Edguy

Biography

Edguy is a German power metal band formed in Fulda in 1992.

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×Savage Poetry1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Key to My Fate4:042Hallowed6:143Misguiding Your Life4:044Sands of Time4:395Sacred Hell5:376Eyes of the Tyrant10:007Frozen Candle7:158Roses to No One5:429Power & Majesty4:53, 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×Kingdom of Madness8 February 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Paradise6:242Wings of a Dream5:243Heart of Twilight5:324Dark Symphony1:055Deadmaker5:166Angel Rebellion6:447When a Hero Cries3:598Steel Church6:289The Kingdom18:3310Key to My Fate4:3411Sands of Time5:0512Power & Majesty5:10, 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×Vain Glory Opera15 January 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Overture1:322Until We Rise Again4:273How Many Miles5:394Scarlet Rose5:105Out of Control5:046Vain Glory Opera6:087Fairytale5:118Walk on Fighting4:479Tomorrow3:5210No More Foolin’4:5611Hymn4:53, 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. While 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×Mandrake24 September 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Tears of a Mandrake7:122Golden Dawn6:073Jerusalem5:274All the Clowns4:495Nailed to the Wheel5:396The Pharaoh10:377Wash Away the Poison4:408Fallen Angels5:149Painting on the Wall4:3710Save Us Now4:3611The Devil & The Savant5:2812Wings of a Dream [2001]5:02, 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 – Live.
The band's contract with AFM had expired by this point, which led to them signing with Nuclear Blast 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×Lavatory Love Machine21 June 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Lavatory Love Machine4:242Lavatory Love Machine (acoustic)4:353I’ll Cry for You3:454Reach Out4:055Lavatory Love Machine3:57" 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×Rocket Ride20 January 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Sacrifice8:052Rocket Ride4:493Catch of the Century4:044Asylum7:415Return to the Tribe6:086Save Me3:497Matrix4:108Out of Vogue4:389Superheroes3:2010Wasted Time5:4811Trinidad3:2812Fucking With Fire (Hair Force One)4:2313Land of the Miracle (live)5:4814Holy Water4:1715Life and Times of a Bonus Track3:24 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 Fire – Live, 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×Age of the Joker26 August 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 34 tracks · 5 discsDisc 11Robin Hood8:262Nobody’s Hero4:333Rock of Cashel6:204Pandora’s Box6:475Breathe5:056Two out of Seven4:297Faces in the Darkness5:248The Arcane Guild5:009Fire on the Downline5:4810Behind the Gates to Midnight World8:5811Every Night Without You4:52Disc 21God Fallen Silent5:042Aleister Crowley Memorial Boogie4:353Cum on Feel the Noize3:544Standing in the Rain4:035Robin Hood (single version)4:556Two out of Seven (single version)3:40Disc 3A1Robin Hood8:24A2Nobody’s Hero4:31A3Rock of Cashel6:18B1Pandora’s Box6:45B2Breathe5:03B3Two out of Seven4:28Disc 4C1Faces in the Darkness5:22C2The Arcane Guild4:59C3Fire on the Downline5:47B1Behind the Gates to Midnight World8:57B2Every Night Without You4:52Disc 5A1God Fallen Silent5:02A2Aleister Crowley Memorial Boogie4:35A3Cum on Feel the Noize3:52B1Standing in the Rain4:04B2Robin Hood (single version)4:54B3Two out of Seven (single version)3:39, 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.
On 13 February 2013, Sammet did an interview promoting the latest release from his Avantasia project. In the same interview, he revealed that Edguy was to have a new album released, planned for mid-2014. On 28 January 2014, Edguy revealed that the album would be titled Space Police: Defenders of the Crown and released on 18 April.
On 13 March 2017, 2-CD/DVD-package Monuments, consisting of both old and new material, was announced for release on 14 July.
In 2018, Edguy released a remastered version of their first album Kingdom of Madness×Kingdom of Madness8 February 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Paradise6:242Wings of a Dream5:243Heart of Twilight5:324Dark Symphony1:055Deadmaker5:166Angel Rebellion6:447When a Hero Cries3:598Steel Church6:289The Kingdom18:3310Key to My Fate4:3411Sands of Time5:0512Power & Majesty5:10 as an Anniversary Edition.
In March 2020, Sammet announced via Facebook page that Edguy was on hiatus because he has "been working on a new Avantasia record for a while now, and not on a new Edguy record because that's what feels right to me". Sammet also explained that while he considered Space Police to be a great album, the production of it had been "exhausting".
In June 2026, Sammet announced the band's first live performance in a decade, to take place on 25 June 2027 at the Domplatz in Fulda, calling it the band's "final chapter".

Musical style

Edguy's lyrics are often metaphorical, alluding to metaphysical or social themes: conformity ("The Headless Game", "Mysteria", "King of Fools×King of Fools2 February 2004 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1King of Fools3:352New Age Messiah6:013The Savage Union4:154Holy Water4:185Life and Times of a Bonus Track3:236Edguy Studio Report16:05"), dictation by the church ("The Kingdom", "The Pride of Creation", "Theater of Salvation×Theater of Salvation27 January 1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1The Healing Vision1:112Babylon6:103The Headless Game5:314Land of the Miracle6:325Wake Up the King5:436Falling Down4:357Arrows Fly5:048Holy Shadows4:309Another Time4:0710The Unbeliever5:4711Theater of Salvation14:1312For a Trace of Life4:1313Walk on Fighting (live in Milan)5:40"), 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×Lavatory Love Machine21 June 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Lavatory Love Machine4:242Lavatory Love Machine (acoustic)4:353I’ll Cry for You3:454Reach Out4:055Lavatory Love Machine3:57", "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".
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×Rocket Ride20 January 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Sacrifice8:052Rocket Ride4:493Catch of the Century4:044Asylum7:415Return to the Tribe6:086Save Me3:497Matrix4:108Out of Vogue4:389Superheroes3:2010Wasted Time5:4811Trinidad3:2812Fucking With Fire (Hair Force One)4:2313Land of the Miracle (live)5:4814Holy Water4:1715Life and Times of a Bonus Track3:24 features even less power metal elements, and is arguably more oriented towards hard rock. Their next album, Tinnitus Sanctus×Tinnitus Sanctus12 November 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks · 2 discsDisc 1A1Ministry of Saints5:05A2Sex Fire Religion5:55A3The Pride of Creation5:30A4Nine Lives4:26B1Wake Up Dreaming Black4:04B2Dragonfly4:56B3Thorn Withoout a Rose4:44B49-2-93:47Disc 2C1Speedhoven7:40C2Dead or Rock4:57C3Aren’t You a Little Pervert Too?!2:18D1Lavatory Love Machine (live in L.A.)D2Vain Glory Opera (live in L.A.)D3King of Fools (live in L.A.), 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×Vain Glory Opera15 January 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Overture1:322Until We Rise Again4:273How Many Miles5:394Scarlet Rose5:105Out of Control5:046Vain Glory Opera6:087Fairytale5:118Walk on Fighting4:479Tomorrow3:5210No More Foolin’4:5611Hymn4:53 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...

Band members

Current
Tobias Sammet – vocals, keyboard (1992–present), bass guitar (1992–1998)
Jens Ludwig – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1992–present)
Dirk Sauer – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (1992–present)
Tobias Exxel – bass guitar, backing vocals (1998–present)
Felix Bohnke – drums (1998–present)
Former
Dominik Storch – drums (1992–1998)
Frank Lindenthal – drums (1998) (studio only)

Live albums

Burning Down the Opera (2003)
Fucking with Fire – Live (2009)

Singles

"La Marche Des Gendarmes×La Marche des gendarmes2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1[data track]2[data track]3La Marche des gendarmes4Wings of a Dream (version 2001)" (2001)
"Painting on the Wall×Painting on the Wall27 August 2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Painting on the Wall (edit version)4:022Golden Dawn5:463Wings of a Dream (2001 version)5:054Painting on the Wall / [untitled]7:35" (2001)
"Lavatory Love Machine×Lavatory Love Machine21 June 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Lavatory Love Machine4:242Lavatory Love Machine (acoustic)4:353I’ll Cry for You3:454Reach Out4:055Lavatory Love Machine3:57" (2004)

Demos

Evil Minded (1993)
Children of Steel (1994)
Savage Poetry (1995)

Compilation albums

Hall of Flames (2004)
The Singles (2008)
Monuments (2017)

Videos

"All the Clowns" (2001)
"King of Fools×King of Fools2 February 2004 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1King of Fools3:352New Age Messiah6:013The Savage Union4:154Holy Water4:185Life and Times of a Bonus Track3:236Edguy Studio Report16:05" (2004)
"Lavatory Love Machine×Lavatory Love Machine21 June 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Lavatory Love Machine4:242Lavatory Love Machine (acoustic)4:353I’ll Cry for You3:454Reach Out4:055Lavatory Love Machine3:57" (2004)
"Superheroes×Superheroes5 September 2005 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Superheroes (video Clip)3:222Mysteria (live in Brazil)5:523Under the Moon (live in Brazil)6:114Navigator (live in Brazil)5:35" (2005)
"Ministry of Saints" (2008)
"Robin Hood×Robin Hood9 August 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Robin Hood8:242Robin Hood (single version)4:54" (2011)
"Love Tyger×Love Tyger1 April 2014 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Love Tyger (Edit)4:10" (2014)

DVDs

Superheroes (2005)
Fucking With Fire – Live (2009)
Monuments (2017)