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