Edguy

Hellfire Club (Nuclear Blast)
by Eric Chon

I hate power metal. It’s cheesy and fruity and I just can’t get behind it. Bands like Symphony X and Stratohilarious… er… Stratovarius – with their wailing vocals and serious demeanor – make me cringe and pull out the Mastodon EP. But those nutty dudes in Edguy have gotten me hooked. There’s an unabashed sense of fun and a joy for music in their latest, and I can’t help but love it!

I’ll never contend that power metal bands are bad musicians. Far from it. Their technical prowess is among the best out there. But the cheesy, Bryce-created “3D” covers just give me bad flashbacks of Yes. And their “we make art!” attitude totally turns me off. But Edguy eschews these conventions (the attitude) and makes with an entertaining and amazingly-played album that must be enjoyed. A similarity in sound to both Painkiller-era Priest and Iron Maiden will always add points.

So, despite the goofy name, the wacky antics, and a few silly song titles (“The Piper Never Dies”? Give me a break), Hellfire Club is tons of fun.
(www.nuclearblastusa.com)