AVANTASIA shares 'Against The Wind' song from upcoming 'Here Be Dragons' album
Album arrives shortly before the “Here Be Dragons” European arena headline tour in March & April 2025
20-01-2025
EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet‘s long-running AVANTASIA project will release its tenth studio album, “Here Be Dragons”, on February 28, 2025 via Napalm Records. The official lyric video for the LP’s second single, “Against The Wind”, featuring H.E.A.T. vocalist Kenny Leckremo, is now released.
Watch “Against The Wind” below.
Sammet comments: “‘Against The Wind’ is an anthemic uptempo rocket that contains lot a lot of what AVANTASIA stands for. What I especially like about the song is the combination of speed and power, along with an uplifting and elating harmonic and melodic approach. It comes over you with sheer force, but it drags you along to a better place, it gives you strength and encourages you to stay true to yourself in adverse wind and raise the middle finger to those who want to keep you from being yourself.”
He continued: “Musically and vocally, it’s quite a demanding tune, as you need the full toolkit of a power metal singer, but it’s got some loose kind of JOURNEY feeling also in certain places that require a completely different way of feeling the song. So I was looking for a vocal partner who would have metal skills and quite a range, but also understand the background of singers like Sam Cooke or Steve Perry. And I knew that Kenny Leckremo of H.E.A.T. would be able to pull it off. In all modesty: I think we both sound amazing together here. I love this song!”
Watch the previously released “Creepshow” below.
AVANTASIA is set to release their 10th studio album and Napalm Records debut, Here Be Dragons, on February 28, 2025. Featuring absolute AVANTASIA essentials such as spellbinding choirs and theatrical symphonic metal elements, multitalented mastermind and frontman Tobias Sammet also surprises fans old and new with plenty of intriguing fresh soundscapes. Here Be Dragons gives the celebrated AVANTASIA sound that has been carefully crafted over a quarter of a century an exciting and powerful spin. The new album is the most consistent and concise piece of art that the band has ever crafted.
The band’s impressive success story has seen nine previous studio albums (including the 2019 offering Moonglow that charted at #1 in Germany), gold awards, hundreds of millions of streams as well as headline shows at all important metal festivals and worldwide sold-out arena tours with tens of thousands of devoted fans. AVANTASIA is not showing any signs of slowing down – soon after the release of Here Be Dragons, the band will head out on an extensive arena tour across Europe, promising to deliver fans an immersive experience with their biggest and most epic production ever.
Tobias Sammet comments:
“This new album carries the most adventurous and bold spirit my music has had in decades. And it’s rather reckless, fearless, powerful, and uplifting and not introverted at all. While my previous albums allowed me to get a lot off my chest, this time I dove headfirst into the creative flood, crafting ten discrete, musical pictures, that miraculously merged into what I believe is the tightest chapter in AVANTASIA’s history. I did everything exactly how I wanted it, approaching the album with unrelenting determination and a carefree attitude, that was reminiscent of my early days way before the Metal Opera thing, when I felt unstoppable and let instinct just write songs. Right now I’m bursting with energy and can’t wait to unleash Here Be Dragons and then kick off the big tour with our new stage. We’ll present the new material alongside our classics and some rarities in the most spectacular stage show AVANTASIA has ever delivered. An early Merry Christmas, everyone!”
Pre-Order Your Copy Of Here Be Dragons NOW!
Here Be Dragons is now available for pre-order in several exciting physical editions, with bonus albums included in select limited formats, like a 3CD hardcover artbook with 96 pages, over 160 pictures, drawings of Rodney Matthews and extensive stories to accompany the music and pictures. Make sure to secure yours and stay tuned for the first single that will be released very soon!
Here Be Dragons Tracklisting:
1 Creepshow
2 Here Be Dragons
3 The Moorland At Twilight
4 The Witch
5 Phantasmagoria
6 Bring On The Night
7 Unleash The Kraken
8 Avalon
9 Against The Wind
10 Everybody’s Here Until The End
Here Be Dragons will be available in the following formats:
- 3CD-Artbook – large format, hardcover book incl. 96 pages, over 160 pictures and extensive stories and liner notes
- 3-LP Vinyl Box incl 72 Pages 12″ Booklet – strictly limited to 500 copies
- 1-LP Glow in the Dark Vinyl incl 12” Booklet – strictly limited to 300 copies – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive
- 1-LP Yellow/Orange Marbled Vinyl incl 12” Booklet – strictly limited to 300 copies – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive
- 1-LP Blue/White Splattered Vinyl incl 12″ Booklet + Poster + Slipmat – strictly limited to 500 copies – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive ROW
- 1-LP Orange/Black Splatter Vinyl incl 12” Booklet – strictly limited to 300 copies – Avantasia Mailorder exclusive
- 1-LP Marbled White Viola Red Royal Blue Vinyl incl 12” Booklet – strictly limited to 500 copies – Avantasia Mailorder exclusive
- 1-LP Orange incl 12” Booklet
- 1-LP Black incl 12” Booklet
- Tape – strictly limited to 100 copies – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive
- 2CD Mediabook
- 1CD Digipak
Digital Album
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