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Blind Guardian – Beyond The Red Mirror

Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD download
Released: 2015
Reviewed By: Rich Catino
Rating: 9/ 10


One of the Gods, founding fathers of European Power Metal begun in the 80s, Blind Guardian return with their tenth dungeons and dragons inspired album, a sequel to “Imaginations from the Other Side”. At nine minutes, a three minute build opens ‘The Ninth Wave’ with orchestration and choir moves into riffs, drums, and vocals, before hitting its stride for the chorus. A little unorthodox for these guys norm and it works, more progressive, less of the power metal. Those distinctive riffs and charging rhythm brings ‘Twilight of the Gods’ back to their roots a bit and classic 90s speed metal tunes, still the complimenting leads are more 2000’s Guardian. On that note, post “Nightfall in Middle-Earth” (1998), the formula has evolved a bit while retaining the bands trademark qualities from the mid 90’s albums “Tales from the Twilight World/“Somewhere Far Beyond”. But, as you can hear in ‘Prophecies’ verses, bridges, and chorus are anchored in layers of melodic guitar leads and backing vocals, as opposed to riffing. Title of the 2010 album, ‘At the Edge of Time’, opens with a few strings, percussive accents, Hansi’s ghostly vocal with backing vocal layers and orchestration, a demonstration their love for Queen and how to layer melody and harmonies.

 

Great to hear the return of the straight forward metal riffing and drums at the core of ‘Ashes Of Eternity’ with splashes of an edgier vocal, and going even further back in time, ‘The Holy Grail’ power packed attack has a “Follow The Blind” aesthetic. Piano ballad ‘Miracle Machine’ is something different than the usual Celtic/folkish acoustic number, again, that piano and chorus are soooo Queen. Well done. ‘Grand Parade’, one of two tracks that are almost ten minutes, closes the album epic in a way Blind Guardian can only do.

 
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