Blind Guardian - Imaginations From the Other Side

The question ”what’s the world’s best album” is impossible to answer. But if you ask me, “Imaginations from the Other Side” by Blind Guardian is most likely to be the answer. This was not the album that got me into Metal in the first place, I do not have any special memories connected to this album, it was not the first album I bought or something like that, actually it didn’t overwhelm me at all the first times I listened to it, I didn’t like it at all actually - I thought it was too muddy in terms of sound, too little shreddy in terms of soloing, and too little Kotipeltoish in terms of singing.

But that was then. After that it has grown, and grown, and grown, and grown onto me like no other disc throughout history has. It’s magical melodies, thundering riffs, massive choirs and choruses virtuosic drumming, complex song structures, aggressive but yet so varied vocals and medieval moods has thrilled me time after time after time - I’ve heard this album somewhere between 100 and 200 times by now (yeah, it’s true!!!), and I’m just as amazed every time. Hansi, André, Marcus and Thomen has managed to make something completely special here, and although discs by Rhapsody, Stratovarius, Children of Bodom, Malmsteen, Kamelot and In Flames may give me shivers down my back as well, this band and this album is something else. It’s not about music anymore, it’s about art, it’s about perfection, it’s about la Compactus Discus ultimatus, or something like that…

1. Imaginations from the Other Side - As the title track and opener to the world’s best album, this track ought to be something special. And it is. From the mystical opening keyboard chords to powerful rhythm guitar riffing to the ingenious leads to the majestic chorus with it’s layers of melodic motifs, this IS something special. This shows exactly what Blind Guardian is all about - intricate, fast, melodic, guitar-based but symphonic, aggressive but moodful music that is just that - Imaginations from the Other Side.
2. I’m Alive Being - maybe the most aggressive and “thrashy” song on the album, and for me is that not necessarily a good thing, since I tend to find Thrash Metal in general too boring, too primitive and to repetitive, but this is something different. We get a very intense intro, where Thomas “Thomen” Stauch gets to show us what a brilliant drummer he is, and also more quite intense parts, but we also get beautiful semi-acoustic parts (like the one at 2:44), bombastic choirs throughout, tremendous vocals by Hansi Kürsch, lots of multi-layered hyper-melodic guitar leads, speed, melody and everything else you’d expect from Blind Guardian at their very best.
3. A Past and Future Secret - Everyone raves about “The Bard’s Song - In The Forest” being the best of BG’s acoustic, medieval, folk-inspired tunes. And YES it is great, YES it is magnificent, but NO it’s not better than “A Past and Future Secret. I know most Guardian-fans disagree with me here, but IMO no other acoustic song ever manages to re-create the Medieval times like this one. It’s enormous choirs, clever use of acoustic guitar, flute, synth effects, snare drums and timpani, terrific melody lines and as usual outstanding vocals all helps to create the best acoustic HM-song (although I wouldn’t call it a “ballad”) ever.
4. The Script For My Requiem - If “APaFS” is the best acoustic song ever, this is the best overall song ever. It has EVERYTHING - the greatest melodies, power like nothing else, complexity, speed, symphonics (is that a word???), magnificent guitar work, drumming and vocals (and I’m sure the bass playing is great too, although I cannot hear it :-P) all topped off with clever lyrics and a chorus to DIE for. THIS is perfection.
5. Mordred’s Song - Well, no song could follow the world’s best and still stand tall could it? No, but “Mordred’s Song” is pretty damn close. Starting off with a nice acoustic intro followed by a genius but yet so simple harmonised guitar and later vocal melody before the drums and additional guitars come in for a terrific groovy riff, this is also music as it’s best. The chorus with it’s totally great choirs and electric + acoustic guitars is pure composing show-off and the pre-chorus line “No one asked it I want it, if I like it” gives me shivers each f*ckin’ time I hear it.
6. Born in a Mourning Hall - “I’m alive” IS the most punching song on this album, but this one is not very far behind. Especially the thundering opening riff and the part when the vocals enter, with it’s deadly hard rhythm riff and the pretty intense drums that follow. As a contrast to this comes the chorus, with it’s relaxed pace and almost melancholic vocal melody/lyrics - “Born in a Mourning Hall, pale clouds feared the unborn child, then it grew up with growing plans of suicide”. As usual with André Olbrich (one of the world og Heavy Metal’s most underrated guitarists) on board there is plenty of melodic guitar leads/solos around, and the one at about 3:19 is a special highlight. All in all, another supreme track.
7. Bright Eyes - This is the single of the album, and it fits perfectly as that. After a mystical semi-distorted guitar intro, Hansi enters with some mega-catchy vocals, before the entire band starts off with another groovy riff. The “verse” (it’s hard to say what’s verse and bridge in such complex songs) features some terrific In Flames-inspired (?? I doubt they are, but they are similar in choice of notes), and the chorus is another choir monster - “Bliiiiind Eyes, blinded by fear of light”. The solo on this one is also magnificent - not that fast or shreddy but with an ingenious ability to choose the right notes , check out the axework at 2:58 and onwards to see what I mean.
8. Another Holy War - This may be the poorest track on the album, although that doesn’t mean very much. It’s as far from average as I am from Yngwie Johann (and André) at the guitar, and especially the intro (in particular the part from 0:30) shines. Hansi sounds just as “macho” and powerful as only he can, and except for the chorus, which I fell they may have worked a bit more on this is also a mega-hyper track, with the pre-chorus (“Why am I born….”) as a special highlight, in addition to the already mentioned intro.
9. …And the Story Ends - As a closing track for such an album one definitely can expect something special, and that’s also what we get. This is a world-class Metal-Anthem from start to finish, brilliance said with notes, the definition on how good music should sound. From the cool 5/4 intro to the BRILLIANT part where the ingeniously arranged vocals enter to the majestic bridge part (“What can I do….”) to the excellent and epic chorus to the simple but yet som damn effective triplet-based part starting on 2:25 to the (once again so) deadly great lead work to another bombastic pre-chorus to another epic chorus to another great lead (anybody noticed that I seem to repeat myself a bit) to another of those progressive touches that makes Blind Guardian what Blind Guardian are. At 4:11 we actually get a kinda flamenco-influenced part with acoustic guitars, and although this may seem odd it fits perfectly into the track. The track finishes off with another lead and a magnificent epic and choral closing section, and the story ends……