Avantasia is a German supergroup metal opera project created by Tobias Sammet, vocalist of the band Edguy. It has been characterized as a rock opera, as it features the contributions of various vocalists and musicians and it consists of concept albums. The name is a blend of the words Avalon and fantasia ('fantasy') and describes "a world beyond human imagination".
Edguy is a heavy metal band formed in Fulda, Germany in 1992.
Kingdom of Madness is the second album by the German power metal band Edguy, released in 1997. It is usually referred to as their "official" debut album since it was the first to be professionally recorded and to receive record company distribution.
Vain Glory Opera is the third studio album by the German power metal band Edguy, released in 1998. It was mixed by Stratovarius' Timo Tolkki, who also played additional lead guitar on "Out Of Control", and featured additional lead and backing vocals by Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian on "Out of Control" and the title track "Vain Glory Opera." Further choir vocals were supplied by Ralf Zdiarstek and Norman Meiritz. At the time of recording the album, Edguy had not yet chosen a permanent drummer to succeed Dominik Storch. So session musician Frank Lindenthal, a good friend of the band, was asked to play drums on the album.
Mandrake is the fifth album by German power metal band Edguy, released in 2001. It is a varied album, exploring many styles of the power metal genre. It was their last studio album for AFM Records. They later signed a contract with Nuclear Blast.
Hellfire Club, released on 15 March 2004, is the sixth album by German power metal band Edguy. The music of the band is supported by a German orchestra, the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg. It is the band's first album released via Nuclear Blast.
Tobias Sammet is a German musician, singer, songwriter, music producer and radio host best known for being the singer and primary songwriter of the power metal band Edguy, and the founder of the metal opera project Avantasia.
Rocket Ride is the seventh full-length album by German power metal band Edguy, released on 20 January 2006. It features a style that differs from their usual power metal style and is more oriented towards hard rock.
The Savage Poetry, released in 2000, is a re-recording of the album Savage Poetry, originally launched in 1995 as a demo by German power metal band Edguy. This version is also seen and referred to as their fourth official studio album. The album was originally self-produced and released initially as a demo before the band were signed by AFM. The re-recorded tracks are also slightly re-arranged. Some versions of the album also features the original recording as a bonus disc.
Felix Bohnke is a German musician and the drummer of heavy metal bands Edguy and Avantasia. He joined the band just before they recorded the album Theater of Salvation in 1998. Before joining Edguy he was a member of German band Saints & Preachers. In 2001, he was a guest drummer and later in 2003, a member of the band Taraxacum along with Edguy bassist Tobias Exxel.
Tobias "Eggi" Exxel is the current bass player for the power metal band Edguy and for the melodic metal band The Unity. Tobias was hired by Edguy in 1998 when vocalist Tobias Sammet, who had played bass since the band's formation in 1992, decided the band should have someone who could focus on playing the instrument full-time.
The Scarecrow is the third full-length album by Tobias Sammet's German rock opera project Avantasia, released on 25 January 2008 through Nuclear Blast Records. It is the first part of "The Wicked Trilogy" and it is followed by The Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon. Sammet explained in a 2016 interview that he managed to have Alice Cooper after drummer Eric Singer asked him. Cooper requested to have a listen to the song first and then accepted to be part of it.
The Singles is a compilation album by German power metal band Edguy. It features all tracks from the EP's King Of Fools and Superheroes and single Lavatory Love Machine on one disc. The compilation was released on 17 November 2008, the same day as Edguy's eighth studio album, Tinnitus Sanctus.
Design Your Universe is the fourth studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica, released on 16 October 2009. It was the first album to feature officially new band members Isaac Delahaye on guitar and Ariën van Weesenbeek on drums.
The Flying Opera is a boxed set containing two DVDs and two CDs by the German power metal band Avantasia, released in March 2011. Avantasia evolved from being a side-project of Edguy vocalist Tobias Sammet to a full-fledged band touring all over the world. The tracks of the set were recorded live during their first world tour in 2008, in support of the album The Scarecrow. The DVD contains also a documentary of the tour and various video clips.
Age of the Joker is the ninth studio album by the German power metal band Edguy. It was released on 26 August 2011 through Nuclear Blast.
The Mystery of Time is the sixth full-length album by German Tobias Sammet's rock opera project Avantasia. The album was released on 26 April 2013. This is the first Avantasia release to feature the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg. The cover artwork was painted by Rodney Matthews.
Space Police: Defenders of the Crown is the tenth studio album by the German power metal band Edguy. It was released on 18 April 2014 through Nuclear Blast. The cover art was unveiled on 1 February, and 15 days later, the band announced the track listing.
Ghostlights is the seventh full-length album by Tobias Sammet's German metal opera project Avantasia. It was released on 29 January 2016. The opening track and first single "Mystery of a Blood Red Rose" was a candidate for the German representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, along with nine other songs. The Digibook edition of the album included a bonus track and a bonus CD entitled Avantasia Live, which featured songs recorded mainly during Avantasia's 2014 performance at Wacken Open Air Festival.
Moonglow is the eighth full-length album by Tobias Sammet's German metal opera project Avantasia. It was released on 15 February 2019 through Nuclear Blast. As with previous Avantasia projects, the album features extensive collaborations with returning and new guest vocalists. It features 11 tracks and was supported by a world tour.
