Canada's The Metal Voice recently spoke to Tobias Sammet about his upcoming album AVANTASIA album HERE BE DRAGONS which will be released on Feb 28, 2025 on NAPALM RECORDS.
Michael Kiske Photo by Scott Braun
Also in the chat Tobias talks about Avantasia's origins and guest singers over the years.
Watch FULL Interview here
When asked about why he first started Avantasia
"I wanted to work with other people, not that I didn't like working with my band fellows. I wanted to look outside the box and see what else I could experience and learn. I wanted to work with Michael Kiske (Helloween) because he had turned his back on heavy metal and apparently they didn't want to reunite with Helloween (Laughs). They didn't want to make a reunion so I said okay somebody's gotta do it so let me do it. I was a huge fan of Michael Kiske. I'm still to this day and so that was one of the reasons why I did it was because I wanted to have Michael Kiske sing my songs. Classical double bass beat power metal songs. I also wanted to work with Bob Catley and David DeFeis and yeah just do an album and look outside the box. I knew his (Micahel Kiske) fan club president and I said like if you could pass on the message that that I have a couple of songs, I'm a real nice guy, I'm not a Satanist and also have a little budget so um if he here's my number. And he called me we just talked and we liked each other. He's a very lovely person and he's a very good friend now. We hit it off really well and that was the starting point. That was a big important thing about the first Avantasia album. Michael Kiske is the only one who's been on every Avantasia record so far except for me Bob Catley who was on everyone since the second one which was recorded at the same time as the first one so technically Bob Catley has been there from the start."
When asked why Michael Kiske wanted to be called Ernie on the first album
"That was his own idea back in the day. I wanted to have Michael Kiske and I said I want you to be on the record because you mean so much to me and I made the big mistake telling him like even if I didn't have your name it's not because of your name it's you could be called anything. I just want you and your voice and he said okay then let's call me Ernie on the record and he put it in the contract. I said are you serious, Ernie? I mean why don't we just call you Joe Vocal or whatever but no no let's do it Ernie, that's his sense of humor. I said okay Ernie and Bert, great let's do it. He (Michael Kiske) was hesitant I believe back in the day because he had announced in advance that he would never return to metal again and metal was music of the devil and you know and it was all said and done back in the 80s. He will never return, his heart is elsewhere and all of a sudden he returns to the metal scene appearing on a Metal Opera with Kai Hansson and Markus Grosskopf appearing on nine songs singing Speed metal songs. He probably thought people would think that's weird with everything he said in advance so he said let's call me Ernie. So we did it and everybody knew oh Michael Kiske (on the record). So on the second record I asked him like I mean it's still in the contract but do you seriously want to be called Ernie again everybody knows and he said and why don't we just go with Michael Kiske (laughs)."
Rock and metal flagship AVANTASIA return with thrilling 10th studio album, Here Be Dragons!
Rock and metal flagship AVANTASIA is set to unleash their bombastic 10th studio album and Napalm Records debut, Here Be Dragons, on February 28, 2025! Featuring absolute AVANTASIA essentials such as spellbinding choirs and theatrical symphonic metal elements, multitalented mastermind and frontman Tobias Sammet also surprises fans old and new with plenty of intriguing fresh soundscapes. Here Be Dragons gives the celebrated AVANTASIA sound that has been carefully crafted over a quarter of a century an exciting and powerful spin. The new album is the most consistent and concise piece of art that the band has ever crafted.
The band’s impressive success story has seen nine previous studio albums (including the 2019 offering Moonglow that charted at #1 in Germany), gold awards, hundreds of millions of streams as well as headline shows at all important metal festivals and worldwide sold-out arena tours with tens of thousands of devoted fans. AVANTASIA is not showing any signs of slowing down - soon after the release of Here Be Dragons, the band will head out on an extensive arena tour across Europe, promising to deliver fans an immersive experience with their biggest and most epic production ever.
In typical AVANTASIA manner, the new full-length is rich in vivid storytelling and cinematic atmospheres, not to mention the highest level of musicianship. Opening track “Creepshow” is without a doubt one of the catchiest songs in their career. The energizing future hit truly welcomes the listener into the new era of AVANTASIA and will be an integral part of the band’s spectacular live shows. In contrast, the incredible title track “Here Be Dragons” (feat. Geoff Tate) is a classic AVANTASIA song and with almost nine minutes by far the longest on the album. The cinematic dark soundscapes of “The Witch” (feat. Tommy Karevik) captivate and support the song’s storyline perfectly. Emotional, multifaceted vocal performances by both Tobias Sammet and duet partner Adrienne Cowan mesmerize on “Avalon”, while the heavy metal number “Against The Wind” (feat. Kenny Leckremo) serves as further proof of the versatility of AVANTASIA’s sound. In addition, Tobias Sammet welcomes Michael Kiske, Ronnie Atkins, Bob Catley and Roy Khan as guests on the album. Remaining well-balanced and cohesive, Here Be Dragons is undeniably AVANTASIA’s most powerful album so far.
The 10-track offering in its entirety was written and composed by Tobias Sammet himself, produced and recorded by Tobias Sammet together with Sascha Paeth, mixed by Sascha Paeth and mastered by Michael Rodenberg. The stunning cover art was once again created by acclaimed British fantasy artist Rodney Matthews. Here Be Dragons marks another masterpiece in the AVANTASIA catalog, leaving both fans and critics speechless and proving the band’s standing as a main force in the world of rock and metal! The album will be available in several different editions, with bonus albums included on select limited formats
Here Be Dragons Tracklist:
1 Creepshow
2 Here Be Dragons
3 The Moorland At Twilight
4 The Witch
5 Phantasmagoria
6 Bring On The Night
7 Unleash The Kraken
8 Avalon
9 Against The Wind
10 Everybody's Here Until The End
"Here Be Dragons" Arena Tour 2025:
14.03.25 DE - Hamburg / Sporthalle
15.03.25 BE - Brussels / AB Box
16.03.25 FR - Paris / Olympia
18.03.25 LU - Esch-sur-Alzette / Rockhal
20.03.25 DE - Berlin / Columbiahalle
21.03.25 DE - Bamberg / Brose Arena
22.03.25 DE - Bochum / RuhrCongress
24.03.25 UK - London / The Roundhouse
26.03.25 NL - Tilburg / O13
28.03.25 DE - Stuttgart / Schleyerhalle
29.03.25 CZ - Prague / Forum Karlin
30.03.25 CZ - Prague / Forum Karlin
01.04.25 HU - Budapest / Barba Negra
02.04.25 AT - Vienna / Gasometer
04.04.25 DE - Munich / Zenith
05.04.25 DE - Frankfurt am Main / Jahrhunderthalle
06.04.25 DE - Cologne / Palladium
08.04.25 IT - Milan / Alcatraz
09.04.25 CH - Zurich / The Hall
11.04.25 ES - Barcelona / Razzmatazz
12.04.25 ES - Madrid / Vistalegre
23.04.25 FI - Helsinki / Black Box
25.04.25 NO - Oslo / Sentrum Scene
26.04.25 SE - Stockholm / Arenan Fryshuset
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