Edguy
King Of Fools E.P.

March 2004
Released: 2004, Nuclear Blast
Rating: 5.0/5
Reviewer: Lord of the Wasteland

Edguy fans have been offered much to dip into their wallets for this past year. The double live BURNING DOWN THE OPERA came out last summer, the new full-length, HELLFIRE CLUB, is out mid-March and in between the two is this nifty little E.P., KING OF FOOLS. The band has given its fans a teaser with the title track, but has opted for four other songs that will not be released on HELLFIRE CLUB. In my eyes, this E.P. is truly for the fans and not a cash grab by releasing the same songs that will be available soon anyway. Another nice thing is that there are no ballads on this CD. All the songs are strong power metal and that is why I like Edguy.



“King of Fools” is catchy as hell with its slinky keyboards and of course Sammett’s superb vocals. The twin guitar attack from Jens Ludwig and Dirk Sauer rip through the track. “New Age Messiah” utilizes the Film-Orchestra Babelsberg during the intro and it does indeed sound like a film score before the rest of the band kicks in with that familiar Edguy power gallop. The song features a tongue-in-cheek lyric about a self-absorbed fallen star whose scandal rocked the entertainment world:



“One night they witnessed

How he lit his backdoor winds

Fire turned the night into day…

Pardon fucking me, who the fucking fuck is Jesus

I’m the motherfucking new messiah

For the fucking world”



“The Savage Union” has a stellar solo and once again, the band has crafted a catchy, but still rocking song. Next to the title track, “Holy Water” is the best of the bunch. Sammett’s vocals are top-notch, wavering between the highs and lows flawlessly. The Orchestra is once again used as a backing for the track and they meld with the guitars, drums and bass perfectly. Like Sammett’s Avantasia project, at no point does the classical portion sound forced. “Life And Times Of A Bonus Track” is a hilarious song that is simply Tobias and his piano. The lyrics to this song are a hoot! The song is told in the first person with the bonus track telling its life story and how it came to be. “I’m a bonus track on my way to Japan/…burn me on CD, all illegally/Chinese bootlegs, Russian piracy/Cutthroat Germans they all copy me/…to me it’s all the same/As long as I get all the fame/And the girls know my name…I’m a bonus traaaaaaaaaaack…” GREAT STUFF!



Truth be told, there is not a bad song on this CD. “Life And Times Of A Bonus Track” is a light-hearted goof, but the other 4 tracks are killer tracks that will stand up against any of the band’s other material. These songs are by no means leftovers or sub-par material. If they are, I can’t wait to hear HELLFIRE CLUB!



KILLER KUTS: All!!!!