Theater of Salvation

As you surely know, power metal had a bit of a resurgence in the second half of the 90s. The genre just exploded back to prominence in Europe with the force of an atomic bomb. As a dumb little kid in the States, I didn't know that was going on but I'm sure it was glorious. Even HammerFall was putting out good material back then. A young Edguy was one of a handful of groups at the forefront of this revival and Theater of Tragedy is perhaps the best example of why so many people took notice of these German upstarts. Well before the band's devolution into a jokey act with one foot in the hard rock sandbox, Edguy was a gleefully over-the-top dues-paying member of the power metal movement. Their positive energy, penchant for speedy songs, operatic choruses, and thoughtful, catchy songwriting made Theater of Salvation one of the best albums of that power metal wave at the end of the 90s.

While there was no single component of Edguy's music that was unusual for power metal in the days before Rocket Ride, the band is still immediately recognizable on this release, building its identity on Sammett’s soaring, Michael Kiske-inspired performance, the operatic choruses, sometimes augmented with gang shouts, and a dedication to delivering quality speedfests and satisfying mid-paced numbers alike. Songs like 'Falling Down', 'Babylon', and 'Wake Up the King' are overstuffed with power metal goodness of the highest order. Their catchy, soaring choruses, clean, triumphant leads, and relentless pace put this album a cut above most of its competitors. But when the band slows down the pace, the album remains interesting for the most part. 'The Headless Game' and 'Holy Shadows' bring some pseudo-symphonic mystique to the band’s mid-paced riffs and don’t skimp on the catchiness when the choruses roll around.

The album's real strength is the tinge of neoclassical grandeur that permeates the entire thing. There’s plenty of orchestration, both subtle and grandiose, rousing choral sections, and, in the album’s softer moments, piano. In the epic title track, this album presents the apotheosis of Queen-inspired power metal, bringing all the elements you could possibly want in such a song to the table in a masterful excursion that takes us from stately choirs to meaty power metal with a gruffer vocal delivery from Tobias to a soft neoclassical interlude to the overblown orchestral singing the whole thing was leading up to before the final chorus. Though none of the other songs are quite as dedicated to this concept of classically-infused metal, even the album's crunchiest riffs and most blistering passages lean against some sort of symphonic accompaniment.

Even in their golden era, Edguy was not above putting a ballad or two on an album and Theater of Salvation is no exception. This release contains two ballads and luckily one of them is actually pretty good for the most part. The first four minutes of 'Land of the Miracle' are cheesy, mawkish, and somehow brilliant. Things get out of hand in the second half when the band layers several vocal lines over each other, resulting in a confusing mishmash but until then, the piano-driven song soars along at a steady pace and boasts an irresistible chorus. 'Another Time' is this album's other ballad and it's pretty standard, not unbearable but not especially enticing either, especially not when this album is loaded with barnburners like 'Arrows Fly'.

Perhaps the embodiment of Edguy's halcyon days (though Mandrake is certainly a contender for that honor as well), Theater of Salvation thoroughly encapsulates everything that's glorious about power metal. With double bass drumming, shimmering leads, high-flying vocals, and a deft touch of neoclassical splendor, Edguy delivers one of the most notable opuses of the genre's revival period, one that still sounds fresh and vital no matter how overstuffed the power metal scene may have gotten in the years since its release.

As the old cliché goes, you never miss something until after it’s gone. During the height of the massive renaissance of German power metal in the late 90s, there were plenty of people who thought the style was already becoming massively inflated, but when compared with the arid desert of present retro-hard rock oriented power metal that seems more apt at imitating Bon Jovi and Whitesnake, perhaps some of those people are thinking again. Perhaps the most indicative band of this plummet away from one tradition to another, less enthralling one is Edguy, a band that was actually a young new recruit to the sound, rather than a holdover/band built of holdovers from the 80s/early 90s like Gamma Ray, Helloween, Primal Fear and Iron Savior were. Their sound saw its peaks and valleys in an almost pure synchronistic relationship with that of the entire genre, and their era of total glory was likewise tied to the era of 1999 to 2002.

In some respects, the sentiment that “Theater Of Salvation” is a musical precursor to the Avantasia offerings that immediately followed is correct. It is possessed of a similar church-like demeanor, complete with blaring organs, grand pianos, massive harmonically rich choral passages, and a grandiose production amongst the traditional metal ensemble. Where it differs with “The Metal Opera” is that the presentation here is a bit plainer, relying more consistently on the straight-line guitar assault with occasional balladry and orchestrations that typified Helloween’s “Keeper Of The Seven Keys Pt. 1”. Tobias Sammet steals the show in a similar fashion to that of Kiske back in 1987, throwing his voice up to soaring heights that would make Bruce Dickinson nod in approval. But interestingly enough, lead guitarist Jens Ludwig does a fair job at rivaling the head cutting lead work still heard out of Kai Hansen to date.

This is an album composed of a tight consistency where every song is given a massive amount of attention. Most of it rambles on in up tempo territory, and the newly acquired kit work of Felix Bohnke is about as digitally precise as can be without losing the human element completely, and definitely reminds heavily of Ingo Schwictenberg’s blazing beats on such unforgettable cruisers as “Time Marches On” and “Eagle Fly Free”. Indeed, this album is pretty much at its best during the fastest and most pretentiously catchy moments, particularly that of “Babylon”, “Wake Up The King” and “Arrows Fly”. This same winning formula would continue to work out masterfully in a somewhat more darkened form on the subsequent magnum opus “Mandrake”.

But not one to be solely obsessed with speed and fury, lest Edguy become a mere proto-Dragonforce, Tobias and company take a few songs to go into territory that was not quite as well received back when Saxon and Savatage did. Suffice to say, “Land Of The Miracle” and “Another Time” are uncompromisingly 80s in their demeanor, almost as if providing a slightly more intricate version of such often derided power ballads as Cinderella’s “Don’t Know What You Got” and Warrant’s “Heaven”. The piano and vocal slots render everything else into complete subservience, and yet somehow these songs manage to have a certain metal edge to them, mostly due to Tobi’s powerful pipes and the general bluster of the entire arrangement.

Interestingly enough, the weak point of this album actually proves to be an area where Tobias is usually on his A-game, the longwinded epic. “Theater Of Salvation” is loaded with plenty of convincing elements of greatness, including the Bach inspired hymn opening and the unforgettable refrain line. But things sort of drag on as the song goes from one buildup point to the next without really hitting a real climax point until the burst of speed and melody at around the 9 minute mark. Basically, unlike the Avantasia epic “Seven Angels”, this song could stand to be about 3 minutes shorter, but it doesn’t completely fall flat per say.

Any self-respecting power metal fan that regularly spins anything German should be familiar with this album. It’s the most predictable of Edguy’s offerings, but also among the more powerful as it exudes that celebratory demeanor that was also captured by the early works of Freedom Call and Rhapsody (Of Fire). It’s about as light and cheerful as they come, but it provides an appropriate counterbalance for all the music out there that encourages everyone to hate the entire human race and all else that exists.

Edguy sure likes their cultural establishments. After exiting the Vain Glory Opera, we enter the Theater Of Salvation and later we’ll meet for drinks at the Hellfire Club. Bring your Mandrake. Um, that one didn’t work. Number four for Fulda’s finest and pretty much the highlight of their early power metal period. Now hold on to your fancy hats because it’s TIME… TO… GOOO! (That’s “go” as in “infinitive of to go” not as in “sticky stuff”.)

“The Healing Vision” appears to us as a slow introduction into a trance with a delicate piano giving way to a stately choir and a voice uttering to us: “Is it really just a dream or the urge to survive?” Good question but we are not left much time to ponder on it as our faces are burned off immediately with the harmonic lead intro of “Babylon”. Every serious power metal enthusiast has had serious vocal chord paralysis from singing this song way too hard and way too loud, and if there was ever a good moment to lose your voice forever, it’d be in the middle of a “Back where I belong!”. A fireball of melody and pomp it is an immortal classic within Edguy’s discography and perhaps within the entire genre of powerful melodic metal.

We slow down to play “The Headless Game”, which is more down-to-earth than the tower-building of “Babylon”, yet delivers another cracker of a chorus and prepares us for “Land Of The Miracle”. I normally don’t like ballads that kill the momentum of an album, but this song fits in perfectly with the epic tone. A fragile piano leads to a soaring refrain, combining more and more vocal melodies into a dreamlike state of bliss. “Wake Up The King” comes as the first ray of sunlight after a night of slumber, and makes excellent use of background organs and orchestration. It portrays that tantalizing feeling of opening your eyes from elusive dreams to a glorious dawn full of promise and delight.

“Falling Down” deploys a set of vocal variations where Tobias trades off lines with a choir of backers, most noticeable in the bouncy and variegated chorus. It also features one of the sweeter solos on Theater Of Salvation and is the highpoint of its straightforward power metal middle section. With the twang of a bow we launch into “Arrows Fly”, hitting the target with Robin Hood-like skill and precision. When the world has you in its crosshairs, play this song as a shield and all should be fine. (Unless the arrows are poison-tipped, in which case you are beleaguered by bastards.) “Holy Shadows” has some excellent guitar work, mixing crystal clear acoustics with playfully joyous leads. Its chorus is simple but effective, and the creativity on offer is a wonder to behold.

Any ballad sharing a spot with “Land Of The Miracle” on a track list is bound to come across as inferior, and “Another Time” is definitely a lot more mellow and cheesy. Edguy would go on to make this same kind of love song on a number of other records, but this remains one of the better examples of Tobias going emotional and reaching for a hanky. Dry your salty tears for “The Unbeliever”, a mid-tempo warm-up for the crescendo to come. Exxel’s bass particularly excels in the prelude to another chorus from the stars. To adopt the vernacular of a British street thug: Better believe in “The Unbeliever”, bruv.

Edguy had tried their hands on an epic before, but “The Kingdom” was worn down by its own length and lack of ideas. Their second try, “Theater Of Salvation”, is a lot more successful, and proves for its full twelve minutes what the album its named after has already proven copious times: how to deliver a memorable, bombastic, meaningful, and altogether splendid piece of music with more artistic verve than you can shake a statue of an angel at.

Listening to each song attentively has made me realize how carefully constructed the songwriting on Theater Of Salvation is. There are numerous details to discover behind the catchy choruses, more than I can sum up in one little review. Everything comes together beautifully for the benefit of the full picture, and not ever is one musician competing with another for the spotlight. Be it Jens Ludwig’s and Dirk Sauer’s twin guitar attack, newcomer Tobias Exxel’s adventurous bass lines, Felix Bohnke’s diverse drum patterns, or Tobias Sammet’s supporting keyboard work; they all shine not by taking away from, but by attributing to each other’s parts. On top of it all, like the charming cherry he is, shines Sammet’s remarkably stronger and potent voice, oozing charisma and confidence in every yell, emotion and range in every vibration.

If Vain Glory Opera was a wakeup call from the harsh reality of everyday life, Theater Of Salvation provides the key to deal with that situation. It talks a lot about finding the truth and salvation within yourself without being deluded by outside forces. The album is a true pamphlet for individuality, which is made clear by both lyrics and liner notes. Operas and theaters only provide an illusion of vain glory and salvation, the true rescue comes from within.

An overwhelming experience of inspiration and joy, Theater Of Salvation stands among the highlights of Edguy’s illustrious career and, if I didn’t hate the term so much, could be seen as an essential power metal album. I have fallen in love with it all over again while trying to make critical sense of it, and yet I still feel like I have sold it short or have done it a disservice with all this babbling. Let’s just blame that on the undecipherable brilliance of the album rather than on my limited capacities as a music reviewer. I know I’ll sleep better tonight with that delusion. On to all you clowns’ and jesters’ moment de gloire:

Best silly joke: Some versions of the title track end with a two minute-bit featuring lots of circus- and/or carnival-music with Tobias making incomprehensible noises to himself. The whole thing is incredibly silly and slightly disturbing. Look for the fourteen minute-variation to hear for yourself. If that doesn’t constitute a real humorous contribution to you, check out the bonus track “For A Trace Of Life”. It’s not funny at all and NEITHER ARE YOU.

Originally written for: www.blackwindmetal.com

Edguy’s third album Theater of Salvation is pretty much their benchmark classic according to most people, but personally it was never my favorite by them. Although I will contend that this is still quite a good piece of power metal, with a handful of really killer burners that will get stuck in your head so fast that you won’t know what happened.

The main reason this is so revered by fans is because, well, it’s by far their most traditionally power metal-sounding album. They lost the heavy crunch of Vain Glory Opera and the focus is more on the extremely saccharine and lush feel of the guitar and keyboard melodies, which create a chamber-like sound; as if you are standing in the middle of a giant, golden cathedral. The atmosphere is very well defined, and all the performances are excellent – Tobias Sammet, as per usual, gets the lion’s share of the spotlight, but that’s because he wrote the lion’s share of the music and lyrics…seems fair enough to me. The main reason why this is so good is because it was done by such young guys, and so early in their careers. The attention to detail and confidence on display is very admirable.

That said, this album suffers the same consistency problems that plagued Vain Glory Opera. The opening triptych of “Babylon,” “The Headless Game” and the lovely “Land of the Miracle” are some of Edguy’s best songs, and the hyper-catchy “Falling Down” is likely their most infectious ever. But then you get some tunes like “Arrows Fly” and “Holy Shadows,” which are good but not very memorable, and their worst ballad ever in “Another Time,” which just isn’t very exciting at all. In fact, the whole second half of the album sinks into a slew of songs that are decent enough, but just not indicative of how good this band can be – they’re filler, plain and simple. The band comes back in full force, though, with the title track, which is a gargantuan epic with multiple different parts and tons of epic, memorable vocal hooks and bombastic grandeur. This was perhaps the first of Sammet’s really excellent 10+ minute epics, which he’s still cranking out today, and “Theater of Salvation” nonetheless stands out as a great, great song.

This is the most conservative and least ambitious Edguy album, as it pretty much just adheres to the power metal template, and that’s why it’s probably the best liked in general. But for me, that just means the band would go on later to more interesting sounds. Theater of Salvation nonetheless has some killer songs, and is really quite astonishing when you consider the members were all in their early 20s at best when this came out. It sounds about as pro as Helloween ever did. If you want to know why Edguy got big, check this album, as it was what put them on the map. I just think they grew as songwriters and started incorporating more and more creative ideas over each of their following 4 albums…

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

"Theater of salvation" is the last of the truly traditional power metal albums with rock opera approaches of Edguy before the band headed for a more humorous style and varied their sound before they got more and more stuck into a hard rock sound. This album remembers a lot more the following first two Avantasia records than the upcoming next Edguy studio record that came out two years later. Anybody that likes the early works of Avantasia may easily enjoy this record.

What really makes this album so strong are the unforgettable choruses. "Babylon" is a very positive high speed power metal attack with a highly memorable chorus that remembers early Helloween albums. "The headless game" is a little bit slower and darker but has an amazing and unforgettable chorus. "Land of the miracle" is a kitsch ballad with some pianos and cheesy lyrics but the song really succeeds to touch me and the dreamy chorus is once again a true killer. "Wake up the king" is not that memorable but has some really catchy keyboard melodies and simply puts a big smile on my face every time I am listening to this vivid and melodic power metal track.

The only problem with this album is that the band can't keep the high level of the first four or five songs until the end. Technically, the songs in the middle of the album are surely well made and enjoyable to listen to but they are less unique, less catchy and less impressive and that's why I must put them into the filler category.

Thankfully, the band reserves us an amazing epic title tracks for the end. Twelve minutes of epic glory and perfect power metal and rock opera entertainment close this album on a very positive note. The whole structure and the amazing chorus remind me of the rock legends Queen and one could say that this track is Edguy's personal "Bohemian rhapsody" and one of the finest epics they have done. That said, I must admit that almost every epic hymn of the band is truly entertaining, emotional and well structured. Those young guys really have a talent for this kind of songs. Let's finally add that the bonus track "For a trace of life" is a beautiful acoustic ballad with some orchestral passages and worth to be listened to. This track really closes the record on a harmonic and peaceful note and fills me with warmth. This song should have made on the regular version.

To keep it short, the amazing beginning and great finish of the album pardon for a rather mediocre middle part. Musically, the band is close to the epic concept of the Avantasia project and mixes its Queen and Helloween influences to a convincing and powerful potpourri of joyful emotions.

At least I remembered it was, but I hadn’t listened to Edguy for a while. Or, to put it differently, while Tobias Sammet is exclusively recording terrible music nowadays I thought there was a time he actually was a skilled composer. Let’s face it: the guy, even at his best, has barely been little more than decent, and if Theater of Salvation isn’t a very old album (ten years...) it already sounds extremely dated.

However the reason for its overestimation may well be it features one of the band’s best songs, perhaps even the band’s best song ever. Babylon slays, denying this would be dishonest. While it may not be the most original power metal tune I know it’s far from falling into mindless cliché either, and every ingredient you may rightfully expect is present; it’s fast, it’s energetic, the main riff isn’t of the kind you’d easily forget and the chorus – well you know the chorus doesn’t sound cheesy, it’s as simple as that. From the opening shriek you know it’s the kind of track which won’t allow you to breathe for one second and, more importantly, it’s a rich track.

The rest, by contrast, strikes by its poverty. It’s not awful, not at all – just too generic for a band aspiring to a top tier it will never belong to anyway. Look, the often unfairly loathed Sonata Arctica issued its debut full-length the same year as the album we’re discussing now, a good half of it was blatant Stratovarius rip-off, still that band already showed a hint of this particular personal touch you may either love or hate (let’s be clear, I love it) but which is very unlikely to leave you indifferent. Indifferent, however, are all those tracks from Wake Up the King to The Unbeliever – some lively chorus here, some agreeable melody there, some ingenuous solo, but nothing memorable. No, this isn’t even catchy - this, precisely, fails in truly catching the listener’s attention. I’d exclude The Headless Game, perhaps a tad plodding but with genuine anthemic properties, whose main flaw might consist in coming right after Babylon. Eventually if there’s an epic (the title track) that one, in spite of some extra research compared to the other tracks, still lacks of the genuine majesty which would make it sound, precisely, epic. And Then There Was Silence it is not.

The musicianship is decent at best. The drumming is most of time standard double bass galore, nothing wrong but nothing you wouldn’t predict on such a record either. The bass is mixed too low to be of any significance, the main point of recruiting Tobias Exxel may well have been little more than adding another particularly idiotic face in the picture. The guitarists are probably the most interesting as remarkably fluent; some interesting lead guitar work is indeed to be found here and there (Arrows Fly...). Tobias Sammet’s voice is a hit-or-miss I guess, and while I didn’t mind it a few years ago (alright, I even found it pretty good) it’s another point getting old fast. Characteristic for sure, nonetheless affected, almost artificial, in any case extremely pretentious in its as obvious as ill-welcomed operatic aspirations. As far as the keyboards are concerned they add strictly nothing to the music – it’s not even they make it more fruity or anything, they’re simply useless.

Granted so far all this is rather inoffensive, after all no one can blame the at that time still young Edguy for not being Stratovarius, and even the excessive corniness of some parts (the harpsichord middle section on Wake Up the King for instance) wouldn’t prevent this album from hitting somewhere around 70 in my book – it has Babylon on it, remember. There are, however, some elements a minimal amount of decency can’t tolerate. The choirs first. Don’t get me wrong, I think choirs are an almost mandatory part of the genre, and some bands did indeed a great job with them, think Angra for instance. But in our present case they just sound one thing: STUPID. Tobias Sammet alone can already appear pretty annoying at times, backed by his crowd of decerebrate morons it becomes barely tolerable, seriously damaging the title track among others (c’mon the “Hallelujah” part breaks all the records). On a sidenote had you noticed the best song was also one were the choirs were almost non-existent?

Second it has of course to be remembered any ballad written by Tobias Sammet would have to be counted as a blank track if John Cage (1912-1992) hadn’t suggested silence could indeed show musical qualities, what isn’t the case of Tobias Sammet’s ballads. There are two of those here, Land of the Miracle and Another time, both sounding nearly identical and one pushing the indecency to the point of being the longest track after the title track. The piano trickles, Sammet’s falsetto becomes whinier than ever (well it’s really saying something), the pomp factor would almost put Within Temptation to shame and the whole thing would be laughable weren’t it pathetic – as pathetic as the cretin “hidden” track, but coming to that one let’s just act as if we hadn’t noticed given it’s so childish any comment would be pointless.

Why are we still commenting, thus? Theater of Salvation is nothing but a mediocre album from a mediocre power metal band which, at that time, was at least still playing power metal. I don’t even dare adding Mandrake may be better than this, as I haven’t heard Mandrake for a long time either so the disappointment may be similar. But enough is enough, now move on.

Highlights: Babylon, The Headless Game, Theater of Salvation

Edguy are an interesting band, changing their sound from what some would consider average power metal to a more 80’s sounding hard rock with a surprising amount of stale humor in it. Theater of Salvation is my personal favorite Edguy album, with all the catchy melodies and the right dose of rock to them, with the powerful performance as always from the energetic Tobias Sammet. It’s a very straightforward album that not too complex that anyone should be able to enjoy.

You know everything you expect in power metal is in this one, insanely high pitched vocals, fast guitars and drumming, and the ballad track (“Land of the Miracle”). So if you’re looking for something different in your power metal, best look elsewhere. Now then, if you don’t mind how it’s all been overdone before, Edguy does it all well. Edguy use a lot of melodies in each song, ranging from 80’s hard rock sound of “Holy Shadows”, to a softer sweeter side like on “Arrows Fly”. Every song is different and none of the songs are over crammed with melodies or sound like the previous song. With the guitars chopped full of great melodies and the lively energetic performance by Tobias Sammet and the cheesy overdone choruses you’ll be listening Theater of Salvation over and over again for a long time.

Personally I’m not the biggest fan of Edguy’s newer material with the gimmicky lets-have-fun hard rock vibe. But for all of us who aren’t the biggest fans of their new material we always have their early gems like Theater of Salvation. Theater of Salvation is the sound that Edguy should have stuck with. It may not have the hard rock elements or the humor that later Edguy albums have in them, but what Edguy did on Theater of Salvation, they did it excellent.

Edit: fixed mistake.

Oh Edguy. One of the most interesting bands in terms of Power Metal. Their early releases are what power metal should sound like. Epic, empowering, moving, and any other word that describes the exuberant feel of the albums. The latter half of their career sees them as more of a melodic rock band, but at least Tobias and company have left us with this treasure, possibly the best power metal album of all time.

After a fairly well done intro, the guys kick the album with Babylon. Holy shit at the opening riff, from there it draws you in. The chorus just sucks you in even further. It’s a real attention grabber; Tobias shows off those chords and wails away masterfully. This song clocks in at 6:10 so you know it wont just be a repeat of the above, and a closing. Instead Edguy takes you at the 3:25 mark and just lets out a power metal solo like no other. You’ll find yourself rewinding just to hear it one more time. The fact that right after the solo Tobias kicks in with a chant that becomes nearly impossible not to sing along with. The song closes out as promptly as begins. This is a great song for people who haven’t heard power metal to get a real feel for how to do it right.

The Headless game, is a midpaced song with lots of double base, at a not so irritating mid pace as well. This song really reminds me of early Gamma Ray, and mid Blind Guardian minus the multi-layered vocals, until the chorus that is, almost Edguys trademark. The Headless Game is one to properly air guitar sing to, throw the fist up, and sing right with Tobias. While not the best song on the album its one you wont want to hit the forward button on.

Land of the Miracle. Edguy cannot do ballads. No matter how hard they try they cannot accomplish such a feat. This is the only song on this cd Id hit skip to, other than the other ballad, but that’s later in the cd.

Waking Up The King is sort of like track two, The Headless Game, in the just the sheer catchiness of the overall song. The double bass kicks in here and there, the guitars are very catchy and Tobias belts out some great vocals. Some think his chorus performance over does it, but very few can hit those high notes and not sound lame. Tobias hits them and even adds a vibrato while hitting it. And it works well with Waking Up The King.

Falling Down is a stellar track; the opening riff is the catchiest opening riff Edguy has ever done. The song itself is fairly long at 4:35, but with the way it just rolls right along it seems like a 3-minute song. This is the only song however that follows the basic song structure, but who can complain? This song could be the shining example of how to pull off a simple structure and still impress even the most cynical fan. Falling Down also boasts a very killer solo, the way each note carries from one to the next, and the tempo changes throughout make it worth noting. After about 20 seconds of good ole Edguy chanting it’s back to close the song out. A very good song, and one of the better ones on Theater of Salvation

Arrows Fly. How in the hell did Edguy make a song that was perfect from before and follow it with a song of the same amount of greatness. I really have no answer for this. Arrows Fly starts off with a great lead, which carries with its greatness through the songs entirety. This song has a little more multi-layered vocal than Falling Down, which I happen to like so if you're a fan of such styled vocals, Arrows Fly is another example of how Edguy can take a vocal performance and make it enhance the overall quality of a cd.

Holy Shadows is a great heavy metal\ power metal tune. The lyrics almost feel as if the leads are singing them. The only problem with this song is the lyrical content, while I am a fan of the ladies, in this release it’s just a bit of a shock. Tobias does what you’d expect of him now, and makes a sexual reference. Its not a bad thing, just really throws you off. Besides that Holy Shadows lets Tobias hit some lower notes that he usually never hits, its good to hear Tobias hit the other end of the vocal spectrum.

Another Time. UGH! Another ballad, while this is not as bad as the previous, its still very shitty for a ballad. Skip.

The Unbeliever, aside from the next song, has the most multi-layered vocals. They really work well because the keyboards give it a slight dark feel. Here and there you’ll hear an organ that just resonates a depressing or dark feeling. The chorus is complete with double bass, choir, Tobias, excellent leads, you name it. After the second chorus the solo comes in. And what a solo it is, the rhythm guitar is actually a little bit louder than the lead, but it doesn’t take away form the solo.

Theater of Salvation is the BEST power metal song. From the beginning of metal until today, no power metal song better personifies what a power metal should sound like. What can be said about perfection? A mix of multi-layered and solo vocals, which is no surprise, but it's done with perfection here. The first verse is a catchy mix of perfect vocals and perfect rhythm. The chorus slows down to a very slow tempo, than you feel a slight build and you get a full bombardment of a perfect chorus. Notice a pattern here? The pattern of perfect? Its rare you ever get a perfect anything in metal, there’s always that one series of notes or annoying vocal delivery, but none to be mentioned here. Theater of Salvation has a perfect everything, no note is missed, and no vocal line skewed, no better placement of the choir, no better lyrics. Every element was brought together to bring you a perfect song, in term of power metal. If I had to choose just one part in the song call the best it would be the solo. It just carries you away into the mindset power metal was meant. Not to mention when the Tobias comes back in has in his most soprano like voice to kick the song back into gear. After some nice acoustic guitars and extended chorus, that unforgettable choir is back with a roar. At the 9-minute mark, YES 9 MINUTE! The song reaches its most up tempo part with Tobias and choir alternating vocals, and finally closing with that beautiful chorus. Once again, this song can’t be topped thus far. Theater of Salvation along could have got this album a score of a 100 even if the other songs blew.

Edguy may not know it now, but this release will long fuel many power metal bands to come. And if those bands can follow the formula remotely used to record this album, they can be assured success.