Edguy: Space Police - Defenders Of The Crown

German power metallers offer hails to England

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Following the stripped-down approach employed on 2011’s Age Of The Joker and the latest chapter of his space metal concept project, Avantasia, vocalist Tobias Sammet returns with what he considers Edguy’s heaviest album to date.

Its 10 standalone songs continue the tongue-in-cheek style that the German band have spent 22 years perfecting: power metal imbued with a flavour of Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin and other classic hard rock greats. Although those ‘Whoa-whoa-whoa’ gang-vocal cries soften the blow, Sabre & Torch introduces itself with a riff from the loins of Judas Priest’s Painkiller.

Defenders Of The Crown, Love Tyger, Do Me Like A Caveman and Space Police itself offer superb, rowdy singalong choruses. Edguy have also re-cut one of the most annoying hits of all time, Rock Me Amadeus by Falco.

The special edition adds a song entitled England, Tobias’s open love letter to the land that gave the world Steve Harris and always falls flat on its face at penalty shoot-outs. It’s great stuff.

Dave Ling

Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.