The Metal Opera Part II

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The Metal Opera Part II
Avantasia studio album

Publication
(s)

2002

Label (s) AFM Records ,

Format (s)

CD

Genre (s)

Power metal , symphonic metal

Title (number)

10

occupation

production

Tobias Sammet , Norman Meiritz

chronology
The Metal Opera The Metal Opera Part II The Scarecrow (2008)

The Metal Opera Part II is the second album of the German Metal - Opera Avantasia , released on October 29 of 2002. The project was initiated by Tobias Sammet , the singer of the power metal band Edguy . He also wrote all the songs and lyrics.

The most striking piece is the opener, The Seven Angels . This composition extends over 14 minutes playing time and includes, among other things, a "classic" stanza / refrain part, two guitar solos, choirs, a vocal passage with piano accompaniment and a bombastic finale. This part also contains the famous Johann Pachelbel canon , which fits harmoniously into the end. Seven of the eleven singers are involved.

Plot summary

Gabriel is not yet satisfied. He wants to learn more about Avantasia, so Elderane sends him to the Tree of Knowledge. There Gabriel has a vision of Brother Jacob who is in pain in a flaming lake. Elderane tells him about a great golden chalice in the catacombs below Rome, in which countless tormented souls are trapped, and warns him of the beast that guards this chalice. But Gabriel cannot be stopped and goes back to the material world with Regrin. They find the chalice and knock it over, so that many souls are released. But the beast comes to life and attacks them both. The dwarf falls victim to him, Gabriel is able to escape.

Gabriel returns to Vandroiy, who was waiting for him. This now keeps his word and penetrates the prison at night to free Anna. There he finds a “purified” brother Jacob who is doing the same thing. But they are seen, and Falk von Kronberg rushes over to arrest them. A fight breaks out in which von Kronberg first kills Vandroiy and is then killed by Jakob. Anna escapes and sets off with Gabriel - into the unknown.

Religion in The Metal Opera Part II

The Christianity and the Catholic Church plays an important role in the plot. Churchmen like Clement VIII (in 1602 a man of that name was actually Pope) are characterized as people who believe that they have the sole right to the truth and must keep the "common people" ignorant for their own good, but themselves not knowing the truth out of delusion. Such criticism appears again and again in Sammet's works; Edguy titles like The Kingdom (1996) and Theater of Salvation (1999) speak a similar language.

In some places Sammet uses terms and images from Christianity or the church in his texts:

  • The seven angels ( The Seven Angels ): After the opening of the seventh seal (s o..) To ring them with their trumpets the downfall of the world ( Rev. 8.6  EU ).
  • The scarlet whore ( The Seven Angels ): In the Apocalypse, the sinful city of Babylon appears in this form ( Rev 17.4  EU ).
  • Gnosis : enlightenment, mystical knowledge
  • Malleus Maleficarum : A book about the witch hunt (German title: Hexenhammer ).

Songs

  1. "The Seven Angels" - 14:17
  2. "No Return" - 4:29
  3. "The Looking Glass" - 4:53
  4. "In Quest for" - 3:54
  5. "The Final Sacrifice" - 5:02
  6. "Neverland" - 5:00
  7. "Anywhere" - 5:29
  8. "Chalice of Agony" - 6:00 am
  9. "Memory" - 5:44
  10. "Into the Unknown" - 4:29

-All songs were written by Tobias Sammet .

occupation

Tape:

Guest musicians:

  • Jens Ludwig - guitar on songs 5 ​​and 9
  • Norman Meiritz - guitar in song 10
  • Frank Tischer - piano in songs 1, 4 and 7
  • Eric Singer - drums at Lied 10
  • Timo Tolkki - guitar in songs 1 and 10

review

Rezensator.de wrote "The Metal Opera II can be mentioned qualitatively in the same breath as the first part. Musically, the album has a different effect, the songs are surprisingly catchy."

A review can be read on Vampster.com which says: "For me," Avantasia- The Metal Opera II "is THE highlight of the year because it can convince in all respects and, due to the complexity, also increases a lot after the tenth run to discover. Class! "

The album reached number 35 in the German album charts.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Booklet of the Metal Opera albums
  2. ↑ http://www.rezensator.de/avantasia_metalopera2.htm , last accessed on May 5, 2013
  3. ↑ http://vampster.com/artikel/show/6480_AVANTASIA__The_Metal_Opera_Part_II_cdreview_.html , last accessed on May 5, 2013
  4. ↑ www.musicline.de