Avantasia (The Metal Opera) is a two-part symphonic metal album written by Tobias Sammet, vocalist and frontman of the power metal group Edguy. The project's title is a mixture of the words avalon and fantasia (fantasy) and describes "a world beyond human imagination" (a quotation from the booklet). The project consists of two CDs containing 23 pieces, which tell a fictional story about a Dominican monk, Gabriel, in the early 17th century.

In Spring 1999, during Edguy's Theatre of Salvation tour, Tobias Sammet began to write down his ideas for a metal opera, a concept album with many guest musicians. When the tour was finished, he carried this plan out, recruiting well-known metal players like Kai Hansen and the ex-Helloween singer Michael Kiske. In 2000, the first EP with the name Avantasia – The Metal Opera was released. The project was completed in September 2002 with the release of The Metal Opera Pt. II.

The album is described as a "Metal Opera" because it has an underlying plot and because each role has its own singer, but, of cource, it's not an opera in the classical definition. It's merely a collection of pieces, which refer to the individual points of the plot which can be read in the booklet.

From a stylistic view, the greatest part of the pieces is melodic power metal together with a voluminous sound, many orchestral passages and choral parts, which is the reason Avantasia is often regarded as symphonic power metal. With Inside and In Quest For there also exist two songs which are almost only accompanied by piano. The first part also contains three short instrumental pieces.

The most complex piece is the first song of the second part, The Seven Angels. This song lasts over 14 minutes and contains a classical "stanza/refrain" part, two guitar solos, choirs, a song-passage with piano accompaniment, and a breathtaking finale. Seven of the eleven singers are singing in this piece. Also, the song is an important part of the story, and becomes crucial to understand all the Plot. And, the most interesting part of it are voices that appear before the Voice From The tower Says: "Woe to you, longing from the wisdom [...]", these voices does not appear into the songs lyrics, it's almost a secret. Quite a few people had understood what does it means, we only know some parts, but we're sure the first two phrases say "Father, Forgive Us." and "When will the angel come?". Try to understand it by yourself.

Template:Spoiler The main character of the story is the young Gabriel Laymann, novice of the Dominican order in the abbey of Mainz. It's in the year 1602, and together with the rest of the order, Gabriel takes part in the witch hunts. But when he is unexpectedly reunited with stepsister Anna Held, while she is waiting to be tried as a witch, Gabriel begins to doubt. He sneaks into the library, where he reads a forbidden book. His mentor Bruder Jakob notices him, and Gabriel is thrown into the dungeon.

There he meets an old man, Lugaid Vandroiy, who introduces himself as a druid (Reach Out For The Light). He tells Gabriel about another dimension, the world Avantasia, which is in great danger. He offers to help rescue Anna if Gabriel agrees to help Avantasia. They manage to escape (Breaking Away), and Vandroiy takes Gabriel to an old stone pit, which hides a portal between the two dimensions, and uses it to send Gabriel to Avantasia.

In the meantime, Johann Adam von Bicken, the bishop of Mainz, Bruder Jakob and the bailiff Falk von Kronberg are on their way towards Rome to meet the pope Clement VIII (Glory of Rome). With them they have the book Gabriel read. Old documents tell that the book is the last of seven parts of a seal, which will help its owner to absolute wisdom if he brings it to the tower in the center of Avantasia.

When Gabriel arrives in Avantasia (Avantasia) he is welcomed by two inhabitants, the elf Elderane and the dwarf Regrin (Inside). They tell him about a war against the forces of evil, of the pope's plan and its consequences (Sign Of The Cross). If the pope uses the seal, the link between Avantasia and the human world will break down with grievous consequences for both worlds. Gabriel arrives just in time at the tower, and while the pope talks to a mysterious voice from the inside, Gabriel manages to steal the seal and, in the chaos he causes, to bring it back into the elvish city (The Tower), which marks the end of the first part.

But Gabriel isn't satisfied yet. He wants to find out more about Avantasia, and so Elderane sends him to the tree of knowledge. There Gabriel has a vision of Bruder Jakob who endures great pain in a lake of flames (The Final Sacrifice). Elderane tells him about a great golden chalice in the catacombs in Rome, in which a numberless amount of tortured souls are trapped, and warns him of a beast that guards the chalice. In spite of the elf trying to discourage them, Gabriel and Regrin go back into the human world. They find the chalice and knock it over, so that many souls can escape (Chalice of Agony). The beast awakes and attacks both of them; the dwarf is killed but Gabriel manages to flee.

Afterwards, Gabriel comes back to Vandroiy, who has been waiting for him. The druid now fulfills his part and sneaks into the prison by night to free Anna. There he finds a "refined" Bruder Jakob who plans to do the same. Falk von Kronberg, who has been having doubts of his own (Memory), catches them and approaches in order to arrest them. It comes to a fight in which Kronberg kills Vandroiy and then is slain by Bruder Jakob. Anna can escape and is reunited with Gabriel, and they go together into their unknown future (Into The Unknown).

Christendom and the Catholic Church play an important role in the plot. Men of the Church like Clement VIII are criticised for thinking that they hold the only truth and that they have to keep the normal people ignorant for their own good, not realising that the Church men themselves are too blinkered to recognise the truth. Criticism like this appears very often in Sammet's works: many Edguy songs like "The Kingdom" (1996) or "Theater of Salvation" (1999) contain themes, plot and dialogue very similar to those found in Avantasia.

• Musicians
  • Guitar
    • Henjo Richter (Gamma Ray)
    • Jens Ludwig (Edguy)
    • Norman Meiritz
    • Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius)
  • Bass
    • Markus Grosskopf (Helloween)
  • Drums
    • Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody)
    • Eric Singer (KISS, ex-Black Sabbath, ex-Alice Cooper)
  • Keyboard
    • Tobias Sammet (Edguy)
  • Piano
    • Frank Tischer
• Singers
  • Gabriel Laymann - Tobias Sammet (Edguy)
  • Lugaid Vandroiy - Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween)
  • Bruder Jakob - David DeFeis (Virgin Steele)
  • Bailiff Falk von Kronberg - Ralf Zdiarstek
  • Anna Held - Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation)
  • Bishop Johann von Bicken - Rob Rock (Warrior)
  • Pope Clement VIII - Oliver Hartmann (ex-At Vance)
  • Elderane the Elf - André Matos (Shaaman, ex-Angra)
  • Regrin the Dwarf - Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray)
  • Mysterious Voice of the Tower - Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius)
  • Tree of Knowledge - Bob Catley

1. "Avantasia" (demo)
2. "Reach Out for the Light"
3. "The Final Sacrifice"
4. "Avantasia" (album version)

1. Prelude

[instrumental]

2. Reach Out For The Light

[Gabriel] Lord above - why don't you tell me why I'm here in agony? I've been serving, I've been praying now I'm caught in misery.

I've been praised by friar Jakob, I misused his confidence. Cheated by this work of evil - feigning Anna's innocence.

Oh what have I done? So many ways lead to the fallen one, Lucifer, fallen light... Oh what have I done? What is going on?

We should bring salvation, not give in to his temptation - no! Read and preach the holy world and no forbidden lies that hurt. I remember words of "seven". Set me bree - sanity!

[Lugaid] Reach out for the light far beyond confines. You have read the magic lines leading to the light in your mind...

[Gabriel] What is right and what is wrong now? Is it a trial of paradise?

Is anna a witch or do they stick to an error? What's the book and the seal inside?

Am I a cleric or maybe a sinner? Unbeliever? Renegade? Was it the devil who led me to "seven"? Oh redeemer is it all too late?

Oh, what have I done? I have been led by the smelling one, Lucifer, fallen light... Tell me stranger, what have I done? Oh what's going on?

We should bring salvation, not give in to his temptation - no! Read and preach the holy world and no forbidden lies that hurt. I remember words of "seven". Set me free - sanity!

[Lugaid] Reach out for the light far beyond confines. You have read the magic lines leading to the light in your mind...

[Gabriel] In your mind?

3. Serpents In Paradise

[Gabriel] Reading the madness they took her away under the cross. Bailiff and bishop and monk - Malleus Maleficarum - the law

Prayed for salvetion, I fought for her soul - scared by the horned. The devil was creeping around until she died in the flames as he saw.

Father forgive me for I've hardly seen the human deep within. Just an intention - so holy and clear - paving the way to madness for us...

Serpents on the way to paradise - dying for love, fighting for ages. Serpents on their way to paradise - raging with anger and pain for the cross.

[Jakob] Father forgive me for what I have done. For I betrayed the one that I loved like a son. Demons and spells are they reality?

The pest and the schism; the power of the Moor We've got to fight. Keep our people afraid... Keep them away from what they shall not see.

I see a menace to our paradise in these evil times. Heaves is burning, people are yearning for a new doctrine, they are...

[Gabriel] Serpents on the way paradise.

[Jakob] Don't know they'll end in final damnation.

[Gabriel] Serpents on the way to paradise...

[Jakob] Raging with anger and pain against the cross.

[Gabriel] Lord if I'm an unbeliever - what do I believe? Can you tell me lord what you had done if you were me? I have stared into the eyes of innocence and fear. I saw Anna in the tower in a lake of tears. Something strange is going on and still I don't know why. I have stared into the secrets they still try to hide.

Vandroiy can you tell me what you know about it all? Vandroiy can you help me to leave this prison hall? Vandroiy can you help me free Anna from the chain? Vandroiy can you help me to become a little sane?

Serpents on the way to paradise - Dying for love, fighting for ages. Serpents on their way to paradise Raging with anger and pain...

4. Malleus Maleficarum

[Falk von Kronberg] So, daughter of the old evil spirit, you still pretend you don't know? Maybe we have a way to make you remember...

[Else Vogler] I have done no wrong, blood shall come upon you!

[Falk von Kronberg] Torturer, pull on!

5. Breaking Away

[Lugaid] Don't wait my friend. We better don't think twice. Time to fell the prison guard you gotta realize: No turning back again. Therefor it's all too late... New horizons wait...

I know the time has come te leave your past behind. And now the time has come to stop them controlling your mind.

[Gabriel] Breaking away! All we can do now is break away. Otherwise she will be dying while both of us are lying here in chains.

Breaking away! All we can do now is break away! Oh - otherwise she will be dying while both of us are lying here in chains.

Always been a novice in quest for paradise. Hope they will forgive me for I apostatize. I can't be no hypocrite, can't wear a masquerade... New horizons wait...

[Lugaid and Gabriel] And now the time has come to go another way. To learn for life and to grow ripe and prevent the decay...

[Gabriel] Breaking away! All we can do now is break away. Otherwise she will be dying while both of us are lying here in chains.

Breaking away! All we can do now is break away! Oh - otherwise she will be dying while both of us are lying here in chains.

Breaking away! It is so hard to lay down what I've been. But I must go even if my way leads to Hades...

Breaking away! All we can do now is break away. Otherwise she will be dying while both of us are lying here in chains.

Breaking away! All we can do now is break away! Oh - otherwise she will be dying while both of us are lying here in chains.

6. Farewell

[Gabriel] Days had come, winters had gone, and we gamboled like siblings in Paradise. I was your knight, holding you tight as a brother when I saw your crying eyes. Time went by and we had to say goodbye.

Staring up to the clouds above Children - so little and sad. Hoping the saints could help one day Lead us together again. Holding the key to the alley of dreams still in hands.

Time telling me to say farewell but I knew that I would fight hell and I knew: We will go for another time we can see, for another time we'll be free, for no more farewell.

[Anna] Stepbrother tell me where have you been when they brought me to this godforsaken place. Sign of the cross - they took me away for healing with herbs by the way of grace. Now I wait for the day to feed the flames.

[Gabriel] I have been caught in a cage of despair. My heart as a monk's cell so empty and bare. But no holy water can make me forget you again...

Time telling me to say farewell but I knew that I would fight hell and I knew: We will go for another time we can see, for another time we'll be free, for no more farewell.

[Lugaid] No farewell could be the last one. If you long to meet again...

7. The Glory Of Rome

[Falk] Jesus Christ I'm coming - terrestrial home. I'm allowed to guide their train to visit you in Rome. I am sick of preachers telling to be plain while you got it nice in here. They'd better feel ashamed.

[Johann Adam von Bicken] Oh, ways of gold lead is into Your blaze of fame. Oh, are You waiting for what we have brought You from hell?

[Gabriel] Glory of Rome, glorious home. Praising the king of the kings. Glory of Rome, glorious home. Reaching for haloes and wings.

[Johann Adam von Bicken] Heading for the angels, heading for the feast, heading for salvation and the ruin of the beast. Let us fight the outcast, let us brin 'em fire, let us lock the center of their wicked, mad desire.

Oh, ways of gold lead us into Your blaze of fame. Oh, are You waiting for what we have brought You from hell?

[Gabriel] Glory of Rome, glorious home. Praising the king of the kings. Glory of Rome, glorious home. Reaching for haloes and wings.

[Pope Clemens IIX] Holding in my hand: Seven parts of a seal to unlock the land of illumination I feel. And it's been foretold: after touching the light we shall lock the world. But now it's our time to transcend, the ultimate key in our hand.

[Gabriel] Glory of Rome, glorious home. Praising the king of the kings. Glory of Rome, glorious home. Reaching for haloes and wings.

8. In Nomine Patris

[instrumental]

9. Avantasia

[Gabriel] Open my eyes and see my bleeding wounded hands... Feeling the pain too hard to stand. To stand... Caught in the 'now and here' while they are on the way. Hiding imagination, leading us astray...

[Lugaid] Use your mind! You will leave the flesh dimensions behind. Sanity can be the toll - leading to the core of your soul.

[Gabriel and the voices in his head] We are the power inside, we bring you fantasy. We are the kingdom of light and dreams, gnosis and life: Avantasia! We are the power inside, we bring you fantasy. We are the kingdom of light and dreams, gnosis and life: Avantasia! - Avantasia...

Walking along the icy gallery of pain. Tell me now: What can keep the flame alive? Lack of imagination - raising up the tower where they hold our souls to take away the tower.

[Lugaid] Use your mind! You will leave the flesh dimensions behind. Sanity can be the toll - leading to the core of your soul.

[Gabriel] We are the power inside, we bring you fantasy. We are the kingdom of light and dreams, gnosis and life: Avantasia! We are the power inside, we bring you fantasy. We are the kingdom of light and dreams, gnosis and life: Avantasia!

Oh - Avantasia Oh - I hear the voices Oh - into the light Oh - Avantasia...

10. A New Dimension

[instrumental]

11. Inside

[Elderane] We're the little creatures deep inside your mind.

[Regrin] Some call us their fantasy but some to never find.

[Elderane] We can teach philosophy but still we must commend...

[Regrin] The state of our existence right into your hand Welcome to this place in here come overstep all your fears...

[Gabriel] Where have you all been once when I was alone? When I was a hero in their crazy wicked show you've sent no little spark into my darkened view of life. Did not make me ask for what is wrong and what is right.

And still I regret to be here. I'm dreaming of Anna in tears.

Inside - so deep inside you will die if I don't dream anymore? Inside - so deep inside you will die if I don't dream anymore?

12. Sign Of The Cross

[Gabriel] From a world of reign they come...

[Pope] In a world of mammon we have found it all! Fighting for pride and for gold. But the key to the reign, to the ultimate control: wisdom of the old.

We have been elect to drain the wine of Gnosis to hide it and pray. Got to save our children from the beast. We are on the way.

[Elderane] Remaining in darkness the land of salvation will drown. And when we'll have vanished slavery will take your freedom down.

[Gabriel] Seven eyes to be blind forever in time: Sign of the cross... Hell arise! Castigation under the sign, sign of the cross - make us drown in altar wine.

[Bishop von Bicken] In the heart of justice called Horeb long ago Moses got carvings in stone. Imposed to judge those who do not fear the only, the holy, the lord.

[Gabriel] The blood of anger and pain: Ink of the Old Testament. I know they'll end their crusade, drown in the blood of the lamb.

[Elderane] Remaining in darkness the land of salvation will drown. And when we'll have vanished slavery will take your freedom down.

[Gabriel] Seven eyes to be blind forever in time: Sign of the cross... Hell arise! Castigation under the sign, sign of the cross - make us drown in altar wine.

[Regrin] You have been the chosen one, so welcome to this place. Vandroiy's told us you would come to help us win the race. Bring back the seal from the men who don't know what they do. Seemed to be a fool without and own way of life. But you've been a sleeping mind and you woke up on time. You've got the power to save us and finally you.

[Gabriel] A dream is forever. The land of salvation can't drown. These enchanting colors - who could have the might to tear it down? (all these colors - fantasy...)

Seven eyes to be blind forever in time: Sign of the cross... Hell arise! Castigation under the sign, sign of the cross - make us drown in altar wine.

13. The Tower

[Gabriel] Where do I go?

Never had a very real dream before. Now I got a vision of an open door. Guiding me home, where I belong, dreamland I have come.

Oh where do I go?

Never had a flesh and blood like this before. Got a new appearance when I passed the door. Is it a dream I am withing? Oh what's going on?

Down, down, down Go down, go down, go down I roam into nowhere. Don't see an end: eternal wastelands. And I hear the voice, the voice, the voice, the voice...

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah...

Never been a fighter, never been a man. But I must help Vandroiy, he's my only friend. Nowhere to go and I know that he knows how we will get her out...

Magic of transcendence brought me to this place A Vandroiy in reality lead me on my race. Told me to bring back the seal but still I don't know where I shall go.

[Lugaid] Can't you 'feel' the voice? You don't have a choice. What a kind of life: Freedom in flesh - shackles on your mind...

Go all the way to the tower! Find out the secrets behind! Go all the way to the tower! For all the wisdom of ages doesn't die.

[Elderane] Men have good intentions on their way to the light. But some of them are venal and end up in the night. Maybe it's better for you, mankind, not to know what's going on.

[Gabriel] Sometimes we must go ways that seem to be wrong. What a kind of life: Freedom in flesh, shackles on your mind...

[Lugaid] Go all the way to the tower! Find out the secrets behind! Go all the way to the tower! Find out the name of the one who reigns from inside...

[Voice in the Tower] You have come the long way through ages to bring me the seven parts of the seal. So now throw it over the walls of the tower. Throw the seal!

[Pope] But first Godfather, what about the prophecy? What about your reward: The ultimate illumination, the gnosis and the power to defend your kingdom on earth with a strong hand? What about the prophecy?

[Lugaid] I realize...

[all] For the glory, for the glory, for the glory, For the glory. Oh - what is going on? For the glory, for the glory, for the glory, For the glory. Oh - what is going on?

[Lugaid] Gabriel I can feel: You have it back - book and seal. Still no war is won, we have just begun...

Go all the way to the tower! Long for the secrets behind! Go all the way to the tower! Found out the name of the one who reigns from inside...

Go all the way to the tower! Long for the secrets behind! Go all the way to the tower! Found out the name of the one, Of the one...

[Jakob] Oh, how could the stranger steal the seal away? Was it my fault? Or was it no one's fault at all?

1. "The Seven Angels"
2. "No Return"
3. "The Looking Glass"
4. "In Quest For"
5. "The Final Sacrifice"
6. "Neverland"
7. "Anywhere"
8. "Chalice of Agony"
9. "Memory"
10. "Into the Unknown"

• Tobias Sammet's official website