Six years ago I went to Germany expressly to see Avantasia in Berlin and Hamburg, and those two nights are still the best nights of my entire life, so whilst planning another to Europe I naturally decided to try my best to re-visit Avantasia, in Hamburg; and this time I brought a friend.
I bookended our trip with two good ideas, we start the trip in London for my friend birthday, and we end the trip in Hamburg for Avantasia. It was good idea, but it came with some complications. This plan has us in Amsterdam the day before the concert and getting to Hamburg by train from Amsterdam was a lot harder than I remembered. Most of the scheduled trains were sold out and my credit card was not working online for some reason. We ended up leaving two hours later than I would have liked and it cost more than I anticipated, and we had three transfers along the way which made the trip an hour longer then it would have been otherwise. Then there was nearly an hour delay because of some technical problems with the train. Lastly construction was blocking our way to the hostel. By the time we checked into our room and dropped off our bags, I was feeling like the world was conspiring against me seeing this show, but I am determined man, and this was Avantansia, and I was not going to miss this.
We hop the underground train and get to the concert hall just in time to slam a beer and find a place to stand. Garbed in my Canadian flag I stood at the ready telling my friend a story he had heard me tell dozens of times, the story of Tobias Sammet and the creation of Avantasia. Then the lights hit, and the band emerged, and out walked the man of the hour Tobias, and opening the show with what I think is my favorite song from the newest album, “Ghost in the Moon.”
“Ghost in the moon light.”
That opening line came through loud and clear and a great joy filled me. I had done it; I had returned to Hamburg and Avantasia.
Anyway, enough about me, my adventures are less important than the music being discuss.
Earlier this year Avantasia released their eighth studio album “Moonglow.” As we have seen before Tobias has left his story open for interpretation. Some spectre is questioning their own existence or something? I have not figured it out yet, but I suspect Tobias would be supportive of any theory I concoct. I could surely google theories and piece together a cleaver theory, but I have not done that, so let us continue.
Now that we are at the eighth studio album of super group Avantasia, we can safely say who the primary line up now consists of. From the beginning there was always the core four singers, Michael Kiske, Jorn Lande, Bob Cately, and Tobias Sammet himself. Ever since “The Mystery of Time” album Ronnie Atkins and Eric Martin have established themselves as main stays. The only wild care left that needs to be discussed is Geoff Tate, who performed with Avantasia on this most recent tour, and he was awesome, like super awesome live, so he is a welcome inclusion if he wishes to remain. That makes seven, like Seven Angels; the judgement of heaven; fire will burn us away.
With that lineup in mind, it makes sense that every album going forward would have one song being performed by one of the primary singers along with Tobias. Another novelty that has held fast throughout all eight albums is a “solo” performance by Tobias.
“Lost in Space,” and “Mystery of a Blood Red Rose” both proved to be some of the biggest hit songs from Avantasia, and they are songs feature only one singer, the man, Sammet.
I love every singer in Avantasia, a lot. The only one I do not admire with the full weight of my being is maybe Eric Martin. In many ways Martin is the odd man out, coming more from a pop rock background while everyone else is a hard rock, progressive rock, or metal in origin and style; but the man so happy to be there, and he is doing a really good job. Furthermore, I met Eric Martin six years ago in Hamburg and he was a great guy. I feel like we are friends, even though I doubt he remembers me. So yeah, back to the point, I love every singer.
Where was I going before my Eric Martin tangent? Oh right, I love all the singers, but I do hold a special place in my heart for Sammet’s lone performances. He is the man that made it all happen. He is the greatest song writer active today. I love it when he gets a chance to shine on this own creation, and I love songs like “Lost in Space,” “Mystery of a Blood Red Rose,” and most recently “Ghost in the Moon.”
The first single off of “Moonglow” was “The Raven Child,” which was an eleven minute fifteen second epic featuring Jorn Lande and Blind Guardian’s Hansi Kursch, so that was amazing and is a major reason I love Avantasia so much. Who releases an eleven-minute epic as their first single? The guest singer is Kursch from Blind Guardian, I do not know what more I could have asked for because I am getting more than I ever would have thought to ask for.
The second single is the title track “Moonglow,” this song was much more radio friendly and features Candice Night. It was great, nice music video, great song, I have always loved Candice. Good stuff.
I think the third single was “Starlight,” great song featuring Ronnie. Another great song.
Anyway, “Ghost in the Moon,” the opening track, where only Tobias sings, and it is almost ten minutes in length. Exactly what I needed from this album and exactly what I wanted to hear in Hamburg.
“Ghost in the Moon” is two songs really. The first part of the song, (the first song) is really very energetic and upbeat, but the lyrics, and there are lots of lyrics, tell a tale of the dark side of fame, or at least I think that is what is going on. The metaphor for a moth drawn to flame is in full effect in “Ghost in the Moon,” with the light of the sun replace flame and the Ghost replacing the moth. There is pressures and forces at play pushing the artist, the ghost, towards the light, but the encouragement is not all selfless motivations or kindly and wishful. The powers that be want the Ghost in the moonglow to exists for selfish and shallow reasons, shattering our dreams into something other than originally conceived.
It is also possible I am projecting some of the ideas from the Scarecrow trilogy onto “Moonglow” and “Ghost in the Moon.” I mean… we are chasing the ghost in “Ghost in the Moon” that implies that it is a different entity (or figment) from the narrator.
The second part of the song (the second song) begins after a noticeable silence right around the seven minute twenty second mark. The song reopens with an even more aggressive but controlled measure, and the lyrics take on a different, more aware, perspective. Those dreams of standing in the light, they become something else, or maybe we finally see them for what they always were;
“Megalo-maniacal dreams.”
I wonder if there is a deliberate connection between that line and the cover of Michael Sembello’s “Maniac” featuring Eric Martin?
It is a little thing, but I really like how Tobias deliveries that simple line;
“Megalo-maniac dreams.”
If I am right and “Ghost in the Moon” is at least in part a metaphor about fame, and how stepping into the light is empowering and exciting, but also hazardous and sometimes deeply compromising, then I think “megalo-maniac” is not a bad description for such dreams. Ego can, and has, fueled many celebrities and artists ambitions. Corporate compromises have poisoned and destroyed lots of artistic music and the happiest of many would be poet musicians. Take all of that and warp it in a mystical metaphor and you have an appropriate concept for an Avantasia album. Maybe that is what “Moonglow” the album is about. I suspect I am at least partially correct in thinking that is what “Ghost in the Moon” is about.
Long post short, life is good, Avantasia is the best. Get listening North America, I cannot get them to come here by myself.
- King of Braves
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