Search - Avantasia :: Wicked Symphony

A Wicked Conclusion

Joseph P. Hodgson | 04/14/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's hard to review this release without some bias creeping in. You see, I greatly enjoyed both Metal Opera releases but never expected a third. Of course, there was no Metal Opera Part 3, but there was "The Scarecrow." Tobias Sammet initially intended for "The Scarecrow" to be just a solo release but during the writing process found he had the makings of a new Avantasia release. With some encouragement from producer/guitarist Sascha Paeth, Tobi wrote and recorded "The Scarecrow," which while different in many ways from his previous works under the Avantasia banner, still contained a lot of the bombastic and over-the-top elements he is known for.



Last year I was quite surprised and delighted to hear that Tobi was crafting a sequel. I become even more elated when I found the sequel would be two parts. Some excellent vocalists were brought on board to carry on the Avantasia name including Russell Allen (Symphony X), Tim "Ripper" Owens (ex Judas Priest, ex Iced Earth) and Klaus Meine (Scorpions). I was already sold.



It's no surprise that I love this release. I do not know if either is better than "The Scarecrow," but it does not matter as both are great complements as well as stand alone records. Both are stylistically very similar to "The Scarecrow" in that they contain a lot of power metal influences as well as hard rock and progressive elements. For those of you that didn't care for "The Scarecrow," you probably won't find much to like here.



Now, as for the albums, where to start? I suppose at the beginning, with the "The Wicked Symphony," a big Avantasia epic topping the nine minute mark. There are a couple of epics on the set, some work better than others, but this one is the clear cut cream of the crop. Many will likely consider this the best song in the set and with good reason. Russell Allen is featured prominently and really shines as he seems to find a way to do so on all of the tracks he sings on. Tobi has some lines as well, and has lines in every song but one, however he's featured less here than he is on any previous Avantasia album. This is neither a good or bad thing really, just an observation. A reduced role by Tobi opens the door for some others to assume the spotlight. Jorn Lande, featured heavily on "The Scarecrow," is plentiful here as well and does not disappoint. Other artists get featured heavily for just a song, such as Meine on the single "Dying for an Angel," and all really embrace the spotlight. Perhaps none more so than Ripper Owens and Jon Oliva. Ripper sings on "Scales of Justice" and gives a vocal chord rupturing performance. It is easily the hardest hitting track on either album. Oliva plays the role vacated by Alice Cooper of The Toy Master, only now he's a ghost featured on the Angel of Babylon track "Death is Just a Feeling." It's a very cool and atmospheric track that could only be found on a concept album. It might be too "out there" for some, it sounds like an outtake from "The Nightmare Before Christmas," but I personally think its one of the standout songs from either album.



Some other noteworthy tracks include the rock heavy "Alone I Remember" which has a unique performance by Lande. "Your Love is Evil" is one of my personal favorites, a rocker with some 80's flair that most will either love or hate. "Symphony of Life" has the distinction of being the only song to not feature Sammet and is also the only song not written by Sammet (Sascha Paeth wrote it). Cloudy Yang makes her Avantasia debut as a lead singer and does a great job. This appears to be a polarizing track for some fans in the early going though I find it to be a hard-hitting tune that is a nice change of pace.



With around two hours of material, there's going to be some stumbles but the ones present here are minor. "Rat Race" from AoB is very straight-forward and underwhelming, the same can be said for "Down in the Dark." "Stargazers" is one of AoB's epics and it mostly delivers, though the chorus falls a bit flat in comparison with TWS and "Journey to Arcadia." These are minor quibbles though as even the lesser tracks still show meticulous detail and excellent production values.



If I had to pick one (and since this is a set I really don't) I would have to say The Wicked Symphony is slightly better than Angel of Babylon, which seems to be the general consensus. TWS is a bit more straight-forward, it takes fewer chances and a lot of what's there is incredibly catchy and effective. AoB brings some new elements to the mix, and for the most part, they work extremely well. Its the songs that play it safe that fall a bit flat (such as the previously mentioned "Rat Race") and don't pack the same punch as other songs.



If you're springing for the deluxe edition I can whole-heartedly recommend it. The packaging is of terrific quality. The box is sturdy and the hardcover digi-books are definitely eye catching. The bonus material is a bit lacking as the only worthwhile pieces are the two downloadable live tracks, "Twisted Mind" and "Lost in Space." Both will hopefully receive a more official release as part of a full album and DVD of live Avantasia material in the not too distant future.



At the end of the day, if you liked "The Scarecrow" you will certainly enjoy both of these albums. "The Wicked Symphony" may have the edge over "Angel of Babylon" but both are five-star releases in my opinion. I know I probably enjoy the rock and synth elements present on both releases more than the average power metal fan, but the production, musicianship, vocal performances, and sheer scope of these releases is of the highest quality. You would be unwise to miss out."

Avantasia's best release ever! Memorable, bombastic and vari

John | Greece | 04/13/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"(This review is for the 2cd 'box set' edition of The Wicked Symphony & Angel Of Babylon)



Avantasia is a project composed and put together by vocalist Tobias Sammet of Edguy. The first Avantasia release was 'The Metal Opera' in 2001 and its sequel followed in 2002. The albums featured numerous guest musicians such as Michael Kiske, Kai Hansen, David DeFeis, Timo Tolkki, Henjo Ritcher and Sharon Den Adel. Both Metal Opera's are regarded as some of the best, modern power metal albums. The Avantasia project was revived in 2007 with the release of two EP's and the album 'The Scarecrow' in 2008. The Scarecrow featured famous guests such as Alice Cooper, Jorn Lande, Rudolf Schenker and Roy Khan, among others. The music leaned more towards hard rock rather than power metal and the release was amongst the twenty best selling albums in Europe.



On April 3, 2010, Tobias Sammet released the sequel of The Scarecrow, as a double album named "The Wicked Symphony & Angel Of Babylon" or as two separate cd's. The main musicians remain the same, as in the previous release, with Tobias Sammet on bass and lead vocals, Sascha Paeth (ex-Heaven's Gate) on guitars and Eric Singer (Kiss) on drums.



The cast of guest vocalists includes some of the biggest names in rock and metal! Klaus Meine (Scorpions), Tim Owens (ex-Judas Priest, ex-Iced Earth), Jon Oliva (Savatage, Jon Oliva's Pain), Jorn Lande (ex-Ark, Masterplan, etc), Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween, Place Vendome, etc), Bob Catley (Magnum), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Andre Matos (ex-Angra, Shaaman), Cloudy Yang and Ralf Zdiarstek.



Guest musicians include Bruce Kulick (ex-Kiss, ex-Meat Loaf) on lead guitar, Oliver Hartmann (ex-At Vance) on lead guitar, Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody) on drums, Felix Bohnke (Edguy) on drums and Jens Johansson (Stratovarius) on keyboards.



Both The Wicked Symphony and Angel Of Babylon are outstanding releases. They offer plenty of musical variety and can be regarded as the best thing released by Avantasia up to today. As in the prequel, The Scarecrow, the music focuses more on hard rock with bombastic choruses and great guitar melodies. Nevertheless, there are at least three fast paced power metal tracks, several heavy metal pieces, some ballads and a few progressive touches scattered throughout the two albums. Additionally, some symphonic passages, big choirs with many backing vocalists and several extended guitar battles add further colors to the music.



Most of the songs manage to stand out and only a few fall a bit short.



"Stargazers" is one of the longest tracks on offer and features vocals by Tobias Sammet, Jorn Lande, Michael Kiske, Russell Allen and a brief performance by Oliver Hartmann. On guitars we have Bruce Kulick and Sascha Paeth. The song begins with a ballad type intro, as several voices sing in turns. After a minute and a half it explodes into fast paced double bass tempo, heading for the bridge and chorus. Half way to the song the music switches to a slow lead guitar passage, changes into faster speed again for an impressive guitar battle and drops to a mid-tempo hard rock mode, continuing in that vein until the end. Stargazers contains a memorable power metal chorus, good vocal transitions, impressive solos, tempo changes and both Michael Kiske and Jorn Lande in top form. Definitely one of the best songs here.



The single "Dying For An Angel", features Klaus Meine on vocals and is probably the most catchy and accessible rocker. The song features nice balladry vocals on the mellow verses, a mid tempo pre-chorus, a big melodic rock chorus, with Meine's voice reminding of the Scorpions, a short choir passage and an interesting guitar solo.



"The Wicked Symphony" is the second longest song after Stargazers and probably one of the most varied peaces on the albums. It begins with a slow symphonic intro, which is soon joined by a section with hard rock riffs. The verses are powered by a vocal battle between Sammet, Russell Allen and Jorn Lande. The chorus is catchy and features choirs and backing vocals. There are several tempo changes, symphonic parts, a long guitar solo and a passage with heavy riffing. The title track is one of the best songs on offer and both Allen and Lande give outstanding performances.



"Wastelands" is one of the strongest songs on both albums, even though it is a somewhat typical power metal tune. It begins with a majestic intro, similar to Helloween's March Of Time, and soon kicks into fast double bass speed with the addition of a melodic guitar solo. Michael Kiske sings in mid range during the first verse, hits some higher pitched notes on the pre-chorus and soars to the heaven's on the epic chorus. Without exaggerating, this is probably Kiske's best vocal performance on a fast power metal song since the mid 90's. Tobias takes the lead for the second verse and chorus, an extended exchange of guitar solos between Oliver Hartmann and Sascha Paeth follows and the track ends with the final chorus.



"Death Is Just A Feeling" featuring Jon Oliva is the most theatrical song. It begins in a slow tempo and gets heavier in the pre-chorus. Oliva sings in an eerie way, reminding of Alice Cooper on The Toy Master, while the verses provide a creepy atmosphere. The chorus is bombastic and fitting for Oliva's voice.



"Runaway Train" is another long song, which can be best described as something between a ballad and a Meat Loaf type of slow rocker. The vocals are shared between Bob Catley, Tobias Sammet, Jorn Lande and Michael Kiske. The chorus of the song is memorable and bombastic, a piano interlude which turns into a mid tempo Magnum like rock passage is included and the guitar solos throughout the track are outstanding. The voices of the different singers work very well together and all of them manage to stand out, although some get shorter parts than others.



"States Of Matter" is a very enjoyable mid-tempo hard rock song. Strong guitar riffs, great vocals by Russell Allen and Sammet, a truly addictive melodic chorus and a fitting guitar solo round of the track perfectly.



"Your Love Is Evil" is another simple, but catchy rock track. It has a late Edguy feel, a pleasing chorus and a memorable vocal performance by Sammet.



"Scales Of Justice" features an aggressive Tim 'Ripper' Owens on vocals and is one of the heavier tracks on both albums. The song contains heavy riffing and a good chorus, but suffers from similarities to Iced Earth and a strange, up tempo, Queen like passage instead of a guitar solo. Nevertheless, a song to check out especially if you enjoy Tim's vocals.



"Symphony Of Life" is a very nice mid tempo gothic/metal song. The track is sang by the female vocalist Cloudy Yang and features symphonic backings, choirs and a very good chorus. While memorable, Symphony Of Life, sounds very out of place on the album.



A different version of "Promised Land" (originally found on the Lost In Space EP 2), were Michael Kiske's vocal part is sang by Jorn Lande, is included in this release. Promised Land is an up tempo hard rock/melodic metal song, with a very powerful chorus and an enjoyable guitar solo. While the track remains a highlight, it looses some of its old magic brought by the contrast of Kiske's clean voice.



"Down In The Dark" is an overall good rock track, with a memorable chorus. The verses hint back to Whitesnake and Jorn Lande turns in another good performance.



"Journey To Arcadia" is another theatrical highlight, with great melodies and Bob Catley's strongest vocal performance on the new albums. Nice vocal transitions between Sammet and Allen and a good chorus. All in all, a wonderful closing track.



The remaining songs are quality offerings as well, but not to the extend of the aforementioned tracks. "Angle Of Babylon" contains keyboards, double bass drumming, some of the best vocal performances by Sammet and especially Jorn Lande and a good keyboard solo. Unfortunately, the song's chorus is too simple and weird, at least for my taste.

"Crestfallen" sounds strange, contains some weird vocals and is overall average. "Rate Race" is your standard mid tempo rocker, with a melodic but unimpressive chorus. "Blowing Out The Flame" is a simple and average ballad, sang entirely by Sammet. "Alone I Remember" has a very Skid Row main riff and mood in the verses and an AOR chorus, which is in my opinion bad. Probably one of the weakest songs on both albums.



Fortunately, there are no big disadvantages on this release. One of the major drawbacks of previous Avantasia releases was the fact that Sammet got the lion's share of the vocals. Thankfully this flaw has been corrected here and Sammet's appearance is minimal on the tunes were the big names like Oliva, Maine and Owens sing, while the longer tracks are vocally more well balanced. One minor negative point is the fact that although this was supposed to be a concept album, the songs don't flow perfectly together in order to create continuity. Another disadvantage is the inclusion of many mid-tempo and slower rock songs and not enough heavier or faster tracks, to perfectly balance the release. One can also argue that with the exclusion of Jorn Lande and Russell Allen, the guest vocalists don't get to sing on more than one or two songs. On the other hand, everything depends on personal preferences.



If listened as a single release and not as two separate albums, "The Wicked Symphony & Angel Of Babylon" probably surpasses both The Scarecrow and The Metal Opera's. Surely some older and classic Avantasia songs such as The Seven Angels, Farewell, The Tower and The Scarecrow are not topped here, but the new release is stronger as a whole. There are many memorable songs, a lot of variety, some modern ideas, several incredible vocal performances and pleasant guitar work.



If judged as two separate releases, The Wicked Symphony is the better album, as it contains stronger songs and a larger number of guest vocalists. Tobias Sammet should be congratulated for creating this impressive rock opera and for being one of the best modern day songwriters, in both rock and metal.



The Box Set edition features several extras. The two albums in digibook cases and a booklet with a biography, an extensive interview and numerous photos. In addition, you gain access to downloadable bonus material, including some live songs and the video for Dying For An Angel."

Beware of Cheap Versions

Bradley Graham | Madison, WI | 06/07/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The music on this release has received detailed analysis in other reviews. Both albums are great, and I think they will grow on me over time. Since I discovered Tobi's music last year, I've purchased almost everything he's done - Edguy, Avantasia, other side projects, and guest appearances. I love the guy.



I just wanted to warn folks to avoid cheaper versions of this package. I thought I'd found a great deal on the Deluxe Edition ("12 new from $29.99"), but what I recieved was 2 cheap digipacks and no code for bonus content - NOT the hardbound deluxe edition that I was expecting. I don't know if it was a bootleg, but there were glue strings from the digipacks stuck to the faces of the CDs, and the carboard was very thin with visible scoring marks on the edges.



While I would have purchased both of these CDs separately, I wouldn't have paid $64 for the fancy version anyway. Once I removed the glue, I was mostly satisfied.



I got what I paid for.



For anyone who DOES need the hardcover books and bonus material, stay away from the $29.99 version!"