Blind Guardian

The Sentinel · Post by **The Sentinel** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:55 am

Are there any Blind Guardian fans around here? I have to confess that I never liked the band that much until some months ago. I was spinning "Imaginations From The other Side" and was completely hooked. I used to have "Nightfall in Middle Earth" long ago but didn't like it then; that might have changed now. The album I still have besides "Imaginations..." is "Batallions of Fear" which has some great early Helloween-like tracks. I think I'm gonna buy some more albums of this band. I've seen them live once long ago but can't remember

Trigger · Post by **Trigger** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 11:19 am

3 first albums are fantastic!!Somewhere.... is also very good,I like their rest a little less than any of the first 4.Haven't heard last 2 albums though!

Black Axe · Post by **Black Axe** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 11:22 am

I've the same albums including Nightfall and ANATO left.

And I suggest not buyng the latter unless like Queen-like operatic happy power metal mixed in with your regular Blind Guardian.

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 11:25 am

I love almost everything they've done up to Imaginations. After that they turned completely.......you know what

Sgt. Kuntz · Post by **Sgt. Kuntz** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 11:50 am

First album is a perfect german, melodic speed metal feast. Much more like "Walls Of Jericho" than modern "power" metal, check it out!
I liked them up to Nightfall, but after that it's like one dropout after the other for me.

Pavlos · Post by **Pavlos** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 1:40 pm

TALES FROM A TWILIGHT WORLD is my favorite output from the band. They combined the aggressive style from the first album with the melodies & choirs from the second one in an almost perfect way. How can you not love speedy power hymns like LOST IN THE TWILIGHT HALL and THE LAST CANDLE. After this album they turned to a more softer, more orchestral side.

Warepire · Post by **Warepire** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 2:27 pm

I pretty much only really like their first 2 albums... but everything they've done up to (and not including) A Night At The Opera is pretty good... A Night At The Opera and onwards is just crap.

vansinne · Post by **vansinne** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 3:25 pm

The new one is a huge step in the right direction, give it a chance.

nightsblood · Post by **nightsblood** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 3:31 pm

<----

My most favorite band ever! I like almost everything the band has done. Saw them live once on the Twist in the Myth tour, and have tix to see them in 2 months on the current tour. They play the perfect tyle of German power-speed metal that I adore (early Helloween being my other most favorite metal thing in the universe), but I also liked them a lot when they shifted to the slower, more orchestral power metal style.

Quick run-down of albums:
Battlions of Fear- great German speed metal, often goes way overlooked by fans. Tons of great songs, blistering speed.

Follow the Blind- one of my least favorite; has a few great songs but most are rather samey

Tales from the Twilight World- arguably their best. Blazing speed on anthem after anthem

Somewhere Far Beyond- The transition album; still plenty of speed but they start getting a lot more symphonic elements worked in. Killer album

Imaginations from the Other Side- they leave the speed metal behind and move more into the folky-orchestral stuff. Took me awhile to get into this one but it's a great album

Nightfall in Middle Earth- Raction to this album is sometimes colored by one's propensity for fantasy schlock. As a Tolkein nerd, combining hobbits and german power metal is a match made in heaven

Night at the Opera- OK, here's where things take a dip. There are some good song on here, but the album tends to drag on too long, and the album as a whole isn't as enjoyable.

Twist in the Myth- easily their worst effort. Songwriting is very ho-hum, even the production is crappy (Baurfiend has always been hit-or-miss, never understood why so many bands insist on using him).

At the Edge of Time- Really nice comeback; after the previous 2 albums I was worried they were running out of gas, but this one is a nice return to form.

Also must mention 'Tokyo Tales', which is one of my favorite live albums ever. Great energy, killer track list, great crowd noise level-interaction, awesome stuff!

Black Axe · Post by **Black Axe** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 3:38 pm

nightsblood wrote:Tales from the Twilight World- arguably their best. Blazing speed on anthem after anthem

That's the only one I've never heard(Though I haven't checked out the newest one either). Guess I'll need to check it out.

Marken · Post by **Marken** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 4:15 pm

Tales From the Twilight World is one of the best albums ever. Somewhere Far Beyond and Inaginations From the Other Side are also brilliant.
The only album I don't like at all is A Night At the Opera.

Helstar · Post by **Helstar** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 4:29 pm

I can't forget the day that musicassette came into my hands ... it was Somewhere Far Beyond, BG became instantly my 'new' fav band back in time and it's still now my favourite album from BG, by far.

There are so many songs I don't even understand why they aren't considered by fans or themselves too (rarely played live), "Ashes to Ashes" for its speed and "Quest for Tanelorn" for the thrashy main riff are two of their heaviest songs for example (and fantastic guitar solos !), or what about the second part of Bard's Song ... and of course the all time classics ("Journey..." in spite of all).

The whole album is pure gold, there isn't one song which is weak (ok maybe only "that" part of the title track lol), even the ballads are their best.

For me, n.1 all time power/speed album ever.

mordred · Post by **mordred** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 8:30 pm

Somewhere Far Beyond is a top 5 album of all time for me. Nightfall in Middle Earth, Imaginations From the Other Side and Tales From the Twilight World are also timeless masterpieces. The most recent At the Edge of Time is for me a surprising return to glory. I never cared much for the first two. A Night at the Opera and A Twist in the Myth were only decent.

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 8:34 pm

nightsblood wrote: Also must mention 'Tokyo Tales', which is one of my favorite live albums ever. Great energy, killer track list, great crowd noise level-interaction, awesome stuff!

Lots of studio work behind this one, the perfomance is amazing anyhow

The Sentinel · Post by **The Sentinel** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 9:20 pm

I really need to check out the rest, reading these comments. I think there is quite some speedmetal left in "Imaginations from the Other Side". Guitarsolo's are quite interesting on this one.