AVANTASIA: 'Lost In Space' Lands On Swedish, German Charts

AVANTASIA's "Lost in Space - Part 1" and "Lost in Space - Part 2" EPs have entered the official Swedish chart at position No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. In Germany the CD landed at No. 9 on the Media Control chart. It is the highest single chart entry in the history of Nuclear Blast Records.

Commented AVANTASIA mastermind Tobias Sammet (also of EDGUY): "It doesn't really matter if it's a Top 10 hit or not, most important is that I am happy with it and most fans seem to enjoy the material too. It seems like there are a lot of people out there who appreciate honest hand made music and I am very thankful for that."

An e-card for "Lost in Space - Part 1" and "Lost in Space - Part 2" — can be accessed at this location.

Apart from the identical title track, both releases feature completely different, exclusive songs plus videos, a poster, studio reports, a "making-of," a slideshow, and loads of enhanced bonus material, each for the price of a CD single.

The cover artwork for the upcoming album AVANTASIA, entitled "The Scarecrow", can be found at this location. Due at the end of January via Nuclear Blast Records, the CD is expected to feature guest appearances by the following artists:

Alice Cooper (vocals)
Amanda Somerville (vocals)
Bob Catley (MAGNUM; vocals)
Jorn Lande (ex-MASTERPLAN; vocals)
Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY; guitar)
Michael Kiske (ex-HELLOWEEN; vocals)
Oliver Hartmann
Roy Khan (KAMELOT; vocals)
Rudolf Schenker (SCORPIONS; guitar)

"The Scarecrow" track listing:

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

The video for the song "Lost in Space" can be viewed below. Also available is an eight-minute EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for "Lost in Space Part 1" and "Lost in Space Part 2".

According to Tobias, the material on the two EPs is top notch and could have easily made it to the album as well. But because there is so much material they have decided to put out those two releases instead of a regular single or EP.

AVANTASIA will perform at next year's Wacken Open Air festival, set to take place July 31 - August 2, 2008 in Wacken, Germany. Also scheduled to appear are IRON MAIDEN (headliners),CHILDREN OF BODOM and KREATOR, among others.

In a recent interview, Sammet described the music on the new AVANTASIA CD as "diversified, pomp metal with some classic rock elements, Classic orchestrated moments and Celtic stuff, a big timeless production and so on and so forth. It's going to consist of many different elements. Bombastic kick-ass music with a lot of heart and depth."

Check out photos from the recording sessions at this location.

The new AVANTASIA album will be a concept album featuring different singers singing different characters in a story. But the concept itself won't be a sequel to the first two AVANTASIA albums.

AVANTASIA's last release was the two-part epic called "The Metal Opera" (issued in 2001 and 2002),which featured an impressive array of guest vocalists playing the various characters of the opera, including Michael Kiske (ex-HELLOWEEN),David DeFeis (VIRGIN STEELE),Sharon Den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION),Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY),André Matos (ANGRA, SHAAMAN),Timo Tolkki (STRATOVARIUS),Rob Rock (WARRIOR),and others.

For more information on AVANTASIA, visit www.avantasia.net.

"Lost in Space" video:

"Lost in Space" EPK: