No other metal band offers the pomp, polish, and fist-pumping excess that Tobias Sammets Avantasia does. Over eight previous star-studded albums, the revolving lineup has issued massively produced, thundering, hooky operatic power metal redolent with massive metal chops, truly glorious vocals, and classical orchestras. A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society arrives in time for Halloween. Sammet and guitarist, co-producer, and mixing engineer Sascha Paeth guide these proceedings with taste, attitude, and verve. Despite (mostly) shorter songs, Sammet inserted every Avantasia trademark into each one, but provided his distinguished guest vocalists with plenty of room for individual creative expression. In opener "Welcome to the Shadows," Sammet is framed by a church organ, piano, a full vocal chorus, and power chords. The dynamic range and excessive production are pure Jim Steinman; it works beautifully with these lyric hooks, an otherworldly refrain, and a catchy bridge. The albums first single, "The Wicked Rule the Night," is delivered in duet with Primal Fear frontman Ralf Scheepers. A chanted male chorus and edgy guitars give way to earthquaking drums and immeasurably heavy riffs before the raging Scheepers sings the sinister lyric atop a power chug that threatens to derail the entire track. "Kill the Pain Away" is the first of two seminal appearances by Nightwish frontwoman Floor Jansen. She and Sammet are perfect duet partners. He sounds like a bad-seed Steve Perry roaring over the guitars and keys, while she offers a command of the drama, pathos, and passion with soulful empathy amid a soaring operatic chorale, layers of compressed guitars (featuring a a killer solo from Paeth), and a burning beat from Felix Bohnke. If there was a track made for rock radio, this is it. Jansen also appears on the sumptuous power ballad "Misplaced Among the Angels." "The Inmost Light" gives a chugging, hard-driving, riff-saturated, muscular nod to the music of guest vocalist Michael Kiskes band Helloween. Speaking of iconic metal singers, the one and only Jorn Lande of Masterplan adds his signature wail to "I Tame the Storm" amid galloping dual lead guitars, massive drum and bass breakdowns, and layered keyboards. The refrain is anthemic. Magnums Bob Catley joins Sammet on the title track. Its storm-and-stomp groove is tempered by an intricately wrought melodic hook. At 75, Catley sounds just fantastic. Geoff Tate is in fine voice on the episodic "Scars," as is Mr. Bigs Eric Martin on the crunchy "Rhyme and Reason." Ten-minute closer "Arabesque" features three singers -- Sammet, Lande, and Kiske -- and resplendent bagpipe-esque guitar intros and outros while channeling prog and hook-laden hard rock as well as power metal (a la an Eastern modal riff adapted from Led Zeppelins "Kashmir"). Throughout A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society, the artists remain focused and almost gleefully creative. The polished production and bombastic musical frameworks are woven tightly into the architectural fabric of the album, adding heft, warmth, and dimension, not distraction. ~ Thom Jurek

Rovi