The Mystery of Time is the sixth full-length album by Tobias Sammet's German metal opera project Avantasia. The album was released on 27 March 2013. This is the first Avantasia release to feature the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg (the same orchestra that performed on Edguy's album Hellfire Club). The cover artwork was painted by Rodney Matthews.
The Mystery Of Time scored high positions in several international music charts and even enabled Avantasia to enter the US Billboard charts for the first time.
When asked to compare the album to Avantasia's previous efforts, guitarist and producer Sascha Paeth described it as follows:
Track listing Limited editions of the album include a second CD with instrumental versions of all the tracks on the album, with the exception of the two limited edition bonus tracks.
Story The album booklet describes the story "So take the time to follow me into a small old English town during the Victorian era and join a young agnostic scientist by the name Aaron Blackwell as he is forced to explore the coherencies of time, God and science; torn between belief in his professional conviction, his spiritual intuition, love and a lodge of scientific occultists."
Characters: Each singer represents a character in the story, appealing to Avantasia's albums' "metal opera" signature theme.
Tobias Sammet: Aaron Blackwell, young scientist Michael Kiske: Antiquarian Bob Catley: Epiphany Joe Lynn Turner: Science Biff Byford: Reason Ronnie Atkins: Nobleman Eric Martin: Beggar Cloudy Yang: Apparition
Personnel Tobias Sammet - lead vocals, bass Sascha Paeth - lead & rhythm guitars, guitar solos on tracks 1, 4 to 9; additional bass; additional keyboards Miro - keyboards, piano Russell Gilbrook - drums
Special guests Musicians Guitars Bruce Kulick - solo on tracks 3, 6, 10 Oliver Hartmann - solo on tracks 4, 7 Arjen Anthony Lucassen - solo on track 2 Organ Ferdy Doernberg - hammond organ solo on track 2
Vocalists Joe Lynn Turner - co-lead vocals on tracks 1, 2, 6, 10 Michael Kiske - co-lead vocals on tracks 4, 6, 9 Biff Byford - co-lead vocals on tracks 3, 6, 10 Ronnie Atkins - co-lead vocals on track 7 Eric Martin - co-lead vocals on track 8 Bob Catley - co-lead vocals on track 10 Cloudy Yang - co-lead vocals on track 5
Charts Chart (2013) Peakposition
References
External links Tobias Sammet's official (Avantasia) website The Mystery Of Time listening session review