Artist: AVANTASIA
Album: GHOSTLIGHTS 180G VINYL REPRINT (2LP BLACK)

Year: 2016/ 2023
EAN/UPS: 727361363512
Media type: LP

“A heavy, melodic, atmospheric and catchy journey - and lots of voice! Tobi has done it again…“
SOUNDI (FIN), Timo Isoaho

“It‘s epic, it’s catchy - it’s AVANTASIA. Metal the unique way. The best so far.“
SCREAM (N), Stig Odegaard

“Catchy, melancholic, heavy, full of melodies and anthems. Classic Avantasia! Also very promising for the powerful shows to come. A lot of great guitar solos and vocal lines”
ROCK HARD (F), Guillaume Fleury

“Heavy Metal for the biggest stages of the world!
CLASSIC ROCK (D), Jürgen Tschamler


The Fulda, Germany-based vocalist - also mastermind of the power metal giants EDGUY, (founded in 1992) - is one of the most internationally successful musicians to come out of Germany during the last few decades. Tobias Sammet already wrote rock history by selling more than three million records and by playing thousands of shows in more than 40 countries all over the world. But creativity and inspiration need space, need air to breathe and the ideas are now bubbling... The previous record, »The Mystery Of Time« (released March 2013), which entered #2 in the German charts and more top positions in many countries worldwide, is followed by the most multifaceted opus in AVANTASIA’s history.

The new album, »Ghostlights«, does not only deliver exciting surprises, it presents a stellar array of guest musicians; they unite on this record to continue with the concept of the previous album (»The Mystery Of Time«) and impressively take the listener on a journey.

As is a tradition since the founding of AVANTASIA, there are again many great guest singers on »Ghostlights«. To start, you can be excited about the first attendance of former QUEENSRYCHE vocalist Geoff Tate. “The song, Geoff sings, lasts over seven minutes and is heavy and progressive - but hymnic,“ Tobias states. “Geoff really liked this track, because on one hand it’s extremely catchy, and on the other hand it’s rowdy decadent and full of bombast, as he puts in. I would describe this song as a mixture of dark AVANTASIA with a shot of QUEENSRYCHE’s »Rage For Order«.“

Geoff Tate is one of many new guests in the AVANTASIA world. If Tobias Sammet requests, they all come. After prestigious musicians such as Alice Cooper, Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker (SCORPIONS) and some members of legendary US bands such as KISS or MR. BIG, who attended in the most recent past, there’s again a load of guest musicians this time:

Besides the legendary TWISTED SISTER vocalist Dee Snider, NIGHTWISH icon Marco Hietala and WITHIN TEMPTATION power woman Sharon Den Adel - who sang already on the AVANTASIA debut, »The Metal Opera« (2001) - there’s also Michael Kiske (UNISONIC, ex-HELLOWEEN), Ronnie Atkins (PRETTY MAIDS), Bob Catley (MAGNUM), Jorn Lande (JORN, ex-MASTERPLAN), Bruce Kulick (ex-KISS, ex-MEAT LOAF), Robert Mason (WARRANT, ex-LYNCH MOB), Herbie Langhans (SINBREED), Felix Bohnke (EDGUY), Oliver Hartmann, Michael Rodenberg and Sascha Paeth.

The twelve tracks were produced -like the previous album - by Sascha Paeth and Tobias in Gatestudio Wolfsburg. Paeth, who earned a Golden Bobby for the »Best International Rock Production« from the Association Of German Sound Editors for his production of AVANTASIA’s »The Scarecrow« in 2008, is responsible for the recordings and the mix as well. Mastering was done by Michael Rodenberg (ALICE COOPER, OOMPH, EDGUY).

On December 11th, a foretaste in the form of the opulent track 'Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose' will be released. As from March 2016, an allstar ensemble will hit the road for the »Ghostlights« world tour. “Michael Kiske, Jorn Lande, Ronnie Atkins, Bob Catley, Eric Martin, Amanda Somerville, Sascha Paeth, Miro Rodenberg, Felix Bohnke, Andre Neygenfind and Olli Hartmann will be there for sure,“ the initiator reveals. And that’s for sure: If Tobias Sammet’s AVANTASIA will take the listener on a three-hour journey in another world during the shows in spring in every evening, it’s a superlative experience.

AVANTASIA have never underlined more impressively, why they catapulted the rock opera genre into the 21st century with such a force. They never have been better!

Side A:
01. Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose
02. Let The Storm Descend Upon You
03. The Haunting

Side B:
01. Seduction Of Decay
02. Ghostlights
03. Draconian Love

Side C:
01. Master Of The Pendulum
02. Isle Of Evermore
03. Babylon Vampyres

Side D:
01. Lucifer
02. Unchain The Light
03. A Restless Heart And Obsidian Skies
04. Wake Up To The Moon
(Bonus Track)

LINE-UP:

Sascha Paeth | rhythm guitars, lead guitars, bass, additional keyboards
Michael Rodenberg | orchestration, keyboards
Tobias Sammet | additional keyboards, bass
Bruce Kulick | lead guitars
Oliver Hartmann | lead guitars
Felix Bohnke | drums


VERY SPECIAL GUESTS:
• (NIGHTWISH) - Marco Hietala
• (Ex-QUEENSRYCHE) - Geoff Tate
• (TWISTED SISTER) - Dee Snider,
• (WITHIN TEMPTATION) - Sharon Den Adel
• (UNISONIC, Ex-HELLOWEEN) - Michael Kiske
• (PRETTY MAIDS) - Ronnie Atkins
• (MAGNUM) - Bob Catley
• (JORN, ex-MASTERPLAN) - Jorn Lande
• (ex-KISS, ex-MEAT LOAF) - Bruce Kulick
• (WARRANT, ex-LYNCH MOB) - Robert Mason
• (SINBREED) - Herbie Langhans
• (EDGUY) Felix Bohnke
• Oliver Hartmann
• Michael Rodenberg
• Sascha Paeth