The Metal Opera, Vol. 2 in Bloomington, MN

Eagerly anticipated by
power metal
audiences who embraced
Tobias Sammet
's first
Avantasia
project, the aptly titled
The Metal Opera, Pt. 2
essentially offers more of the same, in sound, style, and personnel.
Michael Kiske
(ex-
Helloween
) gets credit for his appearance this time out, following his mystery cameo as "
Ernie
" on the first record, and a number of the featured vocalists from
Pt. 1
reprise their characters on the second installment; new faces include
Bob Catley
(
Magnum
) and
Oliver Hartmann
At Vance
). The music is not a great leap forward; it's simply more state-of-the-art
, with the same catchy riffs, larger than life melodies, and complex, orchestration-heavy arrangements. Some might find it a bit less
thrashy
than its predecessor, but overall the differences are negligible.
Sammet
's epic storytelling ambitions have left him with more than enough material to keep the narrative going, and the ending is open enough to allow for a sequel if he chose. At times,
seems as if
had to rush to complete the record; its release had to be delayed, and a few parts feel a tad underwritten. But by and large,
fans who enjoyed the first installment -- and weren't expecting a drastic progression -- will find
Pt. 2
a worthy sequel that's still head and shoulders above much of the European
pack. ~ Steve Huey