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| Blind Guardian - A Night At The Opera |
 Released: 2002 Label: Century Media Cat. No.: 7995-2 Total Time: 70:45 | |
Reviewed by: Mathieu Chamberland, November 2002 Fans of Blind Guardian are used to waiting for their favourite group to release a new album. It was 1998's Nightfall In Middle-Earth, completely based on J.R.R. Tolkien's written masterpiece The Silmarillion, when BG favoured us last with their music. Four years later, with a delay of nearly nine months, A Night At The Opera has finally arrived - and in grand style at that. This time around there is no concept about Tolkien or anything Lord Of The Rings related. Nonetheless, Hansi Kürsch, singer and main lyric writer of the band, still continues to draw inspiration from fantasy based stories along with mythological and religious subjects. This has been the BG trademark since Battalions Of Fear and for sure the fans won't be lost nor disappointed. As for the music? Pure melodic speed metal with a recipe that only Blind Guardian knows. Twin guitar lead attacks, double bass drums fast as hell (even though you'll find on this new album the most interesting and diverse drum playing of Thomas Stauch), and the typical yet so unique vox of Mister Hansi Kürsch. What is keeping Blind Guardian ahead of the other power metal bands that release Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 3 year after year is their ability to make their sound evolve, to include modern sound techniques, and to make it more mature. The mix is heavy with the drums being way up front in the mix. The vocals, which needed more than 80 tracks in the mix, are the most complex multi-layered harmonies Hansi has ever done, which makes me really wonder how it will sound live. And with the epic 14 minutes song "And Then There Was Silence," you'll get the most epic, classical, symphonic metal track a band has ever done, a track that even Rhapsody would be proud of! Blind Guardian haven't lost their power metal throne - a throne that we must give our total metal respect to. Imaginations From The Other Side and Nightfall In Middle-Earth are already mile stones for the power metal world and A Night At The Opera is a gem that the metal community deserves. PPO Rating: 10/10 [This review originally appeared at the ProgPower Online review site; Marcelo's and Steph's reviews -ed.] More about A Night At The Opera: Track Listing: Precious Jerusalem (6:21) / Battlefield (5:37) / Under the Ice (5:44) / Sadly Sings Destiny (6:04) / The Maiden And The Minstrel Knight (5:30) / Wait For An Answer (6:30) / The Soulforged (5:18) / Age of False Innocence (6:05) / Punishment Divine (5:45) / And Then There Was Silence (14:05) / Bonus Track: Mies del Dolor (3:39) Musicians: Contact: Website: www.blind-guardian.com Discography
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