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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
│ │
│ + Edguy - Age Of The Joker + │
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│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Aug-27-2011 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2011 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......The_Patriarch Songs........cd1: 11 cd2: 6 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.edguy.net ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Edguy Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Age Of The Joker Label : Nuclear Blast ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Dear Tobias Sammet, ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I would like to introduce myself as a long time ║ │
│║ fan of your main band Edguy and also someone ║ │
│║ that has always been very interested about your ║ │
│║ amazing Avantasia project. For me, you have ║ │
│║ always been the mastermind of European power ║ │
│║ metal over the last years. Your albums are ║ │
│║ filled with emotions, creativity and courage. ║ │
│║ Let me tell you that my favourite Edguy record ║ │
│║ was Hellfire Club back in the time. It was a ║ │
│║ very important record to me. This record got me ║ │
│║ into power metal music when I was maybe sixteen ║ │
│║ years old. This album helped me when I had ║ │
│║ troubles with my first relationships and I have ║ │
│║ beautiful memories attached to this record. When ║ │
│║ many traditional metal fans later complained ║ │
│║ about Rocket Ride, I defended it because I liked ║ │
│║ the powerful experiments especially when they ║ │
│║ sounded a little bit like the rock and pop music ║ │
│║ of the eighties. I like tracks like the ║ │
│║ experimental ôWasted Timeö, the funny ║ │
│║ ôSuperheroesö or the hard rock anthem ôFucking ║ │
│║ With Fireö. My favourite song of your band might ║ │
│║ be on this record which is the epic ôSacrificeö ║ │
│║ that Savatage could not have made better. LetÆs ║ │
│║ say that Tinnitus Sanctus didnÆt feel as great ║ │
│║ to me but I still liked it and it grew on me. ║ │
│║ IÆm myself a big fan of the bans you always ║ │
│║ cite. I adore Queen, Savatage, Scorpions, ║ │
│║ Whitesnake or Alice Cooper. I also listened to a ║ │
│║ lot of pop music in from the eighties in my ║ │
│║ youth such as Kim Wilde, Fine Young Cannibals or ║ │
│║ Billy Idol even though I preferred the seventies ║ │
│║ with The Sweet, T.Rex or Wizzard. As you can ║ │
│║ see, IÆm not a stranger to this kind of music. ║ │
│║ What I wanted to say about your Avantasia ║ │
│║ project is that I liked your first two power ║ │
│║ metal outputs but also your new beginning with ║ │
│║ The Scarecrow. Many metal fans criticized it but ║ │
│║ IÆm always open to new age experiments such as ║ │
│║ ôWhat Kind Of Loveö, dreamy rock music like ║ │
│║ ôLost In Spaceö and even more commercial stuff ║ │
│║ like ôCarry Me Overö. I like being a little bit ║ │
│║ romantic from time to time. I mostly listen to ║ │
│║ metal music and here even to bands from the ║ │
│║ thrash, gothic or death metal genre but ║ │
│║ sometimes I feel like listening to Progressive ║ │
│║ Rock, New Age, Darkwave or a good dose of good ║ │
│║ old rock and roll. Let me point out though that ║ │
│║ your last two Avantasia records ôThe Wicked ║ │
│║ Symphonyö and ôAngel Of Babylonö sounded more ║ │
│║ like a soulless compilation because you ║ │
│║ assimilated, probably in a unconscious way, your ║ │
│║ music to your heroes and idols. Your song with ║ │
│║ Klaus Meine sounds like a Scorpions b-side. Your ║ │
│║ performance with Bob Catley sounds like a Magnum ║ │
│║ copy and so on. These guest musicians and great ║ │
│║ artists should though come out to add something ║ │
│║ to your music and integrate themselves instead ║ │
│║ of modifying it. Your two albums have some great ║ │
│║ moments but they sound like incoherent ║ │
│║ assimilation compilations. I understand anyone ║ │
│║ who says that he would buy a Scorpions or Magnum ║ │
│║ record instead of buying your two discs. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I explain you all of this for three main ║ │
│║ reasons. First of all, I think that we both have ║ │
│║ an open mind for different kinds of music in ║ │
│║ common. There is way much more to discover than ║ │
│║ metal music. Second, I donÆt want that you think ║ │
│║ that I am another one of those metal maniacs ║ │
│║ that rate your album down because itÆs not ║ │
│║ ômetalö enough on one side and too ôhumorousö on ║ │
│║ the other. I am not closed minded. The last ║ │
│║ reason is that I have every Edguy and Avantasia ║ │
│║ record in my collection and think that I think ║ │
│║ to have a good idea of what your music is all ║ │
│║ about. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Now let me explain you why your new record Age ║ │
│║ Of The Joker was a true disappointment to me. ║ │
│║ Let me point out that at this point I am not ║ │
│║ even sure to purchase your new record. I will ║ │
│║ probably do it to have a look on the bonus disc ║ │
│║ and to complete my collection because I have ║ │
│║ always been faithful to your music and Edguy ║ │
│║ will remain one of the greatest bands for me. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ When I first listened to your new album, I was ║ │
│║ still sitting in front of my computer, ║ │
│║ speechless. I always defended your band in front ║ │
│║ of everybody, always liked your experiments and ║ │
│║ admired you for your courage. This new record ║ │
│║ was a real shock to me, though. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The problem is that you repeat yourself on this ║ │
│║ record and sound like your favourite bands from ║ │
│║ the eighties. I have the impression that this ║ │
│║ record was created by a sixty year old used rock ║ │
│║ star that lives in the past and not a young ║ │
│║ dynamical German metal mastermind. I mean, I ║ │
│║ donÆt care if you would decide that metal music ║ │
│║ isnÆt your thing anymore and do creative rock ║ │
│║ and pop music at all. But you donÆt sound ║ │
│║ original in here at all. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I mean humour is a great thing. I laughed about ║ │
│║ Edguy tracks like ôSave Us Nowö, ôNew Age ║ │
│║ Messiahö, ôLife And Times Of A Bonus Trackö, ║ │
│║ ôLavatory Love Machineö, ôLucifer In Loveö, ║ │
│║ ôRise Of The Morning Gloryö, ôJudas At The ║ │
│║ Operaö, ôSuperheroesö, ôFucking With Fireö or ║ │
│║ ôArenÆt You A Little Pervert, Too?ö. But this ║ │
│║ sexual humour is now used and abused and ║ │
│║ repeating the same jokes over and over again ║ │
│║ just gets boring. I mean whatÆs your goal with ║ │
│║ writing a track like ôTwo Out Of Sevenö? You ║ │
│║ sound like an angry fourteen year old teenager ║ │
│║ that has been left by is girlfriend and needs to ║ │
│║ have a great masturbation. Musically you sound ║ │
│║ like a mixture of Belinda Carlisle and Corynne ║ │
│║ Charby but they were both more talented and more ║ │
│║ beautiful than you are, haha. Now seriously, ║ │
│║ thatÆs not innovating or courageous, thatÆs just ║ │
│║ crap. And then, your artwork. I mean, I loved ║ │
│║ how the metal community got mad about your ║ │
│║ Superheroes and Rocket Ride covers and I adored ║ │
│║ the artwork of Tinnitus Sanctus, too. I even ║ │
│║ liked your foto shooting sessions with the naked ║ │
│║ girl for the German Rock Hard magazine. But ║ │
│║ after three or four jokes of that kind, was a ║ │
│║ fifth one really necessary for you? This isn't ║ │
│║ original anymore, it's rather childish and even ║ │
│║ embarassing right now and that doesn't mean that ║ │
│║ I don't have a good sense of humour. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I must also admit that most of your new record ║ │
│║ sounds like a collection of Avantasia tracks ║ │
│║ that didnÆt make on the last albums. Have you ║ │
│║ lost your capacity to distinguish the tracks you ║ │
│║ write for Edguy from the tracks you write for ║ │
│║ your project? CanÆt Jens Ludwig or anybody else ║ │
│║ support you and write a couple of tracks? I mean ║ │
│║ your project is great, diversified and an ║ │
│║ amazing experience but the chapter is closed for ║ │
│║ the moment and Edguy remains your main band ║ │
│║ where you play grounded music with your ║ │
│║ childhood friends and not some old rock stars. ║ │
│║ After all, Edguy remains your main band and ║ │
│║ without this band and its reputation you would ║ │
│║ have never been able to realize your five ║ │
│║ Avantasia records. In tracks like the commercial ║ │
│║ keyboard overdose ôBreatheö it always feels as ║ │
│║ if Jorn Lande would catch up and sing the chorus ║ │
│║ and I always wait for the background vocals by ║ │
│║ Amanda Somerville and Cloudy Yang but they donÆt ║ │
│║ kick in. This song is not suitable for Edguy but ║ │
│║ would have been accurate Avantasia songs. I ║ │
│║ mean, maybe you lacked focus and need a break ║ │
│║ and I donÆt mean that in a bad way. You are ║ │
│║ still so young and have so much time in front of ║ │
│║ you. Why donÆt you take a time out after so many ║ │
│║ records, change your mind, get closer to your ║ │
│║ band mates, take some vacation and come back ║ │
│║ with a big bang and three or four years? I donÆt ║ │
│║ mind waiting and I surely wonÆt forget about ║ │
│║ Edguy but I feel you need a break to focus on ║ │
│║ what is good for the band and what is not. Right ║ │
│║ now, your band feels and sounds undeniably like ║ │
│║ Avantasia II, another solo project from you and ║ │
│║ not a band. ThatÆs not healthy at all. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Another thing is that you warm up old coffee on ║ │
│║ this record. There is not much originality in ║ │
│║ here. You need examples? LetÆs take ôFire On The ║ │
│║ Downhillö. Open your mobile displays, here comes ║ │
│║ a Scorpions b-side ballad. Come on, Tobias, when ║ │
│║ I need to listen to this, I will go for a ║ │
│║ Scorpions album. This sounds like if it was ║ │
│║ written twenty years ago by Klaus Meine, this ║ │
│║ definitely doesnÆt sound like you. WhatÆs ôEvery ║ │
│║ Night Without Youö? ôSave Meö with less guts? ║ │
│║ This sounds softer than Bon Jovi and could have ║ │
│║ come from Martin Kesici with the exception that ║ │
│║ his voice is technically more skilled than ║ │
│║ yours. I mean, you have written amazing ballads ║ │
│║ such as ôLand Of The Miracleö, ôHoly Waterö and ║ │
│║ ôForeverö and so on. Those songs were magic and ║ │
│║ insightful, this sounds like a power ballad for ║ │
│║ American soft rock radios in the late eighties. ║ │
│║ This song wouldnÆt even make it on the new ║ │
│║ ôKuschelrockö collection because itÆs too soft, ║ │
│║ haha. I mean overall seen, the choruses on your ║ │
│║ new record sound always too soft and commercial. ║ │
│║ ôRobin Hoodö could have been an interesting song ║ │
│║ but sounds like a really overlong mixture of ║ │
│║ ôSpeedhovenö meets ôPromised Landö plus some ║ │
│║ Deep Purple organs with a terrible chorus. ║ │
│║ ôNobodyÆs Heroö could have been a great vivid ║ │
│║ up-tempo track but the chorus is so cheesy that ║ │
│║ it kills any atmosphere on here. ôFaces In The ║ │
│║ Darknessö has the same problem. Why is the word ║ │
│║ darkness even in your title, there isnÆt just ║ │
│║ any dark atmosphere in this song at all. The ║ │
│║ worst example is though ôBehind The Gates To ║ │
│║ Midnight Worldö that starts so atmospheric, so ║ │
│║ intense, so promising but your kitsch chorus ║ │
│║ leads the level of this track down to a mixture ║ │
│║ of a lullaby and pop song while the middle part ║ │
│║ sounds like a bad Savatage cover band or ôJudas ║ │
│║ At The Operaö without the magic vocals of ║ │
│║ Michael Kiske. Has this song written by the same ║ │
│║ guys that made ôThe Piper Never Diesö, ║ │
│║ ôMandrakeö or ôThe Kingdomö? Now, donÆt tell me ║ │
│║ that you wanted to try out something new, this ║ │
│║ just sounds like a bad copy of the eighties once ║ │
│║ again. Stop living in the past and beam yourself ║ │
│║ back to the year 2011, Tobias Sammet. You know ║ │
│║ what, I adore Deep Purple, King Crimson and Led ║ │
│║ Zeppelin but there time has gone and there is ║ │
│║ still some amazing and inspiring new music to ║ │
│║ find in the year 2011. Listen to the last ║ │
│║ records of your label partners Therion or ║ │
│║ Amorphis for example and how they integrated ║ │
│║ traditional sounds into a modern and innovating ║ │
│║ concept. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ As you can see by deduction, there are only ║ │
│║ three tracks I find okay on your album. ôRock Of ║ │
│║ Cashelö has a brilliant and joyful folk passage. ║ │
│║ ThatÆs a great idea, continue like that. ║ │
│║ ôPandoraÆs Boxö has a great relaxed country ║ │
│║ influence that has nothing to do with the topic ║ │
│║ and seems weird at first contact but itÆs one of ║ │
│║ your shining moments on this album. ôThe Arcane ║ │
│║ Guildö integrates the organ sounds in a ║ │
│║ sensitive way and this time they just donÆt take ║ │
│║ the air for the guitars but harmonize with them. ║ │
│║ There you have three good moments plus the ║ │
│║ atmospheric parts of ôBehnd The Gates To ║ │
│║ Midnight Worldö. The rest, well, I overall ║ │
│║ really disliked it. I listened to this album ║ │
│║ several times and believe me that with each new ║ │
│║ try, the songs sounded even less inspiring, ║ │
│║ original and gripping. If I would write this ║ │
│║ same review and letter in a couple of weeks, my ║ │
│║ final verdict would even be lower. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I mean, I really donÆt like to bash your album. ║ │
│║ I know how difficult is to be criticized for ║ │
│║ what one does but I donÆt feel the same focus, ║ │
│║ originality and conviction in your new record ║ │
│║ and maybe you need the objective point of view ║ │
│║ of someone that is a true long time band of your ║ │
│║ music. I mean, even the production of this ║ │
│║ record lacks balls and is somewhat synthetic and ║ │
│║ usually your records have the best productions ║ │
│║ of the genre and thatÆs why The Scarecrow even ║ │
│║ got a price for this. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I really give you the advice to take a little ║ │
│║ break and come back in strength. Even if is only ║ │
│║ in eight years and your new record sounds like ║ │
│║ the last one from Morbid Angel. That would be ║ │
│║ okay for me, really. The eighties were great but ║ │
│║ we have been there. Your humorous tracks are ║ │
│║ amazing but we have had plenty of them. Edguy ║ │
│║ and Avantasia ballads are usually original but ║ │
│║ the new ones are not. Your epic tracks usually ║ │
│║ feel like little symphonies but the new ones ║ │
│║ just donÆt. Everything you could have done badly ║ │
│║ is gone bad. I tell this because I like your ║ │
│║ music, your humour and the way you seem to be ║ │
│║ even though we havenÆt personally met. I wish ║ │
│║ you and your sympathetic band mates read this ║ │
│║ and consider my sincere thoughts with attention. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ No matter what happens, I hope to finally see ║ │
│║ you guys on the road for a great concert. I have ║ │
│║ no doubt that you still kick as live. IÆm living ║ │
│║ in Quebec but I often happen to be in Germany ║ │
│║ because of my origins and as my whole family and ║ │
│║ a lot of good friends stay in Leverkusen, so ║ │
│║ there are plenty of possibilities to watch you ║ │
│║ and maybe your new songs will be more emotive ║ │
│║ and authentic on stage, God knows. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ - cd1 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Robin Hood [08:24] │
│ 02 - Nobody's Hero [04:32] │
│ 03 - Rock of Cashel [06:18] │
│ 04 - Pandora's Box [06:46] │
│ 05 - Breathe [05:03] │
│ 06 - Two Out of Seven [04:28] │
│ 07 - Faces in the Darkness [05:22] │
│ 08 - The Arcane Guild [04:59] │
│ 09 - Fire on the Downline [05:47] │
│ 10 - Behind the Gates to Midnight World [08:57] │
│ 11 - Every Night Without You [04:52] │
│ - [ ] │
│ - cd2 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - God Fallen Silent [05:04] │
│ 02 - Aleister Crowley Memorial Boogie [04:35] │
│ 03 - Cum on Feel the Noise [03:54] │
│ 04 - Standing in the Rain (2005) [04:03] │
│ 05 - Robin Hood (Single Ver.) [04:55] │
│ 06 - Two Out of Seven (Single Ver.) [03:40] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [91:39 minn │
│ │
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│ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘