BLIND GUARDIAN — Nightfall in Middle-Earth (review)

BLIND GUARDIAN — Nightfall in Middle-Earth album cover

Album · 1998 · Power Metal

4/5 · 2011-01-11
arcane-beautiful

This seems to be their most critically claimed album, and to be honest I can kind of see why. But theirs one problem…it’s not my favourite. I haven’t heard a lot of Blind Guardian albums, but everyone assures me this is their best, but it’s not to me.

My brother and me have a conflicting side with this, where he feels that this album is their best and I’m not the biggest fan of it, and I feel the same way about Imaginations.

This is a concept album, and it did make the album that little more enjoyable, and there are some songs on this which I feel are their best to date, but maybe its too much material. I mean this album is over an hour long, and the interludes, which I do make the album flow quite well, are a bit confusing at times, and you can’t keep up with it. But besides that, it’s a great metal album, and it is a classic album nonetheless.

1. War Of Wrath – Good intro. 9/10

2. Into The Storm – Epic with an amazing chorus. Great vocals. One of their best songs. 10/10

3. Lammoth – Quite noisy. 8/10

4. Nightfall – Such a beautiful song. The arrangement is amazing and Hansi’s vocals show so much emotion. 10/10

5. The Minstrel – Quite plinky plonky and nice. 9/10

6. The Curse Of Fëanor – Again amazing vocals. Pretty interesting chorus. 8/10

7. Captured – Good interlude. 8/10

8. Blood Tears – Nice chorus and interesting arrangement. 9/10

9. Mirror Mirror – Very celtic. Great chorus. 9/10

10. Face The Truth – Another interlude. 8/10

11. Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns) – Pretty interesting arrangement. One of their most proggiest moments. 9/10

12. Battle Of Sudden Flame – Another Celtic song. 9/10

13. Time Stands Still (At The Iron Hill) – Vocal interlude.9/10

14. The Dark Elf – Great arrangement with some nice vocals. 9/10

15. Thorn – Amazing vocals. Beautiful song. 9/10

16. The Eldar – Nice sad moments, and the piano works well with Hansi. 9/10

17. Nom The Wise – Interlude…blah blah blah. 8/10

18. When Sorrow Sang – Fast and melodic. Pure Blind Guardian really. 10/10

19. Out On The Water – Oh look, another interlude. 8/10

20. The Steadfast – Dramatic dialogue. 9/10

21. A Dark Passage – Quite symphonic. Epic as hell and very interesting indeed. 10/10

22. Final Chapter (Ends Thus…) – And so the album ends with what the album is mainly made of….INTERLUDES!

CONCLUSION: I think I need to give this another listen, but at the moment…It’s great basically haha.

more than 2 years ago
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adg211288 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Blind Guardian is my favourite band, and everyone is always telling me this is their best as well, but to be honest, this may just be my least favourite Blind Guardian album. Still very good though, but to me, you can't beat Imaginations.