EDGUY

I'm curious about EDGUY leader and vocalist Tobias Sammet stating about "Tinnitus Sanctus" that "I am sure this could be the album we'll be measured by in the future". But that is only because it is not as strong as either "Rocket Ride" or "Hellfire Club", which is more a testament to the excellence achieved on those two albums than any condemnation of the new disc. Fans will undoubtedly enjoy the heck out of "Tinnitus Sanctus", as the melodic power rockers deliver another fun and catchy album.

"Tinnitus Sanctus" is more of a grower than the past couple of releases and explaining why that's the case is not easy. For whatever reason, it just takes a couple of extra spins for the melodies to sink in. It also boasts a considerably heavier guitar tone and stout drum sound. The keyboard touches are still present, just not as pronounced as on previous albums due to the fat guitars and steel-belted rhythm section brought to the fore by producer/mixer Sascha Paeth.

Love 'em or hate 'em (and that's pretty much how people are divided when it comes to this band),most would have to agree that few bands can create pure pop hooks encased in hard-rockin' anthems like EDGUY can. "Ministry of Saints", "The Pride of Creation", "Nine Lives", and "929" are traditional EDGUY songs with huge choruses of the decidedly addictive kind. "Sex Fire Religion" is right up there too and some would probably call it a highlight, but for some reason I find the chorus to be marginally grating. From the standpoint of pop-based metal brilliance, I wouldn't put any of these tracks in league with monster classics like "The Piper Never Dies", "Superheroes", "King of Fools", "We Don't Need a Hero", or "Sacrifice", yet all are strong songs. I would however put "Thorn without a Rose" in that category. Call it a guilty pleasure if it makes you feel better about yourself, but the power ballad is pure 80s pop metal excellence.

Examining the remaining tracks, "Wake up Dreaming Black" and "Dead or Rock" are decent, but that's about it, while "Dragonfly" and the compositionally involved, eight-minute "Speedhoven" both come with those huge, rather power metal, gang choruses and work to add variety to the album. Bonus track "Aren't You a Little Pervert, Too?" is a typically comedic song with a country and western delivery. Making it a bonus was a smart move.

In the final analysis, "Tinnitus Sanctus" is a good EDGUY album. Maybe comparing it to "Rocket Ride" and "Hellfire Club" is not fair, as expecting a third album in a row to reach those heights is probably unrealistic. You'll still be a diehard EDGUY fan after listening to "Tinnitus Sanctus". It just didn't bowl me over like the previous two albums did.