Blind Guardian are in my opinion one of the few epic metal bands left in the genre that has not become irrelevant and boring. What separates Blind Guardian from other epic prog metal bands? Simple, these guys have a heart and passion for music (they aren’t trying to be the fastest, longest or most innovative band in this genre), they aren’t afraid of change, and they create music that repeatedly kicks your butt and leaves you for dead. After 20 plus years and nine CDs Hansi Kursch, Andre’ Olbrich and gang are just as fresh sounding today with their new CD “At the Edge of Time” as they did on their debut “Battalions of Fear” (with the exception that they guys have grown up and matured musically).
“At the Edge of Time” is the latest CD from German Epic metal pioneers Blind Guardian. It is in my opinion that this is an excellent follow up to 2006’s “A Twist in the Myth”. This CD has Blind Guardian keeping true to their metal roots but they are not afraid to go to new places. The opening song “Sacred Worlds” has the band trekking into the symphonic metal realm and it is a fantastic sound. Complete with the band backed by orchestration this song is by far one of my all time favorite Blind Guardian songs. The band also journeys into the land of the familiar with their folkish tune “Curse My Name” which is reminiscent to the song “Skalds and Shadows” from “A Twist in the Myth” and “Bard’s Song” from the “Somewhere Far Beyond” CD. To complete the sound that makes this band unique the band firmly plants themselves into the soils of a larger than life sound that sets these guys apart from the rest with songs like “Valkyries”, “Tanelorn” and “A Voice in the Dark”. To be honest I cannot single out a song on this disc that I feel is inferior to another. In my opinion “At the Edge of Time” is definitely their best studio release in a decade.
Bard’s and Bard-ettes I suggest you go out and get a copy of “At the Edge of Time” it’s a killer CD! The production is perfect, the songs are large than life and the guys are sounding better than they have in years. I have been working on my top ten CDs for 2010 and there is no doubt this one is going to be on the list. I tip my hat to the guys in Blind Guardian, you have made this Bard a very happy man.
