The Savage Poetry

This is the re-recording of Edguy’s old demo Savage Poetry from 1995 – you know it’s more mature and different because it has a ‘The’ in front of it now…but anyway, it’s pretty original, actually, and it doesn’t sound like any one band so much as a smorgasbord of Iron Maiden and Helloween-isms along with what can only be described as the first flourishes of Sammet’s unique sense of melody. But it’s not enough just to talk about it, so…let’s really talk about it.

Apparently, Edguy hated the sound of the original demo so much, they decided to make this entirely new album and just play those songs over again. So we get this in-between sound somewhere in the middle of Vain Glory Opera and Theater of Salvation; better production than the former but rawer and less epic than the latter. So it’s kind of the red-headed stepchild of the Edguy discography sound-wise, completely out of sync with the natural progression their other full lengths were going through.

But the Sammet-power shines through and we get some kickass tunes on here, too. He has always had this really excellent ear for melody, and it shows on everything he writes/sings on – he can make anything super-catchy. The album starts off good, with the darker epic “Hallowed,” and then goes through some power metal burners like “Key to My Fate” and “Misguiding Your Life,” as well as the savage old school speed metal of “Sacred Hell.” “Sands of Time” is a great, emotive ballad.

After that, though, the album kicks into overdrive, as the last 4 songs on here are pretty much amazing. “Eyes of the Tyrant” is my pick for album standout, as it is a 10 minute barn-burner with some unforgettable melodies, a huge triumphant chorus and a mouth-watering section at 5 minutes where the band just kicks out some excellent, searing melodies and just lets them play. Catchier than AIDS. And then “Frozen Candle,” which pretty much sets up the riffier, more traditional and more idiosyncratic template of modern Edguy with a great chorus, weird lyrics and some more infectious melodies. “Roses to No One” is one of their best ballads, and “Power and Majesty” is a devilish, fun jaunt with some more unforgettable riffs and vocal hooks like you’d expect – top notch.

The Savage Poetry is fun and definitely shows where the band was going, with some excellent songs. I haven’t heard the original versions, but this re-recording is definitely a solid and well-rounded dose of early Edguy for those of you who are in the mood for a smashing good time. Recommended.

Originally written for http://www.metalcrypt.com