Ghostlights

Ghostlights is the seventh full-length album by Tobias Sammet's German metal opera project Avantasia. It was released on 29 January 2016. The opening track and first single "Mystery of a Blood Red Rose" was a candidate for the German representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, along with nine other songs. The Digibook edition of the album included a bonus track and a bonus CD entitled Avantasia Live, which featured songs recorded mainly during Avantasia's 2014 performance at Wacken Open Air Festival. Ghostlights scored the highest positions of any Avantasia release in several international music charts and marks the second time Avantasia has entered the US Billboard 200 albums chart. The plot of the album concludes the story started on The Mystery of Time. Musically, it shows a darker and more theatrical tone than its predecessor, which Sammet claims to have been spontaneous, not planned.

Ghostlights is the seventh full-length album by Tobias Sammet's German metal opera project Avantasia. It was released on 29 January 2016. The opening track and first single "Mystery of a Blood Red Rose" was a candidate for the German representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, along with nine other songs. The Digibook edition of the album included a bonus track and a bonus CD entitled Avantasia Live, which featured songs recorded mainly during Avantasia's 2014 performance at Wacken Open Air Festival. Ghostlights scored the highest positions of any Avantasia release in several international music charts and marks the second time Avantasia has entered the US Billboard 200 albums chart. The plot of the album concludes the story started on The Mystery of Time. Musically, it shows a darker and more theatrical tone than its predecessor, which Sammet claims to have been spontaneous, not planned. ==Critical reception== The reviewer for the Myglobalmind Online Magazine wrote that Ghostlights was heavier, more mysterious and darker than the previous album The Mystery of Time. He also lauded the sound production and arrangements by Sasha Paeth which underlined singer Tobias Sammet's vocals. A review by the AntiHero Magazine found that the album was one of Avantasia's "strongest releases to date" and that it featured the darkest atmosphere Sammet had created so far. The German edition of Metal Hammer lauded the homogenous songwriting and wrote that Ghostlights came partially close to Avantasia's early releases like The Metal Opera Part I and II as well as early Edguy albums. The Sonic Seducer's reviewer wrote that the album had "no musical limits" and that all guest singers harmonized well with Sammet's vocals. ==Track listing== Digibook edition bonus track Sammet sings the part of "Aaron" throughout. The Digibook edition bonus disc – Avantasia Live Tracks 1–9 recorded at Wacken Open Air 2014, track 10 recorded at Masters Of Rock 2013, track 11 recorded at Wacken Open Air 2008. The Deluxe Edition Book of the album includes the two CDs of the Digibook edition, a third CD with instrumental versions of all the tracks (except the bonus one) and a 68-page photo book. ==Personnel== Adapted from the album credits. Tobias Sammet – lead vocals on all tracks, additional keyboards and bass Sascha Paeth – lead guitar (on tracks 1, 3–4, 6–8, 13), rhythm guitar, bass, additional keyboards, engineering and mixing Michael Rodenberg – orchestration, keyboards, mastering Felix Bohnke – drums Cloudy Yang – backing vocals Guest instrumentalists Bruce Kulick – lead guitar on tracks 9–10, 12 Oliver Hartmann – lead guitar on tracks 2, 5, 9, 11 Guest vocalists Jørn Lande Michael Kiske Dee Snider Geoff Tate Marko Hietala Sharon den Adel Bob Catley Ronnie Atkins Robert Mason Herbie Langhans ==Charts== ===Weekly charts=== ===Year-end charts=== ==References==

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