Blind Guardian on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Blind Guardian is a German
Nine musicians have been a part of the band's line-up in its history, which has consisted of singer
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 formed in 1984 in Krefeld
Krefeld ( , ; li, Krieëvel ), also spelled Crefeld until 1925 (though the spelling was still being used in British papers throughout the Second World War), is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, ...
, West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 ...
. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal
Speed metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. ...
subgenres.Nine musicians have been a part of the band's line-up in its history, which has consisted of 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 it ...
, guitarists 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 ...
and 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 ...
, drummer Frederik Ehmke since 2005, and bassist Johan Van Stratum since 2021.
Blind Guardian is a part of the German heavy metal scene that emerged in the mid-1980s. The band was formed in 1984 as Lucifer's Heritage by Kürsch (then also bassist), Olbrich, other guitarist Markus Dörk and drummer Thomas Stauch
Thomas "Thomen" Stauch (born 11 March 1970), also known by his nickname The Omen, is a German heavy metal drummer, mostly known as the co-founder and former drummer of Blind Guardian.
Biography
He began his career in 1984 the band Lucifer� ...
. Dörk and Stauch both left the following year, and were replaced by Christof Theißen and Hans-Peter Frey respectively, who left as well before the end of the year. In 1987, Siepen joined and Stauch returned; under this line-up, which lasted 18 years (the longest in the band's history), the band changed their name to Blind Guardian and released their first album, ''Battalions of Fear
''Battalions of Fear'' is the debut studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian, released in 1988. The album is a raw and unpolished speed metal effort that touches on thrash metal. It lacks many of the stylistic flourishes that woul ...
'', in 1988. They have since released ten more studio albums, including an orchestral album that was released under the name Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra.
Over the releases, Blind Guardian established themselves as a notable successful band and as pioneers of the power metal movement. In 1996, Kürsch stopped acting as the band's bassist to focus on vocals. Various session members replaced him, mainly 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.progressive sound with a heavy use of backing vocals, and was replaced by Ehmke.
Most of Blind Guardian's albums were well received by fans and critics alike: ''
In 1998, Blind Guardian released their epic album ''
Somewhere Far Beyond
''Somewhere Far Beyond'' is the fourth studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was released in 1992 and produced by Kalle Trapp. The cover artwork was created by Andreas Marschall, who also drew the artwork for other Blind Gu ...
'' (1992), ''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 ha ...
'' (1995), and ''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 t ...
'' (1998), are especially seen as influential works. The music is mostly composed by Kürsch and Olbrich together, and the lyrics, written by Kürsch, are mostly inspired by the fiction of fantasy authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939) is an English writer, best-known for science fiction and fantasy, who has published a number of well-received literary novels as well as comic thrillers, graphic novels and non-fiction. He has worke ...
, Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...
, George R. R. Martin and Robert Jordan, as well as traditional legend
A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess ...
s and epics.Bradford Lee Eden Bradford Lee Eden is a librarian and musicologist, best known as a Tolkien scholar.
Biography
Bradford Lee Eden was born in 1960. He has a degree in religion from the University of North Texas and a Ph.D. in Medieval Musicology from Indiana Sta ...
. Middle-earth Minstrel: Essays on Music in Tolkien. McFarland, 2010. , . 215 pages Over the years a theme has developed which personifies the band members as travelling storytellers, leading fans to refer to the band affectionately as "The Bards". Blind Guardian has been referred to as one of power metal "big four" bands, along with Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. Its first lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Kai Hansen, bassist Markus Grosskopf, guitarist Michael Wei ...
, Sabaton
A sabaton or solleret is part of a knight's body armor that covers the foot.
History
Fourteenth and fifteenth century sabatons typically end in a tapered point well past the actual toes of the wearer's foot, following fashionable shoe shapes ...
and DragonForce
DragonForce are a British power metal band from London, England. The band was formed in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman, and are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced ...
.
History
Formation as Lucifer's Heritage (1984–1987)
Blind Guardian was formed in 1984 inKrefeld
Krefeld ( , ; li, Krieëvel ), also spelled Crefeld until 1925 (though the spelling was still being used in British papers throughout the Second World War), is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, ...
, West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 ...
, by 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 it ...
(vocals, bass) and Andre Olbrich (guitar) under the name Lucifer's Heritage, with Markus Dörk (guitar) and Thomen Stauch
Thomas "Thomen" Stauch (born 11 March 1970), also known by his nickname The Omen, is a German heavy metal drummer, mostly known as the co-founder and former drummer of Blind Guardian.
Biography
He began his career in 1984 the band Lucifer� ...
(drums). The band briefly expanded into a quintet with the addition of a second lead vocalist, Thomas Kelleners. However, after three months Kelleners left the band in a mutual agreement. Lucifer's Heritage first released two demos
Demos may refer to:
Computing
* DEMOS, a Soviet Unix-like operating system
* DEMOS (ISP), the first internet service provider in the USSR
* Demos Commander, an Orthodox File Manager for Unix-like systems
* plural for Demo (computer programming)
...
in 1985 and 1986, despite undergoing chaotic lineup changes: Dörk and Stauch were replaced by Christof Theißen and Hans-Peter Frey, respectively. Finally, in 1987, Marcus Siepen joined and Thomen came back to form the lineup which would stay consistent for the next 18 years.
Name change and rise to success (1988–1996)
After Lucifer's Heritage signed a contract withNo Remorse Records
No Remorse Records was a German heavy metal record label. It was the original record label of heavy metal band Blind Guardian.
Discography
*NRR 1001: Blind Guardian - '' Battalions of Fear''
*NRR 1002: Dimple Minds - ''Blau auf'm Bau''
*NRR 100 ...
, the band changed their name to Blind Guardian to avoid any speculations about Satanism
Satanism is a group of Ideology, ideological and Philosophy, philosophical beliefs based on Satan. Contemporary religious practice of Satanism began with the founding of the atheistic Church of Satan by Anton LaVey in the United States in 19 ...
(in a bio it was stated that they also wanted to distance themselves from the black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw (lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an em ...
movement, as their demos were placed in with black metal albums at local record shops). The band's new name was inspired by the Fates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman. There have been numerous lineup ...
album ''Awaken the Guardian
''Awaken the Guardian'' is the third studio album by American progressive metal band Fates Warning, released in 1986 through Metal Blade Records. The album was the band and their label's first to enter the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200, reaching No. 191 ...
''. They released their debut album ''Battalions of Fear
''Battalions of Fear'' is the debut studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian, released in 1988. The album is a raw and unpolished speed metal effort that touches on thrash metal. It lacks many of the stylistic flourishes that woul ...
'' in 1988, which was essentially a speed metal
Speed metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. ...
album heavily influenced by Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. Its first lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Kai Hansen, bassist Markus Grosskopf, guitarist Michael Wei ...
. These two German bands had close ties, and Helloween founder Kai Hansen made a guest appearance on Blind Guardian's second LP, '' Follow the Blind'' (1989), where the band revealed some thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
influence. Their third LP, '' Tales from the Twilight World'' (1990), had a much more melodic and "epic" feeling, with usage of choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
and classical music influence.
Blind Guardian signed with Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a world ...
in 1991, and released their fourth studio album ''Somewhere Far Beyond
''Somewhere Far Beyond'' is the fourth studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was released in 1992 and produced by Kalle Trapp. The cover artwork was created by Andreas Marschall, who also drew the artwork for other Blind Gu ...
'' in 1992 and the live album ''Tokyo Tales
''Tokyo Tales'' is the first live album by German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was remastered and re-released on 15 June 2007, with the same Japanese bonus track.
Track listing
# "Inquisition" – 0:47
# "Banish from Sanctuary" – 6: ...
'' in 1993. Flemming Rasmussen, former Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
producer, began working with the band in 1994, producing their fifth studio 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 ha ...
'', released in 1995, and ''The Forgotten Tales
''The Forgotten Tales'' is a compilation album by Blind Guardian. It was published in 1996. The cover artwork was created by . "'The Forgotten Tales'" contains several cover versions of popular songs, including "Mr. Sandman", "Surfin' U.S.A.", and ...
'', an album that contained half covers and half original work, released in 1996.
Later years and departure of Thomen Stauch (1997–2009)
In 1998, Blind Guardian released their epic album ''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 t ...
''. "Complete with anthemic choruses, spoken word story lines, and plenty of bombastic power metal punctuating every dramatic turn", says Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...
's Vincent Jeffries, "Nightfall in Middle-Earth is perhaps Blind Guardian's most triumphant". 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. Some ...
based on J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Silmarillion
''The Silmarillion'' () is a collection of myths and stories in varying styles by the English writer J. R. R. Tolkien. It was edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, assisted by the fantasy author Guy Gavri ...
'', Blind Guardian's music demonstrated some folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...
influence, but also featured heavy use of Queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
-style layered backing vocals. Since ''Nightfall'', bass has been played by sessional 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.A Night at the Opera'', named after
" A Voice in the Dark" was the next single from Blind Guardian, released on 25 June 2010.
On 30 July 2010 the album followed, called ''
Official website
* {{Authority control German speed metal musical groups German power metal musical groups Music based on Middle-earth Musical groups established in 1984 Musical quartets Virgin Records artists Nuclear Blast artists German progressive metal musical groups 1984 establishments in West Germany
the Queen album
''The Queen Album'' is a solo cover album of the band Queen by Elaine Paige. It was released in 1988 and peaked at No. 51 in the UK in November 1988. This is the only album from Paige to be released on Siren Records and distributed by Virgin Re ...
, was released four years later. On this album, the band's sound lacked almost all influence of their original speed metal. Power and progressive metal abound, with over the top orchestral backing and a consistent vocal and guitar layering throughout. Though not a true concept album, many of the lyrics dealt with the common themes of religion and relations between human and divine powers. It was followed by a live album in 2003 and a DVD, '' Imaginations Through the Looking Glass'', in 2004, which was the last recorded Blind Guardian material to feature Thomen Stauch
Thomas "Thomen" Stauch (born 11 March 1970), also known by his nickname The Omen, is a German heavy metal drummer, mostly known as the co-founder and former drummer of Blind Guardian.
Biography
He began his career in 1984 the band Lucifer� ...
on drums. He left the band due to musical differences and was replaced by Frederik Ehmke. The first album with Ehmke was ''A Twist in the Myth
''A Twist in the Myth'' is the eighth studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was originally set to be released on 5 September 2006 in Europe (which became the North American release date), but Nuclear Blast changed the relea ...
'', which came out in 2006.
Blind Guardian participated in the soundtrack for the '' In the Name of the King: a Dungeon Siege Tale'' fantasy movie ( Uwe Boll), which came out in 2008. The band also recorded a theme song for '' Sacred 2 Fallen Angel'' role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
, the sequel to ''Sacred
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
''.
''At the Edge of Time'' and ''Beyond the Red Mirror'' (2010–2017)
" A Voice in the Dark" was the next single from Blind Guardian, released on 25 June 2010.
On 30 July 2010 the album followed, called ''At the Edge of Time
''At the Edge of Time'' is the ninth studio album by the German power metal band Blind Guardian. A two-CD version of the album was released, with the second disc containing eight tracks. The artwork for the album was created by Colombian artist ...
''. The band started "The Sacred Worlds and Songs Divine Tour 2010", the European dates featured the opening acts Enforcer and Steelwing. The US dates had Holy Grail
The Holy Grail (french: Saint Graal, br, Graal Santel, cy, Greal Sanctaidd, kw, Gral) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miracul ...
and Seven Kingdoms and later they were announced that they would play at Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air (, abbreviated as W:O:A) is a rock music festival, held annually since 1990 on the first weekend of August in the village of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Almost all styles and subgenres of hard rock and metal are ...
in 2011.
On 21 July 2011 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 it ...
announced on Blind Guardian's official website that they were working on an orchestral album. On 1 September 2011 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.Rhapsody of Fire
Rhapsody of Fire (formerly known as Rhapsody) is an Italian symphonic power metal band formed by Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli, widely seen as a pioneer of the symphonic power metal subgenre.
Since forming in 1993 as Thundercross, the band ...
as a full-time member, after 13 years as Blind Guardian's session bass player. On 27 January 2012 the band released a compilation album
A compilation album comprises tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several performers. If by one artist, then generally the tracks were not originally intended for rel ...
, titled '' Memories of a Time to Come'', containing re-recorded and remixed songs from the band's entire discography
Discography is the study and cataloging of published sound recordings, often by specified artists or within identified music genres. The exact information included varies depending on the type and scope of the discography, but a discography entry ...
, and almost exactly one year later, on 28 January 2013, they released a box set
A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit.
Music
Artists and bands ...
called ''A Traveler's Guide to Space and Time
''A Traveler's Guide to Space and Time'' is the first box set by German power metal band Blind Guardian. It contains 15 CDs and covers the bands discography during the so-called Virgin years, between 1988 and 2004. Along with seven studio albums ...
'', which contained all of the bands' studio, live and compilation albums released from 1988 to 2004, as well as some previously unreleased material. On 11 July 2012 Hansi posted on the bands' official website that the band would cease touring after their show at the Rockharz festival in Ballenstedt
Ballenstedt is a town in the Harz district, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Geography
It is situated at the northern rim of the Harz mountain range, about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Quedlinburg. The municipal area comprises the vil ...
, which happened two days after the post. Hansi went on in the post to explain that they wanted to really get down to work and focus on a new record before returning to the road once again in 2014 at the latest. He also mentioned that he really wanted to perform songs that they had never played live before when they return to touring.
In October 2013 the band were announced to be headlining the Out & Loud Festival in Geiselwind on 31 May 2014. On 18 October 2013 Hansi announced via a news post on the official website that he expected the new record to be fully produced and finished by May 2014. He mentioned that the production of the album was coming along well, and mentioned nine new songs by name (''Irish Hill'' ow titled ''Grand Parade'' ''Encrypted Time'', ''Prophecies'', ''Holy Grail'', ''Winter's Coming'', ''The Throne'', ''The Ocean'', and ''Outcast'') and two other songs with presumably uncertain titles, ''Song 9'' and ''Midtempo Song''. The tenth Blind Guardian album, titled ''Beyond the Red Mirror
''Beyond the Red Mirror'' is the tenth studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian, released on 30 January 2015 through Nuclear Blast.
A concept album and a sequel to ''Imaginations from the Other Side'', ''Beyond the Red Mirror'' ha ...
'', was released on 30 January 2015, its first single "Twilight of the Gods" having been released on 5 December 2014. On 28 January 2015, two days before the release of ''Beyond the Red Mirror'', Blind Guardian announced on their official Facebook page that Barend Courbois is their new session/live bassist.
They recorded live shows during the 2015 European leg of the Beyond the Red Mirror tour for a new live album, ''Live Beyond the Spheres'', which was released on 7 July 2017.
''Legacy of the Dark Lands'' and ''The God Machine'' (2017–present)
When asked in July 2017 about the next Blind Guardian studio album, Kürsch stated, "We haven't done too much songwriting for the next regular Blind Guardian album, but still, we've made some steps at least, and I can sense a strong change in comparison to what we did on the last album. There's one song called 'Architect of Doom', which is a real heavy song. Very powerful. Very thrashy at points. And there's another song called 'American Goth', which is kind of what you would expect from Blind Guardian, but yet the way we maintained the drums, for example, the way we maintained the orchestra, and that is a song with orchestra, again, it's so different. I'm pretty sure that there will be a significant change when you listen to these two albums and from that point of view, yes, ''Live Beyond the Spheres'' is the end of an era." He also stated that they are working on an orchestral album, which was originally scheduled to be finished and released in 2016, but now due for release in 2019, followed by a "heavy album" to be released in 2020. The band's long-awaited orchestral album, ''Legacy of the Dark Lands
''Legacy of the Dark Lands'' is the eleventh studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian, released on 8 November 2019 through Nuclear Blast. It marks a departure from all previous works, as the only instruments performed are those of ...
'', was released on 1 November 2019, after Olbrich and Kürsch conceiving and writing the project since 1996. It features only Kürsch as a performer, together with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and as such is credited to the "Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra" instead of the band's regular name.
It was revealed in November 2021 that a new single, "Deliver Us From Evil", would be released on 3 December 2021, and that the band's forthcoming twelfth album would be released in September 2022. Kürsch told Nuclear Blast, "We know that the gap between now and the album release in late 2022 is painfully long. Neither we nor our label could defy the current worldwide, economic crisis. A long story short: There is no one to blame for this situation... Talking about anticipation, even though "Violent Shadows" and "Deliver Us From Evil" are indisputably fantastic tracks, rest assured: We won't let you wait another ten months with only two songs. I promise you, that you will always been blown away - cheers to the digital era and its endless possibilities. Oh, and the album title. There is one but I won't tell you yet. This would be giving away far too much right now."
In July 2022, Jon Van Stratum replaced Barend Courbois as a session member. Despite persistent belief by some fans that he became a permanent regular member, it has been confirmed by Hansi Kürsch that he is only a live session member.
In May 2022, the title of the band's twelfth album was announced as '' The God Machine'', along with a release date of 2 September 2022.
Musical style
upright=1.2, Blind Guardian in 2006 Blind Guardian's first two albums, ''
Battalions of Fear
''Battalions of Fear'' is the debut studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian, released in 1988. The album is a raw and unpolished speed metal effort that touches on thrash metal. It lacks many of the stylistic flourishes that woul ...
'' and '' Follow the Blind'', were more in the style of speed metal
Speed metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. ...
than their following works. Beginning with their third album '' Tales from the Twilight World'', Blind Guardian gradually began to write more complicated compositions focusing less on speed. As of their sixth album, '' Nightfall in Middle Earth'', Hansi stopped playing bass to focus on singing. At this point the band began to incorporate large amounts of orchestral arrangements, and utilized the technique of overdubbing, heavily influenced by the English rock band Queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
.
Blind Guardian's music features the staccato
Staccato (; Italian for "detached") is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation, it signifies a note of shortened duration, separated from the note that may follow by silence. It has been described by theorists and has appeared in music ...
guitars and double bass drum
The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter much greater than the drum's depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. Th ...
ming characteristic of power metal, as well as the use of overdubs and numerous backing vocals to create a dense sound. This proved significant on all albums after the first two but most particularly on '' A Night at the Opera''.
Another definitive feature of Blind Guardian music is frequent use of folk tunes
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fol ...
and instruments, especially in power ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. ...
s such as "Lord of the Rings", "The Bard's Song", "A Past and Future Secret", "Skalds and Shadows" and "Curse My Name", among others.
Influences
The band was initially inspired by their countrymenHelloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. Its first lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Kai Hansen, bassist Markus Grosskopf, guitarist Michael Wei ...
, and in its early releases also showed some influence from Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harr ...
and Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
. According to guitarist Marcus Siepen, during the songwriting for '' Follow the Blind'', they also used to listen to Bay Area thrash metal bands, such as Testament and Forbidden, resulting in a somewhat heavier sound.
Starting with their third album, '' Tales from the Twilight World'', through ''Somewhere Far Beyond
''Somewhere Far Beyond'' is the fourth studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was released in 1992 and produced by Kalle Trapp. The cover artwork was created by Andreas Marschall, who also drew the artwork for other Blind Gu ...
'' and ''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 ha ...
'', Blind Guardian gradually incorporated more influences from progressive and classical music. Queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
became a huge impact, in particular concerning the choir arrangements and harmonies, an effect most notable on '' A Night at the Opera''.
Singer Hansi Kürsch expressed the band's attraction to 1970s progressive rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. I ...
, for example early Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
, Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant were a British progressive rock band active between 1970 and 1980. The band were known for the complexity and sophistication of their music and for the varied musical skills of their members. All of the band members were multi-inst ...
, and ELP
Elp is a small village in the Dutch province of Drenthe. It is a part of the municipality of Midden-Drenthe, and lies about 15 km south of Assen.
The village was first mentioned in 1362 as "in Elpe". The etymology is unclear.
Elp was home t ...
. However, with regard to the genre, he sees the more direct influences in progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...
bands, in particular Fates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman. There have been numerous lineup ...
, Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche is an American heavy metal band. It formed in 1982 in Bellevue, Washington, out of the local band the Mob. The band has released 16 studio albums, one EP, and several DVDs, and continues to tour and record. The original lineup ...
, and Savatage
Savatage () was an American heavy metal band founded by brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1979 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. The band was first called Avatar, but, shortly before the release of their debut album '' Sirens'' (1983), they changed t ...
. The folklorist influences on ''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 t ...
'' came mainly from British rock band Jethro Tull.
Side projects
Along withJon Schaffer
Jon Ryan Schaffer (born March 15, 1968) is an American heavy metal musician. He is the rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter of the Indiana-based heavy metal band Iced Earth, which he formed in 1985 under the name Purgatory. He is also th ...
, the leader and founder of Iced Earth, Kürsch was a member of Demons and Wizards, where he was the lead singer until its disbandment in early 2021.
Frederik Ehmke was a founding member of the band Sinbreed, in which Marcus Siepen was a session member. Later on, during 2012, Marcus became a full member of the band.
After the tsunami that struck Japan on 11 March 2011, Blind Guardian worked with their former record company, EMI Music
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 2012 ...
, and auctioned off an exclusive studio session for two in the Twilight Hall Studio in Grefrath, Germany for charity. All of the proceeds were donated to the tsunami relief efforts. The auction ended on 22 April 2011 with a final bid of £1,171.00.
Band members
Current members *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 it ...
– lead vocals (1984, 1984–present), bass (1984–1996)
* 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 guitar, backing vocals (1984–present)
* 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, backing vocals (1987–present)
* Frederik Ehmke – drums, percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
, flute
The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedles ...
, bagpipes
Bagpipes are a woodwind instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Great Highland bagpipes are well known, but people have played bagpipes for centuries throughout large parts of Europe, ...
(2005–present)
Former members
* Thomas Kelleners – lead vocals (1984)
* Markus Dörk – rhythm guitar (1984–1986)
* Christoph Theissen – rhythm guitar (1986)
* Hans-Peter Frey – drums, percussion (1986)
* Thomas "Thomen" Stauch – drums, percussion (1984–1986, 1987–2005)
Session members
* Thomas Hackmann – backing vocals (1990–present)
* Billy King – backing vocals (1992–present)
* Olaf Senkbeil – backing vocals (1997–present)
* Michael "Mi" Schüren – keyboards (1997–present)
* Matthias Ulmer – keyboards, piano (2007–present)
* Johan van Stratum
Johan van Stratum (born 15 April 1982) is a Dutch bassist and a member of the progressive metal band VUUR.
He was the bassist of Stream of Passion, and one of the two founding members to stay in the band until it disbanded in 2016. He also pla ...
– bass (2021–present)
Former session members
* Mathias Wiesner – keyboards (1989–2002), bass (1992-1993)
* Rolf Köhler
Rolf Köhler (24 May 1951 – 16 September 2007) was a German singer, musician, and record producer.
Career
Köhler initially achieved commercial success performing under the pseudonym Marc de Ville in the late 1970s. As Marc de Ville, he recor ...
– backing vocals (1990–2007; died 2007)
* Marc Zee – keyboards, backing vocals (1993)
* Oliver Holzwarth – bass (1997–2011)
* Alex Holzwarth – drums (2002–2003)
* Pat Bender - keyboards, sound effects (2002–2006)
* Barend Courbois – bass, backing vocals (2015–2020)
Timeline
Discography
*''Battalions of Fear
''Battalions of Fear'' is the debut studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian, released in 1988. The album is a raw and unpolished speed metal effort that touches on thrash metal. It lacks many of the stylistic flourishes that woul ...
'' (1988)
*'' Follow the Blind'' (1989)
*'' Tales from the Twilight World'' (1990)
*''Somewhere Far Beyond
''Somewhere Far Beyond'' is the fourth studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was released in 1992 and produced by Kalle Trapp. The cover artwork was created by Andreas Marschall, who also drew the artwork for other Blind Gu ...
'' (1992)
*''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 ha ...
'' (1995)
*''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 t ...
'' (1998)
*'' A Night at the Opera'' (2002)
*''A Twist in the Myth
''A Twist in the Myth'' is the eighth studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was originally set to be released on 5 September 2006 in Europe (which became the North American release date), but Nuclear Blast changed the relea ...
'' (2006)
*''At the Edge of Time
''At the Edge of Time'' is the ninth studio album by the German power metal band Blind Guardian. A two-CD version of the album was released, with the second disc containing eight tracks. The artwork for the album was created by Colombian artist ...
'' (2010)
*''Beyond the Red Mirror
''Beyond the Red Mirror'' is the tenth studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian, released on 30 January 2015 through Nuclear Blast.
A concept album and a sequel to ''Imaginations from the Other Side'', ''Beyond the Red Mirror'' ha ...
'' (2015)
*''Legacy of the Dark Lands
''Legacy of the Dark Lands'' is the eleventh studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian, released on 8 November 2019 through Nuclear Blast. It marks a departure from all previous works, as the only instruments performed are those of ...
'' (2019)
*'' The God Machine'' (2022)
References
External links
Official website
* {{Authority control German speed metal musical groups German power metal musical groups Music based on Middle-earth Musical groups established in 1984 Musical quartets Virgin Records artists Nuclear Blast artists German progressive metal musical groups 1984 establishments in West Germany