Tobias Sammet , founder and leader of the heavy metal opera band Avantasia , has been attracting the attention of his fans through social media. In addition to announcing a new tour, with dates already scheduled in Europe for March 2025, the singer is also gradually revealing details about his new album, * Here Be Dragons *. The album is still without a release date and has a new record label, Napalm Records.
It is worth noting that earlier this year, in August 2024, Avantasia was featured at several European festivals, including Wacken Open Air, where the band added innovative elements to the stage, including pyrotechnics, signaling a new phase for the band, which also includes new guest musicians.
Tobias Sammet, in a recent post on his official Instagram, said (Free translation): “The new album Here Be Dragons contains many traditional and typical Avantasia elements. Fans of Metal Opera , Scarecrow , Ghostlights and Mystery of Time , and Avantasia fans, will love it. I'm super proud of some of the piano elements on the album.”
And he continues in a tone of seriousness and humor: “I’ll give you more details later, and the burning piano will be a key moment on the next tour. Yes, I’m going to make that insane piano burn down!!!!!!!”.
Check out the photo and the post on Sammet's official Instagram:
Avantasia: The classic, old and new!
While Avantasia's new album is still awaited, Tobias Sammet continues posting updates on his creative process. And here's some good news for nostalgic fans of the band: check out another excerpt from the musician's Instagram post below:
“Recording a return to Metal Opera . Here’s the story: two days ago, I had an idea for an experiment – what if I actually hear some old-school fans who want something along the lines of Metal Opera or Edguy ’s Hellfire Club ? What if I accept the challenge? I opened a bottle of wine and sat down to rewrite my past disguised as a new song.”
Sammet continues, always in a good-humored tone: “I just finished recording the bass for the demo and tried to sound like Markus Großkopf with a Fender Jazz bass. The funniest thing is that the demo sounds both like the old Edguy and the old Avantasia. I did it for you guys and, even so, it was a lot of fun.”
And finally, the post ends: “But, to be clear, the album itself will have much more of the sound I really want to make: Avantasia… the classic, old and new. Magical! Here Be Dragons will be a monstrous album!!!”.
Return to Brazil
Regarding his return to Brazil, a promise made by Tobias himself during a show at the first Brazilian edition of the Summer Breeze festival in 2023, there are the enigmatic words from a Instagram post by Sammet: “I just deleted a comment from someone asking for an Avantasia show in Brazil because I wanted to reply, but I’m old, blind, and not very good with my fingers. So, in case you read this: sorry! Yes, we will go to Brazil at some point.”
And as the saying goes, "A promise is a debt," Tobias Sammet's Avantasia was confirmed last Sunday, November 17, 2024, for the Bangers Open Air 2025 festival at the Memorial da América Latina.
READ ALSO: Summer Breeze Brazil: After Avantasia and classics, Parkway Drive dominates the second day
