Avantasia: Scarecrow

I know this is about 5 months late, but I was just in blockbuster and found their CD for pretty cheap. It is basically a metal band composed of various artists from other bands. The lead singer and ring leader so to speak is Tobias Sammet of Edguy fame(Havent heard of Edguy until I picked up this cd) with Eric Singer on a drums and the guitarist from Helloween on....guitar. Alice Cooper and various other musicians make guest appearances on this new album.

I'll admit im not one into the metal scene that much. I like the occasional Skid Row song and the like, so I didnt know what to think of when I picked up the CD. However, this is not like any metal album I have heard. From the first single released(Lost In Space) to the second song that they made a video for(Carry Me Over) the album ranges from guitar driven metal to power ballads and one all out love song. I was un aware of how diverse Sammet is in his vocals and I am very impressed.

So I just wanted to get anyone elses opinions on this album. I guess Sammet is pretty popular in Europe and I know they are doing a short tour there and have played a couple festivals and I want to know what, if you have seen them live, they are like. Good show? I guess them coming to the US is out of the question


Favorite Songs:

Twisted Mind
I Don't Believe In Your Love
What Kind Of Love
Carry Me Over
Shelter From The Rain


I would also like to point out, from interviews I have seen on youtube, Sammet seems just as passionate as Jon about the music and a little less pricky than Jon

I listened to a few songs off it on youtube (the singles), and was somewhat disappointed .... They just sounded like basic, average, radio rock .... Nothing particularly exciting, or indeed, metallic at all really

Perhaps I'll look at their Myspace or something. Do you recommend any songs that are more ... exciting?

If you mean exciting as powerfull you should check the first 2 avantasia albuns....(everybody is saying that Tobias turned into the Bon Jovi of power metal with this new avantasia album)

Some songs I used to enjoy when younger (I'm not in that mood anymore...):
Reach out for the light ()
Breaking away ()
The glory of Rome ()

Tobias as a guest in Shamman's (brazilian band) dvd:

I have listened to Edguy since 1998 with the release of their second album "Vain Glory Opera" and seen them live on several occasions (also hung out with the band for a couple of hours before one of their shows in Sweden). I like them a lot. I like a whole range of metal; rock, hard rock, power metal and so on and for sure, Edguy and Tobias' own project Avantasia is something I'm quite fond of. Edguy is one of the biggest bands in the heavy metal scene and their world tours are usually quite long and big.

I'm very hit and miss with Edguy/Sammet. Some of their songs are killer, but alot of their stuff I find dull, messy and over the top. Those who introduced me to them made them out to be the Mother Teresas of hard rock/metal and I was generally disapointed with what I heard, save for Edguy's last album, Rocket Ride. Their greatest hits album was particularly weak IMO.

Anyway, The Scarecrow. First track I love, the rest not so.

As stated, the first couple Avantasia album. I had recently youtube'd Edguy and they have some more exciting stuff as well. But ya, the Avantasia - Metal Opera albums are pretty exciting as far as that goes, even Edguy. Based on youtube comments Edguy sounds like Maiden, but im not so sure I agree.

I guess why I like the album is because none of the songs are really the same. There is a balance of different sounding songs, and that is refreshing from the music played on American radio.

With Edguy, its sort of the same thing, only a little harder tracks. The only thing that gets me is that in some songs they sound too much like DragonForce and similar bands.

The only reason people think Edguy sound like Iron Maiden is because Sammett's voice initially sounds like Bruce Dickenson's, but obviously, the music is almost nothing like Maiden. Though there are heavy infleunces.

Dragonforce on the other hand are a COMPLETE Maiden rip-off.

I don't see it ... Maiden don't use synthesisers for a start, at least not in the same way Dragonforce do quite heavily

True I also think Dragonforce is a little more "speedy"(probably not the right word) than Maiden.