I adore Avantasia. The madcap brainchild of anglophile teutonic rock legend Tobias Sammet. This is a supergroup with an emphasis on the super. A star-studded revolving line-up of vocalists punctuates a wonderfully lavish backing of sumptuous power metal. “A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society” is the second instalment of the “Moonglow” saga. Once again Tobias has enlisted a veritable Who’s Who of talent. Michael Kiske (Helloween), Geoff Tate (formerly of Queensryche), Eric Martin (Mr. Big) and Bob Catley (Magnum) are all back by popular demand. However, this season’s big-money signing is Floor Jansen from Nightwish who is wonderfully operatic and OTT on ‘Misplaced among the Angels’. 

There is a slight level of familiarity fatigue creeping in (evident by the fact that their previous three releases were all top five in those years’ respective lists (and the “Mystery of Time” was my album of the year in 2013)). However this is still a bombastically bonkers record, that revels in its absurdity and its opulence. Luscious, energetic, and euphoric. This is music to help you forget the fact that the world is a pretty crap place at present.