Customer Reviews

King of Fools

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It's a great EP, and an anticipation to the wonderful Hellfire Club (yep, it's way better than the great Mandrake).

Some people complained about the lyrics and the f-words. Others said the lyrics were nu-metal (still trying to figure out where). Finally some people said songs were simple.

I don't agree with these comments. The songs are catchy, melodic and relaxed, and that's great. All we see around are Helloween copycats, bands and fans taking everything too seriously. Come on, metal must have messages, but should also be fun. Edguy always mixed some seriousness with f-words. Vain Glory Opera had already songs with f-word and a punk cover. The live album is great to listen and funny to follow Tobi's interaction with the crowd. Edguy is a unique melodic metal band and by far the best, because they are not like everyone else. Iron Maiden was different from the other bands, Savatage was different, Sepultura and Angra were different.

About the KOF songs, King of Fools is aggressive, catchy, great chorus and a great videoclip (check Nuclear Blast's website). Despite the f*f*Jesus part (didn't like it either), New Messiah is what we expect from Edguy. Singalong melodies, catchy chorus. Savage Union has a longer chorus where you can hum along quite easily and a strategic (well) positioned f-word. Great. Holy Water is different, but it's emotional, somewhat dramatic. Another great chorus (4 in 4 so far). And...song #5, well, the funniest song I've heard in a while. The truth, the f*ing funny truth, all I can say.

Enough said, for those who didn't like King of Fools, Hellfire is quite different. No f-words, lots of aggression, speed, the usual great chorus, the usual Edguy's pussy balad, and the best 70's song written after 1979 (The Piper Never Dies).

Ok, so first off....to anyone who rated this album badly because of the words in "New Age Messiah," f*ck you. I know that normally power metal doesn't have much profanity, but that line is hilarious! Tobias is always blaspheming on edguy tracks, because it's really really funny....anyone remember the lyrics, "hallowed be MY name?" Anyway, overall, this EP is a great intro to the full-length and should be bought by everyone, including people who are offended by Edguy blaspheming. period.

People only buy EPs for two reasons. The first is to preview an album that's coming out. The second is for unreleased material. Now, since the album this is foretelling has already come, the only reason to buy it now is for the latter reason. This is in fact, why I bought it(getting it along with Rhapsody's "Dark Secret" ep, $13 for enough music to equal a full album)

The first song is "King of Fools," first single from Hellfire Club and I'd say about the fourth best song on that album, as well as this one. The edit's in this version run smoothly and this song is still as fun to listen to, but you'll probably just skip it if you already have Edguy's full legnth release.

Next is "New Age Messiah." 3rd best song on this album. It has a very nice rythem and, excluding the title track, is the catchiest song on the album. Very nice riffs going on.

Then it's "The Savage Union," 2nd best of the ep. Some fast riffing going on, this song is very close to "We Don't Need a Hero" from Hellfire Club, which is to say, a typical Edguy song. Nothing wrong with that, in my opinion.

Then comes the jewel of this album. "Holy Water" is actually one of the best ballad's I've heard that has come from the past 5 years. Not only are the vocals and playing simply amazing, but the orchestra finds itself in a perfect spot. Not too overpowering so it takes over everything else, but the ambiance it sets in raises the song so much that it would be completely different without it.

Finally, there's "Life and Times of a Bonus Track." It's a fun novelty track, but gets old after hearing it a few times. The straight piano and vocals from Tobi also get kind of boring after a minute. Definently the worst track from the album.

Still, this is possibly the greatest EP/single I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. Even if you're not an avid fan of Edguy, it's still something worth checking out.

every song on this mini cd is great! It's EDGUY so you know that it will be amazing, and people sell it for like 3 bucks you can't beat it Holy Water is great one of EDGUY's best songs

The EP. It has been said that in the modern age the EP is more of a marketing tool than anything else but in this case Edguy seem to be using this release as a single that also allows them to clear out some finished tracks that didn't make it to the last album.

So the bad news first. It's more of the same. Which when it comes to Edguy is usually great with me but tracks like Holy Water do tend to drone a little.

The good news is that if your a fan of Edguys last two monumentally great albums then you really need to buy this. Not to mention the smile that will play across your lips when you listen to the last track of this EP and read the lyrics (which are included which is a nice touch for an EP release). I won't spoil it for you by talking any further about it here.

But for the price at the time of writing, any Edguy fan should pick this up.

This EP is a great buy for the money, and from the snippets I've heard of the new album, an awesome prelude to Hellfire Club.

The first four tracks are a great sampling of the various moods and majesty of Edguy. I've been an Edguy fan for several years now, and they're sounding better with every release!

Don't hesitate to buy this disc! For the money, you can't find a better buy!

Reading the reviews of King of Fools so far, I'd think that about half of them had actually never heard Edguy before, or didn't really listen to the CD, or something......because I don't notice any deviation from the direction Edguy has been going over the past few years. On top of that, I think all of the songs are very good (not necessarily counting the last one). King of Fools has a nice fresh, modern sound to it, New Age Messiah blew me away......and since when did all of these people have a problem with the f-word? Maybe I happen to be one of the few that have seen Edguy live in concert, but I distinctly remember the f-word being dropped countless times; not to mention there was a whole song/break type thing of just the f-word....and well who the f--- cares anyway? It only helps to emphasize what they're saying. Well anyway, if you're a fan of power metal you'll like this EP, it's a pretty good deal at 5 bucks.....if you can only buy one though hold out for Hellfire Club in a month or so (I'm lucky enough to have heard it already, and it's amazing)

Geez! Some people just aren't satisfied with anything! Anyone who wants Edguy to move foreward with new ideas while still maintaining their signature sound, buy this EP and Hellfire Club when it comes out! Anyone who wants them to record another Mandrake (which is still a great album) and be stale, don't buy it!
Track by track review:

King Of Fools-Kick ass single with a catchy chorus and heavy yet melodic guitar riffs! Makes me want the new album right now!

New Age Messiah-Fun song! An obvious spoof of celebrities I beileve. Anyone offended by the "who the F*cking F*ck is Jesus" line should grow thicker skin! Since when did all metal fans become born again Christians?

The Savage Union-Straight out fun and heavy metal song that is great to listen to in the car!

Holy Water-Great ballad. Very emotional.

The Life And Times of a Bonus Track-Why does everyone hate this song? Where's your sense of humor? Tobias Sammet having fun again with the funniest song I have heard in years. One thing I love about Edguy is their humor. Remember Save Us Now from "Mandrake"?

EDGUY FANS-BUY THIS EP!!!!!

What we have here is vintage Edguy. You'll notice that they've slowed down the tempo a bit. No "Babylon"s here, but if you liked "Painting on the Wall" and "Mandrake" from the last album, these songs will be right up your alley. No, they're not breaking new ground here, but they do seem to be evolving in their lyrical content (where on previous albums Tobias seemed to be questioning religious issues, on King of Fools he seems on the verge of making up his mind against organized religion).

King of Fools reminds of - wait for this - the latest Bon Jovi single, but in a good way. The Bablesberg orchestra adds a downright beautiful layer to "New Age Messiah," far and away the standout track for this EP. Oh, and rest assured that Edguy is serving up a healthy dose of their trademark humor! New Age Messiah and the Bonus Track both had me laughing out loud. One thing's for sure: Edguy remembers that metal is FUN, and they're milking it for all it's worth. Fun music and tongue-in-cheek lyrics come together to make this a fantastic primer for the forthcoming album. In fact, it might even make a good intro for a newcomer to the band, though I might recommend "Theater of Salvation" instead.

This is the first Edguy EP to date, I believe. I was anxious to hear new material from the band, so I picked it up. The first one is the radio-version of King of Fools, and while it is really enjoyable at first, I tired of listening to it after only a few days. I'm hoping the album version will include elements that make it a more lasting song. The second song is the best song on the album: New Age Messiah. This song is catchy (like King of Fools initially was) but it also has a lasting appeal to it. The chorus is really nice and the lyrical content is the best on the EP (One day oblivion will swallow up my fame; the common run of mankind will forget my name). As long as you're ready for the abrupt lyrical ending to the song, then you'll enjoy it. The Savage Union ranks among my least favorites of Edguy. It's too stereotypical and the parts that are supposed to sound really cool sound lame to me. I just don't like it, and it ranks down there with other songs I really disliked such as Land of a Miracle. Holy Water is an okay song. It's bombastic, and has a lot of majesty, and I know it will be the favorite of many, but I just don't enjoy it, despite all of these positive elements. It sounds too much like the song Avantasia (not the album, which I loved, but the song) in which there is a small verse, a chorus, a small verse, repeat, until the end. And the final song is really funny, and my second favorite of the album. The lyrics and the spoken interlude are great, and I especially love the lyrical part about the reality of piracy. Overall, while the album is good, it's still just the same stuff Edguy has been doing for years; nothing is really new or original. The highlight is definitely New Age Messiah, and the Life and Times of a Bonus Track was funny, but the rest of the album isn't up to par with the stuff Edguy has done in the past. From what I'm hearing about the Hellfire Club album, however, there is less of a funny approach and it seems it will be more fulfilling, so I'm hoping it will be at least as good as Mandrake, and maybe better. I give New Age Messiah 2 whole stars and 1 star for Life and Times, so I would rank this EP a solid 3/5.