Blind Guardian provides new metal twist

By Greg Manning
Collegian Reporter
September 27, 2006

It’s always great when an album you approach with some trepidation ends up leaving you shocked and appalled that you ever doubted the band in question. For me, that band is German power metal stalwarts Blind Guardian. A Night at the Opera (2002) was a little heavy on the bravado, even for my taste. No one needs to hear vocal tracks layered 40 times for the duration of a 66 minute heavy metal album. That’s not to say that Blind Guardian entirely abandoned their roots on that record, as they have always had a very melodic, layered sound.

Furthermore, when original drummer Thomen Stauch left the band, citing musical differences, I began to worry that one of my all-time favorite acts was in the process of falling apart.

Thankfully, all my fears have been more than put to rest by the new album, A Twist in the Myth. Despite the title’s suggestion of a radical change in sound, A Twist in the Myth sees Blind Guardian churning out their signature brand of melodic power metal, while keeping the experimentation to a somewhat subtle level.

The album’s first single, “Fly,” is a perfect example of this approach. Starting out with some slight electronic experimentation, the track quickly develops into classic Blind Guardian. Filled with layered melodic guitar lines, bombastic sing-along choruses and speedy drumming, “Fly” is a catchy number that more than earns its position as a single.

The next track that takes a noticeably different approach from the rest of the album is “Another Stranger Me.” This track sounds like the Blind Guardian version of a straight-forward hard rock tune, with its quiet verse/loud chorus approach. What makes this song superior to most modern hard rock radio tunes, however, is that the band maintains its rich sound, filling the song with guitar leads, keyboard swells and drum fills.

“Fly” and “Another Stranger Me” are not, however, indicative of the direction of the rest of A Twist in the Myth. The opening track , “This Will Never End,” triumphantly announces to the listener that the band has returned to the sound of Imaginations from the Other Side (1995) and Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998). One of the band’s most aggressive songs, “This Will Never End” is a fast double-bass driven anthem with a middle-eastern sounding melodic sensibility and a chorus that would seem right at home in a German beer hall.

Other standout tracks include the medieval sounding “Turn the Page,” the ballad “Carry the Blessed Home” and the surprisingly thrashy “The Edge.” The latter track will especially please old school fans of the band, as it seems like a modernized version of something off of Follow the Blind or Tales from the Twilight World.

The individual performances on the album are flawless. Lead guitarist Olbrich is in top form on A Twist in the Myth. His leads, while not the most technical around, are all very memorable and expertly crafted.

Vocalist Hansi Kursch, who has one of the most recognizable voices in metal today, is still able to pen some of the most original and catchy vocal hooks around. He is an extremely versatile vocalist, going from a soft folky croon to a gruff and powerful upper range in which he sounds very similar to the great Freddy Mercury. The production of the album definitely benefits Kursch the most, as the vocal layering allows him to create some brilliant vocal harmonies and textures during the choruses.

When all is said and done, A Twist in the Myth is a great Blind Guardian album. Unlike A Night at the Opera, in which the band let their larger-than-life sound grow to what many felt to be ludicrous levels, the band has been able to balance their sense of bombast with the heavier, more traditional heavy metal aspects of their older releases.

For those seeking purely enjoyable, melodic metal, A Twist in the Myth is a must-have. Get those beer steins ready and prepare to sing along.

msnningg1@lasalle.edu