Follow the Blind

Classic metal albums from the eighties? This is one of them! More raw and powerful than what Helloween were up to at that time, certainly faster than other melodic German heavy metal bands yet so much more melodic and dynamic than your average German thrash band. Yes, Blind Guardian perfectly fell in between everything there was to like about German metal creating their own niche of raw thrashy power metal with the extremely recognisable voice of Hansi Kürsch. It’s love or hate with this man. I haven’t spoken anyone yet the last 20-25 years who thought the guy’s just ‘okay’. In all honesty, he’s the reason I ignored Blind Guardian at first cause I just didn’t know what to do with this guy. Obviously he grew on me.

For those not familiar with BG (are there any?), their early stuff is the stuff to check out if you want fast AND melodic metal but think 90% of the regular power metal, flower metal or even USPM is too cheesy for you. Blind guardian once were raw, fast and melodic. The four main reasons to start with this album would be
1-Banish from Sanctuary & Valhalla
2-The honest eighties production
3-The superb pacing of the album
4-Once you’ve heard most these songs, you’ll never forget them.

And during your discovery of the entire album you’ll surely discover many more reasons to keep playing it. Of course if you grew up with modern day 'Hollywood' productions and expect/demand all power metal to be produced like later Rhapsody Of Fire albums, this is not for you.

As said earlier, this album hold two of BG’s most famous songs, ‘Banish from Sanctuary’ and ‘Valhalla’ which are pretty much the ultimate quintessential Blind Guardian songs both still in their setlist and with reason. Fast, catchy, filled with great riffs, leads and a powerful chorus, it’s everything you want from a power metal classic.

Is the rest of lesser quality? That’s arbitrary of course but i.m.o. you can’t go wrong with other song like ‘Fast To Madness’. What person with a love of eighties metal wouldn’t headbang his brains out to a song like this?
The album ‘Follow the Blind’ is a staple eighties German classic. Simple as that. You should own this.