The much anticipated new
Edguy album Hellfire Club has finally made its way to the record stores. Are there reasons for hurrying down there you might ask, there surely is would be my short but sufficient reply. The music on this disc is delivered with great professionalism; it is easily heard that these guys know their workmanship very well.
The 6th
Edguy opus offers plenty of catchy and well-put together Power Metal songs.
The opener
Mysteria is a varied and interesting song that has many cool twist and turns and a right in your face attitude aswell.
With the
The Piper Never Dies leading songwriter Tobias Sammet has engaged in a difficult task, another of those 10-minute epics. Overall the result is quite fantastic, the huge driving chorus adds a lot of drama and I like its slow grooving fashion, a bit stretched out at the end though.
We Don't Need A Hero is a real melodic smasher, just listen to Tobias sing the last part of the chorus, high pitched and sounding brilliant.
The amazing vivid drumming and quite complex guitar solo is also top notch and this is clearly one of my favourites from the record.
Down To The Devil relies very much on its pretty good chorus, while talking about the choruses in general I must say that this is one of the finest way of doing them I have ever heard, totally bombastic and filled with a high amount of energy. This song also features some great bass passages and overall this mid-tempo track works without being over the top thrilling.
Up next is
King Of Fools and I guess the chance that I should had forgotten this "single/EP" track is about zero, the catchy chorus line sounds freaking awesome. The song follows a more power rock approach and the harmonious guitar solo is fitting in just fine. The minor distorted voice effect helps to emphasize the song's easygoing vibe but a normal approach would have done fine too.
Forever is Hellfire Club's first ballad and a good one also. The use of a real orchestra pays off and in combination with the soft acoustic guitar rhythm it sets a real atmospheric mood.
The tempo gets a serious kick in the ass with the aggressive
Under The Moon, once again a melodic refrain being the mainstay. The heavy rhythm guitar really bites on this one and well-played vigour sums up a lot of what this cut has to offer.
I have a weak spot for catchy, uplifting and energetic tunes; I guess that explains my positive attitude towards
Lavatory Love Machine. This is surely Hellfire Club's "humour" song and I can't help but loving it. The crazy, funny and quite cool lyric just goes extremely well with the laid back style of this rocking party animal, need I say the words catchy chorus once again, hmm well there it goes.
Rise Of The Morning Glory start out very harmoniously but it quickly gains speed. The wild guitar solo is a clear highlight together with the fast lead melody, another great song.
The short
Lucifer In Love links nicely to
Down To The Devil in both music and title. A piano/keyboard track with some cool and funny distorted moaning, the devil sounds like love has gotten the best of him :)
Navigator has a cool grooving profile; hard bass chords, a solid guitar rhythm and a chorus that could have been more dynamic are basic ingredients. An "only" good track.
The real orchestra arrangements blossom in
The Spirit Will Remain, the album's second ballad with a real bombastic flair. Tobias' strong and all embracing voice sounds fabulous and the symphonic edge makes me get associations to soundtrack parts from the great epic movie Braveheart, very grandiose.
Lyrically the album spans wide, containing themes from profound spirituality over complex mysticism to easy living attitude, a great overall quality.
A few words on the production: Overall the sound is crispy, transparent and still very deep and striking, a nice balance between the instruments is achieved.
With twelve songs and all of them being from good to genius this simply must be described as a very successful 6th release and also among
Edguy's best, future looking bright guys.
Written by
Tommy Monday, April 5, 2004
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