Video: AVANTASIA Mainman Discusses Collaboration With BIFF BYFORD, JOE LYNN TURNER

March 23, 2013

Video footage of EDGUY mainman Tobias Sammet talking about working with SAXON frontman Biff Byford and ex-RAINBOW singer Joe Lynn Turner on the new AVANTASIA album, "The Mystery Of Time", can be seen below.

"The Mystery Of Time" will be released on March 30. The effort will be made available as a regular CD, limited-edition vinyl and limited-edition hardcover book with a 28-page booklet containing ten regular songs and two bonus tracks ("The Cross And You", "Death Is Just A Feeling"). The cover artwork was hand-painted by world acclaimed British fantasy artist Rodney Matthews. Among Rodney's most famous artworks are not only album covers for rock legends such as MAGNUM, THIN LIZZY, ASIA and NAZARETH, he has also designed the characters for the TV series "Lavender Castle" and created the covers for novels by British fantasy author Michael Moorcock and many more.

"The Mystery Of Time" will feature additional guest appearances by Michael Kiske (UNISONIC, HELLOWEEN),former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, drummer Russell Gilbrook of URIAH HEEP, AYREON mastermind Arjen Lucassen (also ex-BODINE, VENGEANCE),Ronnie Atkins of Danish hard rock veterans PRETTY MAIDS and MR. BIG frontman Eric Martin.

The new AVANTASIA CD was recorded in part at VOX Klangstudio in Bendestorf, Germany with producer Sascha Paeth (KAMELOT, EDGUY, EPICA, RHAPSODY).

"The Mystery Of Time" track listing:

01. Spectres
02. The Watchmakers' Dream
03. Black Orchid
04. Where Clock Hands Freeze
05. Sleepwalking
06. Savior In The Clockwork
07. Invoke The Machine
08. What's Left Of Me
09. Dweller In A Dream
10. The Great Mystery

"Sleepwalking", the new video from AVANTASIA, can be seen below. The clip was filmed in a magical forest in Germany on a snowy winter's night and it features a duet between Tobias and female vocalist Cloudy Yang..

Comments Tobias: "It was far below freezing. And there we were, standing in the snow storm for hours, walking through a haunted forest. It felt a bit like 'Sleepy Hollow' meets 'Brothers Grimm', but the pictures that came out were really great and compensated for the torture."

About the song itself, Tobias says: "'Sleepwalking' is the most enchanting pop song I've ever written. Yes, it's a pop song, and I am the first to admit it. I love stuff like A-HA, CUTTING CREW, ENYA and SARAH BRIGHTMAN.

"You know, the whole album is a journey.

"Someone said that 'The Mystery Of Time' is the most adventurous AVANTASIA album to date. What makes AVANTASIA what it is is its diversity. We have five double-bass songs, two big epics, a beautiful flamboyantly orchestrated ballad, and monumental mid-tempo groovy stuff with big choirs.

"AVANTASIA has always been defined by its diversity and mingling of styles. It is an epic metal record and there are so many different things to be discovered, you have to give the album at least ten listens to discover half of what's going on.

"'Sleepwalking' are four wonderful minutes out of 60 minutes, but there is not one song on the album that can represent AVANTASIA on its own, it's the full 60 minutes you have to pay attention to, to grasp the magic of this piece!"

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