Latest song of the day once again comes courtesy from the German power metal lads of Blind Guardian. This time around the song chosen comes from their latest album which has already seen a European release and set to drop in North America in August 24, 2010. The song I’ve picked from their latest album, “At the Edge of Time”, is the seventh track: “Control the Divine”.
This latest album’s sound harkens back to Blind Guardian’s seventh full-length album, “A Night at the Opera”, which brought the band into the realm of epic power metal and some progressive rock elements which showed the band willing to experiment with their sound to come up with some new hybrid style. “Control the Divine” definitely combines the epic power and proggy sounds evident in ANATO. While it doesn’t have the old-school speed metal riffs of “Tanelorn (Into the Void)” (second track in the new album), the mid-tempo of “Control the Divine” remains consistent throughout the song from André’s lead guitar to Ehmke’s drumming. But it’s the singing of lead vocalist Hansi Kürsch which makes this song my overall favorite in the album.
Kürsch has a distinct singing voice and with his penchant for overdubbing his vocals to create Blind Guardian’s epic sound of having a “huge chorus” singing along (there’s not just Hansi) definitely fits in well with the song’s lyrics. Lyrics which tells within a span of 5mins and 25secs John Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost. The song tells of Lucifer’s downfall, to the rebellion in Heaven against God, and right up to the Lord of the Morningstar’s bitter brooding and vow to destroy God’s chosen (humans). That sounds quite a lot to put into a song which is just under five-and-a-half minutes long, but Blind Guardian accomplished it.
Oh yeah, this song also has a very kick-ass melody.
Control the Divine
For what I was
I’m doomed to be
The tempter and the secret foe
Cause I am hell and hell is me
Pure hate will grow
Still I claim to be the chosen one and Still I claim This is rebellion rising
[Bridge 1]
First amongst equals
We’re bound to no law
There’s no one before us
Ethereal sons
Now disobey
Awake and arise
You’ll be free
[Chorus]
How can we take it away
From someone who has no right?
No right to control the divine
Night shall invade
Suspicion awakes
Wherefore He’s greater than I
[Lead: Andre]
Stay silent Until the end of the world So just like slaves we may deem him Dead silence Until the end of the world Hence from this moment we’re doomed I feel It hurts though Disburdened spirits we will be I’ve learned my lesson Pure and sore An offer divine
We’re far beneath them They consider us slaves They steal our pride Don’t trust them blindly Cause truth they conceal As it seems I’ll reign Cause here in my tower Impassioned, I’ll show you a way
[Bridge 2]
I can feel your hallowed rage
Now enter my realm
Awake and arise, you’ll be free
[Chorus]
How can we take it away
From someone who has no right?
No right to control the divine
Night shall invade
Suspicion awakes
Wherefore He’s greater than I
[Solo: Andre]
[Bridge 3]
Descend – just keep moving
All things shall proceed
It’s freedom you’re choosing
Preserve our hate
Eternalize
Awake and arise
You’ll be free
[Chorus]
How can we take it away
From someone who has no right?
No right to control the divine
Night shall invade
Suspicion awakes
Wherefore He’s greater than I
How can we take it away
From someone who has no right?
No right to control the divine
Night shall invade
Suspicion awakes
Wherefore He’s greater than I
Okay, so you have to listen to Into the Storm by Blind Guardian. I know, I know, it’s easy to dismiss power metal as just another fantasy genre, but trust me on this one. This track is the perfect storm of aggression and melody, and it kicks off the Nightfall in Middle-Earth album with such incredible energy that you’ll be hooked from the first riff. It’s a furious, catchy, and surprisingly deep dive into the lore of The Silmarillion, capturing the raw desperation of Morgoth and Ungoliant squabbling over the Silmarils. But seriously, don’t let the subject matter intimidate you; just let the music do its thing and you’ll be chanting along to the chorus before you know it.
The track is a masterclass in how to build intensity, but the real reason I’m writing this is to talk about the guitar solo by André Olbrich. It is, without a doubt, one of the most underrated moments in their entire catalog. If you pull up the remastered version, the solo hits right at the 2:37 mark and doesn’t let up until about 3:07. It’s a short, sharp shock of pure melodic bliss. What makes it so special is that it completely eschews the typical speed-demon shredding you might expect. Instead, it’s a soaring, beautifully constructed lead that sounds like it’s carrying the entire weight of the song’s story on its shoulders. It perfectly mirrors Hansi Kürsch’s vocal style, acting as another voice in the track to carry you forward into the chaos.
André is often listed among the greatest metal guitarists for a reason, and this solo is a prime example of his genius. He’s not interested in showing off; he’s interested in serving the song and elevating the epic feel. During those 30 seconds, his guitar weeps and soars over the frantic rhythm section, creating this incredible feeling of hope and tragedy all at once. It’s a moment of pure clarity and emotion amidst the storm, and it’s the perfect payoff to the frantic energy that came before it. It’s a piece of music that gets stuck in your head for days, and it’s a big part of why this track is such a fan favorite.
So, if you consider yourself a fan of powerful, storytelling metal or just appreciate a killer guitar solo, do yourself a favor and cue up Into the Storm. Turn it up loud, wait for that solo to hit, and let yourself get swept away. It’s a gateway into one of the most epic albums ever written, and I promise you, that brief, beautiful guitar break will be the moment that makes you understand exactly what Blind Guardian is all about.
Into the Storm
Give it to me I must have it Precious treasure I deserve it
Where can I run How can I hide The Silmarils Gems of treelight Their life belongs to me Oh it’s sweet how the Darkness is floating around
We are following The will of the one Through the dark age And into the storm And we are following The will of the one Through the dark age And into the storm Lord I’m mean
(guitar solo @2:37)
Blackheart show me What you hold in hand I still hunger for more Release me From my pain Give it to me How I need it How I need it How I need it
I did my part Now it’s your turn And remember What you’ve promised
Before getting into it, a little context: this album was my first introduction to Blind Guardian, courtesy of TSL writer necromoonyeti — the same person responsible for putting Boris on my radar. So if this review reads like someone who came in completely cold and got their face melted off, that’s because that’s exactly what happened.
Let’s get one thing straight right away: A Night at the Opera is not a casual listen. It’s not something you throw on while you’re folding laundry or zoning out on the commute home. This is the kind of album that demands you sit down, maybe pour yourself something nice, and just let it completely steamroll you for about an hour. And honestly? That’s exactly the kind of album Blind Guardian needed to make at that point in their career.
Released in 2002, A Night at the Opera is the German power metal legends’ seventh studio album, and it arrived after the already-enormous Somewhere Far Beyond and Imaginations from the Other Side had already cemented the band as giants of the genre. So naturally, Hansi Kürsch and company decided to throw the rulebook entirely out the window. The result is one of the most ambitious, over-the-top, maximalist records in the history of metal — and it rules, even when it’s utterly overwhelming.
The album opens with Precious Jerusalem, and within about thirty seconds you understand exactly what kind of ride you’ve signed up for. The layered vocals, the orchestral bombast, the sheer density of the production — it all comes crashing in like a wall of sound that somehow never feels muddy. Hansi’s voice is front and center, soaring over a choir that sounds like it’s made up of about four hundred people, and it sets the tone perfectly. This isn’t metal with some orchestral elements sprinkled on top. This is something else entirely — something almost operatic in the truest sense of the word.
From there, Battlefield kicks in with a bit more aggression and momentum, which is a welcome shift. André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen’s guitar work throughout the record is phenomenal, but Battlefield is one of the spots where the riffs really get a chance to breathe and cut through the orchestral layering. It’s not quite the straightforward power metal banger you might want it to be, but it’s driving and epic in all the right ways.
Then there’s Under the Ice, which slows things down into something that almost feels mournful. It’s one of the quieter moments on the record, but it’s deceptively powerful. Hansi’s vocal performance here is genuinely moving, and the restraint the band shows — relative to literally everything else on this album — makes it stand out in a really effective way.
If there’s a centerpiece that most people point to when discussing A Night at the Opera, it’s almost certainly And Then There Was Silence. Clocking in at nearly fifteen minutes, it is an absolute monster of a track — a prog-metal epic that tells the story of the fall of Troy through the eyes of Cassandra. Yes, really. And somehow it doesn’t feel self-indulgent. Well, okay, it does feel self-indulgent, but in the best possible way. The track builds and shifts and spirals through so many phases that by the time it reaches its climactic final stretch, you’ve completely forgotten where it started. It’s one of the most impressive things Blind Guardian have ever put to tape, and that’s saying something.
The Maiden and the Minstrel Knight is probably the most accessible thing on the record — a more traditional Blind Guardian ballad that sits comfortably alongside tracks from their earlier work. It’s a bit of a breather in the middle of all the chaos, and it’s genuinely gorgeous. The vocal harmonies are lush and warm, and it’s one of those songs that reminds you how good Hansi Kürsch is at pure melody when he wants to be.
Sadly Sings Destiny and Wait for an Answer keep the epic atmosphere rolling in the back half of the album, though they can start to feel a little dense if you’re not fully locked in. That’s perhaps the one honest criticism of A Night at the Opera— it’s a lot. The production, helmed by Charlie Bauerfeind and the band themselves, is incredibly thick. There are reportedly hundreds of vocal overdubs on some tracks, and while that creates an incredible sound, it can also make the album feel like it’s working very hard to impress you, all the time, without pause. By the time you hit the later tracks, the sheer weight of everything can start to feel a little exhausting if you’re not in the right headspace.
But then The Soulforged comes along and reminds you why you’re here. Inspired by the Dragonlance fantasy series — classic Blind Guardian territory — it’s one of the most energetic tracks on the album, and the chorus is an absolute earworm. It’s big, it’s bright, and it shows that even buried under all the orchestral grandeur, the band still knows how to write a hook that sticks with you for days.
Closing things out, Age of False Innocence and Punishment Divine bring the album home in suitably dramatic fashion. By this point, you’ve been through the full experience, and the record ends feeling genuinely complete — like a proper album with a beginning, middle, and end, rather than just a collection of songs.
So where does A Night at the Opera land in the Blind Guardian catalog? Honestly, it’s one of those records that rewards the people willing to meet it on its own terms. If you go in expecting Somewhere Far Beyond or Imaginations from the Other Side, you might come out a little shell-shocked. But if you give it the time and attention it demands, you’ll find one of the most unique and daring records in power metal history — a band swinging for the absolute fences and largely connecting. It’s not always easy listening, but it’s always worth it.
Fourteen years posting a year-end list somewhere, and the rule never changes: odd-numbered years produce more good music. Thankfully, we just concluded 2015. 🙂
15. Deafheaven – New Bermuda
14. Peste Noire – La Chaise-Dyable
13. Mgła – Exercises in Futility
12. Veilburner – Noumenon
11. Botanist – Hammer of Botany
10. Enslaved – In Times (track: Building With Fire)
It’s amazing that after 24 years and 13 studio albums, Enslaved still routinely make it into my year-end top 10. They have continually evolved without letting go of their black metal roots, and the consequence lately has been a long stretch of memorable, prog-rock infused releases that keep up with the times and never grow stale no matter how often I resurrect them. If In Times won’t stick with me quite so permanently as Vertebrae in 2008, it still achieves everything I’ve come to expect of them lately and has managed to entertain me more than the vast majority of other albums I have heard this year. I think I have a bit of a subconscious inclination to prioritize newer bands, but #10 was as low as I could justify dropping this one.
9. Krallice – Ygg Huur (track: Wastes of Ocean)
Like any Krallice album, Ygg Huur takes dozens of listens to ingest. What struck me at first as a rather disappointing, spastic blathering of sound comes together much more coherently if you give it its due time. That being said, it is still a sharp break from their previous four albums, and it lacks that element of progression and overarching vision that has traditionally made this band, for me at least, infinitely repeatable. (I have listened to Krallice more than any other band in my life by a large margin, and they only came into existence in 2008.) Ygg Huur is a brief an meandering mood piece that does not, perhaps, maximize the band’s song-writing talents, but I’ve enjoyed it plenty never the less. More avant-garde than post-black metal, am I allowed to love it and still hope it was just a one-time experiment?
8. Ghost Bath – Moonlover (track: Golden Number)
This is a pretty gorgeous post-black metal album that I’m surprised more sites haven’t picked up on for their year-end summaries. It lacks a touch of refinement that might have earned it higher standing, but the song writing is fabulous. Moonlover delivers a well-rounded package of post-rock infused metal that seems to pay a good deal of respect to Alcest and Amesoeurs, but their undertone is bleak and depressing. It’s a sad album in a way that makes me think of Harakiri for the Sky’s Aokigahara last year, but peppered with little bursts of joy that will bring a smile to your face.
Oh yeah, metal’s not supposed to make me smile. Check.
7. Sumac – The Deal (track: Thorn In The Lion’s Paw)
I never really got into Old Man Gloom. Make what you will of that. The Deal certainly wasn’t Aaron Turner’s most well-received album, but I personally enjoyed it more than anything he’s contributed to since Oceanic. A lot of that has to do with Nick Yacyshyn’s brilliant mastery of the drum set, but I also feel like Turner’s chugging out riffs that really sink into my head more than I’m used to. It’s like a doom metal reinterpretation of Isis, albeit with less progression, and I love the subtle stylistic diversity he brings to the field on this one. It has moments that remind me of everything from black metal to Converge. (And it probably wins this year’s ‘most listened to in my car’ award. <_<)
6. A Forest of Stars – Beware the Sword You Cannot See (track: Virtus Sola Invicta)
Beware the Sword You Cannot See is one of the most eclectic albums I have heard in a long time that I still managed to really enjoy. If I could begin to put a finger on how to describe it, I would have reviewed it ages ago. Black metal at its heart, it weaves a wild mix of strings and spoken word and avant-garde breaks around that core. I like it, quite a bit, and I think the vocals and lyrics (at least, what I can make of them) might be its strongest selling point. I really don’t know what to say about this album. Hear it for yourselves, and be prepared to give an attentive listen–possibly many–if you want to soak it all in.
5. Blind Guardian – Beyond the Red Mirror (track: Grand Parade)
It’s pretty hard to measure the worth of an epic power metal band on a list that is heavily dominated by innovative new styles of music. I don’t think I would have felt entirely comfortable with my positioning of this album no matter where I put it, but I tried to make the cutoff a sort of drifting point between albums that really made me reflect and albums that I just really enjoyed, because there’s never going to be a particularly deep hidden truth to a Blind Guardian track, but they’ve proven a dozen times over to be the ultimate kings of all fantasy-themed music. In the broad scheme of BG’s vast discography, I would probably place Beyond the Red Mirror fourth, after Nightfall in Middle-Earth, At the Edge of Time, and A Night at the Opera. That translates roughly to: it’s awesome.
4. Bosse-de-Nage – All Fours (track: A Subtle Change)
Am I a little biased since I got my initial rip of this direct from frontman Bryan Manning? Probably not, but in my weird little world that’s still a bragging point. 😉 Like Cara Neir’s Portals to a Better, Dead World in 2013, All Fours takes everything I love about screamo and turns it into post-black metal. This might be a coincidence. I’m pretty sure the band claims no direct screamo influence (don’t quote me on that), but the consequence is the same. These guys have worked their way into the top-tier of bands pushing metal in new directions today, and, more so than their previous albums, All Fours really strikes me as a well-rounded composition that possesses the maturity to fully deliver its vision. And Manning has a way with lyrics that’s… well… you just have to read them.
3. Obsequiae – Aria of Vernal Tombs (track: Orphic Rites Of The Mystic)
When I first heard Obsequiae, it was one of those rare moments where I went a-ha, you are that band that’s going to pioneer the style I have always desired but been too inept to create myself. I can guarantee you without much doubt that, of all of the albums of 2015, Aria of Vernal Tombs will find its way into my playlist the most for the longest period of time. Ten years from now, I will probably still be listening to this album when its competitors are all but distant memories. Like Summoning, they fit a unique mood for me that no other band has really begun to approach. (Perhaps Opeth’s Orchid crosses into this terrain, briefly and insufficiently.) A collection of captivating medieval melodies that press themselves upon you by-and-large through euphorically well-mixed guitar and bass (the bass on this album is absolutely gorgeous) rather than traditional instrumentation… my god, I’ve been waiting so long for a band that sounds like this, and they’re easily my favorite new discovery of the year.
2. Panopticon – Autumn Eternal (track: The Wind’s Farewell)
It’s amazing to think that, in the absence of one album this year that won my heart in a landslide, Panopticon could have taken my #1 slot in 3 out of the last 4 years. To put it bluntly, Autumn Eternal is Austin Lunn’s best album to date, and Austin Lunn is arguably the most accomplished metal artist of the 2010s. An incredibly versatile musician who can sample uninhibited from the melting-pot of styles that is post-black metal, Lunn’s newest offering is a mindblowing amalgamation of post-rock and black metal that leaves the more popular bands of this persuasion choking on his dust.
1. Liturgy – The Ark Work (track: Kel Valhaal)
What can I say…. it didn’t make Pitchfork’s top 25? I will probably look back on The Ark Work as one of the most underrated albums ever recorded, and I think its merits have more in common with Radiohead than with anything that has ever derived from heavy metal. It constantly threatens to collapse into a blundering mire of amateur garbage, from the excessive bell tones to Hunter’s marshmallow-mouthed rap vocals. This might be the turn-off for so many listeners, but it is necessary, and the key to this album is in how Liturgy always manage to somehow hold it together. It’s the musical equivalent of your kindergartener handing you a crayon scribble that, on second glance, turns out to be a Picasso.
On Aesthethica, Liturgy explored a very explicit reinterpretation of black metal that found quite a bit of inspired company among bands who were beginning to recognize and explore the similarities between black metal and post-rock. That album helped to define a movement, but it only achieved the band’s vision in a very direct sort of way: through rhythm and melody and progression. The Ark Work nails Hunter’s vision home with an extremely more robust and precise pallet, bringing lyrics and glitch effects and atypical instrumentation and a totally unorthodox approach to metal vocals into the fray. If you listen to a track like “Vitriol” and can barely take it seriously, that’s part of the point, but barely is the key word. Every risk and gamble they take ultimately works, and I am unabashedly unashamed to blare Hunter’s trap beat ‘occult rap’ at max volume out my car stereo. 😀
You might listen to The Ark Work and hear some childish clusterfuck, but I hear absolutely brilliant attention to detail–a musician completely in control of the degree to which his work teeters on the brink of nonsense. Top 20 all-time contender? I could go there. Leave your fear of speaking too fondly of Hunter Hunt-Hendrix at the door and just embrace this album with the assumption that he knew exactly what he was doing. You won’t be disappointed.
If Blind Guardian are not by now regarded with the sort of reverence generated by Metallica or Iron Maiden, it is a crime against heavy metal. Formed slightly before I was born, they might be the longest tenured band in existence that still carry extraordinarily high expectations. No one realistically expects a band to stay at the peak of their inspiration for thirty years, but Blind Guardian are the exception. They’ve never shown their age or wavered towards mediocrity. Does Beyond the Red Mirror keeps that tradition running strong?
“Yes” is the short answer. A thousand times “yes”, and only a fool would deny it. But when you’re talking about a band that released the unequivocal greatest power metal album of all time, there is still plenty of room for discussion.
Blind Guardian pulled off a pretty tough transition in 2002. They followed up Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998), their magnum opus by nearly everyone’s measure, with a relatively significant change in style. A move like that has spelled disaster for many great bands, but when Blind Guardian traded in an edgier, crisper production for smooth and seamless symphonic beauty on A Night at the Opera (2002), it totally worked. Their next two albums continued in that direction, and I never had the slightest cause to question it. While A Twist in the Myth (2006) ranks relatively low in their discography for me, that resulted from what I felt was a bit of lackluster songwriting–not pervasive, but present enough to leave the album somewhat diminished in the shadow of its two groundbreaking predecessors. At the Edge of Time (2010) was a grand return to form, definitively proving that this band would not suffer a slow decline as the years caught up to them.
Beyond the Red Mirror opens up with a lot less steam than “Sacred Worlds” lent to At the Edge of Time. The first track, “The Ninth Wave”, kicks off with a pretty typical epic introduction, complete with a professional choir and orchestra, but it’s the sort of sound that really hinges on what will follow. We’re used to a sort of constant rise from symphonics into metal, but “The Ninth Wave” is far more brooding at the outset. “Underwhelming” might be the right word for any other band, and nothing about the lead in really grabs me, but let’s not forget what band this is. I feel pretty neutral–not negative–about the album until the first chorus kicks off. And when that point is reached–“Sail on till you reach the promised land. We all drown in the fifth dimension. The ninth wave.“–you get this big dump of pent-up anticipation that you never knew you had. The five year wait is over. Beyond the Red Mirror is here, and the chorus carries all the grandeur you knew would be coming. It feels so complete and full, so Blind Guardian to the core, that the introduction isn’t sour in retrospect. Instead, the slow motion into glory lets the album creep into you. One second you’re waiting for something to happen, the next you’re in love, and they don’t have to resort to anything jarring or sudden to create the effect.
“Prophecies”, “At the Edge of Time”, and “Grand Parade” follow this trend of paced execution, keeping you wrapped in the warm vibe that is Blind Guardian’s sound while ebbing and flowing along. Not out of place on A Night at the Opera, these four tracks suit the album’s production well and deliver without any misgivings.
“Miracle Machine” serves as the album’s only ballad, and the other five tracks… they’re pleasantly not what I expected. For all the big name orchestras involved in recording Beyond the Red Mirror, Blind Guardian actually get pretty old-school. “Ashes of Eternity”, for instance, is heavily driven by rhythm guitar, and André Olbrich’s tasty solo near the middle is cast far more in the spotlight than it might have been on previous albums. “The Holy Grail”, “Sacred Mind”, and “Twilight of the Gods” follow a similar pattern, while “The Throne” exists somewhere in between. My initial reaction to these songs was not entirely positive, but they’ve almost all grown on me over time. They make for an interesting perspective on Blind Guardian’s career. Hansi Kürsch’s gorgeous vocals still feel fairly well rooted in the A Night at the Opera sound, but Marcus Siepen and André Olbrich are bringing back a lot of the band’s more classic power metal sound. With Hansi still largely dominating the choruses and rhythm and lead guitar being more focal in between, the songs take on a novel sort of vibe that feels like quintessential Blind Guardian but does not point directly to any one previous era in the band’s illustrious history.
I definitely dig it, yet I don’t feel like Beyond the Red Mirror will leave quite the lasting impact on me that Nightfall in Middle-Earth, A Night at the Opera, and At the Edge of Time did. The problem, aside from the lack of a really stand-out ‘bard’ track–“Miracle Machine” is nice but has none of the sing-along appeal of say, “Curse My Name” or “Skalds and Shadows”–lies in the production. I can’t help but feel like Olbrich and especially Siepen are getting the short end of the stick throughout. Like the three albums before it, Beyond the Red Mirror sacrifices a lot of crispness to encompass the massive volume of vocals and orchestration. That worked really well before, but here I just don’t know. Lead and rhythm guitar alike rang with crystal clarity on Nightfall in Middle-Earth, and that was a major part of what made the album perfect. If guitar is to play a more central role again, it would be nice if I could properly hear it. My one beef with Beyond the Red Mirror is that, while the band continues to evolve in positive ways, their producer may be failing to keep up.
I think that’s a big issue. This album is awesome, but I would love it so much more if they’d filled the symphonic void with louder, crisper guitar. That goes for about half of the tracks. I just sometimes feel like a few modest tweaks would have made them better. I’m looking forward to seeing some quality live videos of these songs pop up on Youtube, because I think a live venue may do them better justice. For now, Beyond the Red Mirror earns entry into my Blind Guardian playlist with ease, but I’ll not be revisiting it quite so often as Nightfall, Night at the Opera, or Edge of Time.
If you want another song to check out, I think “Prophecies” is my favorite. “The Ninth Wave”, “Ashes of Eternity”, and “Grand Parade” come close.
This pick for song of the day marks the fifth time the “Bards” from Germany has made an appearance. This song marks the third track to be chosen from their latest album, At The Edge of Time. To say that I am a fan of Blind Guardian would be just a tad bit of an understatement.
“Valkyries” is the latest song of the day and it’s Blind Guardian at their most progressive metal. As a band they’ve grown from a German speed and thrash metal band then became one of the progenitors of the power metal subgenre. For the past dozen or so years they’ve evolved their sound to incorporate progressive, melodic, symphonic and orchestral stylings to their basic power metal sound.
This song has lead bard Hansi Kürsch writing about Norse mythology, specifically the concept of the Valkyries who fly and roam above the battlefield to take those…
The latest “Song of the Day” comes courtesy of one of my favorite bands. Anyone who has been following this site and this recurring feature pretty much knows I speak of the awesome epicness of the German power metal band Blind Guardian. The song from their expansive discography I’ve chosen this time around is the song “Mirror, Mirror”.
This song combines two every epic things together: Power Metal + J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion = epic awesomeness.
The song itself and it’s lyrics tell of Turgon, King of the Noldor and second son of Fingolfin, brother to Fingon, Aredhel and Argon who builds the famed city of Gondolin during the First Age of Middle-Earth. The city was to be a safe haven for Turgon’s people who were in the midst of an age long war against the fallen Valar, Morgoth. It’s a song that tells of Turgon’s decision to build the city with assistance from the Valar and Lord of Water, Ulmo.
It speaks of the long road and desperation of Turgon to try and save the Noldor from the armies of Morgoth. It’s a tragic tale that hints at the ultimate fate of Turgon and Gondolin. A dream that ultimately will end in the ultimate betrayal from within.
I know that there are people who still thinks that metal is all about fast, loud, discordant guitar playing backed up by screaming and guttural sounds that pass off as singing, but Blind Guardian should dismiss such notion. There’s definitely nothing guttural about this song.
Mirror, Mirror
Far, far beyond the island We dwelt in shades of twilight Through dread and weary days Through grief and endless pain
It lies unknown The land of mine A hidden gate To save us from the shadow fall The lord of water spoke In the silence Words of wisdom I’ve seen the end of all Be aware the storm gets closer
Mirror Mirror on the wall True hope lies beyond the coast You’re a damned kind can’t you see That the winds will change Mirror Mirror on the wall True hope lies beyond the coast You’re a damned kind can’t you see That tomorrows bears insanity
Gone’s the wisdom Of a thousand years A world in fire and chains and fear Leads me to a place so far Deep down it lies my secret vision I better keep it safe
Shall I leave my friends alone Hidden in my twilight hall (I) know the world is lost in fire Sure there is no way to turn it Back to the old days Of bliss and cheerful laughter We’re lost in barren lands Caught in the running flames Alone How shall we leave the lost road Time’s getting short so follow me A leader’s task so clearly To find a path out of the dark
Mirror Mirror on the wall True hope lies beyond the coast You’re a damned kind can’t you see That the winds will change Mirror Mirror on the wall True hope lies beyond the coast You’re a damned kind can’t you see That the winds will change
Even though The storm calmed down The bitter end Is just a matter of time
Shall we dare the dragon Merciless he’s poisoning our hearts Our hearts
How shall we leave the lost road Time’s getting short so follow me A leader’s task so clearly To find a path out of the dark
The latest “Song of the Day” comes from those metal gods who make up the power metal band, Blind Guardian. It’s a song which begins their latest full-length album, At The Edge of Time, and also a reworking of the song the band created for the console rpg title, Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. The song I’ve chosen this time around is “Sacred Worlds”.
The song was originally titled “Sacred” and was introduced in the game the band made it for during a quaint sequence where virtual, fantasy versions of the band do headbanging show in your typical fantasy inn populated by orcs, goblins, trolls and other find gentle creatures. While the original song was great on its own when the band reworked it with a brand new orchestral intro and outro the song took on a more epic sound.
It’s a pretty long song at a running time of 9:17 and is one of the better songs in Blind Guardian’s latest album. It’s also one of thew songs in my Skyrim playlist which I listen to nonstop while playing in Bethesda Softworks’ latest epic rpg title.
Sacred Worlds
The realm’s bleeding It suffers Old and weak
No further arguing There is war at hand The system’s failing Engines running
Then after all I sense the end is dawning These lunatics deny the truth
I know I will not fail There’ll be
War it’s now or never We shall stand together One by one This world is sacred (I’m coming home) War it’s now or never We shall stand together One by one This world is sacred I’m coming home
Coming home
You chase in twilight And you know You will be on your own On your own
The misery shown I’ll be alone in this hour I’ll face the unknown Witness the end
I’m bleeding, I’m fading Here in my final hour When long-lost memories return And a voice keeps calling “All dead and gone It’s out of hand Life is in motion” I’m wishing, I’m fading “Time to wake up Face the truth”
I’m sinking I’m drowning There’s no doubt, no regret “Time to reveal now” This is no illusion It is real Carry on the flame It’s not over now Watch me, I will rise Time to reveal now
I know I will not fail Anymore
I’ll go on forever All that really matters Blessed realm This world is sacred (I’m coming home) War it’s now or never We shall stand together One by one This world is sacred (I’m coming home)
Yesterday’s gone There’s no today, no tomorrow I’m raised from the dead The ritual failed
There at the gates I’m left alone in this hour Driven insane I am left alone
And now I drown in deepest shadows While the golden hall is sealed I’m wishing I’m fading And I’m part of the machine
My eyes are the eyes of a dead man And I feel the unholy stream The source of my power T-energy I’m in control
I will live forever All that really matters Find the one This world is sacred (I’m coming home) War it’s now or never We shall stand together One by one This world is sacred I’m coming home
I spread my wings But keep on falling I should have known I can see it coming The war is over There’s whispering in the wind Just let me out of here There is no way There’s no end While all the suffering goes on All that I know Is that I’m not insane It’s not over
This pick for song of the day marks the fifth time the “Bards” from Germany has made an appearance. This song marks the third track to be chosen from their latest album, At The Edge of Time. To say that I am a fan of Blind Guardian would be just a tad bit of an understatement.
“Valkyries” is the latest song of the day and it’s Blind Guardian at their most progressive metal. As a band they’ve grown from a German speed and thrash metal band then became one of the progenitors of the power metal subgenre. For the past dozen or so years they’ve evolved their sound to incorporate progressive, melodic, symphonic and orchestral stylings to their basic power metal sound.
This song has lead bard Hansi Kürsch writing about Norse mythology, specifically the concept of the Valkyries who fly and roam above the battlefield to take those worthy slain warriors to Valhalla. Kürsch has been one of the best songwriters in the metal scene that I’ve had the pleasure to listen to. His songs are musical epic poems and if one has been following the previous “song of the day” entries involving this band they would’ve seen just how complex and intricate the lyrics Kürsch as come up with for each and every song. “Valkyries” lyrics are no different and listening to him sing it in his distinct voice conjures up images of glorious battlefields and brave warriors clashing in battle.
Listening to this song definitely would make for a great way to pump one up for the possibility of going into battle with battleaxe and sword in hand.
Valkyries
To the gods of the north, I pray And raise my cup for the fallen ones Then I cry In Valhalla they’ll sing
Rain Red blood keeps pouring down Come Valkyries, join me on that final ride
Here I lie bleeding Odin, I await thee
The battle rages on
New lines they’re weaving The future, the past and the present They’re one They will reveal their mask To show me a way to survive This bitter war
Soon it will be over He will be the one We’ll weave in
And terror will now rule these lands
When the battle is lost And the slain ones are chosen Valkyries will guide us home When the battle is lost And the slain ones are chosen Valkyries will guide us home
Destiny A spinning wheel The path of glory Round and round Come join us On your final ride to Asgard Let’s move on fast Allfather waits So let’s heed the final call
For now We leave this world behind It’s over
All glory to the brave Still blood will rain Through storm and fire Let war winds reign It’s the feast for the crows
Follow the light Just follow the light Or fade away
Soon it will be over He will be the one We’ll weave in and terror will now rule these lands
When the battle is lost And the slain ones are chosen Valkyries will guide us home When the battle is lost And the slain ones are chosen Valkyries will guide us home
We’ll keep on weaving We’re crushing through lines With our battering swords We’re marching on Assign the brave To survive This bitter war
Soon it will be over He will be the one We’ll weave in
And terror will now rule these lands
When the battle is lost And the slain ones are chosen Valkyries will guide us home When the battle is lost And the slain ones are chosen Valkyries will guide us home We’ll heed the final call A call to arms The valkyries will guide us home
Then finally I hear them say Carry on For Valhalla awaits you
Again the power metal lads from Germany, Blind Guardian, appears for the fourth time with one of their newest songs for Song of the Day. The song of which I speak of is the second ballad of two that Blind Guardian composed and produced for their latest album, “War of the Thrones”.
While metal bands have done ballads in the past and will continue to do so, Blind Guardian has shied away from the power ballads of most metal bands and have instead opted for the kind of folksy ballads that troubadours and traveling bards of the Middle Ages and the Age of Renaissance played much in inns and royal courts across the lands. In fact, the band has seen themselves more like traveling bards (but with a power metal kick to their music).
“War of the Thrones” definitely sounds like something a traveling troupe of bards would play at a royal court. Even the subject matter which inspired the song is from a historical fantasy series of novels by fantasy writer George R.R. Martin whose A Song of Fire and Ice many have seen as the American Lord of the Rings. The band never shies away from the fantasy aspects of their songwriting and with this song they embrace this aspect of their band’s sound.
The song’s lyrics has themes and ideas from Martin’s fantasy series. From the raging war for the throne of Westeros which has engulfed the lands south of the Wall to the sinister “Others” beyond the wall whose march will raze the Wall which keeps them from the warring kingdoms in the south. For fans of Martin’s fantasy series the song should be a delight as it brings up imagery from the books. For fans of Blind Guardian it’s a nice addition to their growing folksy ballads which goes hand in hand with their faster and more complex work.
War of the Thrones
Nothing will grow here
Icy fields – blackened sorrow
Legacy of a lost mind
Feed my void
What you’re waiting for
I’m too late
It is more than a game
The river reveals
Now I’m in between these lines
I cannot escape it seems
Sail on, my friend
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Walls they fall
When the march of the Others begins
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Rise and fall
When the War of the Thrones shall begin
While I sit there in silence
Come and talk to me
I can’t free my mind
It is all I’m begging for
While I sit there in silence
Will it ever end?
Will I find what I’m longing for?
Will I ever walk out of shadows so grey?
I’m condemned, I am hallowed
Icy fields they won’t hurt anymore
Will you walk with me?
Any further
There at world’s end
It’s me
I sing
I cannot escape it seems
Sadly I sing
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Walls they fall
When the march of the Others begins
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Rise and fall
When the War of the Thrones shall begin
Away
Watch the river it flows
(Now and ever)
I cannot believe in more
And now my time will come
Carry on
Will I ever learn from the past?
Will I fade away?
Will I ever stay where the shadows will grow?
There is luck at the gallows
I will free my mind
Soon it will show
Let it rain
There’ll be no spring
My dream is a mirror
It reveals a matter of lies
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Rise and fall
When the War of the Thrones will begin
All I ever feel is
All I ever see is
Rise and fall
When the War of the Thrones has begun
Leave a fee for the tillerman
And the river behind…
Through the Shattered Lens 