September 11, 2015

GEOFF TATE ON NEW AVANTASIA ALBUM!

In January AVANTASIA's 7th studio album "GHOSTLIGHTS" will hit the stores. After Jorn Lande another guest star can be announced: OPERATION MINDCRIME vocalist GEOFF TATE!

Tobias comments: "I am proud to announce a very special guest today: Mr. Geoff Tate! I have been fortunate enough to meet many amazing classic Metal vocalists. Whenever we've talked about our influence as vocalists the name Geoff Tate was brought up. Throughout his incredible career of more than 30 years Geoff has constantly explored new territory as an artist and vocalist, while he has always managed to maintain this distinctive signature vocal sound that makes him stand out. His contribution sounds nothing but amazing, and you will immediately know why the man had such a huge impact on vocalists and fans around the globe! Enchanting, unique, amazing, progressive in the purest sense of the word! Thank you for joing the Avantasia family, Geoff Tate!"

August 27, 2015

JORN LANDE ON NEW ALBUM & TOUR

The first guest vocalist for the new AVANTASIA album & tour can be announced. Jorn Lande will appear on Ghostlights (out in January).

Tobias: "It is with great pleasure that I can announce the Beast From The North to join forces with Avantasia once again. The STRIKING VIKING: Jorn Lande! We've just finished his vocal recordings and he sounds - what a surprise - KILLER! Jorn is a monster! It is with even greater pleasure to let you know that Jorn is gonna do the world tour next year, kicking off in March! AVANTASIA LIVE - 3 hours every night, from the Metal Opera to the new album Ghostlights. We'll be an epic line up and we'll deliver an epic show! Stay tuned"

Ticket information and European tour dates can be found in the tour section!

August 05, 2015

AVANTASIA CONFIRMED FOR FULL METAL MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL

AVANTASIA have just been confirmed to appear at next year's Full Metal Mountain festival Austria. On March 29th the Metal Opera will hit the stage in Tröpolach.

Tobias says: "We're proud to announce the first ever show of Avantasia in Austria. I was asked a lot of questions these days. Are we gonna play 3 hours and bring the full stage? Well, we'll try to fit in the full stage. We won't be able to play three hours as we'll do during the tour shows, BUT: We are going to play a blasting best-of set nevertheless. I am looking forward to shake the mountain with my Avantasians. Austrians, you better be there!"

July 15, 2015

AVANTASIA IS BACK - NEW ALBUM AND TOUR

The original is back! EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet has returned to the studio to work on the new chapter of AVANTASIA. The sequel to the successful latest album "The Mystery Of Time" (2013, charting in 16 countries in Europe, Asia and America, including #2 in Germany) will be called "Ghostlights" and is scheduled to be released in early 2016. An EP/ single is also planned to be released this autumn, and in March 2016 a giant all-star ensemble will set off on the GHOSTLIGHTS WORLD TOUR.

Tobias Sammet: "In the past months I've spent a lot of time in the studio, an odd recluse in the basement, secretly working obsessively on something that reads and feels and sounds like a new - very strong - chapter in the story of AVANTASIA. I must say AVANTASIA is a fantastic outlet for creativity, and it's truly inspiring to create a piece of music for so many great vocalists and instrumentalists."

The new material is very bombastic and dynamic, and even though it's extremely diverse, every minute of it sounds like AVANTASIA. I'm really proud of what we're creating right now. And as if that wasn't enough: I'm anxiously looking forward to hitting the road again. I didn't necessarily expect this to happen as in the past it has always been difficult to align the individual schedules of the guest stars, but things have worked out, and we're ready to make it happen one more time! We'll put on a big show, we're gonna play over three hours, and we'll take the fans to a magical world all its own - to AVANTASIA. The live setlist is going to embrace the entire history of AVANTASIA, from "The Metal Opera" to "Ghostlights" and of course everything in between!"

The world tour will kick off in Berlin on March 4th, 2016.
 
AVANTASIA - GHOSTLIGHTS WORLD TOUR 2016

04.03. Germany - Berlin, Huxley´s
05.03. Germany - Hamburg, Große Freiheit
06.03. Germany - Bremen, Aladin
08.03. England - London, The Forum
09.03. France - Paris, Le Trianon
11.03. Spain - Barcelona, Razzmatazz 1
12.03. Spain - Madrid, La Riviera    
15.03. Germany - Frankfurt-Langen, Stadthalle
16.03. Czech Republic - Prague, Forum Karlin
18.03. Germany - Kaufbeuren, All-Karthalle
19.03. Germany - Bamberg, brose-Arena
20.03. Germany - Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle
22.03. Italy - Milan, Alcatraz
24.03. Switzerland - Pratteln, z7
25.03. Switzerland - Pratteln, z7    
27.03. Slovakia - Banska Bystrica, Ice Stadium
28.03. Slovakia - Bratislava, Sportshall
31.03. Germany - Saarbrücken, Saarlandhalle
01.04. Germany - Ludwigsburg, Arena
02.04. Germany - Fulda, Esperantohalle

Click on to "Tour" in the menu bar for tickets. More worldwide tour dates to be announced!

April 17, 2015

THE METAL OPERA - OUT ON PICTURE VINYL

On Friday, April 17th AVANTASIA's legendary debut album "The Metal Opera" and its follow-up "The Metal Opera 2" will be released as 180gr double picture vinyls in a limited print run. To this day these two albums are referred to as the hour-of-birth of the genre "Metal Opera". The albums featured many guest stars of the Classic Metal scene such as Michael Kiske, Kai Hansen, and Markus Großkopf, who played and sang on the same album again, for the first time since Helloween's Keeper Of The Seven Keys part 2.

If you wanna make sure you get your limited copy of the picture vinyl click here.