ALBUM REVIEW: Moonglow – Avantasia
For the uninitiated, AVANTASIA, are the brain child of EDGUY singer, songwriter and producer Tobais Sammet. Started as a side project, Sammet had always wanted to create a rock opera and AVANTASIA fulfilled this. Starting in 2001 with The Metal Opera and following up with The Metal Opera Part 2 a year later, the foundations for the band’s sound was cemented within those records. Over the course of a discography full to the brim of power metal goodness and tales as old as time. Bringing us right up to date with this their eight record, Moonglow.
Moonglow is classed as the “Fourth Phase” in the super group’s lineage, and this Phase shows a willingness to experiment with the narrative of their material. On past records, the story would be a complete story, so to speak, Moonglow has more of a thematic concept albums in the style of great collections like Steven Wilson‘s back catalogue or OPETH. A good percentage of the vocals across the record are handled by guest vocalists; most notably ex-QUEENSRYCHE singer Geoff Tate, Candice Night of BLACKMORE’S NIGHT, KREATOR frontman Mille Petrozza and BLIND GUARDIAN legend Hansi Kürsch. To the benefit of Moonglow, none of the vocalists feel like they are simply playing characters, whereas material in the past was a bit more theatrical in its vocal delivery. Instead of multiple characters, we are locked into the Moonglow universe concentrating on one character as they journey through the world with the listener there every step of the way, giving it a more free flowing vibe.
The record doesn’t take time to build up either, unlike other records which generally involve the slow build up with an instrumental, Moonglow dives straight in with opening track Ghost In The Moon with Sammet delivering a restrained vocal over delicate piano runs. The rest of the band don’t dawdle around for long either, bringing the percussive power and we are all off on the mystical journey together. The first third of the record showcases the different dynamics at play here. Book Of Shallows features a good ol’ 80’s thrash rhythm, with vocals shared between several different vocalists giving a rough texture complimented by the honeyed vocals of Sammet.
Title tracks are generally the centre piece of a collective work and Moonglow is no different. Showcasing the folk lilt of Night, the track starts out with a fragile Sammet vocal with Night bringing a feminine slant to the material and giving room for the song to take off with its power metal chorus which will be the latest ear worm to add to your collection. Within power metal, tracks of any great length can become quickly tedious and longest track on the record The Raven Child bucks the trend encapsulating the album as a whole within one 10 minute epic. Showcasing the Celtic influences of some of the players, acoustic guitars, harps, cinematic strings and even a bodhran appear in the mix. You can’t help to be transported back to a time of Olde England with lyrics like “Mother Moon, cast your spell upon these fields“. There is one beguilingly bad track on the record and that’s a cover of Michael Sembello‘s Maniac. It just doesn’t fit in with the record and could quite easily have been excised. When the original material is this good, why muddy the waters?
Overall, Moonglow is like a collection of songs that can sit within a number of genres. In it’s quieter moments, fans of folk rock can enjoy it and power metal fans can enjoy it for the sheer bombastic tone and tempo. Within its narrative, the record could quite easily be seen as stage show on Broadway. It’s lyrics convey a complete narrative with us travelling with a character akin to a one person play. Close your eyes and you can see AVANTASIA encapsulated within one lone actor up there on stage, taking us on a journey across a rugged, varied landscape akin to the music on this record.
Rating: 8/10
Moonglow is set for release on February 15th via Nuclear Blast Records.
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