Avantasia (The Metal Opera) is a two-part metal opera album written by Tobias Sammet , vocalist in the power metal group Edguy. The Metal Opera (Part I) was released in 2001, while The Metal Opera (Part II) came in 2002. Both albums were released by Century Media.

The music

The opera is set in medieval Europe. Gnosticism, Catholicism and elves and dwarves feature heavily in the plot. Avantasia is the name of a country in the storyline.

The band

The music was written and composed by Tobias Sammet , and he recruited different vocalists; Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray), Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius), David DeFeis (Virgin Steele), André Matos (formerly Angra), Rob Rock (Warrior ) and Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation).

The band itself consisted of guitarists Jens Ludwig (Edguy) and Henjo Richter (Gamma Ray), bassist Markus Grosskopf (Helloween), and drummer Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody).

Track list

Part 1

1. Prelude (Intro)
2. Reach Out for the Light
3. Serpents in Paradise
4. Malleus Maleficarum (Interlude)
5. Breaking Away
6. Farewell
7. The Glory of Rome
8. In Nomine Patris (Interlude)
9. Avantasia
10. A New Dimension (Interlude)
11. Inside
12. Sign of the Cross
13. The Tower

Part 2

1. The Seven Angels
2. No Return
3. The Looking Glass
4. In Quest For
5. The Final Sacrifice
6. Neverland
7. Anywhere
8. Chalice of Agony
9. Memory
10. Into the Unknown