Send "Blind Guardian " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Popmatters |
 Any of metal’s myriad subgenres is perfectly enjoyable if the music is written capably and performed with passion, but it seems power metal is the one style that’s toughest to perfect. The music walks such a thin, precipitous line between garish fun and complete self-parody that it’s easy for a band to slip into the latter category. As of late, especially, top-notch power metal releases have been few and far between. This past year, we’ve been privy to a startling number of misfires by such bands as Rhapsody of Fire, Avantasia, Gamma Ray, and most disappointingly, the perpetually devolving progenitors Helloween. Power metal was never a “cool” genre to begin with, but with the quality of so many bands slipping, it’s enough to make you wonder if the sound has finally played itself out completely.As Helloween continues to sound more like an embarrassment with each new release, it’s up to its fellow German peer Blind Guardian to fly that power metal flag proudly: Not only does Blind Guardian do so on its ninth studio album, but the group comes along and shows everyone just how it’s done. Brimming with Wagnerian orchestral flourishes, Queen-inspired vocals, staccato riffs, and thrash-infused beats, the ten fantasy tales on At the Edge of Time are delivered with verve, and most importantly, a completely straight face. There’s no winking at the audience here; either you buy into it or you don’t. If you choose the former, however, you’re in for a real treat, as Blind Guardian has strode on the well-worn power metal stage and classed the joint up with a sweeping, epic—in every sense of the overused word—piece of work. When these guys are on, no one can top them, and this record sees them in full command of their craft yet again....full text |
| Angrymetalguy |
| Blind Guardian is easily one of the most unique bands that modern metal has ever encountered. I really do think that they are one of the most original acts to ever come out of any scene, sub-genre or crevace within the greater history of metal. Combining bay area thrash influence with a German power/thrash legacy and sprinkling liberally with Queen, this German act has been at the forefront of power metal and progressive metal since Imaginations from the Other Side (for sure, and probably even before that). Few bands in metal command the kind of insane loyalty from their fanbase and few bands ever deserve that kind of loyalty, frankly. Even for me, personally, Blind Guardian was one of the bands that really got me exploring modern power metal. I picked up Nightfall in Middle-Earth and my life was forever changed. That record still ranks in my top 10 of all time, easily. But, while the universe has few laws (Kepler, Newton, Joule, you know the drill), Angry Metal Guy’s Law of Diminishing Recordings™ is definitely in full effect with this majestic guardian of the blind. This law is pretty simple. No matter how good your favorite band is, eventually they will start to suck for one of two reasons: 1) They run with the same sound for long enough that it begins to get tired and every song becomes interchangeable and/or uninspired or 2) They change, and it pisses you off. I cannot think of a single band who has not produced some crap, and even if they get better again, eventually they produce a whopper (or two) and it never lives up to those early records that you love so much and that made them unique at the time. The scientific foundation for this is, of course, quite simple: prove me wrong. Unfortunately, A Twist in the Myth, the previous Blind Guardian offering from 2006 was utterly disappointing and that was as a follow up to an at least marginally disappointing A Night at the Opera. So, the question coming into this is “Can Blind Guardian produce a record in their current formation with the same kind of breadth and complexity as Nightfall in Middle-Earth while maintaining the memorability and honesty of Imaginations from the Other Side?”...full text |
| Sputnikmusic |
| Whether you really like them or not, it’s difficult to deny that Blind Guardian are one of power metal’s flagship bands. They’ve single-handedly defined how to make a fantasy-based power metal album for people who really don’t enjoy power metal in the first place with Nightfall In Middle-Earth, and since then have wandered around trying to find their way back to a place they’ve already been. It’s been a slow regression, sure, but a regression nonetheless into a place where everything has seemed uninspired and rather clumsy compared to the sheer fluidity of their more renowned works. At The Edge Of Time proves to be a slight turn for the better, showing inklings of confidence and willingness to experiment- part of what made them who they are today. In between the wallows of a handful of filler tracks and cliché, disjointed attempts at melancholic ballads, Blind Guardian have made a vast amount of headway in recapturing their signature sound of brilliant lead riffs and choruses that make you rise up and sing along, elements which are absolutely crucial in making a power metal album avoid stagnation. The pace changes between crawling acoustics and emotional vocals to thrashing riffs and grandiose symphonics backing layered choruses that just ooze pretension, yet still remain enjoyable. That- the ability to keep all overblown concepts at bay- is perhaps the most crucial element keeping At The Edge Of Time as enjoyable as it is. The wailing guitar solos that are drenched in Blind Guardian’s very particular guitar tone are as good as ever, showing a focused balance between structured songwriting that has a goal in mind for the entire album as a whole, and enjoyable guitar licks and drum fills that are there just for the moment itself. The grandeur and sheer epic qualities of songs like “Sacred Worlds” and “Wheel Of Time” contrast the mid-paced and down-tempo “Curse My Name” and “War Of The Thrones”, and while the change is welcome and helps the album move along without becoming repetitive, these ballads seem like cheap attempts at emotion. The success and popularity of fantasy ballads like “The Bard’s Song- In The Forest” have spawned a slew of similar tracks on their subsequent albums, and At The Edge Of Time is no exception. That, coupled with several filler tracks that litter the album, really take away from the quality of the final package which otherwise is the best album Blind Guardian have released in years. The outstanding vocals by Hansi Kürsch have remained as powerful and effective as ever, and the guitar riffs and atmosphere are top-notch....full text |
Blind Guardian lyrics Music videoclips
|
| |||||||
