Search - Edguy :: Hall of Flames

The Best and the Rare

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 05/03/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There is no shortage of great power metal bands that hail from Germany. Helloween and Gamma Ray practically invented the genre, and Blind Guardian has perfected it. One band that tends to get overlooked is Edguy. The hard working (and hard partying) guys in Edguy have been delivering high quality melodic power metal since 1995, so it's fitting that the 2-disc "best of" collection Hall of Flames arrived in time to celebrate the band's 10th anniversary. Here's what Hall of Flames has to offer:



Disc 1 is intended for the casual fans who might be interested in checking out what Edguy has to offer but don't know where to start. It's also ideal for those of us who find Edguy's studio albums a bit repetitive and would prefer a more streamlined overview of the band's career. You get 13 tracks that span Edguy's career from 1995's Savage Poetry to 2001's Mandrake, including personal favorites Out of Control, Vain Glory Opera, Land of the Miracle, and the 12-minute epic Theater of Salvation. The band (or maybe the record label) was smart to include songs that feature Blind Guardian frontman Hansi Kursch on backup vocals. I have no idea how the sappy "Scarlet Rose" - a ballad Warrant would have been ashamed to record - made the cut, but that's my only real gripe with the song selection.



Disc 2 features rare b-sides and bonus tracks that were previously exclusive to Japanese imports. There are also a few live tracks, including a pair of live songs from Edguy mainman Tobias Sammet's Avantasia project. This disc alone gives serious Edguy fans (who probably don't need what's on disc 1) a reason to pick up Hall of Flames.



Whether you're new to Edguy or a long time fan, Hall of Flames definitely has something to offer you. Raise your fist and sing along!"