Imaginations From the Other Side

by

Blind Guardian

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I'd been planning on checking out Blind Guardian for quite some time, but kept putting it off because of how crappy the euro-power metal scene is in general. But some weeks back I listened to my Demons & Wizards album for the first time in quite a while, and was reminded of just how good it was, so I went out right away and picked this up. Needless to say I shoulda done that a lot sooner. As I anticipated, this album is way over the top, but in a good way, and is a helluva lotta fun to listen to. Essential listening, for sure.

The only real problem with this album is the production, which is pretty lousy. Way too muddy, and the guitars aren't loud enough. But I can live with it, and this production is preferable to the hideous, bass-drum saturated over production that is typical of pretty much all the european power metal that I've heard.(which, admittedly, isn't all that much) And, despite the muddiness, the mix has got lots of power and energy, particularly in the drums, which is probably more important, for a metal album.

This is a truly epic album, with each song graced by a huge vocal chorus. Fortunately, Kursch is a great singer. The choral vox sound wonderful and always have great melodies, and I really like the harsher vox typically used during the verses as well. They sound great individually and compliment each other very well. Individually, the instruments aren't that exciting, due to the great emphasis on the vocals. But they do what they are required to do quite well. The rhythm guitar doesn't have that many memorable riffs, but it's got lots of pulsing energy, and there are quite a few nice dual leads. The drums are fairly conventional as well, but once again provide all the energy and power the album needs. Also, they manage not to overdo it on the double bass in either the production or the performance.

There are no weak tracks on this album. The title track is probably the best. One of the most epic things here, with the best chorus on the album and great vocals throughout. Some nice leads too. The next track, I'm Alive, is probably the second best track. It's got a strong speed metal element and the second best chorus on the album. Script for My Requiem is the most over the top song on the album, with just about the most absurdly over blown chorus imaginable.(Other than a few things on A Night at the Opera...) But of course, the weird grandeur of their music is what makes Blind Guardian good, so this is another strong track. More energetic speed metal riffing at times, and I particularly like the vocal part just before the instrumental bridge after the second chorus.

Well, I'm not gonna bother with any more track specifics, as I am certain to say exactly the same thing about each track. I like 'em all, though. This is something of an acquired taste, so you might wanna try and test it somewhere before you buy, provided you aren't familiar with or don't care for the subgenre in general. But if you wanna find something that takes the grandeur of prime Iron Maiden and Painkiller-era Judas Priest to the next level you want to get this.

Blind Guardian are a much-loved band in power metal circles. Anyone who had the guts to play this sort of metal since the beginning of the 90's and has not wavered deserves my respect.

To be truthful, I own only the 3 domestically available BG albums, this one being the next-to-last in their oeuvre. The best thing about BG is their tremendous vocalist and the vocal arrangements, bombastically operatic in nature. When they work, they send shivers down my spine. My main criticism about their approach is the busy nature of their drumming. Instead of subtlety, the approach is to go as fast as possible, so it is nice when they relax a bit and throw a ballad here and there. "Bright Eyes" is one of my favorites, especially the beginning. A few other songs are as good, but most are mediocre in my opinion.