Avantasia - Here Be Dragons (2025)

Returning for their first release through Napalm Records, today we have Avantasia and their 10th full-length album “Here Be Dragons”. Continuing their bombastic and catchy Heavy/Power Metal explorations, Tobias Sammet and company are set to unleash another superbly crafted release with plenty of guest singers and bombastic explorations. With over 50 minutes of music, this release continues the band’s legacy and injects a heavy dose of catchiness to your day.

Opening with the addictive “Creepshow”, we get a Scorpions-esque bombastic piece with a masterful chorus line and a high level of energy to set the pace for this album. With Geoff Tate, Michael Kiske and Tommy Karevik, featuring on “Here Be Dragons”, “The Moorlands at Twilight”, and “The Witch” respectively, the band showcases their dynamic nature with a mixture of Power Metal anthems, alongside crafty atmospheric arrangements, and a heavy dose of catchy distorted guitars to keep things very energetic and quite epic with some lush choir arrangements thrown into the mix.

Reminiscent of older Stratovarius, “Phantasmagoria” is one of our favorite songs thanks to the band’s explosive sound and Ronnie Atkins vocals. Sascha Paeth delivers some solid guitar work through this release, in particular, on the superbly epic “Avalon”, which features Adrienne Cowan on vocals and a very powerful melodic edge. Additionally, Miro Rodenberg’s ability to craft lush arrangements and dramatic orchestrations, give songs like “Against the Wind” and “Everybody’s Here Until The End” that extra level of epicness without being overbearing or too ‘in-your-face’.

As a whole, “Here Be Dragons” is a very epic and engaging release filled with flair, catchiness, and power. Avantasia continues to deliver the highest level of quality when it comes to songwriting and cohesive listening experience, allowing the listener to be fully immersed in the band’s unique world from the first minute to the last. If you want epic and bombastic Power/Heavy Metal, this is one of the best releases for that in 2025.

Label: Napalm Records

Release: February 28th, 2025

Genre: Heavy/Power Metal

Country: Germany