Metal Reviews

You are entitled to your opinion, and I respect it, but how the hell can you say such a thing???

I suppose you'll ask how the hell I can like Helvetets Port.....and then not really answer my question with anything other than the "IMO" argument. Sigh....

Isn't that what this whole site is about?

Yeah, but sometimes you have to back up what you say. Having some objective criteria always makes a claim seem stronger. So, while I agree, the IMO argument is a major theme on this board....I myself am guilty of using it frequently, but considering how tempers flare and tensions are roused, its always helpful to have a good reason for thinking the way you do....otherwise opinions count for jack shit.

You're right, I made that statement without something to backup, and I'm disgusted myself with the endless "IMO" argument. So I'll try to elaborate a little, but in the end it's gonna be my opinion nevertheless.
I consider the songwriting, melodies, musician's perfomance and vocal deliveries in the Metal Operas in the same league as both Keepers, Thundersteel, Invictus, Awakening the World, Visions or Tales from the Twilight World. As a side note, I like better Pt. I than II. And about Helvetets, the music isn't bad but the vocalist kills the entire experience.

IMO argument accepted.

I never even listened to Avantasia until one of my friends bought The Scarecrow and told me I should listen to it. I was busy with schoolwork at the time, listened to a few songs, liked a few of them (Twisted Mind and Shelter From The Rain), but skipped over most. I didn't like it too well at first, but maybe that was because I was more into thrash and black metal at the time.
Then I check at TMO Pt. I once I was on a power metal binge, and I liked it right away. But after a while I began to lose interest. Yeah, TMO was better than most power metal albums released at the time, but to me there's just not much originality to it. I've been listening to it again for the past few days now, trying to "Get it", but I just lose interest halfway through. Then I went back to the Scarecrow, so I could pay more attention to it and listen to it in its entirety, and I loved it right away. To me, it is one of Sammet's best works; It's more original, has more diverse songwriting, the production is MILES ahead of TMO from what I can hear, and besides, it's got fucking JORN. Sammet, Kiske, Jorn, and Alice Cooper on the same album... wow.

I respect your opinion, but I don't think I'll ever fully appreciate TMO for what it is. I'll stick with my Scarecrow, if you don't mind.

I'm not looking for anyone to reinvent the PM wheel either; you're talking to a guy that owns and loves every Helloween album, sans Chamillion. It's just difficult for me to see why TMO is so highly regarded in the power metal scene. It does have some incredible tracks; Reach Out For The Light is one of my favorite power metal songs, and Serpents In Paradise is just fantastic. But I don't know. I guess I just don't "Get it".

That's fine, just throwing my view out there. Everyone has different tastes and if you really love The Scarecrow than that's cool.

Metal Opera

Short but efficient.

I'm back from my holidays and I'm tired. 2morrow will be another day.

The Metal Opera albums are in my opinion definetely better than The Scarecrow, even though I really like that album too... I don't know, as much as I've enjoyed the latest outputs by both of the man's bands (exept TS) I think the Metal Operas sound more melodic, more powerful, bombastic and more alive. On The Scarecrow he tries too hard on some places, forcing the songs to be very different. It's almost like he does that just because he wants to show everyone how diverse a song writer he can be. But heck they are all great and different and variety is the spice of life, right?

PS: Edguy blows Sonata Arctica away. At least Edguy has sucessfully developed their sound more than once... while Unia was a complete disaster.

Metal Opera part 1 is one of the best power metal albums ever. The Scarecrow is solid, but The Metal Opera could be the high point of the whole power metal genre.