In 2008 when “The Scarecrow” was released, Tobias Sammet had said that logically will not be another Avantasia album. Today, only two years later, Avantasia, the best ever project at the metal history returns not with one but with two full length LPs! The “Angel Of Babylon” which is the no.2 of the two releases was supposed to have the title “The Scarecrow Pt. III”, as the already known concept continues and finishes with that record. But it’s not only the concept that combines it with “The Scarecrow” but also the musical style and the guests that all together evolve more the epic hard ’n’ heavy power Sammet’s sound, escaping even more from the pure power metal of their two first monumental releases. Maybe this will disappoint some fanatic powermetallers, but it’s a fact that Sammet has been developed very much as a composer that it would be a crime if he had stayed under the stereotypes of power metal. And don’t forget that he had already given us at least 7 power metal diamonds with Edguy and Avantasia.

The “Angel Of Babylon” has everything a melodic metal fan wants: Songs that continue the Scarecrow’s sound as “Down In The Dark” and the title track, both with the amazing voice of Jorn Lande. “Promised Land” and “Your Love Is Evil” again with Lande, easily would fit at the absolute Edguy album, “Hellfire Club”. We can hear mainstream hard rock at the stadium anthem “Alone I Remember”(Lande), and epic hard rock at “The Journey To Arcadia” with Bob Catley to give a different, more classic rock sound to the song. For the end I left the best two songs of the new album, “Death Is Just A Feeling” and “Stargazers”. The first one is the best song that Jon Oliva have sing the last 15 years and this is enough for the Savatage fans to buy the album. For the fabulous opening track “Stargazers” I don’t know what to say. Simply thoughts:1) It’s the best power metal song since Helloween’s “The Dark Ride” in 2001.2) Sammet, Allen, Lande and Kiske vocal performances are simply orgiastic, and 3) the song chorus is at Keepers level. The whole album has amazing choruses and if the two ballads were better then the album’s rate would be an absolute 10.

To the disappointment of some allegedly tough metallheads Tobbias Sammet proves to all the disbelievers that is not only a talented musician anymore, but the best and brainer metal composer of the last decade. I run for listening “The Wicked Symphony”….