Blind Guardian - A Night at the Opera (April Showcase Album of the Month)

There are few bands in the metal genre today that have reached the kind of height of popularity that Blind Guardian has achieved in the past few years. All across the board, its difficult to find someone that doesn't like the band in one of their forms or another. The outfit possesses a knack for imaginative songwriting and the rare ability to blend knock your socks off heaviness with catchy hooks that snap the attention and hold it throughout the duration of their songs, whether they be expansive epics or quick bouts of metallicness.

BG came from the 80s, playing a formidable type of music that was closer to a speed/thrash hybrid with fantasy settings, than the triumphant over orchestrated power metal styled songs they are playing today. It took years for them to mold their dreams and inspirations into a form of music that could take the best advantage of the themes they wanted to represent. As time progressed and their compositions became more impressively complex, they ended up blending thunderous power, theatrical style orchestrations and dramatics, breathtaking speed and lyrics that flesh out worlds, taking the listener to other realms where dragons fly and steel is locked in battle. This style took off with "Imaginations From the Other Side", admittedly in a thrashier and rawer form than their current incarnation and was uniquely all their own. The follow up to "Imaginations..." was their breakthrough blockbuster set in author J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth and drawing from mostly The Simarillion, 1998's "Nightfall in Middle Earth" managed to take the theatrical side of Blind Guardian to another level. Its weaving of stupendous power, absolutely *massive* choruses and vivid atmospheres allowed it to become one of the most celebrated releases of that decade. Singer and creative drive behind the band, Hansi Kursch, took a year or two off to pursue other projects, most notably the collaboration with members of Iced Earth under the banner "Demons and Wizards". With two such popular icons in the metal underground working together on a single album, success came without surprise.

But its now four years after their last full length studio release, and many have feared too much time has elapsed between discs. Well fear no longer. "A Night At the Opera" (here on out known as "ANatO") is everything one would hope and expect from BG, and done on perhaps an even more epic scale than their last. This newie is a not-so delicate blend of the rich harmonies and addictive choruses of "Imaginations..." and the over-the-top production and aural assault of the senses from "NiME". There are so many elements vying for attention in each song that it nails the listener on every level with a dizzying barrage of sound that at first seems like a full frontal attack with wisps of melody floating along in the background, just out of reach. This technique was first applied on "NiME" but not quite to this extent and it often requires several listens for one to sort it all out and wrap around the complexities before each song can be fully enjoyed. Those that were expecting the simpler structures from "Tales From the Twilight World" or "Somewhere Far Beyond" will be hopelessly disappointed, but isn't there enough four piece bands offering disc after disc of ho-hum bare bones 'pure' (truu) metal already? BG has been there and done that, and did it quite well I might add, but their moving on into more progressive pastures, with plenty of lightspeed drumming and galloping twin guitar assaults pushing the speed limit all intact, is fresh and exciting done in a way that only BG can miraculously pull off without sounding cheese laden or even worse, utterly ridiculous, like the fledging upstarts that try to copy their sound and fail miserably.

The band themselves are in fine form, especially Hansi who sounds like a million with his distinctive style that adds a splash of colour to the proceedings. He tests out his vocal chords in a couple of tracks, putting a new twist to his signature sound. Thomas Stauch's drumming skills are spot on, creating reliable structures for each song. The dual guitars play off of each other nicely thanks to the talents of Andre Olbrich and Marcus Siepen. The only point that seems to be a problem is the production itself. Overall it sounds nice, crisp and clean in most areas, but it goes overboard with the bass. This kind of music just begs for a thick bottom end, but what happened to the treble? Its nearly nonexistant here. So that means every song is boomier than it should be and the highs are never up where they could be, leaving a nagging feeling that something is indeed missing. Metal rarely has perfect production, being relatively low budget in comparision to made-for-the-sheep mainstream products (fodder for the brainless masses that metalheads wouldn't care about anyway). Once this small obstacle is overcome, the problem area becomes much less noticable and doesn't detract from the music overall.

01.] "Precious Jerursalem"
No opening fanfare, we are sucked right into the album from the get-go. Blistering headbanging sections where guitar and drums build and expand until almost breaking are switched for more subdued areas that are not quite so overflowing with instrumentation so quickly that a single blink can cause the exchange to be missed. Solo-wise its a splendid treat with guitar upon guitar battling in a triumphant war for supremacy that fades out for a duel between Hansi and 'the Kursch vocal choir'. The chorus lets the melody speak for itself instead of just continuing on the destructive path of a senses assault. Well done with enough time changes that any single one part is not allowed to ride on the nerves for too long without a variation on the theme for relief.

02.] "Battlefield"
Whisked away to medieval times, dropping right into a renassiance-like setting. Its like crashing a Renassiance Faire with a handful of shouted words and an impromptu sword battle, resulting in blood shed and galloping horses. Chaos at its costumed finest. A few of these instruments are held over for the main meat of the song, for this light hearted beginning is not here to stay. This becomes apparent when vocals and electric guitars sweep down from a cloudy heaven into a whirlwind of energy. Verses are created with Hansi's abrasive voice and varying degrees of theatrics. Beginning rather light (well atleast for THIS band) as the song continues on, these are approached with even more dramatics and orchestration, until the point of no return is reached where its almost unbareable in intensity. The chorus is the showstopper however, with its choir being countered after every line by the lead spitting out his chosen lines with fervent passion. Again the guitar solo that tops the song off is so undeniably catchy but is over far too early for an axelover's tastes. A snippet of simplistic brilliance in a song that tackles everything else on a gigantically epic scale.

03.] "Under the Ice"
Another opening that's quite different from the last. Stringy and sitar-like, its shattered into silence by squealing guitar, putting that to an enflamed end, never to return. The chorus is (once again) terrific, letting up on the double bass drumming that can after time pound holes into one's skull for a breather. The rest of the song pounds this into your head endlessly in true Blind Guardian fashion while Hansi feverishly delivers his lines, linking them together while the background warps and smashes around in each instrument's own fashion. The only thing distasteful about this song is the word "rotten". It just simply does not fit, and after hearing it for the millionth repetition in this ditty, thrown around with wild abandon each time the chorus pops up, the conclusion has been reached that this word should never, ever again be used in any song. "Rotten" sounds just silly and is detracting from the track's credibility.

04.] "Sadly Sings Destiny"
All is forgiven once this magnificent little tune kicks in. If this does not make it as a single, than hope is all lost for the industry in general. The chorus eagerly buries itself in the consciousness on just the first jaunt through, and further ensconces itself on repeat listens. This kind of instant addiction is contagiously dangerous indeed for someone already seriously hooked on the metal drug. Sizzily nipping guitar, oddly muted for a stark mood in constrast to the rest of the track, it kicks everything off, and then Hansi sneaks in with a tattered edge to his voice, that builds and takes a more familiar shape for the chorus. The startling deliciously creepy bridge snaps one back into reality, clinging like sparkling cobwebs onto every strung together line that connects each word to the next until the thrilling swift punch into the chorus. A bit of entangled guitar wraps up the package for a fleet and fitting finale. Absolutely killer.

05.] "The Maiden and the Minstrel Knight"
The medieval themes make a comeback for this ballad-esque creation, quite desperately settled into the inevidible despair of love kept apart by outside forces. The song can't help but feel light hearted in places, well that is until the metallic part crashes the party and settles in for the duration, popping up at the perfect times as a forceful reminder. The chorus which started out rather simplistic, is slowly added to until the last grand run through where all is finally in place. Just when you think its over all has faded into silence and the next song is bound to begin at any moment, well think again, its not, slamming into overtime with a final proclamation before fading out for good.

06.] "Wait For An Answer"
This is by the numbers Blind Guardian, containing few standout features that seperate it from the rest of material on the album, but is still damn good in its own right when not compared to the rest of the album. The chorus, while repeated a little too often has a very bright and fresh sound, a light jangling lurking in the background that provides a subtle hook that sets it apart from the others on the disc. Another brilliant take on the expansive vocal choirs that threaten to cause deaf in the listener at an early age. Hansi is seen here ripping it up vocally, seeming a bit like Ronnie Atkins at his frayed best from Pretty Maids. All performances are exceptional as usual, but other than the chorus and some of the pulse pounding verses, it wears out quicker, thus making the song feel static and sterile about halfway through the over indulgent guitar solo. Further exploration reveals a hidden treat, but it does require more time than most to develop to its fullest potential.

07.] "Soulforged"
Life is breathed into the now classic tale of the red mage Raistlin Majere, who sold his soul to this world's equivelant of the devil for power, trading the white robes for the crimson of neturality, and even later into the black as night fabric reflecting an alliance with evil, shattering his health into fraility and losing the essence of himself in the process. The price slowly becomes paid but only at the cost of seeing the world decay in real-time through golden hourglass eyes, as life becomes death and the quest for ultimate god-like power consumes all. This came about in song form from a poll BG held asking their fans which theme from literature and history they should create a composition around, and AD&D Dragonlance won by a landslide. Both Finnish operatic favorites Nightwish and the now defunct doom progressive delight Lake of Tears have visited the world of Krynn before, so this is nothing groundbreaking theme-wise. Musically, you could probably drop almost any lyrics in here and the song would still be a pleasant diversion with its blistering pace and catchy chorus. The guitars are of special note, those flame kissed riffs burn holes through the billowing tapestries of the track, singing the fringes.

08.] "Age of False Innocence"
A rather elegant and all-around beautiful piece that truly earns the band their title of 'the bards of metal'. The delicate as dragonfly's wings ivory tickling projecting images of fragile innocence sets the stage for a shattering of calm in typical epic-like fashion. The gentle building is put to death with the proclamation of "I'm not afraid anymore!" Guitars and drums storm down from the heavens and sweeps us away on violent tides of rock solid metallicness, easily probed to find a great expanse of depth beneath the bubbling surface area. The darker baritone filled choir plays off the lead wonderfully. There are glimpses of brilliance that sound borrowed from "NiME" right down to the melodrama, "So I feel like Judas might have felt before that Wednesday night near by the tree." The song is wound down and brought to a rest by soft, protected acoustic lapping at the outside of subdued electric bits.

09.] "Punishment Divine"
Fast furious, its a pummel to the senses and the mind that is a page from the heavier, and speedier fare from "Imaginations..." The presentation is A+ with plenty of mind boggling drumming parts and Hansi squealing and screaming alongside every step of the way. A swift cut to the throat, the pompous chorus offers a slight reprieve before the guitar solo beats us bloody again. Pristine clean sections with the hammering drums nowhere in sight allows the track added texture. A desperately lonely ending finish the song off in smoke and despair. The sweetest punishment possible..."Through the valleys grey, through the shapeless land, I walk alone."

10.] "And Then There Was Silence"
Breezy acoustic passages alight with carressing acoustic guitars, sweetly sounding electric wrapped up in life and beauty...full throttle sections that boom with bass, zip with eardrum bursting skin pounding...Hansi Kursch singing reserved and quiet switching to blasting at full scream level...yes, this is the epic BG fans have been clamoring for. It is big, bold, numbingly dynamic and possibly one of the most pompous epics ever heard, like a towering inferno on the same level as Rhapsody and other masters of the genre. All stops are pulled out, from the medieval flitting sections that put us in King Arthur's court then marched off to the lull proceeding the battle to the raining torrent of sound that whips into shape with blazing instrumentation, and abruptly screeching to a halt for rounded vocals and mood setting violins. All these elements, left to their own devices would seem rather out of place and disjointed, but the band manage to string them all together for a natural flow. The most notable foundation that lets all this come together so perfectly is the bridge and the chorus it leads into. The chorus is absolutely magnificent, its impact lasting over time, just as it should be, for when experiencing a fourteen-plus minute song, the attention of the listener must be kept rapt without lagging, and at this BG does a superior job of keeping things interesting and moving, rarely revisiting themes except for the juiciest bits making a return or two in the sake of song flow and taking full advantage of the orchestral density that is layered here lavishly. Overall "ATTWS" shows alot of maturity and a knack for blending slight progressive elements into something that is the culmination of their experiences and progression in the genre.

11.] "Mies Del Dolor"
A special bonus track for certain pressings of the album is the Spanish version of "Harvest of Sorrow", which was on the "ATTWS" single that was unleashed at the end of 2001 as a warmup for the full length release. Much lighter and fluttery than anything else on the disc, its a rather sentimental and calming way to finish the disc off. Hansi sounds quite natural with the language, the words flowing out beautifully giving it an otherworldly feel. Just beautiful and one of my favorites from the disc!

Once the lights are dimmed, the stage emptied and all music has faded away, lingering only as wisps in recent recalled memory, "A Night at the Opera" bows out as another Blind Guardian classic. Rich with emotion and brimming with song after song of over-the-top orchestrations and multi layered vocals, it is a stellar jaunt through vibrant themes drawing on a vast well of inspiration. However, while the songs are (for the most part) well written and performed, the disc still falls short of their past achievements, namely the larger than life "Imaginations From the Other Side" with its variety of thrashiness and atmospheric compositions and of course the concept classic "Nightfall In Middle Earth" which feels much more natural than the sometimes too studio polished sound of "ANatO". Not that "ANatO" will not find its rabid fans and those that claim its BG's 'best ever, period', it will definitely have a healthy future as yet another epic piece of music from the self titled German bards the more simmers and is played and replayed. For even though it falls a tad short of measuring up to the recordings from their past, it still a fine piece of music that is kept a few steps away from brilliance by some repetitive themes ("Under the Ice") and the first time fidgety "Wait for An Answer". There is definitely room for improvement in the future, for "Sadly Sings Destiny" mixes things up for something different and succeeds tenfold, putting it on a par with past head turners like "Bright Eyes" and "Lord of the Rings" and who can forget "And There Was Silence", one of the greatest accomplishments of the band thus far and a stellar track in its own right. "ANatO" is definitely worth a look and most likely will be one of the most remembered and treasured releases in the power metal genre from 2002.

Ratings and Wrap Up:
8.5
Songs - 8.0
Performance - 9.5
Production - 8.3
Lyrics - 8.5

Hot Spots: "Sadly Sings Destiny", "And Then There Was Silence", "Precious Jerusalem"
Bottom Line: Not as good as "NiME" but still a damn fine entry from the bards of metal

Review by Alanna Evans -

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