Review by Jack on November 8, 2002.

Rampaging vocals? Check. Quintessential choirs? Check. Tobias Sammet and Co. in full force? Check. High chedder factor? Double check. I think those who sunk their greasy paws into the debut all-star Avantasia album know what expect this time around. This is Avantasia after all. Music you would be ashamed to tell your mother about (yet at the same time wouldn't it be lovely for everyone to be in sync singing along with Tobias and friends?)

If you loved what Avantasia produced the first time around with "The Metal Opera" then you will love what is offered on "The Metal Opera Pt. II". I have absolutely no qualms whatsoever in recommending this album to all fans of the first Avantasia project. You guys will lap it up. The big names are all here; Kai Hansen, Andre Matos, Henjo Richter, Alex Holzwarth, David de Feis, Oliver Hartmann, Sharon Den Adel, Ralf Zdiarstek, and Timo Tolkii, as well as big names like Bob Catley and Eric Singer amongst others. This is big in both scope and delivery.

The real question on everyone's mind is if "The Metal Opera Pt. II" is as good as "The Metal Opera", right? Well to put it very bluntly, the answer is no. This album is definitely a worthy successor to "The Metal Opera", and a great power metal album in its own right, but "The Metal Opera" was a very special record and certainly a 'brilliant masterpiece for the ages'.

To those new to the power metal world, I completely advise you to pick up both these albums ("The Metal Opera" and "The Metal Opera Pt. II"). Park your rump in your favorite sitting device and leave behind any preconceptions of what you think you know metal to be (or be in for quite a rude shock) and prepare for some good fun, because this is what Avantasia is all about - just plain fun. Power metal is the metal that you don't have to take seriously, and for that I think power metal is one of metal's biggest assets. "The Metal Opera Pt. II" is a winner.

Bottom Line: I guess you know what to expect from Avantasia this time around. I am still at odds as to whether this is a good or bad thing. Was I expecting more? Probably. However, "The Metal Opera Pt. II" is a top album, only lacking a little bit of the bite that its beloved predecessor had.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 7.5
Production: 9
Originality: 7
Overall: 8

Rating: 7.9 out of 10

Review by Jack on July 8, 2002.

There is some great material from oddball duo, Lazare and Cornelius on “Pills Against the Ageless Ills”, the sort of good stuff one would lump into the same category as Finntroll for their mad-cap antics on giving black metal a new, fun and wholesome image.

So in essence Solefald at their grass roots are born and bred black metal. “Pills Against the Ageless Ills”, is a concept album about two fellows; Philosopher Fuck and Pornographer Cain, maybe two alter egos for Cornelius and Lazare... who knows? Philosopher Fuck and Pornographer Cain are two brothers suffering in the world because of a tragic destiny for which they must fulfill.

Musically, this album bounces around like it has been locked in an asylum for some twenty years. Can you imagine how you would feel if someone locked you away for twenty years for no good reason? Would you be pissed with the world, would you feel queer and maybe you would have a different take on life? Now imagine you have a black metal background like these two lads and had been locked away for those twenty years? “Pills Against the Ageless Ills” is the product of a warped mind and jilted transposition of how a person or persons see the world.

Vocally, Lazare and Cornelius both chew through the twisted lyrics of “Pills Against the Ageless Ills” with alter egos. We have a rather standard non-groundbreaking black rasp/roar, which is a little too guttural for normal black metal but still works quite compellingly; on the other hand we are treated to some goth-vocals that seem to be capped with a hint of a cropped English accent.

My problem with “Pills Against the Ageless Ills” is while it is all well and good to jump around the black metal stage like some infatuated teenage lass, it would help to have an ounce of clarity within their grasp. There are some wonderful moments on “Pills Against the Ageless Ills”, but I honestly get a headache every second song, this is coming from someone who goes through metal records everyday like an Eskimo goes through matches trying to light a fire in a blizzard.
So much is attempted on Solefald that after a while it becomes boring and actually quite irritating to listen to. Lots of people have claimed “Pills Against the Ageless Ills” to be an intelligent and thought provoking record, personally I believe this to be a load of crap, all Solefald come across to me is contrived and dull.

Bottom Line: I was, initially, really interested in hearing this album from Solefald, but unfortunately it shoots wide of the target. “Pills Against the Ageless Ills” is too vague and overly eclectic to be a real eye-opener.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 6
Atmosphere: 4
Production: 6
Originality: 5
Overall: 3

Rating: 4.8 out of 10