Blind Guardian - A Night at the Opera

Let me start this review by being very blunt. Blind Guardian’s A Night at the Opera is probably the most ambitious, theatrical, grandiose metal album ever recorded. I know that’s saying a lot, but believe me, its no exaggeration.

Blind Guardian has been honing their fantasy metal sound since their 1988 debut album Battalions of Fear. Subsequent albums like 1990’s Tales from the Twilight World, 1992’s Somewhere Far Beyond and 1995’s Imaginations from the Other Side gained Blind Guardian critical acclaim and an international following. 1998’s Nightfall in Middle-Earth was the bands first US release. Soon after, Century Media began releasing the bands previous albums on this side of the Atlantic.

A Night at the Opera, Blind Guardian’s seventh all-original album, is their most adventurous album to date. The band has decided to stray away from their J.R.R. Tolkien obsession and stick to a slightly more straight-forward approach lyrically. Musically however, there is no taming down. This album is a metal soundtrack if there ever was one. Every song includes huge, operatic choruses that will have you singing along in no time. The musicianship is impeccable and brilliantly executed. Songs like “Sadly Sings Destiny”, the unbelievably powerful “Battlefield”, and “Under the Ice” are immediate standouts, showcasing terrific songwriting and brilliant vocals from Hansi Kürsch. The guitars are powerful and melodic with great solos. The drumming is basically an unrelenting assault of double bass, which is cool if you’re a fan of that type of drumming like myself. The production is perfectly clear and very layered. For example “And Then There Was Silence” features some 30 guitar tracks and 50 vocal tracks! This album does have a few minor drawbacks though. First off the songs are so over-the-top, that by the time you get to the albums final 14 min. cut, the aforementioned “And Then There Was Silence”, the average listener will be utterly exhausted. The huge choir vocals and the epic songwriting might be just too much for some people.

Even though it does have a few drawbacks, this album has quickly become a favorite of mine. Fans of Blind Guardian’s other work (Demons & Wizards, Iced Earth, etc.) and even Rhapsody will certainly find something to enjoy here.