AVALAND’s new lyric video, ‘To Fool A Witch’, brings guest singer Helle Bohdanova back into the French metal opera act’s story. Taken from Chemical Poetry, announced for October 30 via Storytium SAS, the single follows protagonist Aylan Wilstorm as his encounter with a witch leaves him questioning his destiny and identity.
The song places Aylan, sung by Adrien G. Gzagg, opposite Loreleï under the watch of the God of Time, voiced by Jeff Kanji. The God of Time anticipates the danger of combining Loreleï’s witchcraft with the young alchemist’s recklessness. Bohdanova returns as Death, while Aylan’s struggle between heart and reason supplies the track’s central conflict.
Musically, the announcement describes a foundation in melodic power metal, progressive influences and French choral passages. Its reference points include Sonata Arctica’s storytelling, Asia and Epica, with the choral writing drawing a comparison to Bizet. A recurring guitar motif evokes a witch’s mocking laughter.
‘This is one of my favorite choruses on the entire album. Rather than relying on an immediate hook, the vocal lines were designed around melody and emotional progression. The true leitmotif of the song emerges through the descending chromatic guitar riff, which constantly returns to haunt the listener throughout the track,’ says singer Adrien.
The arrangement also makes a deliberate departure from a conventional sequence: the guitar solo arrives immediately after the first chorus.
‘We also spent a considerable amount of time refining the song structure. After many discussions within the band, we deliberately chose to place the guitar solo immediately after the first chorus, breaking away from the traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo-chorus format. That decision allowed the music itself to continue the storytelling and bring an additional layer of narrative to Aylan’s inner turmoil,’ Adrien explains.
Chemical Poetry combines heavy, power and symphonic metal with theatrical storytelling, orchestral arrangements, dark melodic motifs and electronic textures. The announcement also identifies swing and jazz accents and elements of death metal.
Joost van den Broek produced the album and appears among its guests, alongside Tom Englund of Evergrey, Helle Bohdanova of Ignea, Marcela Bovio of Stream Of Passion, and Madie of Faith In Agony, formerly of Nightmare. The supplied credits also list van den Broek’s work with Epica, Powerwolf, Sabaton, Ayreon and Blind Guardian.
The character cast assigns Tom Englund the role of Leonid Arlbrok, The Butler; Madie plays Loreleï Wizbell; and Marcela Bovio voices The Mystic. They join Aylan, the God of Time and Death in the new chapter of the band’s metal opera.
The record follows Theater Of Sorcery (2021) and The Legend Of The Storyteller (2023).
- When The Night Comes Alive (feat. Tom Englund)
- Destiny Calls (feat. Madie)
- Alchemy (feat. Madie)
- Beauties and Beasts (feat. Madie & Tom Englund)
- To Fool A Witch (feat. Helle Bohdanova)
- Fate (feat. Madie)
- Ascension
- Sail On
- Face The Eternal (feat. Helle Bohdanova & Joost van den Broek)
- Trinity (feat. Marcela Bovio & Helle Bohdanova)
- Fallen Leaves (feat. Tom Englund)
- Faded Away
Formed in 2020, AVALAND was conceived as a theatrical live experience. The band draws on The Alan Parsons Project, Avantasia, Winger and Savatage, together with 1980s hard rock, combining orchestral writing and metal opera narratives with rock and power metal.
Adrien G. Gzagg and Jeff Kanji handle the twin male lead vocals, with Lucas Martinez on guitar, Camille Souffron on bass and Léo Mouchonay on drums. Live performances feature between two and five voices, drawing on band members and varying guests.
Tabletop role-playing games also inform the project. Monthly lore chapters on AVALAND’s World Anvil page extend the narrative across albums, songs and story fragments, providing material that fans can use in their own role-playing games alongside the music.
A release party is announced for November 6 at Dr. Feelgood Rocket in Paris, France. The event will include a listening and signing session and a merchandise stand.
