The Metal Opera

The Metal Opera
Studio album by Avantasia
Released	22 January 2001 (Europe) 10 July 2001 (U.S.)
Recorded	2000
Studio	Rhoen Studios, Germany
Genre	Symphonic power metal
Length	59:12
Label	AFM Records (Europe) Century Media Records (U.S.)
Producer	Tobias Sammet, Norman Meiritz
Avantasia chronology
Avantasia (single/EP) (2000) The Metal Opera (2001) The Metal Opera Part II (2002)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

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. The album is followed by the sequel The Metal Opera Part II.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tobias Sammet

No.	Title	Guest Vocalist	Length
1.	"Prelude"		1:12
2.	"Reach Out for the Light"	Michael Kiske	6:33
3.	"Serpents in Paradise"	David DeFeis	6:16
4.	"Malleus Maleficarum"	Ralf Zdiarstek	1:43
5.	"Breaking Away"	Kiske	4:35
6.	"Farewell"	Sharon den Adel, Michael Kiske	6:33
7.	"The Glory of Rome"	Oliver Hartmann, Zdiarstek, Rob Rock	5:29
8.	"In Nomine Patris"		1:04
9.	"Avantasia"	Kiske	5:32
10.	"A New Dimension"		1:39
11.	"Inside"	Andre Matos †, Kai Hansen	2:24
12.	"Sign of the Cross"	Hartmann, Hansen, Rock, Matos	6:26
13.	"The Tower"	Kiske, Hartmann, DeFeis, Timo Tolkki, Matos †	9:45
Total length:			59:12

Note: "Malleus Maleficarum" is sampled from the song, "the Kingdom", by Tobias Sammet's other project, Edguy.

Credits

• Tobias Sammet (Edguy) - Keyboards, Vocals (see "Singers")
• Henjo Richter (Gamma Ray) - Guitars
• Markus Grosskopf (Helloween) - Bass guitar
• Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody of Fire) - Drums

Guests

Musicians

• Guitar
  • Jens Ludwig (Edguy) (lead on tracks 12 & 13)
  • Norman Meiritz (acoustic on track 6)
• Keyboards
  • Frank Tischer (Piano on track 11)

Singers

• Gabriel Laymann – Tobias Sammet (Edguy) - tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12 & 13
• Lugaid Vandroiy – Michael Kiske (credited as Ernie) (ex-Helloween, Unisonic) - tracks 2, 5, 6, 9, & 13
• Friar Jakob – David DeFeis (Virgin Steele) - tracks 3 & 13
• Bailiff Falk von Kronberg – Ralf Zdiarstek - tracks 4 & 7
• Anna Held – Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation) - track 6
• Bishop Johann von Bicken – Rob Rock (ex-Axel Rudi Pell, Driver, Impellitteri) - track 7 & 12
• Pope Clement VIII – Oliver Hartmann (ex-At Vance) - tracks 7, 12 & 13
• Elderane the Elf – Andre Matos † (ex-Symfonia, ex-Shaaman, ex-Angra, Viper) – tracks 11, 12 & 13
• Regrin the Dwarf – Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray, ex-Helloween) - tracks 11 & 12
• Voice of the Tower – Timo Tolkki (ex-Symfonia, ex-Revolution Renaissance, ex-Stratovarius) - track 13

Charts

Chart	Peak position
Finland	36
France	118
Germany	35
Sweden	48