A Night at the Opera

By the time Blind Guardian released “Nightfall In Middle Earth”, power metal scene was just starting to kick into high gear. The aforementioned album is by many considered their crowning achievement; by some their most overrated work and a beginning of their “downfall”. Personally, I firmly hold that it’s as every bit as amazing as it gets praised, but “Imaginations From The Other Side” is even better than it (In fact, it’s my favorite metal album period). Of course, the other album that got a bit of a maligned reputation at its release is Blind Guardian’s blatantly Queen-worshipping work, particularly the subject of worship is the Queen’s album of the same name, “A Night At The Opera”.

And that’s very much what this album is. The overlaid vocals are taken to a whole new degree, the bombastic nature is amplified to such a degree that it would make Manowar second guess themselves, all while the neoclassical and technical lead guitar work is still there to a level that is not annoying wankery nor too low to leave the more demanding listeners hanging dry. Right from the get go, “Precious Jerusalem” is a track where the band just enjoys twisting the listener’s expectations outside the chorus with catchy melodic work and layered vocals, and the chorus, if you didn’t believe me that this album was bombastic, you will now. “Battlefield” is another great example. Olbrich really shines here with the lead melodies that is a fusion of classic prog-rock bands like Rush and King Crimson, combined with the energetic and bombastic nature of Brian May. And the vocals are even more intense than in the opener. And the song structure is still pretty standard actually, but the melodies underneath each verse are different from the last, yet still feel like a logical progression. This is how you make good prog-power metal.

However, while the album is usually bombastic and classic prog-rock mix as described above, it’s in those moments when the things calm down a little, when the album is allowed to lie down and breathe a little, that we truly get some high standouts that can stand face to face with tracks from the band’s trifecta of releases from “Somewhere Far Beyond” to “Nightfall In Middle Earth”. The soft opening of the “Maiden And The Minstrel Knight”, followed by a quieter main melody before it explodes into the chorus, and the same lead melody is played near the end is reminiscent of “Mordred’s Song”. And if you are one of those that loves to stick to their first four albums, especially if you particularly love “Valhalla” or “Joruney Through The Dark”, album’s penultimate track “Punishment Divine” has some insanely fast riffage and Hansi very much cements himself as one of metal’s best vocalists here, even without what came after it. Debate about the best metal song has been going since metal was created as a genre, and while it is a very contentious topic that it is the best, I would say in the subgenre of power metal, the album’s 14 minute epic closer “And Then There Was Silence”, simultaneously the embodiment and subversion of this album’s style, can claim to be the best track. Not going to delve into too much detail on it, since the song was released as a lead single of the album so I am going to do that there when I find time, but to keep it short, it’s at times bombastic, sometimes quiet, but what it does effectively than nearly all dedicated prog metal bands, is that it effectively builds itself up towards an explosive climax and a fadeout ending. And considering it’s a retelling of Troy’s final days, I’d say that the band captured the feel of wanting to cheer on for the doomed city, even if everyone by now knows how that story ended.

What was crafted here may not be the most original work, considering how much it borrows from King Crimson and particularly from Queen, those old tricks are presented in such an explosive and playful way that they glow in a new light. To me, this is the last album from the “classic” Guardian period before they embarked on a more relaxed approach for the following few albums. Definite recommend, especially if you are like me and particularly enjoy Queen and other classic rock acts.