Virgin CD 87885-2
1989
RATING-80
Choice Tracks-Banish From Sanctuary, Valhalla, Hall of The King.
This is the first Blind Guardian CD I purchased. At first, I didn't know what to think about these German speedsters. The music was incredible, however I had a few reservations about Hansi's vocals. However, the more I listened to this CD, the more I appreciated his throaty vocals meshing with the incredible guitars and drums. Now Blind Guardian are absolutely one of the best metal bands on the face of the earth, period. The CD opens up with a monk chant on Inquisition, which gives way to the classic "Banish from Sanctuary." From there on, the CD carries on at breakneck speed. "Beyond the Ice" is a great instrumental, and "Valhalla" guests Kai Hansen on guitar and vocals. The final song on the CD is a Beach Boys cover-"Barbara Ann" which sounds way better than the original of course! Anyways, a great CD, not as refined as their later work, but a great precursor for things to come...
Virgin 87789-2
1991
RATING-98
Choice Tracks-Traveler in Time, Lost in the Twilight Hall, The Last Candle
I have one simple word to describe this CD...MASTERPIECE! This is one of the absolute best CD's I have ever heard in my life! The CD gets off to an incredible start with "Traveler in Time" and never looks back. The band really improved their chorus work on this CD over Follow the Blind. Very well produced as well. The fantasy themes continue with songs such as "Welcome to Dying", "Lord of the Rings", and "Lost in the Twilight Hall". Sci-fi fans are treated to the songs "Traveler in Time" (about the great book Dune) and the slightly weaker "Altair 4". A song called "Tommyknockers" is also featured. The CD closes on a great live recording of "Run for the Night". If you are purchasing your first power metal CD, make it this one! You won't be disappointed!
Virgin 86831-2
1992
RATING-90
Choice Tracks-Time What is Time, The Bard's Song-In the Forest, Somewhere Far Beyond
Another excellent outing from Blind Guardian. This CD is full of both straight ahead fast songs(Time What is Time, Ashes To Ashes), and some slower songs(the classic "The Bard's Song-In the Forest" which is an incredible acoustic song, and its twin "The Bards Song-The Hobbit", the same music done with regular instruments with different lyrics). The whole CD is great, even a very good cover of Queen's "Spread Your Wings" appears(apparently the band was dissatisfied with it for some reason though...) The only gripe I have is that they include two versions of "Theatre of Pain" which I don't think is a standout song to begin with. But besides that, this CD is another amazing outing by Blind Guardian.
Virgin 840337-2
1995
RATING-84
Choice Tracks-The Script for My Requiem, I'm Alive, Another Holy War.
Okay, first I'll get this out of the way-the production/mix on this CD stinks! It sounds very muddy, Flemming Rasmussen did a horrid job on this! Kalle Trapp, where are you? Anyways, this CD also features one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen! Anyways, this is another great Blind Guardian outing, 9 songs of powerful. melodic metal, played in Blind Guardian's unique style. The band seems to experiment a bit more with time changes in some of the songs, with success of course! A great addition to any metalhead's collection! You won't be disappointed with the music!
Virgin 845899-2
1998
RATING-98
Choice Tracks-Nightfall, When Sorrow Sang, Time Stands Still(At The Iron Hill).
Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's book The Silmarillion, Blind Guardian have created yet another masterpiece in Nightfall In Middle Earth. Gone is the muddy production which plagued Imaginations From The Other Side, instead replaced by 22 songs of glorious, epic narrations mixed with fabulous songs of power as only Blind Guardian can create. Many of the songs have short narrative lead-ins, which only helps to tell Tolkien's glorious tale. The songs themselves range from sheer epic beauty("Nightfall", which is very reminiscent of "The Hobbit" songs Blind Guardian previously recorded), fast powerful songs reminiscent of their earlier work("When Sorrow Sang" could have easily been on Tales From The Twilight World), and the pure power of songs like "Mirror Mirror" , the huge chorus of "Time Stands Still(At The Iron Hill)" and the equally excellent "Into The Storm", complete with the giant sounding choruses Blind Guardian have become known for. Easily one of the band's finest works to date, this CD is a complex mixture of various types of songs, and with a much better production than their last outing, Blind Guardian have created a disc which will certainly keep fans of the band happy until their next album. An absolute masterpiece.
1) There's been a very long time since the last time I heard a power
metal album that touched me so much as "Nightfall In Middle-Earth". The
new album from Blind Guardian has everything that anyone having heard
their three previous full releases would expect from the, justly called,
fantasy metallers, and much more. It has the passion that characterizes
Hansi Kursch's voice, which makes every lyric burst from emotion. It has
the familiar outstanding riffs that bind ideally with the lyrics. Blind
Guardian have much progressed musically (especially the vocals and drums
are much better than in the past) and they've followed the direction
taken from "Somewhere Far Beyond" and afterwards, increasing the variety
of the songs and enriching the orchestrations. "Nightfall In
Middle-Earth"
has fully assimilated influences from the 70's (immediately and through
the 80's, i.e. Queensryche, Savatage), folk influences (Hansi claims
influence from Jethro Tull) and all these now create the very special
character of the band. We are dealing with music that is epical to the
highest degree, literally, concerning the lyrics and metaphorically,
concerning the kind of melodies one describes as epical.
9½ ('cause the next will be even better)
Orestis Raptis
2) The relationship between the music and the listener is one that can
take many forms. There is music that expresses the feelings and the
thoughts of the listener. There is music that expresses other people,
giving the listener the means to understand them. There also exists
music that creates other worlds, seen from the very eyes of the beings
therein. Once that is achieved, the listener finds himself living in
other worlds, perhaps feeling as their co-creator. What more could one
ask from art?
Just wonder about Blind Guardian: How manages the band to increase their
qualities continuously?
Insiders were after the release of "Imaginations From The Other Side" in
agreement that this album would set the new standards for the next years.
They failed, because "Nightfall In Middle Earth" accomplishes the
impossible and beats IFTOS by far.
NIME is no normal music album, it is fast to a "radio play". "Nightfall
In Middle Earth" takes us into a medieval-phantastic time, in a world
created by J.R.R. Tolkien and his book "The Silmarillion". Spoken
passages and atmospheric intros make the CD, which is over 70 minutes
long, to a trip into another world.
But "Nightfall In Middle Earth" needn't be heard at a row. Every song has
its own power, no song which doesn't get at least the predicate "highest
level".
Nevertheless, the really irresistible magic the album develops only as a
whole, as a complete tale.
So take your time hearing this album!
"Nightfall In Middle Earth" beats all the expectations and the artists
even beat themselves. This album could get such an importance for Heavy
Metal music like "Sgt. Pepper" (by the Beatles) for Rock and Pop music.
(Original by Olaf Plotke)
I have always marvelled Blind Guardian's persistence in creating medieval-
fantasy concepts for their albums. This album is no different. It has an
excellent cover to start off with and, hey, I heard that! I know reviews are
not supposed to be based on album covers, but then again, a good cover
reflects an artist's impression of the album, is it not? It aids in the
conjuration of fantasies which are pretty integral with the appreciation of
music in general. Anyhow, back to the review!
Power Metal Chart Rating : 9.0
* Songs which are able to control and shape the moods they create, in my opinion, are good songs. It is pretty much like a story-telling session. A bad story, is a story with bits and pieces left hanging, unaccounted for. On the other hand, a good story is one which ties everything up nicely. The way we understand why things are written the way they are, determines the degree of excitement they generate.
Heavy, pounding drums and keyboards commenced the album with an ominous feel.
The gradual buildup of guitars hinted grandeur and I found myself turning
blue from holding my breath. The tension broke and the vocals eased in.
Coarse and assertive, Hansi held his voice well. What hit me was the
excitement* which the song, "Imaginations From The Other Side", displayed.
It leaves painful anticipation of what was to come. One important attribute
to a memorable song.
"A Past And Future Secret" would be my ideal medieval-style ballad. I found
the strumming and picking of the acoustic guitars extremely soothing, almost
trance-like. The anguished feel of this song brought tears (no kiddin!).
Mixed with percussion, this song treads on glorious paths.
The rest of the songs are generally well-structured and polished. I
particularly enjoyed the mystical journey which the band took me, with their
music.
So, Blind Guardian are out on tour, as I learned from Rock Hard (Czech magazines are incompetent in supplying tour dates) and theres no stopover in Czech Republic (Czech organisers are incompetent in supplying good bands concerts - or should I say impotent?) Be it as it may, Blind Guardian are a must see band for me, thus, I decided to go to Wien, cost it what it may. My sister will pay for this, anyway, as Blind Guardian are a must see band for her even more than for me ...
Ok, Wednesday morning we set out on a trip, first trying to hitchhike to cut on expenses as much as possible, still, we had to use the comfort of railway transport eventually. Arriving at Wien (Yes, I should perhaps translate it to Vienna, aber ich glaube das ihr, Menschen, Deutsch verstehen kannt...) shortly after noon, having enough time to look around Prater, the City and last but definitely not least find out the location of the venue.
There were few maniacs around, short time before the beginning of the show though it was, but the club filled right on time. I was surprised (positively) by the behaviour of the Austrian fans; they appear somehow much better behaved than those in Czech Republic. Due to the respect fans here show for each other, we had no problem assuming the position right in the first row (naturally, wed been waiting there for quite a time) and await there anxiously the first band of the evening.
Holding Into the Mirror Black in nearly a sacred reverence, as I do, I naturally became a fan of the new effort of ex-Sanctuary members, although I dont find their debut as great as the aforementioned release. Lights went out and the long haired quintet (men, they draft new guitarist according to the length of hair or do all folks in Seattle look so? I doubt, haha ...) enters the stage. they start with two tracks from the self-titled debut (sorry, I havent grasped the tiles yet). Then Warrel (looking a bit ... well, quite a bit ... under the influence) greets the audience and asks who remembers their last European tour with Fates Warning.
Yes, I do, they played in Slovakia, but nobody bothered to make any promotion, so I learned only when it was too late (as usual). But now I expect something from the old times, once Warrel started to speak about them. We never know what the future holds, exclaims he and the Future Tense is on. Then a couple of new songs, I remember the Sanity Assassin and there was also a brand new one - We have never played this before so youre the first fans to ever hear it, explains Warrel.
He also kindly reminds us of Lenny, who stayed at home in Seattle trying to play grunge, frowning at the end, and then he starts his lively performance again, the rest of the band supporting him by waving their long hairs, bassist Jim being like a wild animal, too. Another old track, dedicated to Seattle city police, as we learn, entitled Taste Revenge and older one still - Battle Angels - to close the fine set. I expected one more encore, but the crow starts shouting Guardian, Guardian, and the stage is being prepared for the bards from Krefeld already.
Its no surprise that the Inquisition intro is what we hear (and sing along) first, but the entering riff is not Sanctuary ... no, its Welcome to Dying. Andre dressed in Megadeth t-shirt smiles at the audience, Hansi, dressed in team colours, likewise. Oh, I dont think he should bother with singing at all, the crowd manages very well each single line of the text. And its not that many people, hardly more than 500, I should guess, but its just alright for the place.
Hansi thanks, greets the public, introduces the band and their hometown - in German, leider, also ich verstehe sehr schlecht, although Im trained from asking the way all afternoon. Journey through the Dark and then a new one, Born in a Mourning Hall, the audience is very well acquainted with already. The sound is very good and way heavier than on the records. Well, the keyboards become lost, but it improves towards the end. The spirits is, of course, high.
The acoustic guitars are brought and Now we all know the bards and their songs ... The rest is left on ourselves, and we manage without problems. I wonder how Mr. Tolkien feels about this, I believe he watches from the other side with a smile on his face. Yes, and the atmosphere in the club is fantastic!!! Some more tracks - The Quest for Tanelorn, Imaginations from the Other Side and time for acoustic one again. The new single about The Past and Future Secret is obviously the song.
And back to some heavy stuff, Time What Is Time - I expected keyboard part afterwards, like on the live album, but I was disappointed at this point, then the killer speed track off the new release Im Alive - yeah, it does sound heavy, like from the Follow the Blind album, I love it. Hansi makes some jokes in between the songs which fail to get. (I gotta learn German, I gotta learn German, ...) I dont remember how the songs exactly succeeded, but there were those from the Tales - Goodbye My Friend and Traveller in Time with a mighty chorus of fans for an intro, Valhalla being the only track from my beloved Follow the Blind album, once Banish from Sanctuary was omitted at the beginning, And the Story Ends.
I mean, the story does not end at all, the fans fill the room with a mighty cry for more, and this is obviously what the band returns with. Lost in the Twilight Hall and Somewhere Far Beyond - hell, you could write a story using their song titles, couldnt you? During the latter, Hansi exchanges the lyrics for the first and second verses, realising it later as his eyes turned upside reveal - I did not notice the reversed lyrics, but my sister watched and listened very carefully, so she informed me about each detail I would miss (plus, I guess she can recite their lyrics backwards, too). What I did not miss was the musicians wild running about the stage during the lead in this song.
Well then. Could you think Blind Guardians show ends like that? Haha, then you know little about them! Ba ba ba ... Well, Hansi, you dont have to teach us the lyrics, do you? And so we all sing along the final song, which is enriched by lots of solo parts here, even a rocknroll keyboard solo is included The the light is turned on and the fans leave one great experience richer.
Somehow, the people as if disappeared, as there was soon clear about the place. And we set out on out journey through the dark on the quest for Wien Nord looking at the posters saying Blind Guardian Nevermore ... And the story ends.
The story was written in English by W. Martin Brnovjak.