In 1999, Tobias Sammet stepped away from the German power-metal band Edguy to indulge his fantasy of an all-star metal opera project. Ten albums later, and with cameos from Alice Cooper, Klaus Meine, Dee Snider, Eric Singer and more, Avantasia have become one of Europe’s premiere touring and recording acts.
Avantasia's latest record, Here Be Dragons, features Kenny Leckremo of H.e.a.t, and two singers from Kamelot: Roy Khan and Tommy Karevik.
What is Avantasia? A band, a side project, a collective of recurring familiar names?
Sammet: It’s hard to answer that. A band implies democracy, and this is a dictatorship. No, I’m not a dictator. I’m a good king.
The past few albums and tours featured a core of Geoff Tate, Bob Catley, Michael Kiske and Ronnie Atkins. This time there’s no Jørn Lande or Eric Martin.
Eric has been very, very busy [with Mr. Big]. I wanted him on the album but it was impossible. Jørn is a member of the family and I’m sure we will work together again.
Do you write specifically for each member? “Ah, Bring On The Night… there’s the Bob Catley song.”
Bring On The Night was absolutely for Bob, but that’s the exception to the rule. With this album the goal was simply to make the songs sound as good as possible.
Bob and the late, great Tony Clarkin are both very dear to you.
The thought of Tony passing, and of their band Magnum being no more, left a mark on me during the creation of that song, albeit subconsciously. I have a dragon drawn by [Magnum’s sleeve artist] Rodney Matthews over my piano.
With choirs and bombastic, symphonic flavours, Here Be Dragons offers perhaps the broadest mix so far.
I don’t know. It’s a very diverse album, but they’ve all been diverse. I’m not great at describing what’s better or worse. It’s not the Olympics, it’s art.
The album’s press release says Avantasia are a “rock and metal flagship”. Are you carrying the torch?
I don’t think too much about my own position in this whole thing. I’ve a lot of respect for those that gave me the inspiration, but I don’t know if what I’m doing is good enough, because nothing compares to those who invented this style of music. No way.
Plenty of big names have appeared on your albums so far. Who is the ultimate name you’d like to feature on an Avantasia record?
It’s no secret that I’d love to have Bruce Dickinson. It may take me twenty-five years, but I hope that some day Bruce will even whisper along to one of my songs.
You are a massive Anglophile.
Absolutely. I’m an English person trapped in the body of a German [laughs].
Here Be Dragons is available now via Napalm Records. Avantasia's European tour ends on April 26.
