The Scarecrow (album)

The Scarecrow
Studio album by Avantasia
Released	January 25, 2008
Recorded	April - September 2007 at Gatestudio, Wolfsburg Vox-Klangstudio, Hamburg
Genre	Symphonic metal, progressive metal, power metal, hard rock
Length	63:43
Label	Nuclear Blast
Producer	Sascha Paeth & Tobias Sammet
Avantasia chronology
Lost in Space Part II (2007) The Scarecrow (2008) The Wicked Symphony/Angel of Babylon (2010)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Metal Forces	[2]

The Scarecrow is the third full-length album by Tobias Sammet's rock opera project Avantasia, released on January 25, 2008, through Nuclear Blast Records.^[3] It is the first part of "The Wicked Trilogy" and it is followed by The Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon. Sammet explained in a 2016 interview that he managed to have Alice Cooper after drummer Eric Singer asked him. Cooper requested to have a listen to the song first and then accepted to be part of it.^[4]

Plot

The Scarecrow is a concept album about the tragic story of a lonesome creature, emotionally isolated from his environment and suffering from a distorted sensory perception. His feelings for the love of his life unrequited, he sets off on a journey exploring his left-hand path, striving for inner peace, ploughing his way to approval and eventually facing temptation at the inner depths of the human soul. The story continues on the albums The Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon.

Track listing

All tracks written by Tobias Sammet.

No.	Title	Guest Vocalist	Length
1.	"Twisted Mind"	Roy Khan	6:14
2.	"The Scarecrow"	Jørn Lande, Michael Kiske	11:12
3.	"Shelter From the Rain"	Kiske, Bob Catley	6:08
4.	"Carry Me Over"		3:52
5.	"What Kind of Love"	Amanda Somerville	4:55
6.	"Another Angel Down"	Jørn Lande	5:41
7.	"The Toy Master"	Alice Cooper	6:20
8.	"Devil in the Belfry"	Jørn Lande	4:41
9.	"Cry Just a Little"	Bob Catley	5:15
10.	"I Don't Believe in Your Love"	Oliver Hartmann	5:33
11.	"Lost in Space"	Amanda Somerville	3:52
Total length:			63:43

Korean edition bonus track
No.	Title	Length
12.	"The Toy Master" (Alternate Version)	6:19
13.	"I Don't Believe in Your Love (Alternative Version) (Bonus Track)"	5:30
14.	"Lost in Space (Feat. Michael Kiske) (Bonus Track)"	5:08

Bonus DVD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Song by Song" (Interview)	13:27
2.	"Carry Me Over" (Music Video)	3:54
3.	"Carry Me Over" (Making of Music Video)	3:51
4.	"Lost in Space" (Electronic Press Kit)	4:12
5.	"Lost in Space" (Music Video)	3:49
6.	"I Don't Believe in Your Love" (Alternative Version)	5:30
7.	"The Toy Master" (Alternative Version)	6:19

Personnel

• Tobias Sammet – vocals, bass guitar, additional keyboards
• Sascha Paeth – guitars
• Miro – keyboards, orchestration
• Eric Singer – drums

Guest vocalists

• Jørn Lande (ex-Ark, ex-Masterplan, Jorn) (tracks 2, 6, 8)
• Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween, Place Vendome, Unisonic) (tracks 2, 3)
• Bob Catley (Magnum) (tracks 3, 9)
• Amanda Somerville (Aina) (tracks 5, 11)
• Alice Cooper (track 7)
• Roy Khan (ex-Kamelot, ex-Conception) (track 1)
• Oliver Hartmann (ex-At Vance) (track 10)

Guest musicians

• Henjo Richter – lead guitar (tracks 2, 3, 6, 7, 8)
• Kai Hansen – lead guitar (track 3)
• Rudolf Schenker – lead guitar (track 10)^[5]

Production

• Produced by Sascha Paeth & Tobias Sammet
• Recorded & Engineered by Chuck Garric, Sascha Paeth, Olaf Reitmeier & Mark Stuart
• Mixed & Mastered by Sascha Paeth

Promo singles

• "Lost in Space" (2007)
• "Carry Me Over" (2007)

Videos

The video for "Lost in Space" was released in 2007 with the release of the EPs of the same name. In December 2007, the video for "Carry Me Over" was released on Myspace. The Scarecrow's EPK (electronic press-kit) is available here on YouTube, courtesy of Tobias Sammet.

Charts

^[6]

Chart	Number
Czech Republic	6
Germany	8
Greece	9
Sweden	10
Hungary	10
Austria	16
Switzerland	17
Finland	26
Spain	27
Britain (Independent)	29
Norway	36
Japan	49
Belgium	50
France	58
Netherlands	65
Italy	65

References

1. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Avantasia Scarecrow review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
2. Fisher, Mark. "Album / EP Reviews: Avantasia - The Scarecrow". Metal Forces. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
3. Tobias Sammet (September 1, 2007). "NEW AVANTASIA OUT NOVEMBER 16TH". www.tobiassammet.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
4. Schwarzkopf, Thomas (27 January 2016). "Exclusive Interview with Tobias Sammet (Avantasia, Edguy)". Myglobalmind Magazine. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
5. Allmusic.com
6. Tobias Sammet :: Avantasia :: Official Web