Avantasia mastermind Tobias Sammet is featured in a new interview with Niclas Müller-Hansen for Rock Sverige. He discusses the new Moonglow album, his creative process, and guest singers that he has not had the chance to work with yet. Following is an excerpt:

Q: When it comes to making a new album, be it Avantasia or Edguy or whatever, what part of it would you say is the most fun? Coming up with ideas or the recording of it…?

Tobias: "The creative process… I don´t dissect it into writing and coming up with ideas. Initially it´s just one blurry bubble and it all happens like that. It was like a catharsis because I created it while I was not sure when I would have to deliver it. There was no record contract. In the beginning I thought it might become a solo record. There were two songs that I had written that ended up on Edguy´s Monuments (2017), 'Ravenblack' and 'Open Sesame'. I had written those songs in that unidentifiable songwriting session of mine and at some point I realized that it could be a solo record but it sounded like Avantasia... 'And by the way, this would sound much better if Jorn Lande would sing it and this would sound much better if Michael Kiske would sing it.' Then I thought I wouldn´t like to get the record deal myself, so I hired an attorney and of course I ended up with a record label that released the past albums too. It wasn´t really actually that new, but it felt new. It was a very free, unforced creative process."

Q: Are there singers you´ve reached out to that have told you no?

Tobias: "Yes, there are. Bruce Dickinson for example. 'Who does he think he is?' (laughs) For every album, seriously. I asked Rod Smallwood (manager) because everything has to go through him. He´s a nice guy and very protective of Iron Maiden and he said in a very nice way 'It won´t happen.' (laughs) It was a clear answer. On the previous album I wanted to have Meat Loaf, but it didn´t happen. When I was younger I took these things very personally, but it is what it is. The show must go on, even without them."

Q: Were there a lot of songs recorded for the album that didn´t make the cut? How many did you record?

Tobias: "I don´t know if I´m supposed to say that, because my wife said 'Don´t say that!' I didn´t count actually, but it´s probably more than 25 songs and I didn´t pick the best ones. I picked the ones that I thought were appropriate, so there´s a lot more material, which is not finished. But too good to not be finished. To answer your next question – yes, there will be a Moonglow Part 2 and you´re the first one to not actually ask about it and get an answer. But I don´t know when. In five years, in ten years? I have no idea, but the basic ideas are there."

Read the complete interview here.

Avantasia's new album, Moonglow, is out now via Nuclear Blast. A video for the album's title track, featuring Candice Night, can be found below.

Moonglow is available in the following formats:

- CD
- Digibook (36 pages)
- 2CD-Artbook (64 pages)
- 2LP (different colours) in gatefold
- BOX * (Digibook + CD in Sleeve + 2LP (ice blue + dark blue marble) in gatefold + bonus 10" (black) im sleeve + signed photo card + certificate + poster)

* NB-Mailorder exclusive

Order the album here.

Comprising 11 tracks, the new opus once again features several guest vocalists. This time round, Tobias worked not only with well-known faces such as Ronnie Atkins, Jørn Lande, Eric Martin, Geoff Tate, Michael Kiske and Bob Catley, but also with new singers like Candice Night, Hansi Kürsch as well as Mille Petrozza who help to vitalize the new Avantasia record. Its cover artwork was created by Alexander Jansson.

Moonglow tracklisting:

"Ghost In The Moon"
"Book Of Shallows"
"Moonglow"
"The Raven Child"
"Starlight"
"Invincible"
"Alchemy"
"The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn"
"Lavender"
"Requiem For A Dream"
"Maniac"

Bonus Track:

"Moonglow" video:

"Moonglow" lyric video:

"The Raven Child" lyric video:

The Moonglow World Tour 2019:

March
30 - Kaufbeuren, Germany - All Karthalle
31 - Mailand, Italy - Alcatraz

April
2 - Prague, Czech Republic - Forum Karlin
3 - Berlin, Germany - Huxley´s
5 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - Arena
6 - Bamberg, Germany - Brose Arena
8 - Fulda, Germany - Esperanto Halle
9 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Saarlandhalle
10 - Paris, France - Olympia
12 - Osnabrueck, Germany - Stadthalle
13 - Hamburg, Germany - Mehr! Theater
14 - Oberhausen, Germany - Koenig Pilsener Arena
16 - London, UK - The Forum
18 - Offenbach, Germany - Stadthalle
19 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
20 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
24 - Bilbao, Spain - Santana 27
26 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 1
27 - Madrid, Spain - Palacio Vistalegre

May
2 - Stockholm, Sweden - Arenan
4 - Moscow, Russia - Glav
6 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra