most generically awful fantasy power metal I have ever had the displeasure of hearing, and I have heard Freedom Call. When I think of all the innocent little pieces of plastic that had to die printing Tobias Sammet cds, it makes me sad, and then it makes me angry. Angry enough to tell you to never, never make the same mistake that I did, and give this atrocity a place in your home.
Rating: 1 / 5
#4 by Anonymous on June 26, 2010 - 3:28 am
First, let me say that I had great expectations about this cd before I bought it. Everybody seemed to love it. But man, was I in for a surprice. This is just an very ordinary cd. It could be any of Tobias earlier releases with Edguy. This is in the same vein. And you know how it is with Edguy: If you have heard one you have heard them all. There’s nothing new here either. And haven’t all you guys got bored with Tobias voice? At least I have. I don’t see the point in spitting out cd after cd if it all sound the same. If you can’t write great, catchy songs, it doesn’t matter how many of the worlds greatest musicians you put together on the same cd: it will still not be good. The only light on this cd is Michael Kiskes vocal. You do off better by buying Edguys only good effort: “Theater of Salvation”.
Rating: 1 / 5
#5 by S. Morales on June 26, 2010 - 5:58 am
Wow, the first mediocre power metal album I’ve gotten. I never thought that a genre that involves so much talent can release such a mediocre disc. Anyways, that said, let me tell you why I disliked “The Metal Opera” more then I liked it.
The whole record is like an hour long play, all these vocalists singing all these parts from different songs and with little interludes in between to round off the story. Sure, the idea’s creative and enjoyable… for a broadway play. Not enjoyable for a album, not this one at least. Basically all the songs off this one never have anything to really GRAB you; no great melodies, no epic orchestra’s, none of that. Sure there are some chorus’s that are good (track 6 “Farewell” inperticular is a good song, reminicent of something you’d hear on Lord of the Rings) but none are within the Symphony X boat. Every song is linear, basic and pretty flat overall. Most chorus’s only consist of singing the title of the song over and over. I can’t stand songs like that. Very few choruses shine bleakly, like on “Avantasia,” although they are pretty cheesy.
The vocals are pretty decent (although they don’t sound too good, especially on track 11 “Inside” where the guy cracks at one part and made me squirm, they should’ve rerecorded that) which is why I gave this 2.5 stars instead of 1 or 2. Although, I did really enjoy the female vocals on track 6, but this is the only song she sings on, what a dissappointment!
The orchestrations you do find during the short interludes between the songs sound pretty weak too. Let’s see, what else can I rant about? Well, that’s pretty much it. I can describe this album in one word – flat.
It seems to me the whole project was made with good intentions but the writers seemed more intrested in the idea of a storyline throughout the record than with writing great songs. I don’t see what all the raving is about on this webpage, these people obviously have never heard great power metal like Symphony X or Sonata Arctica. So if you’re looking to get into this genre, DON’T start with this, and if you’re already into the genre, still don’t buy it, it’s not worth it! Take if from someone who’s heard great music to compare this too.
Rating: 2 / 5