Sascha Paeth’s Masters Of Ceremony: Signs Of Wings (Frontiers, 2019)

How is it we’re only now seeing a proper solo album from Sascha Paeth? The legendary guitarist/songwriter/producer has been a mainstay of the power metal scene for decades now and the closest we’ve gotten to a solo album was his one-off Virgo release with Andre Matos. Paeth must have found the right time and right musicians, because his Masters Of Ceremony project debuted this fall with Signs Of Wings.

Paeth is joined here by Avantasia bandmates Felix Bohnke (drums) and Andre Neygenfind (bass), plus keyboardist Corvin Bahn. On vocals he turned to rising star Adrienne Cowan (Seven Spires), who made a big impression on the latest Avantasia tour.

If you were expecting something like Avantasia or Heaven’s Gate (or really any kind of power metal) from Masters Of Ceremony, you may be disappointed. Signs Of Wings doesn’t stay too long in the confines of any one genre, which is one reason it’s so enjoyable. Yes, there are Avantasia-like moments (see: “Radar”), but there are also some very heavy, very modern and aggressive songs like “The Time Has Come” that showcase Cowan’s versatility. “Where Would It Be” is a very melodic with a Within Temptation vibe, while the screaming, neck-snapping “Sick” has that modern Lacuna Coil sound down. Towards the end power metal fans get their payoff with the soaring “Weight Of The World” and “Signs Of Wings.”

While the changing styles can make the album seem schizophrenic at times, the vocals and production keep Signs Of Wings cohesive in the end. This is a great showcase not only of Paeth’s talents and range of experience, but of a very promising new talent in Cowan. With her band Seven Spires recently signing to Frontiers, we’ve definitely not seen the last of her.

As long as you’re not expecting a full-on power metal album here, Signs Of Wings should satisfy most fans of Sascha Paeth’s previous work, and it will especially appeal to Seven Spires fans.