EDGUY: (2000) Theater of Salvation

Like melodic metal but think some of the stuff might be a little too cheesy for your tastes? Looking for a band that sounds like Iron Maiden without being a rip-off? Edguy probably fits the bill - fast, bombastic metal with melody (no screaming either) and great musicianship but they don't quite stray into the over-the-top territory that make some bands uncomfortable for the average listener. So if you're not a Mighty Warrior of Steel Fighting For Metal Glory, but like metal, check this band out. (If you are the aforementioned type, you probably already like this band!) My one gripe with Edguy, (and by association, Avantasia) is that they tend to overexaggerate the transitions - there are a number of places where they hold chords for easily twice as long as good tastes mandates and as a result, a musical idea that would have been great as a subtlety is crammed down the listener's throat. That's it - my only gripe. And it's not all over the album, it's just in a few spots.
On the positive side, Tobias Sammet is an AMAZING singer. I can't stress this enough. He rules behind the microphone. Seriously. His vibrato is to die for. And, if the writings in the booklets are any indication, he is a great guy to meet in person. The guitar solos stay more in the hummable-melody area than the show-off shred stuff, although there is plenty of exciting leadwork to be found here. Very symphonic, and the last track is epic. Lyrically this, like most Edguy material, is a questioning of religious conventions and the issue remains mostly unresolved at the end, despite the title track's "positive" sounding final section. And for those who complain that power metal bands take themselves too seriously, let the last track play on after the song ends for a taste of Tobias's goofy sense of humor! Bottom line, this is great German metal and truly deserves to be compared to the old-time greats. Great music, no ego, great fun, no pretention.... Aiylyn

pass = hmbreed
download link = http://lix.in/888848
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