Jens in the new Avantasia!

[dirtclaw]

http://tobiassammet.com/eng/index.php?s ... m=&ucat=2&

Early next year a new epic of Tobias Sammet's Avantasia project will be released in two chapters: "The Wicked Symphony" and "Angel Of Babylon". Tobias is in the studio right now, working with producer Sascha Paeth on this new "Rock Opera" which is starring musicians like Klaus Meine (Scorpions), Ripper Owens (ex-Judas Priest), Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween), Jorn Lande (Masterplan), Bob Catley (Magnum), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Eric Singer (KISS), Felix Bohnke (Edguy), Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody) and some more that will be announced soon.

The most recent contribution comes from the guy who is known amongst Metal fans all over the world as one of the best neo-classical keyboarders in the world. He was the keyboard player who fought duels with Yngwie Malmsteen at the speed of light in the eighties, he played with Ronnie James Dio, he is a key member of Stratovarius and early next year the arrowy solo skills of his fingers can be heard on the next chapter of Avantasia: Ladies and gentlemen, from Sweden, the one and only Mr. Jens Johansson!

Tobias says: "I've known Jens for years now, there has always been a friendship between Edguy and Stratovarius. We became friends when Jens was playing in the solo band of Timo Kotipelto when they joined Edguy for a tour of South America some years ago. We got shitfaced on several occasions and Jens always captured any possible embarrassment with his Powershot G5. He's a genius on his instrument -and beyond- and the stuff he played for me sounds amazing. A lot of people can shred and play fast, but unlike most of them every note that Jens plays is tasteful and exactly where it belongs. I don't know if he is the fastest keyboarder in the world, but I'd like to think so, at least I have never heard a faster one. You gotta check it out..."

You can officially color me excited for the next incarnation of Avantasia.

[stratoleo]

JOHANSSON JOHANSSON!!

[ggonza43]

Now that's something very unexpected !!! I'm jumping everywhere :bounce2:. I'm now gonna definitelly wait for the next Avantasia album !!

[AAAAAAAAAA]

Woooooooooooooow!!!!!!!!!!!!

:jump2: :jump2: :jump2: :jump2: :jump2: :jump2: :jump2: :jump2:

[fernandotcl]

Yea, I read that elsewhere, pretty impressive. I thought there was no way this album would turn out to be decent after all the crap we've been having to put up with, but this really changes everything!

[VictorTDD]

great to hear the news!

[browneyedgirl]

2 topics dedicated to this new album! This is great! :headbang:

[Intiaani]

Yea, I read that elsewhere, pretty impressive. I thought there was no way this album would turn out to be decent after all the crap we've been having to put up with, but this really changes everything!

Rhethorically, what crap?

Oh and guess I'm joining A10's hoppiness again! :jump2:

[fernandotcl]

If you know what I'm referring to, why are you asking?

I'm referring to the awful Tinnitus Sancttus and the mediocre The Scarecrow. But please don't derail this thread with stuff like "oh but I like those albums blah blah you can't say they're bad albums blah blah Bon Jovi blah blah", it's been discussed in great detail previously, I don't want to revisit this conversation.

I think Jens presence in this album is interesting because I think Jens brings some classy elements (not necessarily "classical", though) which are vastly lacking in the aforementioned works. Also, since Tobias says Jens is the fasted keyboardist in the world, then perhaps that means at least some songs might be faster paced, which might lead to something that resembles the good music Tobias once used to create (not that the music will be good simply because it's fast or even that slower paced music is bad).

All in all, I'm hoping Jens adds musical complexity and refinement to the album. This album would turn out to be a nice surprise.

[icecab21]

how is ts awful? everyone plays their part well. there are very creative songs and great solos and harmonies.

[Intiaani]

It was supposed to be a rhethorical question, but it seems you carried the discussion back to the Scarecrow is/isn't good waters. Anyway, I agree. We've spoken about it pretty much already, and we could always bump those older topics for more of it.

It will be stupid to compare this to Metal Opera or Scarecrow though. It's the third entity, and like Tobias said, it's going to be different, once again. I'd be really cautious for the albums if I was one of those who only seem to like what we call power metal.

[HinatAArcticA]

Funny, Tolkki was in the first two metal operas

[fernandotcl]

But please don't derail this thread with stuff like "oh but I like those albums blah blah you can't say they're bad albums blah blah Bon Jovi blah blah", it's been discussed in great detail previously, I don't want to revisit this conversation.

how is ts awful? everyone plays their part well. there are very creative songs and great solos and harmonies.

icecab21, can you read?

[icecab21]

why do you post nonsense and then say you want to avoid explaining yourself

[fernandotcl]

Why would I derail this thread explaining a personal opinion about an almost off-topic comment? Not everyone is as obnoxious as you are, icecab21.

[icecab21]

if you are talking about quality of music, whats the point of just saying one thing has it and another does not without defining your terms for why you think one has class and another does not? im not sure how a few keyboard parts are going to bring such class to a album if you think all the other guys are not bringing quality to the music as well

[ggonza43]

People please, you 2 are always fighting. Does it really matter? Why can't you just enjoy this great new?

[Intiaani]

People please, you 2 are always fighting. Does it really matter? Why can't you just enjoy this great new?

Does it matter will the albums be great? Why, yes! I have such high hopes for those two (albums)!

Also, they're enjoying it by debating. Or at least icecab is.

Jens is a very creative keyboard player, and his role will without a doubt bring more "greatness" into the music. Otherwise I think it's stupid to wait him turn the whole album around, from bad to good. Being a fan of Jens of course helps here; I've always been wondering can Stratovarius do anything wrong in my mind, as I love all the albums deeply. Does it have anything to do with music anymore, or just musicians and the rest of the people behind it?

[icecab21]

Does it have anything to do with music anymore, or just musicians and the rest of the people behind it?

Musicians can do a professional job and we still having people calling the music crap just because they don't like some genre part of it or for other random reasons. The songs can show a great sense of melody and harmony and the music gets brushed off quickly. the music can be a form of expression that all involved believe in and have a passion for and then we get random people shooting it down without providing something better of their own or even a explanation for how they rate quality. Guys can write personal songs and then be called as trying to write like someone else who writes very differently.

Looking at metal archives, there are definitely some people that don't review music at all. There is one person that reviews everything and it's somehow awful music if the band uses an orchestra or if they write an optimistic song.

[Empathica1928]

I think changing your entire outlook on the new Avantasia album just because Jens is on it is equally as retarded as arguing about the quality of the latest Edguy and Avantasia releases. A guest musician isn't enough to change the quality of an entire album unless he/she is a prominent figure on a majority of the songs...

... or unless you're a giant fanboy/girl of the guest in question.

Just my two cents.

[NeonVomit]

People please, you 2 are always fighting. Does it really matter? Why can't you just enjoy this great new?

We have always been at war with Eurasia.

[hiro23]

Can't wait to hear the next avantasia albums, something tells me these are going to kick ass