Blind Guardian - A Night at the Opera

[JayKeeley]

Holy shit, this album is SO fucking good. 10/10.

I actually forgot how good it was, listened to it for the first time in a long time, and fell in love with it all over again. There must be 3 million riffs in this album, but yet it's still so cohesive. One big fucking orchestra, a wall of guitars and vocals.

BG = progressive + improvement per release. Not many other bands in that ballpark.

Is this the perfect euro-power metal release? :Spin:

 

[Crimson Velvet]

Bah! BG never topped "Imaginations from the Other Side".

"Nightfall in Middle-Earth" came close, but lacked just that little something, that in IftOS's case was Mordred's Song.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

No no no
Its not the perfect euro power metal release, that one probably is "Land Of The Free", or "In Control", or " Walls Of Jericho", or some Running Wild album.
Its not a 10/10. Its too complex just for the shake of it. The good melodies are lost and buried under tons of rubbling orchestration.
Their two best imo are "Follow The Blind" and "Nightfall In Middle Earth".

 

[NAD]

I have Nightfall in Middle-earth because I'm a Tolkien fanatic, and probably 3/4 of the times I've listened to it, it was fun. It's the only power metal album I own, unless you count The Jester Race SCOOCOORORSE.

 

[Ayeka]

A Night At The Opera was surreal to say the least on first listening! As soon as the eunuch opened his mouth I found it quite disorientating, along with the abscence of conventional music and a load of wibble-wobble noises instead.

But the album rewards repeated listenings. It's one that's good to have on headphones, then you can dissect each instrument and pull them out of the mix. And FUCK ME are those choruses epic or what? Love 'em!

Battlefield is my favourite song on there

Need to dig out my copy of Nightfall In Middle-Earth again, ain't listened to that for nearly two years I think?

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

Yea I agree. I dont understand why so many people think this is their worst album.

 

[JayKeeley]

I have to admit, it took many MANY listens to appreciate ANatO. Maybe even a couple of years worth. Before that, I thought Nightfall in Middle Earth was the magnum opus, but not anymore....

Every song is a masterpiece in itself. It makes me want to get their last live album now....should I?

That's not to say Nightfall (9.5/10) and Imaginations (9/10) aren't also magnificent. The greatest thing about Blind Guardian is that there is not a band on the planet that sounds like them. You can tell it's BG in an instant.

 

[JayKeeley]

No no no
Its not the perfect euro power metal release, that one probably is "Land Of The Free"

By the way, I might agree with that. I treat that like my personal Rust in Peace pt. 2.

"Rebellion in Dreamland" is the anthem of anthems.

 

[Crimson Velvet]

Am i the only one who thought that whole Demons & Wizards thing sucked?

 

[J.]

only one I've heard was Somewhere Far Beyond, and it was friggin' hilarious. The band nailed those folkish moments, and I liked their bagpipe piece (hard to fuck up a bagpipe song since it's the second greatest instrument ever, only behind the piano), but then he had to start singing..........and laughing ensued. I mean, those choruses.........yeesh

 

[IOfTheStorm]

"Somewhere far Beyond" absolutely RULES, one of my favourite BG
Demons And Wizards were ok btw.

 

[JayKeeley]

I thought D&W were ok. Some phenomenal songs ("Fiddler on the Green" and "Heaven Denies") and the rest average to above-average.

The problem is, they're overrated simply because of who's involved. I am keen to hear the new release however.

P.S. My copy of D&W is signed by both Schaffer (under 'Demons') and Kursh (under 'Wizards'), courtesy of my interactions with them at PP III.

 

[Crimson Velvet]

Yeah, I remember when I first read about D&W. I was a fan of both bands already, so my expectations were through the roof. Then I heard it... Bleh...

Another sad part is that I will surely buy the new one, when it's released. Damn my complitist tendencies!

 

[KILL TULLY]

aNatO is not even close to there best album in my opinion at all, in fact its my least favorite out of all there albums. Blind Guardian where my first metal band, the band that got me into this whole shebang in the first place, and Nightfall was my first metal album. Killer Killer KILLER KILLER KILLERRRRRR.

 

[JayKeeley]

aNatO is not even close to there best album in my opinion at all, in fact its my least favorite out of all there albums. Blind Guardian where my first metal band, the band that got me into this whole shebang in the first place, and Nightfall was my first metal album. Killer Killer KILLER KILLER KILLERRRRRR.

Interesting use of 'there' and 'where', LOL.

 

[MajestikMøøse]

When Pyrus reads this thread he's going to spew diarrhea all over it.

 

[lurch70]

My friend you met at the Heloween concert gave me this disc one Xmas ... I think it was on eBay by January 1st

 

[Demonspell]

Bah! BG never topped "Imaginations from the Other Side".

"Nightfall in Middle-Earth" came close, but lacked just that little something, that in IftOS's case was Mordred's Song.

Agreed completely.

 

[speed]

No offense J as I really dont care for BG, Somewhere far beyond is funny, but one could say the same thing when listening to your beloved Graveland.

 

[lurch70]

let's face it, most of the stuff we listen to on these boards is comedy in one way or another ... and the more seriously the band takes themselves ... the funnier it is