After Biff Byford (Saxon), Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween, Unisonic), Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, ex-Vengeance), Bruce Kulick (Grand Funk Railroad, ex-KISS, ex-Meat Loaf) and the German Filmorchestra Babelsberg another participent can now be announced: It’s Pretty Maids vocalist Ronnie Atkins who will sing a role on the new AVANTASIA Metal Opera “The Mystery Of Time” (out in March 2013).
Tobias comments: “I have been a huge Pretty Maids fan since I was a teenager. I already asked Ronnie to be on the Metal Opera in 1999, but he was busy back then. Last year I saw Pretty Maids live, and they were a steam train on stage, unbelievable. After the show we met and Ronnie was a great guy. Finally after 13 years, I am really proud to have him on the new Avantasia album. And his kick-ass performance leaves no doubt: It was a great decision to ask him!”
Watch the new clip with sound snippets at: http://www.tobiassammet.com
AYREON mastermind Arjen Lucassen (also ex-BODINE, VENGEANCE) has been confirmed as one of the guest musicians who will appear on “The Mystery Of Time”, the new album from EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet‘s AVANTASIA project. Also scheduled to make appearances on the CD are Michael Kiske (UNISONIC, HELLOWEEN), SAXON frontman Biff Byford, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick and drummer Russell Gilbrook of URIAH HEEP.
Arjen Lucassen
Commented Sammet: “To me, he used to be what John D. Rockerduck is to Scrooge McDuck: an adamant longtime rival; in our case, when it comes to producing rock operas. Well, if you can’t beat your enemy, make him your ally! And so I opened the door and literally invited pestilence into my world, ha!
“Seriously, the truth is that the ‘pestilence’ I’m talking about is really one of the nicest, coolest and loveliest plagues I’ve ever come to know, an ambitious artist through and through and a real great guitar player. So, having just come back from a shopping tour in 2912 — where apparently he found himself a brand new pair of bad-ass pants and boots — he went into the studio to record some additional lead guitar for the forthcoming AVANTASIA album, ‘The Mystery Of Time’: AYREON mastermind Arjen Anthony Lucassen!”
A YouTube clip containing footage of the orchestra recordings as well as a rough-mix sample of a song featuring Kiske is available below.
Bruce previously appeared on AVANTASIA‘s “The Wicked Symphony” and “Angel Of Babylon” CDs and Tobias contributed guest vocals to Bruce‘s last solo release, “BK3”.
The new AVANTASIA CD is being recorded in part at VOX Klangstudio in Bendestorf, Germany with producer Sascha Paeth (KAMELOT, EDGUY, EPICA, RHAPSODY).
Immediately after the release of “The Mystery Of Time”, a metal opera based on a story written by Sammet, the band will embark on a full-fledged indoor tour, during which the band and special guests will bring the epic undertaking to the stage.
Since the performances will embrace all the different eras and history of AVANTASIA, these shows will feature an extended playing time and the entire evening will be dedicated to AVANTASIA with no support acts.
Tobias originally wanted to put AVANTASIA to rest after the release of the “The Flying Opera – Around The World In 20 Days” concert DVD in April 2011, but he has since had a change of heart. He explains, “Even though I love to record and tour with EDGUY, I didn’t foresee how much I need AVANTASIA when I decided to finish this chapter of my life in 2011. I didn’t know if there would be another AVANTASIA album one day, but I didn‘t feel like doing it. After the worldwide success of the latest studio releases, an arena world tour that was sold out pretty much everywhere, collaborations with childhood heroes like Alice Cooper, Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Eric Singer of KISS, etc. I ‘knew’ that I had said everything I could possibly say in the name of AVANTASIA. But that’s not what AVANTASIA is all about. I wanna create more great music, I wanna create more fantasy worlds, the bigger and the more epic, the better. And listening to the material that I have created for this forthcoming chapter in the history of AVANTASIA, I know there is no way I am not going to do it! I have got the feeling and the certainty that this is absolutely meant to happen and to be!”
Dutch multi-instrumentalist/vocalist and AYREON mastermind Arjen Lucassen has checked in with the following update:
“This is a very cool video to one of my songs made by Cary Gordon as a school project. Watch ’til the end; I laughed out loud!”
Lucassen recently posted a new video for the track ‘Pink Beatles In A Purple Zeppelin’, taken from his new album Lost In The New Real. The video was mainly shot where Arjen grew up, near the sea in Holland.
In regards to the video, Arjen comments: “It’s a very ‘Dutch’ clip, windmills and all! So you could say this clip goes back to my roots, also musically. It features many visual links (at least ten!) to the bands and albums that I grew up listening to. Peace, man!”
Watch ‘Pink Beatles in a Purple Zeppelin’ on YouTube below:
AYREON mastermind Arjen Lucassen has checked in with the following update:
“Finally, the Ayreon vinyls of The Human Equation and Universal Migrator 1 + 2 have arrived in our store, and they look and sound amazing! You can order them here and if you like I’ll sign them for you.”
In the video footage below, go behind the scenes with Lucassen, at work on his next project, a release from Ayreon Says Lucassen: “Wanna know what my next project is? Here’s a peek behind the scenes!”
The following is a little glimpse into Lucassen’s everyday world as he tries to quietly write songs for his new project but is constantly thwarted by an overly-inquisitive camera:
Lucassen recently posted a new video for the track ‘Pink Beatles In A Purple Zeppelin’, taken from his new album Lost In The New Real. The video was mainly shot where Arjen grew up, near the sea in Holland.
In regards to the video, Arjen comments: “It’s a very ‘Dutch’ clip, windmills and all! So you could say this clip goes back to my roots, also musically. It features many visual links (at least ten!) to the bands and albums that I grew up listening to. Peace, man!”
Watch ‘Pink Beatles in a Purple Zeppelin’ on YouTube below:
Featuring artwork created by Arjen and renowned designer Claudio Bergamin, plus an appearance by legendary actor Rutger Hauer as the album’s narrator, Lost In The New Real is a double-CD that tells the story of Mr. L, a 21st century man who was cryo-preserved at the moment of clinical death from a terminal disease. The album begins as Mr. L is being revived at a point in the distant future, when technology has advanced enough to cure his disease. Mr. L finds himself in a world that has drastically changed — to the point that the line between what’s real and what’s not is no longer clear.
The tracks on disc 1 follow Mr. L’s emotional journey as he is confronted with both serious and comical aspects of the “New Real” and desperately tries to decide if he can find a meaningful place within it. Disc 2 is a mix of tracks that are part of the concept but didn’t fit on disc 1, plus cover songs related to the concept.
Tracklisting:
CD1:
‘The New Real’
‘Pink Beatles In A Purple Zeppelin’
‘Parental Procreation Permit’
‘When I’m A Hundred Sixty-Four’
‘E-Police’
‘Don’t Switch Me Off’
‘Dr Slumber’s Eternity Home’
‘Yellowstone Memorial Day’
‘Where Pigs Fly’
‘Lost In The New Real’
* Bonus CD Rom section: “Behind The New Real”
CD 2:
‘Our Imperfect Race’
‘Welcome To The Machine’ (PINK FLOYD cover)
‘So Is There No God?’
‘Veteran Of The Psychic Wars’ (BLUE ÖYSTER CULTCover)
‘The Social Recluse’
‘Battle Of Evermore’ (LED ZEPPELIN Cover)
‘The Space Hotel’
‘Some Other Time’ (ALAN PARSONS PROJECT Cover)
‘You Have Entered The Reality Zone’
‘I’m The Slime’ (FRANK ZAPPA Cover)
* Bonus CD Rom section: “The Artwork”
AYREON mastermind ARJEN LUCASSEN has posted online a home movie, where he reveals what his next project (due in 2013) will be. It’s going to be an AYREON. Check out the video below.
Multi-instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen released his video for the track “Pink Beatles In A Purple Zeppelin” which comes off of the double CD concept album Lost In The New Real. According to Lucassen, the video “…features many visual links (at least 10!) to the bands and albums that I grew up listening to.”
You can watch the video below
Featuring artwork created by Lucassen and renowned designer Claudio Bergamin, plus an appearance by legendary actor Rutger Hauer as the album’s narrator, Lost In The New Real is a double CD that tells the story of Mr. L, a 21st century man who was cryo-preserved at the moment of clinical death from a terminal disease.
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