Edguy
Tinnitus Sanctus

Probably after the magnificent "The Scarecrow" for the Avantasia project, no one expected to be faced with another masterpiece within a few months, yet listening to "Tinnitus Sanctus" one can't help but be captivated. Leaving behind the wild experimentalism (though successful) of "Rocket Ride," Edguy decide to reintroduce a sound leaning towards Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, without completely abandoning their reputation as ardent Power enthusiasts.

The album starts off really well with the single "The Ministry of Saints", already previewed by the audience on the band's MySpace. Nothing to say, a gritty and engaging track, with a chorus that may not be very original but still appreciable. Then we find the weak point of the entire album (obviously in my humble opinion). It is "Sex Fire Religion", which begins with good promises but seems to never take off and at the decisive moment falls into a really bland chorus.

We then move on to the more genuine power with "The Pride of Creation", an exciting track with really peculiar lyrics. Undoubtedly one of the most successful tracks, it truly deserves to be listened to by anyone. A few tracks later we find "Dragonfly", which I consider the best song of the album, overflowing with pathos and epicness. Perhaps it takes more than one listen to truly appreciate it, but you will soon find yourself walking down the streets humming the chorus.

Also noteworthy are "Thorn without a rose", the classic melodic ballad of the album (which luckily escapes the absolute banality that seems to infect many such songs) and the speed track "Speedhoven", aggressive and emotional at the same time. The latter deserves second place tied with "The Pride of Creation".

And after "Dead or Rock", a song that all things considered is not bad and ranks in the average, we find the usual Edguy prank, which in this album goes by the name of "Aren't you a little pervert too"?!. The surprise factor is due to a simple fact: no one would imagine finding a country song at the end of such an album. While it is a bit of a joke (I don't think you'll listen to it more than once…), it's still amusing to witness the cheekiness of such a band.

In short, aside from some weak points like the aforementioned track 2 and other songs lacking particular depth that I have avoided mentioning, we are faced with a beautiful album, which will surely be appreciated by longtime fans of the band, and will probably manage to win over some new supporters.

A must-have.