A Night at the Opera

A Night At The Opera (ANATO) is a very special album. It marks the end of a era for the band; not only in terms of sound (arguably the last remnants of speed metal can be heard on tracks such as Punishment Divine) but also in being the last album with the original line-up. Thomen would later leave the band, citing dissatisfaction with the direction the group was going in, and breaking the 20 years and 7 albums stable line-up the band had. My personal theory is that with Thomen gone, the band could finally embrace the sound they wanted to go for. Frederik Ehmke is a fine replacement, but he appears the lack the punch, power and finesse that Thomen brought to the band.

Musically, the album has the same high standards as all the previous BG albums, but this time the orchestral and symphonic elements take even more center stage than on Nightfall in Middle Earth. This suits Blind Guardian very well, and the lyrics reflect the music amazingly, with fantastic tales and historical deep dives. This is most appararent in the 14-minute epic ... And Then There Was Silence, which details the fall of Troy. It's no doubt that Hansi is one of the finest lyriscists in the genre.

Personally, I think some of the bands best material can be found on ANATO. Battlefield, The Maiden and the Minstrel Knight, The Soulforged, Punishment Divine and, of course, ...And Then There Was Silence, are some of the finest moments in Blind Guardian's discography. An overlooked gem is the bonus track Harvest of Sorrow, which was supposed to be featured on Nightfall in Middle Earth, but ended up as a B-side for this album instead. ANATO features some of the best melodies and hooks the band has put out, and in its finest moments it rivals the much-beloved Somewhere Far Beyond and Imaginations From the Other Side.

Sadly, the other half of the album is a bit weaker, with mid-tempo songs that doesn't really go anywhere and with choruses that doesn't really grab you. A possible exception to that being the mellow, emotional chorus for "Under the Ice", featuring some very high notes sung by Hansi (is that really him?!), as well as the anthemic chorus to "Precious Jerusalem". When I listen to the album I usually find myself skipping the other songs. Wait For An Answer is way too jolly and upbeat for my taste, Age Of False Innocence just meanders along without leaving an impression, and Sadly Sings Destiny is a hard-rocking precursor to what's to come on the upcoming 2006 album A Twist In The Myth, which is probably my least favourite album from the band.

Overall, I would say that ANATO is a must-have for Blind Guardian fans, and fans of power metal in general. To me, this album is definitely up there with the "classic" 90's albums, even if it just loses out to the three previous albums. A truly great album.