Avantasia

Avantasia is a German metal opera project created by Tobias Sammet, vocalist of the band Edguy. It is commonly described as a rock or metal opera project due to its use of multiple guest vocalists and musicians and its focus on concept albums. The name is derived from “Avalon” and “fantasia” and was described in early material as a world beyond human imagination.

The project was conceived in 1999 as a studio-only initiative originally planned as a two-album project. It expanded beyond this initial scope and has since released multiple studio albums and undertaken several international tours. Its activity is often divided into distinct periods.

In the first period (1999–2002), Avantasia released the single “Avantasia” and the albums “The Metal Opera” and “The Metal Opera Part II”. The core studio lineup during this phase included Tobias Sammet, Henjo Richter, Markus Grosskopf, and Alex Holzwarth, alongside numerous guest vocalists such as Michael Kiske, Kai Hansen, Andre Matos, Sharon den Adel, Rob Rock, Bob Catley, and Oliver Hartmann. The project went on hiatus after 2002.

In the second period (2006–2011), Avantasia returned with the EPs “Lost in Space Part 1” and “Lost in Space Part 2”, followed by the album “The Scarecrow”, which began a narrative arc later referred to as “The Wicked Trilogy”. This trilogy continued with the albums “The Wicked Symphony” and “Angel of Babylon”, released simultaneously in 2010. These releases featured a large number of guest musicians, including Alice Cooper, Klaus Meine, Dee Snider, Jørn Lande, Russell Allen, Roy Khan, Tim “Ripper” Owens, Jon Oliva, Eric Singer, Bruce Kulick, Jens Johansson, and others, with Sascha Paeth serving as a key producer and guitarist. Following “The Scarecrow”, Avantasia performed its first extensive live shows, including festival appearances and a touring production documented in the live release “The Flying Opera”.

In the third period (2013–2016), Avantasia released “The Mystery of Time” and “Ghostlights”. “The Mystery of Time” was recorded with the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg and featured guests including Joe Lynn Turner, Biff Byford, Michael Kiske, Ronnie Atkins, and Bob Catley. “Ghostlights” continued the use of guest vocalists such as Dee Snider, Geoff Tate, Marko Hietala, Sharon den Adel, and Jørn Lande. Both albums charted in multiple countries, and “Ghostlights” marked the project’s first entries into the US Billboard charts. Large-scale international tours accompanied both releases, with performances across Europe, the Americas, and Asia, often lasting several hours and featuring rotating ensembles of guest performers.

In the fourth period (2019–2023), Avantasia released “Moonglow” in 2019, followed by “A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society” in 2022. “Moonglow” included guest contributions from artists such as Hansi Kürsch, Candice Night, Mille Petrozza, and Geoff Tate. The subsequent album continued the use of recurring collaborators including Floor Jansen, Roy Khan, and Michael Kiske. Both releases were supported by international tours spanning Europe, the Americas, and other regions.

In the fifth and current period (2024–present), Avantasia announced and released the album “Here Be Dragons” in 2025, with an accompanying tour. The album featured guest vocalists including Geoff Tate, Michael Kiske, Bob Catley, Ronnie Atkins, Roy Khan, Tommy Karevik, Kenny Leckremo, and Adrienne Cowan. The release received generally positive critical reception, though some reviews expressed more mixed or critical views.

Throughout its history, Avantasia has featured a large and recurring pool of guest musicians and vocalists, including Michael Kiske, Jørn Lande, Alice Cooper, Klaus Meine, Dee Snider, Hansi Kürsch, Geoff Tate, Bruce Kulick, Sascha Paeth, Eric Singer, Bob Catley, Roy Khan, Russell Allen, Arjen Anthony Lucassen, Jens Johansson, Floor Jansen, Marko Hietala, Sharon den Adel, and many others, contributing to its evolving concept-driven format.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avantasia

Studio albums
The Metal Opera (2001)
The Metal Opera Pt. II (2002)
The Scarecrow (2008)
The Wicked Symphony (2010)
Angel of Babylon (2010)
The Mystery of Time (2013)
Ghostlights (2016)
Moonglow (2019)
A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society (2022)
Here Be Dragons (2025)