Edguy - King Of Fools


Year of Release: 2004
Label: Nuclear Blast
Catalog Number: NB 1240
Format: CD
Total Time: 21:30:00

Edguy is one of Europe's top power metal bands, so when a new release is announced, the progressive and power metal music world sits up and takes note.

Of the 5 tracks on this 21-? minute EP, only the title track, a very strong power metal piece, will be included on the upcoming full-length album, Hellfire Club. It will be somewhat different on the album, because the EP contains the radio edit version, which is the requisite 3-? minute length and has slightly different lyrics.

Two of the EP-only tracks are rather ordinary. Good, but not up to Edguy's standard. "The Life And Times Of A Bonus Track" is nothing but fun. Don't take it seriously; the band doesn't, and they're simply making a point about the music business and presenting it in a humorous way. But it doesn't bear more than about 2 or 3 listens before getting old.

And here's the problem, folks: The second track "New Age Messiah" is probably the best track on the album from a musical standpoint. It starts with an elegant orchestral theme that is the basis for the whole song. The pure metal instrumentation kicks in after 45 seconds, and the whole 6-minute piece is very strong. The song explores a self-made "messiah," who becomes convinced of his own importance and near the end, the music stops and the chorus sings "Who the f***ing f*** is Jesus / Motherf***ing new messiah" ? Now those lyrics actually fit in with the storyline, but they are enunciated with jarring clarity that, rather than advancing the story, they simply offend. I am not a religious prude and my religious beliefs are open-minded enough to accept lyrics like that, if they have a place. But this message could have been conveyed more subtly. "The Savage Union" and "The Life And Times Of A Bonus Track" also contain profanities, which Edguy has almost never done before. You can be sure that I will not be passing this music on to my teenage kids.

It's just about worth Amazon's asking price of $4.99. Recommended for completists.


Tracklisting:
New Age Messiah / The Savage Union / Holy Water / Life And Times Of A Bonus Track /

Musicians:
Tobias Sammet ? vocals
Jens Ludwig ? guitars
Tobias Exxel ? bass
Felix Bohnke ? drums

Discography:
Savage Poetry (1995/2000)
Kingdom Of Madness (1997)
Vain Glory Opera (1998)
Theater of Salvation (1999)
Mandrake (2001)
Burning Down The Opera - Live (2003)
King Of Fools (ep) (2004)
Hellfire Club (2004)
Hall Of Flames (2004)
Superheroes (ep) (2005)
Rocket Ride (2006)

Superheroes - Heroic DVD (2005)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin DE

Added: February 23rd 2004
Reviewer: Duncan N Glenday
Score:
Artist website: www.edguy.net
Hits: 2684
Language: english

  

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