Edguy - Space Police - Defenders Of The Crown (2014)

The epic story is Edguy returns to power metal. This is something at first looks unlikely situation. For decade Edguy had been shadowed by Avantasia, now a acknowledged power metal band led by the same Tobias Sammet. Raising a theory that Edguy is the one who make place by dodging power metal, all the way to heavy metal and hard rock. Yet again, this is not without a warning. Tobias Sammet spoke that this album, Space Police - Defenders Of the Crown, going to be power metal album. Turn out he may be not a very good politician in nature because his words turns out in reality. A double disc in form, Space Police is a return to the bombastic, well cheeky, power metal once we adored in Theater of Salvation or Vain Glory Opera. It is not 100%  since the album also bring along the light and comedic mood, as we seen from Superheroes to Age of Joker. As evidence in the song titles, Space Police, Rock Me Amadeus, Love Tyger, Do Me Like A Caveman etc. And of course the cover art.

There are about 12 new songs divided into two discs. Sabre & Torch is the opener of immediately power metal similar to... Avantasia of course. The chorus may well reminds us to the whole Metal Opera and their afterward sounds. The deja vu  is continued to Space Police, which is a fun and easy listening mid tempo tune. The clash of sword still got its slot, Defenders Of The Crown is epic double pedal attack, melodious intro and sad minor scale in used. Notable is the interesting guitar wah-wah effect on this song. Love Tyger anyone? This is a G Mixolydian based AoR song, this is also where the fun ready to start. Infectious riffs as we reach the fifth track, The Realms Of Baba Yaga. Very glam metal on this one, with Tobias Sammet adopt the wild singing from the late '80 era. Then we come to my favorite track, Rock Me Amadeus. This is Falco cover, make sure you see the original version.  1-0 for power metal vs punk.

Those were enough for the fun parts, we are back into seriousness with Do Me Like A Caveman. Or are we? Well, Shadow Eaters surely is. Darker and faster for this one. Three ballads from Alone In Myself, The Eternal Wayfarer (Led Zepelin cover) and England. The last one is piano ballad in a style of Queen. Aychim In Hysteria is a slow rock to close of the album. You can try out singing ala Tobias Sammet for there are four instrumental tracks as bonuses.

Edguy is becoming themselves in this album. Can't asked for more, as the whole recording also sounds like the extension of Avantasia. Especially on their newer materials. The album mix up power metal with other genre, but it always sounds catchy, energetic and most importantly enough cheekiness. With this result it seem that Edguy not doing wrong by putting back their root after travel far before. Great release from Edguy, as always.

Metal Harem class: ********* nine stars out of ten

Edguy - Space Police - Defenders Of The Crown (2014)
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Disc I
01. Sabre & Torch
02. Space Police
03. Defenders Of The Crown
04. Love Tyger
05. The Realms Of Baba Yaga
06. Rock Me Amadeus [Falco cover]
07. Do Me Like A Caveman
08. Shadow Eaters
09. Alone In Myself
10. The Eternal Wayfarer

Disc II
01. England
02. Aychim In Hysteria
03. Space Police [progressive version]
04. Space Police [instrumental version]
05. Love Tyger [instrumental version]
06. Defenders Of The Crown [instrumental version]
07. Do Me Like A Caveman [instrumental version]

Tobias Sammet – lead and backing vocals
Jens Ludwig – lead guitars
Dirk Sauer – rhythm guitars
Tobias "Eggi" Exxel – bass guitar
Felix Bohnke- drums