''Beyond the Red Mirror'' is the tenth studio album by German

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...

band

Blind Guardian Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in 1984 in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres.Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast is a record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label mov ...

. A

concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...

and a sequel to ''Imaginations from the Other Side'', ''Beyond the Red Mirror'' has been described by singer

Hansi Kürsch Hans Jürgen "Hansi" Kürsch (born 10 August 1966) is a German singer, songwriter and former bass guitarist, best known as a member of the power metal band Blind Guardian. One of the founders of the band, he has been its lead vocalist since its ...

as "a story between science fiction and fantasy. ..The two worlds described have changed dramatically for the worse since then. While there used to be several passages between the worlds, there is only one gate left now: The Red Mirror. It has to be found at any cost." It is their first album without former session member

Oliver Holzwarth Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in 1984 in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres.Imaginations from the Other Side ''Imaginations from the Other Side'' is the fifth studio album by the German power metal band Blind Guardian, released in 1995. The atmosphere of this album is darker in comparison to their earlier works, such as ''Battalions of Fear'', which had ...

'', with Barend Courbois replacing him. " Twilight of the Gods" was released as a single to promote this album.

Critical reception

''Beyond the Red Mirror'' has received positive reviews. Ray Van Horn Jr. of

Blabbermouth.net Blabbermouth.net is a website dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock news, as well as album and music DVD reviews. Blabbermouth.net was founded and is run by Borivoj Krgin. The first version of the website was launched in March 2001; in Octob ...

, who gave the album a rating of nine-and-a-half out of ten stated, "Previewing their tenth album ''Beyond the Red Mirror'' with the previously-released '' Twilight of the Gods'' single, German power-symphonic metal maestros Blind Guardian capitalize on a long break with an encompassing and magical effort. For ''Beyond the Red Mirror'', the band worked with three different worldwide choirs from Budapest, Prague and Boston, along with two full-scale orchestras bearing 90 members apiece. The results are as larger-than-life as the band intended, fleshing out a sci-fi and fantasy piece bridged to their 1995 album, ''

Imaginations from the Other Side ''Imaginations from the Other Side'' is the fifth studio album by the German power metal band Blind Guardian, released in 1995. The atmosphere of this album is darker in comparison to their earlier works, such as ''Battalions of Fear'', which had ...

''."

Track listing

Bonus tracks limited, vinyl, and earbook versions

"Chapter IV. The Mirror Speaks", which contains only one track, "Distant Memories", was put right between the two tracks "Chapter III. Disturbance in the Here and Now". This caused the second track from that chapter, "The Holy Grail", to end up in a new chapter, "V. Disturbance in the Here and Now (Reprise)". "Chapter IX. Damnation", which contains only one track, "Doom", is just a bonus epilogue chapter. Some copies of the earbook came with a bonus vinyl disc, containing alternate versions of two album tracks.

Lyrical references

* "Sacred Mind" may refer to

Shangdu Shangdu (, ), also known as Xanadu (; Mongolian: ''Šandu''), was the summer capital of the Yuan dynasty of China before Kublai decided to move his throne to the former Jin dynasty capital of Zhōngdū () which was renamed Khanbaliq ( presen ...

, the capital city of

Kublai Khan Kublai ; Mongolian script: ; (23 September 1215 – 18 February 1294), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizu of Yuan and his regnal name Setsen Khan, was the founder of the Yuan dynasty of China and the fifth khagan-emperor of th ...

's empire, particularly as referenced in

Samuel Taylor Coleridge Samuel Taylor Coleridge (; 21 October 177225 July 1834) was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher, and theologian who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake Poe ...

's poem "

Kubla Khan ''Kubla Khan'' () is a poem written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, completed in 1797 and published in 1816. It is sometimes given the subtitles "A Vision in a Dream" and "A Fragment." According to Coleridge's preface to ''Kubla Khan'', the poem ...

". It could also be inferred to be about Xanadu, the large estate owned by the title character in the 1941 film ''

Citizen Kane ''Citizen Kane'' is a 1941 American drama film produced by, directed by, and starring Orson Welles. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Herman J. Mankiewicz. The picture was Welles' first feature film. ''Citizen Kane'' is frequently cited ...

''. * The bonus track "Doom" was originally written for ''

Nightfall in Middle-Earth ''Nightfall in Middle-Earth'' is the sixth studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was released on 28 April 1998 through Virgin Records. It is a concept album based upon J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Silmarillion'', a book of tales ...

''. The version on this album has slightly rewritten lyrics to be able to fit the concept of this album better. It originally depicted

Húrin Húrin is a fictional character in the Middle-earth legendarium of J. R. R. Tolkien. He is introduced in ''The Silmarillion'' as a hero of Men during the First Age, said to be the greatest warrior of both the Edain and all the other Men in Midd ...

being cursed by

Morgoth Morgoth Bauglir (; originally Melkor ) is a character, one of the godlike Valar, from Tolkien's legendarium. He is the main antagonist of ''The Silmarillion'', ''The Children of Húrin'', ''Beren and Lúthien'' and ''The Fall of Gondolin''. ...

, and traces of that idea appeared here while still showing what happened after "Grand Parade". "Doom" also appears on the 2018 deluxe edition of ''Nightfall in Middle-Earth'' with the original lyrics.

Personnel

; Blind Guardian *

– vocals *

André Olbrich André Olbrich (born 3 May 1967) is a German musician, best known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of power metal band Blind Guardian, in which he serves as one of the main composers with other founder Hansi Kürsch. Olbrich was ranked num ...

– lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars *

Marcus Siepen Marcus Siepen (born 8 September 1968) is a German guitarist, best known as the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist of power metal band Blind Guardian. For the biggest percentage of Blind Guardian's songs, particularly in more recent years, he ...

– rhythm guitar *Frederik Ehmke – drums, percussion ; Additional personnel *Barend Courbois – bass *Michael Schüren – piano *Mattias Ulmer – keyboards, piano *Thomas Hackmann, William "Billy" King, Olaf Senkbeil – the choir company *

Charlie Bauerfeind Karl Rudolf "Charlie" Bauerfeind (born 30 May 1963) is a German sound engineer and producer who has worked mostly with power metal bands such as Angra, Blind Guardian, Helloween, Primal Fear, Rage, HammerFall and Saxon. Works Production ...

– production *Felipe Machado Franco – cover and booklet artworks ; Orchestras *Hungarian Studio Orchestra Budapest (Peter Pejtsik – conductor) *FILMharmonic Orchestra Prague (Adam Klemens – conductor) ; Choirs *Hungarian Studio Choir Budapest (Peter Pejtsik – conductor) *FILMharmonic Choir Prague (Stanislav Mistr – conductor) *Vox Futura Choir Boston (Andrew Shenton – conductor)

Chart performance

Weekly charts

References

{{Authority control 2015 albums Blind Guardian albums Nuclear Blast albums Albums produced by Charlie Bauerfeind Concept albums Sequel albums