Biography
Demos, AFM years (1992-2003)
Edguy was founded in 1992 by 14-year-old students Tobias Sammet, Jens Ludwig, Dominik Storch and Dirk Sauer. The name "Edguy" was an affectionate epithet for their math teacher at the time. In 1994, the band released two demos, Evil Minded and Children of Steel. These tapes were sent to many record labels, all of whom rejected the band, believing they would be unsuccessful in the music business. Undeterred, they self released their ‘unofficial' debut album, Savage Poetry, in 1995. They signed with AFM Records shortly after, who offered to re-release Savage Poetry with more widespread distribution. The band rejected this proposal in favour of recording a new album, Kingdom of Madness, which was released in 1997, but drummer Dominik Storch left the band shortly after. 1998 saw the release of their second album, Vain Glory Opera, with friend Frank Lindenthal filling in on drums. This album helped expose Edguy to a wider audience, thanks in part to guest appearances from Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius) and Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian). The band was joined by new drummer Felix Bohnke and bassist Tobias ‘Eggi' Exxel later that year, allowing Tobias Sammet to solely focus on vocals (he had previously played bass as well handling vocal duties).
In 1999, Theater of Salvation was released. That same year frontman Tobias Sammet conceived the idea for the Avantasia project, a metal opera featuring well known vocalists and musicians from the rock and metal scene. Whilst Tobias focused on Avantasia, the band took the opportunity to re-record Savage Poetry, to make it widely available to newer fans, as the original had become a much sought after rarity.
Following The Savage Poetry re-recording was the band's fifth album, Mandrake, in 2001. The album was accompanied by their first promo video, for the track “All the Clowns”, as well as the Painting on the Wall single. The Mandrake album also led to the band's first headlining tour. Three shows were recorded in Europe and were the basis for Edguy's first live album, Burning Down the Opera. The band's contract with AFM had expired by this point, which led to them signing with Nuclear Blast Records in late 2003.
Nuclear Blast years (2004-present)
Edguy's first release for Nuclear Blast was the King of Fools EP in 2004. This preceded the Hellfire Club album, released shortly after. The song "Lavatory Love Machine" was also released as a single. The band's productivity continued into 2005 with the Superheroes EP and DVD, the latter featuring footage of the band live and in the studio, as well as a making of documentary for the video of the title track. This was followed by the full-length album Rocket Ride in January 2006.
Sammet spent much of 2007 relaunching the Avantasia project. Edguy returned to the studio in 2008 and recorded Tinnitus Sanctus, with a video being shot for the track “Ministry of Saints” in Belgrade, Serbia. After a contract renewal with Nuclear Blast in late 2008, the band released their first live DVD, Fucking with F***, in 2009. This featured live footage of the band shot in São Paulo, Brazil, on their Rocket Ride world tour in 2006. The band supported Scorpions on the German dates of their farewell tour in 2010.
Edguy released their ninth studio album, Age of the Joker, in August 2011. The band toured Europe and South America in support of the record, including dates with Slash and Deep Purple, as well as an appearance on the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise. In a recent interview promoting the latest release from his Avantasia project, Sammet revealed that a new Edguy album will be worked on in the summer of 2013, with a release tentatively scheduled for mid-2014.
On January 28, 2014 Edguy revealed that the album would be titled Space Police - Defenders of the Crown and released on April 18.
Style
Edguy's lyrics are often metaphorical, alluding to metaphysical or social themes: conformity ("The Headless Game", "Mysteria", "King of Fools"), dictation by the church ("The Kingdom", "The Pride of Creation", "Theater of Salvation"), and dangers of modern civilization ("Navigator", "The Devil and the Savant"). To express such themes, Edguy sometimes use esoteric and hermetic expressions. Yet some of their songs are light-hearted or comedic ("Das Reh", "Save Us Now", "Lavatory Love Machine", "Life and Times of a Bonus Track", "Trinidad"). Edguy does not claim to represent any ideology; Tobias Sammet claimed "[the band is] not political and we are not religious; at least there is no key message in our songs telling you what to think in terms of anything". Edguy also employs lengthy and epic sections in almost every album.
Hellfire Club revealed Edguy's interest in experimenting within music by integrating an orchestra into the production. The album featured a variation on Edguy's style, with a less grandiose, more progressive metal approach being embraced. The band's album Rocket Ride features even less power metal elements, and is arguably more oriented towards hard rock. Their next album, Tinnitus Sanctus, contains even more hard rock oriented songs; a large reduction of double bass drumming is evident, in contrast to Edguy's older albums such as Vain Glory Opera where there is very fast double bass which is common in the power metal genre.
When asked if the term "happy heavy metal band" applies to the band, Tobias rejected it and added:
We are a heavy metal band. We play angry, powerful, sometimes tongue-in-cheek metal. We are flamboyant and we don't take ourselves too seriously, but that goes for Van Halen too, right? Are they happy rock? No, they have a sense of humor and kick ass! Just like we do...
Studio albums
Savage Poetry (1995)
Kingdom of Madness (1997)
Vain Glory Opera (1998)
Theater of Salvation (1999)
The Savage Poetry (2000)
Mandrake (2001)
Hellfire Club (2004)
Rocket Ride (2006)
Tinnitus Sanctus (2008)
Age of the Joker (2011)
Space Police - Defenders of the Crown (2014)
The Spirit
Edguy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nor cryptic message scrawled upon every wall
Street corner justice beware
The spirit will find you always be fair
The shallow verse once read means nothing at all
Nor fearful gestures made for instant recall
In lies your heart will not share
The spirit inside used without care
[Chorus]
The spirit that guides you follow it through
To the spirit inside you always be true
You know you'll despair
If the spirit inside is used without care
The battlefield of glory pales into rust
The river flows much thicker fed by each thrust
No beast alive does compare
The spirit beside you everywhere
Let not your head be turned by tainted reward
And dreams of fortune won forever to hoard
Your conscience could not repair
The spirit inside used without care
Cause it will be your shelter, help you how to decide
And it will be your helper should your loyalties divide
[Chorus]
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Edguy's song "Spirit" caution against trusting in foolish promises and following cryptic messages. The verses suggest that instant gratification and fear should not dictate our actions because they rarely lead to genuine happiness or success. Rather, the chorus emphasizes the importance of following the spirit inside us, being true to ourselves, and always striving to be fair. The spirit is depicted as a guide, at times divisive, but always present to help us make the right decisions.
The second verse seems to be inspired by the idea of war, especially the futility of pursuing glory and riches through bloodshed. The image of a river thickened by each thrust in battle is not only graphic but also indicative of how the human cost of war adds up over time. The spirit is also presented as a companion that is always by our side, unlike any beast that could die or betray us. The final lines of the chorus make it clear that the spirit is not just an abstract concept but a tangible entity that can help us in making difficult choices and staying true to our values.
Some possible interpretations of the song could be that it encourages us to rely on our inner guidance instead of external (and often false) promises; to prioritize fairness, honesty, and loyalty over fleeting pleasures; to resist the allure of war and violence; and to embrace our spiritual nature as a source of strength and wisdom.
Interesting facts about "Spirit":
Line by Line Meaning
Don't place your trust in foolish promises sworn
Do not rely on empty words and false assurances
Nor cryptic message scrawled upon every wall
Do not believe everything you read or see, especially when it's vague or unclear
Street corner justice beware
Be cautious of seeking justice through violence or impulsive actions
The spirit will find you always be fair
Your moral compass will guide you towards what is right if you act with fairness and integrity
The shallow verse once read means nothing at all
Superficial or meaningless messages will not have any lasting impact or significance
Nor fearful gestures made for instant recall
Attempts to instill fear or panic for temporary gain will not produce lasting results
In lies your heart will not share
Lies will not sit well with your conscience, and you will be better off not getting involved in them
The spirit inside used without care
Abusing your inner compass or ignoring it altogether will lead to negative outcomes
The spirit that guides you follow it through
Trust in your inner compass and let it lead the way
To the spirit inside you always be true
Stay connected to your inner values and principles and stay faithful to them
You know you'll despair
Ignoring your inner compass will create emotional distress and uncertainty
If the spirit inside is used without care
Neglecting or misusing your inner compass will lead to negative consequences
The battlefield of glory pales into rust
The pursuit of fame or glory will eventually fade away and lose its appeal
The river flows much thicker fed by each thrust
The more we fight or act in discord, the harder it becomes to find peace and harmony
No beast alive does compare
Humans have the capacity for good or evil, and it's up to them to choose the right path
The spirit beside you everywhere
Your inner compass is always present and can guide you towards your goals, provided you listen to it
Let not your head be turned by tainted reward
Don't get swayed by bribes, flattery, or unethical incentives
And dreams of fortune won forever to hoard
Focusing only on material wealth or selfish gains will not bring lasting happiness or fulfillment
Your conscience could not repair
Ignoring your inner compass will create a sense of guilt or regret that cannot be easily resolved
Cause it will be your shelter, help you how to decide
Your inner compass will provide guidance and clarity when making difficult decisions or facing uncertainty
And it will be your helper should your loyalties divide
Your inner compass will help you stay true to your principles and values, even when facing conflicting interests
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: LEWIS TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind