Edguy 'Age of the Joker' Impressions

[Kingface]

Those who have listened to Edguy's new album 'Age of the Joker', what are your impressions so far?

I've just given it my first spin, including the Bonus Disc and it's been an enjoyable experience. I'd probably say it's better than the last album and overall feels like a combination of 'Tinnitus Sanctus', 'Rocket Ride' and a mix of various attributes from previous albums.

My first impression is that the album actually gets better as it gets towards the end, with 'Behind The Gates to Midnight World' being the stand out song for me so far. I particularly like the Heavy Riff at the beginning. I really like the Folky bit on 'Rock of Cashel' too. It's almost definitely got more variety of different sounds and influences than any other Edguy album to date.


As for the Bonus CD, I really like the cover of 'Cum On Feel The Noize' and a song from 2005 'Standing in the Rain'.

 

[1928]

Very interested to hear this album. I pre-ordered a signed copy from Europe through Gibbon (major props to sir Gibbon for helping me out!) for my girlfriend, and I just pre-ordered the US release recently for myself. It won't have the bonus tracks unfortunately but that's fine with me! I'll just hear them when Laura plays her copy

 

[Nickstervarius]

I absolutely love it. Done a great job! I second what Kingface says about it being better than the last album. I liked the last album, but overall it wasn't outstanding. Whereas, Age Of The Joker is... In my eyes anyway

 

[Symphony]

A couple of friends have given me a less than favourable write up of the new album. I thought the last album was pretty boring to be honest and can't remember the last time I listened to it.

Since they started, in my opinion, over doing the humour side of things.....I haven't been as enthralled.

 

[Gibbon]

Haven't recieved mine yet, for some reason they sent my copy later than the release date. Just hoping it'll arrive tomorrow.

 

[Power_Metal_Dom]

I gave this four listens recently and I have to say this is much better than I was expecting. 'It's better than Tinnitus' goes without saying but I'd go further and say this is a decent release on it's own merits. It's no album of the year nor an instant Edguy classic but it's as Kingface says, very diverse song styles and some catchy tracks. Robin Hood's grown on me as an opener, Rock of Cashel is the centrepiece for me, Pandora's box has that cool blues-y slide guitar bit, Behind the Gates of Midnight World is well written. The humour's take a slide towards childish I suppose ("what the fuck? suck my cock..when I wank, at the bank") but it's not too overbearing.

So yeah, decent effort. I'll add this CD to the collection for sure

 

[Nickstervarius]

The humour's take a slide towards childish I suppose ("what the fuck? suck my cock..when I wank, at the bank") but it's not too overbearing.

Really? That's one of my favourite tracks of the album, and those lyrics are genius

 

[1928]

Just saw those lyrics... are you serious, Tobi?

 

[Thematt202]

I'm really going off Edguy. Can't stand Robin Hood...

 

[Kingface]

I must admit I found it pretty funny when I heard it. I think humour like that works if it comes out of nowhere, totally unexpected. "What the Fuck, Suck my Cock!" works for me in this instance also because although at face value, it's a pretty immature set of words, I think it's emphasises the kind of ridiculous reactions you can get from many people (especially on the Internet) when they start going on a rant because a reviewer didn't give an album the score they wanted from them. Whether that was one of the intentions or not, it works!

As for "When I Wank, At the Bank", that to me could be interpreted as I think it's good, so why should I be bothered what others think or something around those lines. Again, intentionally or not, it works in my opinion.

Thematt - Have you listened to the full album? If not it's worth a go, Robin Hood in my opinion is one of the more run of the mill, not so special songs of the album.

 

[Thematt202]

My brother purchased the album and we had it on in the car on repeat this weekend. It just seemed quite uninspired and forgettable.

 

[Gibbon]

I thought the album was really good, especially the folky part of Rock the Cashel, as well as the choruses of, well almost on all songs, they're all very catchy! I also agree with what a few of you are saying, it gets better by the end, "Every night without you" is probably the best balad I've heard this year.

The only down part is the lyrics at some points, feel kind of forced or silly, but it's not a too big problem.

 

[1928]

Hm. Mixed feelings. Nikki's already seen my rant on her Facebook, so she'll kill me, buuut...

Musically, sans vocals, it's a good album. Nothing more, nothing less in my eyes. I've heard far better on Mandrake and Hellfire Club. A lot of the songs don't seem to use the band's full potential well enough, and at times it almost sounds like Tobi's had a burnout.

One big problem I have with this album is that half the songs sound like they could have been on Avantasia's last two albums, particularly Angel of Babylon. That's not good considering Avantasia and Edguy should both have a big difference in styles and sound. To me, this album just shows that Tobi doesn't really have the ability to distinguish the two projects apart from each other anymore. Or, we're just in a phase where Tobias is pouring all of his power metal songwriting into Avantasia and leaving the scraps for Edguy, because there's more grandiose music on the last two Avantasia albums than there is on Edguy's last three albums combined.

The lyrics sound contrived and silly; very childish. I mean, seriously? From the guy who wrote Theater of Salvation, The Seven Angels - both Metal Operas - we get "What the fuck / suck my cock" and silly puns about genitals in two more songs? I'll admit, I didn't think The Pride of Creation on Tinnitus Sanctus was too bad with its funny lyrics but these songs really just go overboard and aren't amusing anymore. What the fuck indeed, Tobi?

The Arcane Guild, Nobody's Hero, and Behind the Gates to Midnight World are my favorite tracks. Every Night Without You is pretty good. Robin Hood would be better without the intentionally silly dialogue and puns (the latter goes for Pandora's Box too) and Two Out of Seven actually isn't bad until the (honestly, just stupid) ending. Rock of Cashel's not bad but lacks the magic, catchiness, and power of Jerusalem, which is what I'm reminded of when I hear it.

I'm disappointed and so critical because this is so under Tobi's level of songwriting. From one of [power] metal's most prolific and talented musicians, I expected a lot more, and instead I'm treated to more cock rock from a band that used to write some of the most hard-hitting power metal anthems around.

It's not a terrible album. It's... disappointing (to me) because I expect a lot more from Tobi. But it seems as if he put so much effort into Avantasia these past years that he's leaving scraps for Edguy. The guy knows how to write good power metal and has shown that he still can, but for some reason he's putting it all into Avantasia and not Edguy anymore. A let down.

The album might grow on me with time, but for now, it's left me with a sour taste in my mouth. I'll be spinning the new Dream Theater in the car tomorrow instead, that's for sure.

 

[Power_Metal_Dom]

One big problem I have with this album is that half the songs sound like they could have been on Avantasia's last two albums, particularly Angel of Babylon. That's not good considering Avantasia and Edguy should both have a big difference in styles and sound. To me, this album just shows that Tobi doesn't really have the ability to distinguish the two projects apart from each other anymore. Or, we're just in a phase where Tobias is pouring all of his power metal songwriting into Avantasia and leaving the scraps for Edguy, because there's more grandiose music on the last two Avantasia albums than there is on Edguy's last three albums combined.

I know what you're saying here but I think it's less a save-the-epic-for Avantasia and the more hard rock leanings for Edguy, than in is Tobias having a general departure from the Metal Opera eras in favour for a more hard rock sound from Scarecrow onwards. I'm somewhat OK with that because the last 3 Avantasia's (counting WS and AoB in that) have still been more than enjoyable, so I kind of expected this to spread to Edguy and that not be an innately bad thing.

But with this in mind...

Rock of Cashel's not bad but lacks the magic, catchiness, and power of Jerusalem, which is what I'm reminded of when I hear it.

I actually think there's catchiness in this album, especially with that song but with nearly all the others there's a hook. Again, it's not as good as his past efforts so I'm with you on the sense of disappointment but really I think this is a big step away from Tinnitus. I hope that's justified musically and not just my own personal dislike of Tinnitus but I couldn't name one 'anthem' from that album while on this one we've got Robin Hood (yes the spoken bits make me cringe!), Rock of Cashel, Pandora's Box and Behind the Gates of Midnight World which I think are reasonably varied in their approach even if the lyrics take a back seat.

 

[Nickstervarius]

Yeah and I don't agree with the music being known as 'childish' - You cannot call music childish. Silly, yes. And I take my hat off to Edguy for showing their humorous side.

Tobias Sammet is a genius - Fact.

 

[Andiferum]

To keep things brief, it was an enjoyable listen, but for me it's just nowhere near the likes of Hellfire Club, Mandrake and Rocket Ride. It's certainly a vast improvement on the quite frankly terrible Tinnitus Sanctus. Lyrics are, as discussed, a little silly - but I'm finding that as one of the redeeming factors in a time where Tobi just seems to want to take himself really seriously.

Conclusion: Tobi WAS a genius, but he passed his peak a long time ago.

Power metal singer control syndrome strikes again...Kakko, anyone?

 

[1928]

I should have phrased some things better, but let me back my position up by stating that I do think this album is much better than Tinnitus. I do enjoy quite a bit of it and a lot of it is catchy - I should have said that Rock of Cashel isn't as catchy as Jerusalem, because it isn't, but it's pretty catchy in its own right. However, even though what I like outweighs what I don't like... the stuff I don't like just really puts me off. I wouldn't be this critical of other bands. I'm just extremely disappointed that Tobias Sammet, a guy who is so young and so talented and so prolific, hit his peak when he was 25 and doesn't seem to want to recreate the magic of his earlier music anymore. I know Jens contributed to a few songs way back when... maybe letting the other guys bring in their own contributions (and not putting them as bonus tracks, as was the case on this album...) would be a refreshing change of pace...

Nikki told me that not all music has to be serious - I agree, but I think Edguy's overdoing it now. I have no problem with Lavatory Love Machine, for example, and I drool over Rhapsody... oh well.

Again, not a bad album... just disappointing by the standards to which Tobias is normally held.

EDIT: Also, even the artwork seems kind of lazy, it just seems to be a redesign of the Tinnitus art template! And about the two bands blending together, I also got that impression from the style of the booklet. The band photos have that same 'look' and atmosphere of the recent Avantasia albums, hence why I think that - it's a little lacking in individuality to me, but that's just my $.02.

 

[Andiferum]

Your last point is absolutely reading my mind. The line between Edguy's sound and Avantasia's grows thinner by the album. Just seems like Edguy albums are Tobi's B sides he didn't think were good enough for his Avantasia baby.

 

[1928]

God I wish I could "like" posts on this forum, I entirely agree.