The Metal Opera
The Metal Opera is the first full-length album by Tobias Sammet's supergroup project, Avantasia. It is a concept album and a rock opera, further information on the story can be found here; the album is followed by the sequel The Metal Opera Part II. All tracks written by Tobias Sammet. Note: "Malleus Maleficarum" is sampled from the song, "the Kingdom", by Tobias Sammet's other project, Edguy. Tobias Sammet - Keyboards, Vocals Henjo Richter - Guitars Markus Grosskopf - Bass guitar Alex Holzwarth - Drums Guitar Jens Ludwig Norman Meiritz Keyboards Frank Tischer Gabriel Laymann – Tobias Sammet - tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12 & 13 Lugaid Vandroiy – Michael Kiske - tracks 2, 5, 6, 9, & 13 Friar Jakob – David DeFeis - tracks 3 & 13 Bailiff Falk von Kronberg – Ralf Zdiarstek - tracks 4 & 7 Anna Held – Sharon den Adel - track 6 Bishop Johann von Bicken – Rob Rock - track 7 & 12 Pope Clement VIII – Oliver Hartmann - tracks 7, 12 & 13 Elderane the Elf – Andre Matos – tracks 11, 12 & 13 Regrin the Dwarf – Kai Hansen - tracks 11 & 12 Voice of the Tower – Timo Tolkki - track 13
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses one or more pickups to convert the vibration of its strings into electrical signals. The vibration occurs when a guitar player strums, fingerpicks, slaps or taps the strings; the pickup uses electromagnetic induction to create this signal, which being weak is fed into a guitar amplifier before being sent to the speaker, which converts it into audible sound. The electric signal can be electronically altered to change the timbre of the sound; the signal is modified using effects such as reverb, distortion and "overdrive". Invented in 1931, the electric guitar was adopted by jazz guitar players, who wanted to play single-note guitar solos in large big band ensembles. Early proponents of the electric guitar on record include Les Paul, Lonnie Johnson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, T-Bone Walker, Charlie Christian. During the 1950s and 1960s, the electric guitar became the most important instrument in popular music, it has evolved into an instrument, capable of a multitude of sounds and styles in genres ranging from pop and rock to country music and jazz.
It served as a major component in the development of electric blues and roll, rock music, heavy metal music and many other genres of music. Electric guitar design and construction varies in the shape of the body and the configuration of the neck and pickups. Guitars may have a fixed bridge or a spring-loaded hinged bridge, which lets players "bend" the pitch of notes or chords up or down, or perform vibrato effects; the sound of an electric guitar can be modified by new playing techniques such as string bending and hammering-on, using audio feedback, or slide guitar playing. There are several types of electric guitar, including: the solid-body guitar. In pop and rock music, the electric guitar is used in two roles: as a rhythm guitar, which plays the chord sequences or progressions, riffs, sets the beat. In a small group, such as a power trio, one guitarist switches between both roles. In large rock and metal bands, there is a rhythm guitarist and a lead guitarist. Many experiments at electrically amplifying the vibrations of a string instrument were made dating back to the early part of the 20th century.
Patents from the 1910s show telephone transmitters were adapted and placed inside violins and banjos to amplify the sound. Hobbyists in the 1920s used carbon button microphones attached to the bridge. With numerous people experimenting with electrical instruments in the 1920s and early 1930s, there are many claimants to have been the first to invent an electric guitar. Electric guitars were designed by acoustic guitar makers and instrument manufacturers; the demand for amplified guitars began during the big band era. The first electric guitars used in jazz were hollow archtop acoustic guitar bodies with electromagnetic transducers. Early electric guitar manufacturers include Rickenbacker in 1932; the first electrically amplified stringed instrument to be marketed commercially was designed in 1931 by George Beauchamp, the general manager of the National Guitar Corporation, with Paul Barth, vice president. The maple body prototype for the one-piece cast aluminium "frying pan" was built by Harry Watson, factory superintendent of the National Guitar Corporation.
Commercial production began in late summer of 1932 by the Ro-Pat-In Corporation, in Los Angeles, a partnership of Beauchamp, Adolph Rickenbacker, Paul Barth. In 1934, the company was renamed the Rickenbacker Electro Stringed Instrument Company. In that year Beauchamp applied for a United States patent for an Electrical Stringed Musical Instrument and the patent was issued in 1937. By early-mid 1935, Electro String Instrument Corporation had achieved mainstream success with the A-22 "Frying Pan" steel guitar, set out to capture a new audience through its release of the Electro-Spanish Model B and the Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts, the first full 25" scale electric guitar produced; the Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts was revolutionary for its time, providing players a full 25" scale, with easy access to 17 frets free of the body. Unlike other lap-steel electrified instruments produced during the time, the Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts was designed to play standing vertical, upright with a strap; the Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts was the first instrument to feature a hand-operated vibrato as a standard appointment, a device called the "Vibrola," invented by Doc Kauffman.
It is estimated that fewer than 50 Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts were constructed between 1933 and 1937. The solid-body electric guitar is made without functionally resonating air spaces; the first solid-body Spanish standard guitar was offered by Vivi-Tone no than 1934. This model featured a guitar-shaped body of a single sheet
Temple of Shadows
Temple of Shadows is a concept album by the power metal band Angra and was released in 2004 by Paradoxx Music in Brazil and SPV label Steamhammer in the rest of the world. SPV released a limited edition containing a bonus DVD with the complete video material of the concert, released on their album Rebirth World Tour – Live in São Paulo. All lyrics written by Rafael Bittencourt; the 13 tracks tell a story written by guitarist Rafael Bittencourt about the life of a crusader in the 11th century - known as The Shadow Hunter - questioning the ideals of the Catholic Church. "Deus Le Volt!", Spread Your Fire: The story starts as a man named the Shadow Hunter, is chosen by God as a Jewish Rabbi tells him his fate. "Angels and Demons": As he accepts his destiny, the Shadow Hunter goes off to spread a new belief, against the teachings of the Catholic Church, who define him as a heretic. "Waiting Silence": As time passes, the Shadow Hunter falls in love with a Muslim lady and has two sons. He is conflicted by his choice between living a normal life.
As his anxiety builds, the Crusaders of the Roman Catholic Church attack the city the family lives in. "Wishing Well": Completely separate from the coming battle, this vignette carries through the Shadow Hunter's mind, as the Rabbi's voice replays itself, telling him "No matter where you throw your coins, whether it be in a church or a well, it's your faith! If there is a God, he has no home: He is everywhere!" "Temple of Hate": Jerusalem is stormed by an army of the Holy Roman Church, in correspondence with the real event occurring in July 1099, overcome with their zeal for Christianity, annihilate every single inhabitant. The Shadow Hunter's wife and two children are killed in this attack; the Reign of Jerusalem was founded upon the fanatic and ignorant ideals of The Temple of Hate, against the will of those who lived in the Holy Land before their invasion."The entire population of the Holy city was put to the sword, Jews as well as Muslims, 70,000 men and children perished in a holocaust which raged for three days.
In places men waded in blood up to their ankles and horsemen were splashed by it as they rode through the streets. Weeping, these devout conquerors went barefoot to pray at the Holy Sepulcher before rushing eagerly back to the slaughter." - Desmond Sweard, The Monks of War. "The Shadow Hunter": The Shadow Hunter continues his travels and runs across a Gypsy prostitute. Instead of giving him pleasure, she reads telling him love will drag him from his path; the Shadow Hunter, seeking answers to questions that plague him, is more baffled by the woman. At this point, he discovers the death of his family. "No Pain for the Dead": Continuing from the previous song, The Shadow Hunter buries his family, overcome with loss and sadness, but is comforted by knowing they are free from mortal suffering and emotions. He questions whether all this has been worth doing. "Winds of Destination": Some time passes and he ends up in the assault of Xerigordon Fortress, held up by Kilij Arslan. During the conquest of Xerigordon Fortress, The Shadow Hunter is injured and has to run away to escape from the troops of Kilij Arslan.
Losing blood, he collapses before getting back to Constantinople. While unconscious, he dreams about the lost scrolls hidden in the ruins of the Temple of Solomon and inside lost caves by the Dead Sea. "Sprouts of Time": The Shadow Hunter starts a new religion, gathering people around him to spread the truth revealed for him. Words of peace and love were sown like seeds in the hearts of the wise, but fruitlessly dropped on the rocky soil of the hearts of the blind; the future is a consequence of. The present exposes the Sprouts of Time to everyone, it is unclear whether this happens, or if he is hallucinating this event, as the next song states that he is just waking up. "Morning Star": When he wakes up, two Muslim men are carrying him away on a type of hammock hanging on a long piece of wood. Weak and frightened, he can't react. Right above his head, while the sun is dawning, the Morning Star shines in the new day's sky; the six-pointed star presents the trident together as one. He understands the first sign given to him by the Rabbi.
At that moment, the first prophecy is accomplished. He will find out that the two men are brothers. Inside, their sister, named Laura, will tend to his wounds; as he finds strength to move again, the Shadow Hunter waits for dawn as it seems the Morning Star is giving him the chance to decide whether he lives or dies. "Late Redemption": On his deathbed, whether it is after this or some time in the future, the Shadow Hunter is still in doubt about the long journey which has brought him here. Was I wrong?" Memories and thoughts twist his mind. As death approaches, the Hunter is visited by angels - or are they demons? Who knows? How can the purest heart judge evil? The Angel of Death offers a comfortable eternal silence; the Shadow Hunter delivers his soul, sure of his Late Redemption. "Gate XIII" is an orchestral instrumental, reprising riffs and other musical themes from many of the other songs, symbolizing that as life lives by taking the lives of others, one life ends, more life begins. The snake eats its tail.
Eduardo Falaschi - vocals Kiko Loureiro - guitars, backing vocals Rafael Bittencourt - guitars, backing vocals Felipe Andreoli - bass, backing vocals Aquiles Priester - drums, percussionTechnical staffDennis Ward - producer, engineer, mixing Jürgen Lusky - mastering The album is featured by several guest musicians: Fábio Laguna - keyboards, orchestration on track 11 Sabine Ede
Tuska Open Air Metal Festival
Tuska Open Air Metal Festival shortened to Tuska, is a Finnish heavy metal festival taking place annually in Helsinki. The first Tuska took place in 1998 and the festival has since grown larger every year; the location of the festival has been in Kaisaniemi park in the middle of the city from 2001. However, Tuska 2011 took place at the Suvilahti event field in the Sörnäinen neighbourhood; the festival dates have always been in either July. In recent years the attendance has grown and the festival has drawn around 30.000 people. In 2006, the festival was sold out and over a combined three-day total of 33,000 attendees arrived to watch 32 artists, including for example Anathema, Celtic Frost, Sodom and Finland's own Amorphis and Sonata Arctica. There are three stages in Tuska: Inferno and the main stage, Radio Rock. Headliners are shown in bold. Am I Blood, Babylon Whores, Gandalf, Impaled Nazarene, Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus and others.... And Oceans, Barathrum, Dark Tranquillity, Lullacry, Painflow, Tarot, The 69 Eyes, Throne of Chaos, Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus, Two Witches and others.
Audience: 5 000+ Babylon Whores, Children of Bodom, Eternal Tears of Sorrow, Gamma Ray, Impaled Nazarene, Metal Gods, Pain, Sinergy, Terveet Kädet, The Black League, The Crown, Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus, To/Die/For Audience: ca. 10 000 Amon Amarth, Drive, Eläkeläiset, Gandalf, Impaled Nazarene, In Flames, Kotiteollisuus, Rhapsody of Fire, Rotten Sound, The 69 Eyes, Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus, Transport League, United and others Audience: 15 000 Ajattara, Bruce Dickinson, Demigod, Impaled Nazarene, Machine Head, Maj Karman Kauniit Kuvat, Moonsorrow, Nightwish, Sentenced, Sonata Arctica, Suburban Tribe, The Crown, Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus and others Audience: ca. 16 500 Amorphis, Arch Enemy, Behemoth, Children Of Bodom, Finntroll, Immortal Souls, Lost Horizon, Mannhai, Mokoma, Norther, Reverend Bizarre, Rotten Sound, Soulfly, Tarot, The 69 Eyes, The Haunted, Thyrane, Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus, Type O Negative and others Audience: ca. 30 000 Beseech, Charon, Dark Funeral, Dark Tranquillity, Death Angel, Dew-Scented, Dio, Drive, Fear Factory, In Flames, Impaled Nazarene, Kotiteollisuus, Nightwish, Machine Men, Sinergy, Sonata Arctica, Suburban Tribe, Swallow the Sun, Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus, Turisas and others Audience: 33 000+ Accept, Amoral, Callisto, Children of Bodom, Destruction, Dimmu Borgir, Finntroll, Gamma Ray, Hieronymus Bosch, Lake of Tears, Monster Magnet, Pain Confessor, Primal Fear, Rotten Sound, Sentenced, Stam1na, Teräsbetoni, Thunderstone, Turmion Kätilöt, Viikate and others Audience: ca. 33 000 Amorphis, Arch Enemy, Celtic Frost, Diablo, Freedom Call, Impaled Nazarene, Mendeed, Metsatöll, Nine, Opeth, Pain Confessor, Sonata Arctica, Stam1na, Suburban Tribe, Swallow the Sun, The Scourger, The Sisters Of Mercy, Timo Rautiainen, Verjnuarmu, Wintersun Audience: ca. 33 000 Before the Dawn, Blind Guardian, Brother Firetribe, Children of Bodom, D'espairsRay, DragonForce, Finntroll, Immortal, Insomnium, Katatonia, Legion of the Damned, Maj Karma, Misery Index, Moonspell, Pain, Profane Omen, Sturm Und Drang, Turisas, Vader, W.
A. S. P. and others Audience: 36 000 Amon Amarth, Before the Dawn, Carcass, Dimmu Borgir, Dream Evil, Dying Fetus, Fields of the Nephilim, Ghost Brigade, Killswitch Engage, Kreator, KYPCK, Morbid Angel, Primordial, Shade Empire, Sonata Arctica, Stam1na, The Scourger, The Sorrow, Tracedawn and Týr and others Audience: ca. 28 000 All That Remains, Amorphis, The Black Dahlia Murder, Dauntless, Eluveitie, Evile, Gama Bomb, Gojira, Jon Oliva's Pain, Legion of the Damned, Mucc, My Dying Bride, Parkway Drive, Profane Omen, Rotten Sound, Stam1na, Suicidal Tendencies, The Faceless and others Audience: 33 000+. Amatory, Barren Earth, Cannibal Corpse, Devin Townsend, Devin Townsend Project, Holy Grail, Insomnium, Megadeth, Nile, Overkill, Rytmihäiriö, Sotajumala, Swallow The Sun, Testament, Torture Killer, Trigger The Bloodshed, Warmen, W. A. S. P. Crowbar Audience: 35 000+ Amon Amarth, Amorphis, At the Gates, Arch Enemy, Blind Guardian, The Devin Townsend Project, Exodus, Meshuggah, Morbid Angel, Kvelertak, Killing Joke, Electric Wizard, Moonsorrow, Witchery, Agnostic Front, Spiritual Beggars, Impaled Nazarene, Shining, Church of Misery, Misery Index, Lighthouse Project, Black Breath, Bulldozer, Omnium Gatherum, Medeia, Rotten Sound and others Audience: 26 000+ Al
Instant Clarity
Instant Clarity is the first solo album of vocalist Michael Kiske of Helloween. The album features guest appearances by Kai Hansen of Helloween, Gamma Ray, Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden, compositions from Ciriaco Taraxes; the album was reissued in 2006 containing four bonus tracks. A music video was produced and filmed in New York City for the song Always, dedicated to Ingo Schwichtenberg; the album includes only two heavy metal songs, "The Calling" and "New Horizons" both co-written by Adrian Smith, the latter co-written by Kai Hansen. "Be True to Yourself" - 4:40 "The Calling" - 4:00 "Somebody Somewhere" - 4:39 "Burned Out" - 4:44 "New Horizons" - 4:25 "Hunted" - 4:25 "Always" - 4:15 "Thanx a Lot!" - 5:25 "Time's Passing By" - 3:46 "So Sick" - 4:30 "Do I Remember a Life?" - 10:20 "A Song Is Just a Moment" - 4:20 "I Don't Deserve Love" - 4:40 "Sacred Grounds" - 4:05 "Can't Tell" - 3:22Tracks 13-15 appear on the 2006 reissue only. Band members Michael Kiske – vocals, keyboards, sound effects Ciriaco Taraxes – guitar Jens Mencl – bass guitar Kay Rudi Wolke – drums, guitar Guest musicians Kai Hansen – guitar Adrian Smith – guitar Norbert Krietemeyer – flute
Michael Kiske
Michael Kiske is a German singer best known as the lead vocalist for the German power metal band Helloween. After his departure from the band in 1993, Kiske recorded four solo albums, participated on various metal and rock related projects, such as Avantasia, Place Vendome and Kiske/Somerville, while he performed with numerous bands as a guest vocalist. In late 2009, he formed the hard rock / heavy metal band Unisonic and began touring again after 17 years of absence. On November 2016, Kiske joined Helloween and Kai Hansen for the Pumpkins United World Tour that started in 2017 and continued throughout 2018. A live recording of the Helloween tour will be released in 2019 and a new Helloween album with Kiske and Hansen is planned for 2020. Prior to joining Helloween, Kiske sang with the German band Ill Prophecy at the age of 17; the band recorded a demo. At the age of eighteen, Kiske was asked to join the German power metal band Helloween, fronted by singer/guitarist Kai Hansen. Hansen had some difficulties being both the lead guitarist and lead vocalist, it was decided that a new vocalist would be needed.
Kiske rejected Helloween's first offer, because he disliked the sound of the band's Walls of Jericho album, but accepted the second and joined Helloween in late 1986. Michael's first album with the band was 1987's Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I considered to be one of Helloween's best albums and a milestone in the creation of the power metal genre; the album's worldwide success enabled the band to embark on an extensive world tour and perform at famous festivals such as Monsters of Rock. Helloween went on to release Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II in 1988, which went gold in Germany and brought more success than its predecessor; the Keeper of the Seven Keys albums proved to be influential and aided in the formation of a new wave of European power metal bands, such as Blind Guardian, HammerFall and Edguy. After the completion of the band's 1988 headlining tour, the album Live in the UK was released, while Kai Hansen left the band and was replaced by guitarist Roland Grapow. Legal disputes with their record company, prevented Helloween from releasing new material until 1991's Pink Bubbles Go Ape, followed by 1993's Chameleon.
These two albums saw the band moving away from their power metal roots and experimenting with different sounds. Both Pink Bubbles Go Ape and Chameleon were commercial failures and resulted in Kiske leaving Helloween. Kiske was fired from the band in 1993 for personal reasons, he was replaced by Pink Cream 69's Andi Deris, who has remained with Helloween since. Kiske was rumored to be Bruce Dickinson's replacement, after he departed from Iron Maiden in 1993, but the position was filled by Blaze Bayley. In 2016, it was announced that Michael Kiske would join Helloween, together with Kai Hansen, for a reunion tour that would take place during 2017 and 2018; the Pumpkins United World Tour started in October 2017 in South America and continued in Europe with concerts lasting close to three hours. On December 8, 2017 the single Pumpkins United, featuring the reunited line-up, was released; the reunion tour continued throughout 2018 in Japan, Ukraine, European summer festivals, North America, Latin America and Europe.
In August 2018 it was announced that there will be a live release of the Pumpkins United World Tour in 2019 and a new studio album with Kiske and Hansen due to be released in 2020. On August 16, 1996, three years after leaving Helloween, Kiske released his first solo album, Instant Clarity; the album featured guest appearances by Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden, Kai Hansen and Ciriaco Taraxes and contained songs in a wide variety of styles. A music video for the ballad "Always", dedicated to deceased Helloween drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg, was filmed and produced in New York City. During the same year he wrote a book,'Kunst Und Materialismus', only available in German. Instant Clarity was reissued in 2006 with the addition of 4 bonus tracks, his second solo album, Readiness to Sacrifice, which included some songs by Ciriaco Taraxes, was released in Korea and Japan in 1999 and in Europe in 2001. The music on the album featured Michael moving away from his heavy metal roots and contained two symphonic songs.
In 2003, out of desire to make rock music again, Kiske formed a project, named SupaRed. They released a self-titled album in January 2003; this album had a modern rock sound and a song structure, distinct from both his solo albums and the heavy metal sound of Helloween. The project was under promoted and unsuccessful and he dissolved the band. In 2006, Michael Kiske released his third full-length solo album under the name of Kiske; the album contained songs in a mellow, acoustic singer-songwriter style and was a step away from the sound of his previous solo albums. According to Michael "It's a musically free album. I am proud of this record because it is a true statement from myself". In 2008, Kiske released his fourth solo work, entitled Past in Different Ways; the album contained acoustic re-arrangements of one new song. According to Kiske the album "on one hand shows that I don't reject my past just because I'm a different person today, on the other hand it can maybe give people who were part of that past a different view at those songs".
In 2000, Tobias Sammet asked Kiske to participate in the rock opera project Avantasia. Michael agreed to sing on the project, in the role of Lugaid Vandroiy, but only under the nickname of Ernie; the nickname was printed on the back of the first Avantasia release, The Metal Opera, but not on the sequel, The Metal Opera Part II, where he was featured unde
