Avantasia have announced a world tour in support of latest album Ghostlights, which was launched today (January 29).
The rock opera group will play 35 dates across Europe and North America – and say they will perform three hour sets with no support acts.
Ghostlights features guest vocals from Dee Snider and Geoff Tate, ex-Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick, Marco Hietala of Nightwish and Sharon Den Adel of Within Temptation. It follows their 2013 release, The Mystery Of Time.
Avantasia have made Ghostlights available to stream in its entirety via Bild.de. and have also unveiled a promo for the song Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose.
Mainman Tobias Sammet, who also fronts German metal band Edguy, says: ”In my humble opinion, Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose is the perfect overture to the seventy-minute journey which the full album is going to be.
“Although it’s is a rather short composition compared to most other Avantasia songs, I wanted to embellish and amplify it with flamboyance and all Avantasia trademarks. I wanted to make it a detailed piece of fantasy art, but at the same time it was a big challenge to make that painting look inherently consistent if you view it from the distance.
“The layered choirs took us forever to record and yet nothing distracts from the main theme and flow of the song. Every time you give it a listen, you will discover something else going on.
“I have a feeling that I have never managed to create such an epic and dreamy atmosphere in just four minutes. I’ve got to admit I am slightly proud of it.”
Avantasia Ghostlights World Tour 2016
Mar 04: Berlin Huxley’s, Germany
Mar 05: Hamburg Grobe Freiheit, Germant
Mar 06: Bremen Aladin, Germany
Mar 08: London The Forum, UK
Mar 09: Paris Le Trianon, France
Mar 11: Barcelona Razzmatazz, Spain
Mar 12: Madrid La Riviera, Spain
Mar 13: Madrid La Riviera, Spain
Mar 15: Frankfurt Stadthalle, Germany
Mar 16: Prague Forum Karlin, Czech Republic
Mar 18: Kaufbeuren All Karthalle, Germany
Mar 19: Bamberg Brose-Arena, Germany
Mar 20: Oberhausen Turbinenhalle, Germany
Mar 22: Milan Alcatraz, Italy
Mar 24: Pratteln Z7, Switzerland
Mar 25: Pratteln Z7, Switzerland
Mar 27: Banska Bystrica Ice Stadium, Slovakia
Mar 28: Bratislava Sportshall, Slovakia
Mar 29: Tropolach Full Metal Mountain Festival, Austria
Mar 31: Saarbrucken Saarlandhalle, Germany
Apr 01: Ludwigsburg Arena, Germany
Apr 04: Fulda Esperantohalle, Germany
Apr 04: Budapest Baba Negra, Hungary
Apr 06: Moscow Ray Just Arena, Russia
Apr 09: Tokyo Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball, Japan
Apr 11: Anaheim House Of Blues, California
Apr 13: Toronto Queen Elizabeth Theater, Ontario
Apr 15: New York Playstation Theater, New York
Apr 17: Mexico City Auditorio Blackberry, Mexico
Apr 18: San Jose Peppers, Costa Rica
Apr 20: Santiago de Chile Teatro Caupolican, Chile
Apr 24: Sao Paulo Espaco das Americas, Brazil
Jun 08-11: Solvesborg Rock Festival, Sweden
Jul 01-03: Helsinki Tuska Open Air, Finland
Jul 06: Flugplatz Ballenstedt - RockHarz Open Air, Germany
