Edguy frontman Tobias Sammet has returned to the studio to work on the new chapter of Avantasia. The sequel to the successful latest album The Mystery Of Time will be called Ghostlights and is scheduled to be released in early 2016. An EP/single is also planned to be released this fall, and in March 2016 a giant all-star ensemble will set off on the Ghostlights World Tour.

Tobias Sammet: "In the past months I've spent a lot of time in the studio, an odd recluse in the basement, secretly working obsessively on something that reads and feels and sounds like a new - very strong - chapter in the story of Avantasia. I must say Avantasia is a fantastic outlet for creativity, and it's truly inspiring to create a piece of music for so many great vocalists and instrumentalists.

The new material is very bombastic and dynamic, and even though it's extremely diverse, every minute of it sounds like Avantasia. I'm really proud of what we're creating right now. And as if that wasn't enough: I'm anxiously looking forward to hitting the road again. I didn't necessarily expect this to happen as in the past it has always been difficult to align the individual schedules of the guest stars, but things have worked out, and we're ready to make it happen one more time! We'll put on a big show, we're gonna play over three hours, and we'll take the fans to a magical world all its own - to Avantasia. The live setlist is going to embrace the entire history of Avantasia, from The Metal Opera to Ghostlights and of course everything in between!"

The world tour will kick off in Berlin on March 4th, 2016.

 
Tour dates:

March
4 - Berlin, Germany - Huxley´s
5 - Hamburg, Germany - Große Freiheit
6 - Bremen, Germany - Aladin
8 - London, England - The Forum
9 - Paris, France - Le Trianon
11 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 1
12 - Madrid, Spain - La Riviera    
15 - Frankfurt-Langen, Germany - Stadthalle
16 - Prague, Czech Republic - Forum Karlin
18 - Kaufbeuren, Germany - All-Karthalle
19 - Bamberg, Germany - brose-Arena
20 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle
22 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
24 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
25 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7    
27 - Banska Bystrica, Slovakia - Ice Stadium
28 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Sportshall
31 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Saarlandhalle

April
1 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - Arena
2 - Fulda, Germany - Esperantohalle

Tour trailer:

(Live photo: Tobias Sammet/Avantasia Facebook)