Sea Of Tranquility



The Web Source for Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal & Jazz-Fusion
  Search   in       
Main Menu




Edguy: Tinnitus Sanctus

When I first heard Edguy many years ago I was hooked, and they soon became one of my favorite bands, not to mention a great fun live act. My favorite Edguy album, Theater of Salvation was their third album released in 1999, following on from the very impressive Vain Glory Opera. TOS had all the essentials of a great epic power metal album, including the huge soaring choruses, the band really pushing themselves on this one, and later albums like Rocket Ride are quite different, the emphasis is more on delivering catchy melodic rockers. I suppose their current style is more likely to increases their popularity, though personally I do prefer the earlier material, it's what made Edguy special for me, but I still enjoy their later albums, especially Hellfire Club.

To their latest then we have Tinnitus Sanctus, which is another very catchy CD. Here we have Edguy continuing on a similar melodic metal/hard rock path. The limited edition two CD version is the one to get, there is a bonus track on disc one titled "Aren't You a Little Pervert Too?" with lyrics like "I know honey that you want it too, Let me spill my lover all over you" it's not your normal song. Disc two has ten live tracks captured in Los Angeles, including earlier tracks "Vain Glory Opera", "Babylon" and "Avantasia" there is also "King Of Fools" and the more recent "Sacrifice".

Tinnitus Sanctus kicks of with "Ministry Of Saints" a heavy catchy rocker and fitting starter. "Sex Fire Religion" is a slower groover, "The Pride Of Creation" a mixed tempo track with a fun chorus, "Nine Lives" is next another mid paced with a great chorus. "Wake Up Dreaming Black" a fun track and one of the few with double kick from drummer Felix Bohnke, "Dragonfly" is a slower cool rocker, "Thorn Without a Rose" slower track with a memorable chorus, the rocker "9-2-9" is next. "Speedhoven" is the longest track clocking in at over seven minutes, a cool song and I love the start of this one, while the final track is "Dead Or Rock" and it's rocking hard.

Tobias Sammet's vocals are great as usual throughout the album, and on the whole Tinnitus Sanctus is another solid effort from Edguy, as good as Rocket Ride but Hellfire Club tops them both.


Track list:
CD1
1. Ministry of Saints
2. Sex Fire Religion
3. The Pride of Creation
4. Nine Lives
5. Wake Up Dreaming Black
6. Dragonfly
7. Thorn Without a Rose
8. 9-2-9
9. Speedhoven
10. Dead or Rock
11. Aren't You a Little Pervert Too?
CD2
1. Catch of the Century
2. Sacrifice
3. Babylon
4. Lavatory Love Machine
5. Tears of a Mandrake
6. Vain Glory Opera
7. Superheroes
8. Fucking With Fire (Hair Force One)
9. Avantasia
10. King of Fools

Added: January 26th 2009
Reviewer: Scott Jessup
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 4011
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend Send to a Friend ]

  

[ Back to the Reviews Index | Post Comment ]

» SoT Staff Roundtable Reviews:

Edguy: Tinnitus Sanctus
Posted by Ken Pierce, SoT Staff Writer on 2009-01-26 15:06:16
My Score:

Now that singer/composer Tobias Sammet has released his latest epic Metal masterpiece with Avantasia, the killer album from 2008 entitled "Scarecrow", the time has come for him to once again have the kind of fun that he always seems to have with his main band EdGuy. It seems as though while a couple of years have passed since we last saw a release from these dudes with "Rocket Ride" and not too long before that "Hellfire Club", that there is a relative consistency in their ability to release high quality Melodic Hard Rock or Power Metal (depending on how you see them the most). Clearly we will not wait for sixteen years between EdGuy releases and in my mind that is a welcome thing. Listening to "Tinnitus Sanctus", a great play with Latin phrasing about that ringing in the ear one gets after sitting in front of their speakers for too long listening to the Metal, the band has picked up where they left off and not lost an ounce of creative steam since the last go round. My first exposure to EdGuy was with "Vain, Glory, Opera" and I admit that I was quite hooked from the moment that I first heard what they delivered to the Metal head of the time. Their music is always catchy and sounds not only fun to the listeners ears, but also in its composition and one can imagine the guys having a blast playing this for a room full of energetic fans. Having seen them a number of times since that first listen I can honestly say that there are few performers who look like they are having a better time than their audience is. "Tinnitus Sanctus" is loaded with that type of Metal energy that the band excels at and while the opening track "Ministry Of Saints" is a standard tempo groove, it seems to be setting you up for the rest of the adventures inside the CD. The tune reminded me just a little too much of "Sacrifice" but that was more based on the way the chorus flowed than the entire tune. I liked "Sex, Fire, Religion" as that had some crunch to it and had some tasty heaviness in the riffing from Dirk and Jens that I enjoyed. My first favorite on the new release came with "The Pride Of Creation" because the boys just cut it loose here and let Felix Bohnke drive the tune with knockout double bass drumming before the big EdGuy sing along chorus came in.

Tobias sounds in great form across the album and I am sure that those who have enjoyed the group over the past few years or since their inception will find little to be disappointed about. It's fun stuff for the most part and while the songs are not loaded with the bands signature humor there is a playfulness that comes across in the tunes that makes it very easily accessible. They are the perfect band to get friends who are hesitant about Metal groups to listen to. I loved "Wake Up Dreaming Black" and "Dragonfly" quite a bit and felt they delivered on the levels that they were intended to. In addition to the playfulness that I just mentioned there is a very "live" feel to the music or a "big" sound that makes the listener just want to raise the horns into the air or go get another beer with their friends if they are the proper age to allow for such a practice. The lead and rhythm guitar work of Dirk Sauer and Jens Ludwig is as good as ever and together they trade wonderful riffs over the pumping rhythm section maintained by Eggi and Felix.

A slight ballad comes via "Thorn Without a Rose" and while I am skipping around here just a little it seems that the heaviest number on the album is "Speedhoven" (so maybe I should add that one to my list of favorites since that's the kind of EdGuy I prefer). One version of the release actually comes with a live concert CD which I did not have a copy of in my edition, so I was rather bummed since it captured their performance from 2008 when they toured with Kamelot. Having attended my areas show this would have been a nice way to remember some more of the gig. I am told there are about nine numbers on this concert CD version so if you can find it make sure that this is the one you select. There is a bonus track to close it all up and if you know Tobias' really offbeat sense of humor then you will be laughing your rear end off as he delivers a pseudo-Country Western number for all. Of course after hearing it there might be some people who had wished that the band went on a sixteen year hiatus between albums, but you cannot please everyone and I totally thought this was a hoot. Lyrics and photos are allover the booklet that the CD comes with so that will please the fans who love to read along with the music playing in the background. Another great job by one of the most fun bands out there doing their thing for Metal – isn't it nice to realize that there are groups who remember that playing music is fun? I know I like that, don't you?



» Reader Comments:

Edguy: Tinnitus Sanctus
Posted by Carlos Canales Vega on 2008-12-28 10:36:36
My Score:

I'm with Pete Pardo on this one.But I would go as far as to say that this CD is one of the worst I ever heard.And Avantasia doesn't fare much better nowadays, in my opinion.
Tobias is singing with a total loss of control and restraint, the band is going through the motions and the material is real crap.
Avoid at all costs.






© 2004 Sea Of Tranquility
For information regarding where to send CD promos and advertising, please see our FAQ page.
If you have questions or comments, please Contact Us.
Please see our Policies Page for Site Usage, Privacy, and Copyright Policies.

All logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owner. The comments are property of their posters, all other content © Sea of Tranquility

SoT is Hosted by SpeedSoft.com