Edguy

Edguy

Edguy at Kavarna Rock Fest 2009.
Background information
Origin Fulda, Germany
Genres Power metal, hard rock, progressive metal
Years active 1992–present
Labels AFM, The End, Nuclear Blast
Website www.edguy.net
Members Tobias Sammet
Felix Bohnke
Jens Ludwig
Dirk Sauer
Tobias Exxel
Past members Dominik Storch

Edguy is a heavy metal band from Fulda, Germany that was formed in 1992.

Biography

Demos, AFM years (1992-2003)

Edguy was founded in 1992 by 14-year-old students Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dominik Storch and Dirk Sauer. The name "Edguy" was an affectionate epithet for their math teacher at the time. In 1994, the band released two demos, Evil Minded and Children of Steel. These tapes were sent to many record labels, all of whom rejected the band, believing they would be unsuccessful in the music business.[1] Undeterred, they self-released their ‘unofficial’ debut album, Savage Poetry, in 1995. They signed with AFM Records shortly after, who offered to re-release Savage Poetry with more widespread distribution. The band rejected this proposal in favour of recording a new album, Kingdom of Madness, which was released in 1997, but drummer Dominik Storch left the band shortly after. 1998 saw the release of their second album, Vain Glory Opera, with friend Frank Lindenthal filling in on drums. This album helped expose Edguy to a wider audience, thanks in part to guest appearances from Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius) and Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian).[2] The band was joined by new drummer Felix Bohnke and bassist Tobias ‘Eggi’ Exxel later that year, allowing Tobias Sammet to solely focus on vocals (he had previously played bass as well handling vocal duties).

In 1999, Theater of Salvation was released. That same year frontman Tobias Sammet conceived the idea for the Avantasia project, a metal opera featuring well known vocalists and musicians from the rock and metal scene. Whilst Tobias focused on Avantasia, the band took the opportunity to re-record Savage Poetry, to make it widely available to newer fans, as the original had become a much sought after rarity.[3][4]

Following The Savage Poetry re-recording was the band’s fifth album, Mandrake, in 2001. The album was accompanied by their first promo video, for the track “All the Clowns”, as well as the Painting on the Wall single. The Mandrake album also led to the band’s first headlining tour.[5] Three shows were recorded in Europe and were the basis for Edguy’s first live album, Burning Down the Opera – Live.[6] The band's contract with AFM had expired by this point, which led to them signing with Nuclear Blast Records in late 2003.[7]

Nuclear Blast years (2004-present)

Edguy’s first release for Nuclear Blast was the King of Fools EP in 2004. This preceded the Hellfire Club album, released shortly after.[8] The song "Lavatory Love Machine" was also released as a single. The band’s productivity continued into 2005 with the Superheroes EP and DVD, the latter featuring footage of the band live and in the studio, as well as a making of documentary for the video of the title track.[9] This was followed by the full-length album Rocket Ride in January 2006.[10]

Sammet spent much of 2007 relaunching the Avantasia project.[11] Edguy returned to the studio in 2008 and recorded Tinnitus Sanctus, with a video being shot for the track “Ministry of Saints” in Belgrade, Serbia.[12][13] After a contract renewal with Nuclear Blast in late 2008,[14] the band released their first live DVD, Fucking with Fire – Live, in 2009. This featured live footage of the band shot in São Paulo, Brazil, on their Rocket Ride world tour in 2006.[15] The band supported Scorpions on the German dates of their farewell tour in 2010.[16]

Edguy released their ninth studio album, Age of the Joker, in August 2011.[17] The band toured Europe and South America in support of the record, including dates with Slash[18] and Deep Purple,[19] as well as an appearance on the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise.[20] In a recent interview promoting the latest release from his Avantasia project, Sammet revealed that a new Edguy album will be worked on in the summer of 2013, with a release tentatively scheduled for mid-2014.[21]

On January 28, 2014 Edguy revealed that the album would be titled Space Police: Defenders of the Crown and released on April 18.[22]

Style

Edguy's lyrics are often metaphorical, alluding to metaphysical or social themes: conformity ("The Headless Game", "Mysteria", "King of Fools"), dictation by the church ("The Kingdom", "The Pride of Creation", "Theater of Salvation"), and dangers of modern civilization ("Navigator", "The Devil and the Savant"). To express such themes, Edguy sometimes use esoteric and hermetic expressions. Yet some of their songs are light-hearted or comedic ("Das Reh", "Save Us Now", "Lavatory Love Machine", "Life and Times of a Bonus Track", "Trinidad"). Edguy does not claim to represent any ideology; Tobias Sammet claimed "[the band is] not political and we are not religious; at least there is no key message in our songs telling you what to think in terms of anything". Edguy also employs lengthy and epic sections in almost every album.

Hellfire Club revealed Edguy's interest in experimenting within music by integrating an orchestra into the production. The album featured a variation on Edguy's style, with a less grandiose, more progressive metal approach being embraced. The band's album Rocket Ride features even less power metal elements, and is arguably more oriented towards hard rock. Their next album, Tinnitus Sanctus, contains even more hard rock oriented songs; a large reduction of double bass drumming is evident, in contrast to Edguy's older albums such as Vain Glory Opera where there is very fast double bass which is common in the Power Metal genre.

When asked if the term "happy heavy metal band" applies to the band, Tobias rejected it and added:[23]

“ We are a Heavy Metal band. We play angry, powerful, sometimes tongue-in-cheek Metal. We are flamboyant and we don't take ourselves too seriously, but that goes for Van Halen too, right? Are they Happy Rock? No, they have a sense of humor and kick ass! Just like we do... ”

Line-up

Current members

Former members

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Year Title Peak chart positions
AUT BEL
(Vl)		 FIN FRA GER[25] SWE SWI[26] ESP
1997 Kingdom of Madness - - - - - - - -
1998 Vain Glory Opera - - - - - - - -
1999 Theater of Salvation - - - - 66 50 - -
2000 The Savage Poetry - - - - 79 60 - -
2001 Mandrake - - - 47 19 32 - -
2004 Hellfire Club 68 - 22 54 26 6 81 -
2006 Rocket Ride 50 - 25 101 8 8 50 -
2008 Tinnitus Sanctus 50 - - 85 19 28 41 -
2011 Age of the Joker 30 - 15 98 3 10 13 44
2014 Space Police: Defenders of the Crown 27 190 12 72 2 28 13 154

Live albums

Singles

Demos

EPs

Year Title Peak chart positions[27]
AUT FIN FRA GER IT SWE SWI
2004 King of Fools 67 12 - 39 - 16 98
2005 Superheroes - - 96 25 48[28] 10 52

Compilation albums

Videos

DVDs

References

  1. ↑ Metal Revolution (24 October 2006). "Edguy Interview". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  2. ↑ Tartarean Desire (March 10, 2004). "Edguy Interview". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  3. ↑ Metal-Rules (2002). "AVANTASIA Interview With Tobias Sammet". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  4. ↑ Metal Reviews. "Edguy Interview". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  5. ↑ Metal-Rules (February 4, 2002). "EDGUY Interview With Jens Ludwig". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  6. ↑ Blabbermouth (March 17, 2003). "EDGUY Guitarist Talks About Upcoming Live Album". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  7. ↑ Blabbermouth (October 7, 2003). "EDGUY Signs With Nuclear Blast Records". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  8. ↑ Rock United (2004). "Edguy Interview 2004". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  9. ↑ Blabbermouth (June 4, 2005). "EDGUY: 'Superheroes' CD And DVD Detailed". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  10. ↑ Blabbermouth (October 11, 2005). "EDGUY Singer Talks About Upcoming Album 'Rocket Ride'". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  11. ↑ Blabbermouth (December 8, 2006). "EDGUY Frontman Working On New Avantasia Album". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  12. ↑ Bravewords (June 27, 2008). "EDGUY To Release Tinnitus Sanctus In November". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  13. ↑ Blabbermouth (September 24, 2008). "EDGUY Films 'Ministry Of Saints' Video". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  14. ↑ Bravewordsl (September 14, 2008). "EDGUY Extend Nuclear Blast Contract; Brazilian Live DVD Part Of Deal". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  15. ↑ Live Metal (April 14, 2009). "Edguy: 'Holy ear damage'". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  16. ↑ Gemmus (February 5, 2010). "Edguy to support Scorpions in Germany". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  17. ↑ Hard Rock Hideout (May 11, 2011). "EDGUY Announce New Album, "Age Of The Joker"". Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  18. ↑ Metal Underground (July 4, 2012). "Edguy Announces South American Tour Dates With Slash". Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  19. ↑ Nuclear Blast (January 23, 2012). "EDGUY - Special Guest of DEEP PURPLE!". Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  20. ↑ Metal-Rules (January 12, 2012). "EDGUY and SAPIENCY confirmed for 70000 TONS OF METAL". Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  21. ↑ Power Metal.de (February 13, 2013). "AVANTASIA: Interview mit Tobias Sammet". Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  22. ↑ "New Edguy Album "Space Police" Out on April 18th". Facebook. January 28, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Interview: Tobias Sammet from Edguy". New-Transcendence. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  24. ↑ "Metal Storm". Metalstorm.ee. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
  25. ↑ "Suchergebnisse in den deutschen Charts". Charts.de (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  26. ↑ "Discographie Edguy". Hitparade.ch (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  27. ↑ GER ep peak chart positions AUT FIN FRA SWI SWE ep peak chart positions
  28. ↑ "Superheroes EP Italian peak chart position". Acharts.us. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
  29. ↑ "Edguy". AllMusic. 2000-08-24. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
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