### Avantasia: The scarecrow

#### 15/01/08 || Euthanatos

Fuck, shit, fuck, cock, cunt, bitch, fuck. I really didn’t want to review this. After those boring EPs I did, I was hoping my next encounter with Avantasia would be…never. But then fucking “The Scarecrow” comes shortly after those money-grabbers, and I feel it in my bones that it’s my obligation to review this. Damn it.

Things start off not bad. “Twisted Mind” is a heavier side of Avantasia, slower, not fast paced power metal melodic gay-ass stuff, and it features good vocals by Tobias and Roy Khan from Kamelot. Kamelot, as you should know, is a terrible band, but Khan has a nice voice.

The title-track comes next, and it begins with a really nice folk beginning. It’s a prelude of a whoa, nelly 11+ minute song. This also features the godly vocals of Jorn Lande, from Masterplan, Ark, so on. And what do you know, the song is actually pretty good. More emotion than fast paced power melodic gay..I can’t remember the order of terms I used the last time, but you get the idea. The folk melody from the beginning makes cameos throughout the track, which is cool. And Jorn Lande is, well, fucking Jorn! He’s as good as they come. The track picks up towards the end, getting heavier and faster. Good stuff, yay, 2 out of 2!

Third track comes along, “Shelter From the Rain”, time for Michael-Helloween-I’m-too-good-for-metal -but-hey-they’re-paying-me so-I’ll-keep-singing-it Kiske. Kiske, fucking weirdo that he may be, kicks some serious ass when singing. This is no exception and him and Tobias also benefit with some of the best vocals lines from Avantasia. The chorus is fucking epic.

“Carry Me Over” sounds like something Coldplay or some other gay ass shit band like that would write. Fuck that, I’m not listening to this shit. Next.

“What Kind of Love” features Within Temptation’s Sharon Den Adel and sounds like something out of The Lion King 2 soundtrack. Fuck this shit, next.

“Another Angel Down”...haven’t I already talked about this somewhere?

“The Toy Master” is my favorite fucking song here. It’s dark, slow and heavy as fuck, and it features one of the godfathers of it all, Alice Cooper. Alice fucking rules and his voice fits perfectly in this somber track. Motherfucking yes.

“Devil in the Belfry” features Lande again, and yes, he’s kicking ass, but I’m about done with the symphonic power metal overdose by now.

“Cry Just a Little” is your mandatory Bon Jovi moment, features Bob Catley and that’s just about all I’m going to say about that.

“I Don’t Believe in Your Love” has some great “help, someone’s grabbing my balls!” moments from Tobias Sammet. It also features great vocals by Oliver Hartmann from At Vance and some killer guitar work from none other than Rudolph Schenker from The Scorpions! Impressive shit.

That last one is “Lost in Space” and I’ll be fucking damned if I’m reviewing this shit again.

All in all, what do ya know, this is actually an entertaining album, might even be better than the first Avantasia release. Well done, Mr. Sammet, you didn’t ruin my day.

Now, let’s dance.

The cover: It’s a scarecrow…

7 whoa, special guests! out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: Nuclear Blast
- Website: www.tobiassammet.com
- Band
- Tobias Sammet: leader of the pack, vocals
- Sascha Paeth: pro-pools and guitars
- Henjo Ritcher: guitars
- Eric Singer: drums
- Markus Grosskopf: bass
- Everyone and their mother: special guest appearence

- Tracklist
- 01. Twisted Mind
- 02. The Scarecrow
- 03. Shelter From The Rain
- 04. Carry Me Over
- 05. What Kind Of Love
- 06. Another Angel Down
- 07. The Toy Master
- 08. Devil In The Belfry
- 09. Cry Just A Little
- 10. I Don’t Believe In Your Love
- 11. Lost In Space