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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Edguy - Vain Glory Opera (Jap. Ed.) + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Mar-02-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........1998 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........12 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.edguy.net ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Edguy Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Vain Glory Opera (Jap. Ed.) Label : Victor ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Anyone who has ever had the good fortune to see ║ │
│║ Edguy live (and liked it) can imagine the chill ║ │
│║ running down your spine when a certain intro ║ │
│║ comes blasting through the speakers. The ║ │
│║ triumphant trumpets heralding the arrival of a ║ │
│║ song you have been waiting for all evening ║ │
│║ (hint: itÆs not ôTrinidadö). A choir of oohs ║ │
│║ emerges from the crowd and takes up the ║ │
│║ irresistible melody while slowly forming the ║ │
│║ words: ôWe live to fight the hand of doom. We ║ │
│║ got the pride to strike a fool. Vain glory be my ║ │
│║ wicked guide.ö Guitars, drums and metal kick in, ║ │
│║ the opera begins. That song, sopranos and ║ │
│║ tenors, comes off this very album, this very ║ │
│║ wicked album called Vain Glory Opera. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Kingdom Of Madness was the last Edguy-album ║ │
│║ before their ascendance into power metal heaven. ║ │
│║ Building on a very solid basis of cheerful and ║ │
│║ meaningful power metal this is their ║ │
│║ breakthrough rise among the ranks of their genre ║ │
│║ peers. ItÆs no coincidence they had some ║ │
│║ assistance from said colleagues with ║ │
│║ StratovariusÆ Timo Tolkki on production duties ║ │
│║ and guest guitar and Blind GuardianÆs Hansi ║ │
│║ Kⁿrsch lending his pipes to the likes of ôOut Of ║ │
│║ Controlö and the title track. What better ║ │
│║ embrace into the hall of glory can one wish for, ║ │
│║ I wonder? Speaking of guests, at this point ║ │
│║ drummer Dominic Storch had left the band and ║ │
│║ replacement Felix Bohnke missed the recording ║ │
│║ sessions (or the bus to them, IÆm not sure) so ║ │
│║ the percussion on this album is courtesy of ║ │
│║ stand-in Frank Lindenthal, a friend of the band. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The songwriting on Vain Glory Opera is not a ║ │
│║ long way removed from their first two outings, ║ │
│║ but for the first time everything is tight and ║ │
│║ focused. Each song is to the point, the ballads ║ │
│║ are endearing and there is no misjudged overlong ║ │
│║ epic. On top of that the songs seem to be ║ │
│║ connected and the album feels more as a whole ║ │
│║ not in the least because of the unified lyrical ║ │
│║ content (see below). What problems were present ║ │
│║ on Kingdom Of Madness have not fully disappeared ║ │
│║ though. The drums are still a little too loud ║ │
│║ and Tobias isnÆt always as stable, but the sheer ║ │
│║ quality of the material makes those qualms seem ║ │
│║ immaterial. Additional keyboards (by Sammet) and ║ │
│║ vocal harmonies also play a part in doing the ║ │
│║ music justice. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Pompousness abound in the ôOvertureö whose ║ │
│║ upbeat orchestral hits segue nicely into the ║ │
│║ melodic fury of ôUntil We Rise Againö. For a ║ │
│║ similar combo see Gamma RayÆs ║ │
│║ ôInductionö/öDethrone Tyrannyö from No World ║ │
│║ Order. Both are very effective ways to open a ║ │
│║ rampaging power metal romp. ôUntil We Rise ║ │
│║ Againö is a peculiar Edguy-song. It may be the ║ │
│║ fastest one theyÆve ever written and the chorus ║ │
│║ has an unusual feel and structure yet itÆs as ║ │
│║ addictive as watching cats trying to wash that ║ │
│║ one spot they canÆt reach. More traditionally ║ │
│║ mid-tempo is the heartwarmingly happy ôHow Many ║ │
│║ Milesö which boasts some impressive guitar and ║ │
│║ organ work. As a whole this is the most operatic ║ │
│║ Edguy-album and in that regard it is no wonder ║ │
│║ IÆm reminded often of the first two Avantasia- ║ │
│║ records. Maybe this specific opera is not up to ║ │
│║ par with those two classics yet, but ôHow Many ║ │
│║ Milesö is a strong move in that direction. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ First of two ballads is ôScarlet Roseö, ║ │
│║ combining atmospheric keys with sensitive ║ │
│║ acoustics into a successfully mellow breaking ║ │
│║ point. Strings continue to set the mood in ôOut ║ │
│║ Of Controlö until Timo TolkkiÆs tasteful lead ║ │
│║ guitar takes over with a delicate solo. Slow- ║ │
│║ burning verses and a calm pre-chorus pay off ║ │
│║ nicely with the strong chorus where Hansi Kⁿrsch ║ │
│║ adds his typically epic flavor to the ║ │
│║ proceedings. Of all the songs this one harkens ║ │
│║ back the most to the previous two albums and it ║ │
│║ fits the least into the lyrical concept. This ║ │
│║ might have been a leftover, us mortals will ║ │
│║ never know. Unless someone asks them of course. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ My opening paragraph already addressed the ║ │
│║ brilliance of the title track so letÆs move on ║ │
│║ to ôVain glory be my wicked guide!ö Sorry, one ║ │
│║ last twitch. More speediness coming up with ║ │
│║ ôFairytaleö, a bouncy tune worthy of Freedom ║ │
│║ Call. Not that it doesnÆt sound like Edguy, but ║ │
│║ they are mostly not that concerned with fairies ║ │
│║ and such matters. ôWalk On Fightingö slows down ║ │
│║ once again and it almost feels like a marching ║ │
│║ song which only amplifies the uplifting content. ║ │
│║ The second ballad ôTomorrowö brings the album to ║ │
│║ a full halt with a guitar-free, keyboard-driven ║ │
│║ and quite beautiful hymn. On occasion Edguy is ║ │
│║ known to rock out and ôNo More FoolinÆö is a ║ │
│║ fine example of them letting the guitars do the ║ │
│║ talking. Straightforward and catchy itÆs less ║ │
│║ substantial but equally worth hearing. The ║ │
│║ closing cover of UltravoxÆs ôHymnö is definitely ║ │
│║ a welcome addition. It goes well with the rest ║ │
│║ of the album and is a nice showcase for Tobias ║ │
│║ vocal chords. The Japanese bonus track ôBut Here ║ │
│║ I Amö is an agreeable Helloween-esque song with ║ │
│║ high-pitched voices randomly shouting things and ║ │
│║ Tobias sounding eerily like Michael Kiske at ║ │
│║ times. A nice tribute to the pumpkin kings. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The main theme on Vain Glory Opera seems to be ║ │
│║ the dichotomy between dream and reality. We ║ │
│║ aspire to become someone or gain something but ║ │
│║ in the end we either never achieve our goals or ║ │
│║ lose what we have won. Reality always catches up ║ │
│║ with dreams, and all we ever grasp is vain glory ║ │
│║ in the opera of life. It sounds depressing but ║ │
│║ recurring throughout the songs is a fighting ║ │
│║ spirit, an appeal for inner strength which would ║ │
│║ be the lead motif of successor ôTheater of ║ │
│║ Salvationö. It is my belief Tobias Sammet is ║ │
│║ partially influenced by the teachings of ║ │
│║ occultist Aleister Crowley (who gets a mention ║ │
│║ in ôOut Of Controlö and also returns in other ║ │
│║ forms on other albums) about individualism and ║ │
│║ finding the truth within yourself. Not to paint ║ │
│║ Edguy as a Satanist band, but the references are ║ │
│║ not random. The most important lyrical concept ║ │
│║ of EdguyÆs future discography found its seed on ║ │
│║ Vain Glory Opera and I will make numerous ║ │
│║ returns to it in further reviews. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Edguy rises again with the overture of a ║ │
│║ successful career with still many miles to go. ║ │
│║ Vain Glory Opera is an album by a band in full ║ │
│║ control, not living in fairytales but walking on ║ │
│║ fighting. No more fooling, tomorrow awaits. And ║ │
│║ now I alluded to all the song titles except ║ │
│║ ôScarlet Roseö. Ha, did it! What a hymn. But ║ │
│║ here I am ignoring the most fun thing about ║ │
│║ these super-lengthy reviews: the jokes! ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Best silly joke: On ôFairytaleö there is a brief ║ │
│║ appearance by what the booklet names the ôChoir ║ │
│║ of the damned Smurfs of deathö. They sing to us ║ │
│║ the wonderful words ║ │
│║ ôLolalalolalalolalolalalolalalolaö and I think ║ │
│║ we can all learn something from that. If only ║ │
│║ not to hire Smurfs for your damned choir of ║ │
│║ death. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Overture [01:33] │
│ 02 - Until We Rise Again [04:27] │
│ 03 - How Many Miles [05:39] │
│ 04 - Scarlet Rose [05:10] │
│ 05 - Out Of Control [05:04] │
│ 06 - Vain Glory Opera [06:08] │
│ 07 - Fairytale [05:11] │
│ 08 - Walk On Fighting [04:46] │
│ 09 - Tomorrow [03:53] │
│ 10 - No More Foolin┤ [04:55] │
│ 11 - Hymn [05:13] │
│ 12 - Bad Here I Am (Bonus Track) [04:34] │
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│ Total Length : [56:33 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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