The Official Blind Guardian Thread v. Yup, Still a Necrothread

[Jaq]

Picked this up yesterday, and...well I can't say I'm disappointed, because even Twist in the Myth had some moments I liked, but it's merely good Blind Guardian rather than epic good Blind Guardian. It's lacking in huge choruses and sing along moments, and just feels a little...off. Might be a grower, but usually if I don't respond immediately to an album it's because it doesn't work for me. Time will tell.

[Dr. DTVT]

My initial feeling after five or so spins is that it is pretty weak for a Blind Guardian album.  I'd have to listen to Twist again to compare it to that, but it's a few steps below everything they've released in the past 20 years other than Twist in the Myth.

Fortunately the Ordan Ogan has delivered what I was hoping for in the Blind Guardian album.

[Evermind]

I haven't heard the new Blind Guardian album, I'm still waiting for my earbook, but new Orden Ogan album was rather disappointing.

[gazinwales]

Overall the new Ordan Ogan is disappointing and not a patch on it's predecessor.
Far too many songs are sing a long chorus and nothing more, not enough riffs or anything else.

[ErHaO]

I liked Orden Ogan immediately, but after listening to it many times most songs already wore off. It is a solid album, but not one I will be revisiting often. Same goes for Angra to a lesser extent. I did not like Serious Black all that much, but maybe it will grow (Not much of a fan of that type of PM, so that is no surprise).

This Blind Guardian album, while having many, many typical BG elements, is quite different on a few spots. The songs are even more dense than previous work at times (take At the Edge of Time for example, it keeps on building and building), a lot of choruses are not their trademark of overlayering 100 Hansi's and some background vocalists singing the title words of the song with an extra sentence, and the mix is not really clear (and this is a negative, I cannot properly listen to the album in my car or in the train with my in-ears, which sucks).

I think it is absolutely stellar work, but can see why people do not like it. Still, there are many BG trademarks to be found like awesome solo's, epic Hansi vocals (one of his best albums, really. He also sings in some ways he has never done before) and their typical way of composing songs with differing verses whilst keeping a cohesive song (this is why so many BG songs never bore me). I am having a hard time believing that people liking ANATO do not dig the Throne (which for me is a bit of a weak song, but I have to be in the mood for ANATO as well), people liking ATEOT not liking Prophecies and old school fans might really enjoy Doom and Holy Grail. All the other songs differ quite a bit from previous work in many aspects, though, I think.

[wolfking]

The release date for this is Aus keeps getting pushed back, annoying.

[gazinwales]

In stock at JB and Utopia mate 
https://www.jbhifi.com.au/music/browse/metal/behind-the-red-mirror-limited-digipak-edition/675193/
https://www.utopia.com.au/artists/Blind-Guardian.html?mode=search

[ariich]

Only listened to the new album once, but I'm liking it! Definitely a bit of a slow start, first song or two not all that exciting, but there is some fantastic stuff across the album.

[wolfking]

In stock at JB and Utopia mate 
https://www.jbhifi.com.au/music/browse/metal/behind-the-red-mirror-limited-digipak-edition/675193/
https://www.utopia.com.au/artists/Blind-Guardian.html?mode=search

For some reason I thought it got pushed back to this coming Friday at JB.

EDIT:  Wait it says the 13th but says in stock.  Ah bugger it, I just hope it's in store on the weekend.  I didn't order it online cause JB are usually pretty good with Nuclear Blast stuff.

[Dr. DTVT]

It's a decent album.  Maybe on par with the last one, but not a classic by their standards.

[cramx3]

It's a decent album.  Maybe on par with the last one, but not a classic by their standards.

But the last one was a classic, at least in my eyes.

[Dr. DTVT]

Imaginations, Nightfall, and Opera are my top three.  AtEoT would be 4, and I rarely had the same enthusiasm for the second half of that album that I had for the first half.

[cramx3]

I think Id go

Imaginations
AtEoT
Nightfall
Opera
the rest

[Ben_Jamin]

I had a feeling Hansi doesn't like playing Battlefield,  that song really is a bitch to sing. Although the energy is perfect for live.

[ErHaO]

I'd go

Nightfall
Tales from a Twilight World
Imaginations
At the Edge of Time
Somewhere Far Beyond
A Twist in the Myth
A Night at the Opera

(the first two do not interest me all that much, save for some fun live songs like Majesty, Valhalla and Banished from Sanctuary)

Beyond the Red Mirror is going to top At the Edge of Time, maybe Imaginations but on long term I doubt that. Fantastic album either way. I am not fond of ANATO as a whole, but it does contain some of their best songs (Soulforged, And Then There Was Silence and Wait for an Answer). ATITM and ANATO are the only albums with some serious balancing issues for me. Some really good tunes, but I will rarely spin those discs as a whole. And there are a bit too many Hansi's on those albums too.

I had a feeling Hansi doesn't like playing Battlefield,  that song really is a bitch to sing. Although the energy is perfect for live.

Not only that, I think this song will fall flat without the overdub bombast. They often adjust the melodies (especially choruses) and keys to fit in the live performances, but I do not think it will work well for this one.

[Ultimetalhead]

Tales From the Twilight World
At the Edge of Time
Imaginations From the Other Side
Somewhere Far Beyond
Nightfall in Middle Earth
Battalions of Fear
Follow the Blind
A Night at the Opera
A Twist in the Myth

No idea where the new one fits in yet but we'll see. Initial guess is between Imaginations and SFB

[The King in Crimson]

Nightfall
At The Edge Of Time
Tales From The Twilight World
Somewhere Far Beyond
Imaginations...
Battalions of Fear
A Night At The Opera
Follow The Blind
A Twist In The Myth

I need to listen to Red Mirror more before I settle on a proper spot.

[ariich]

Surprised at the low rankings for ANATO, which is easily my favourite.

1. A Night at the Opera
2. Nightfall in Middle Earth
3. At the Edge of Time
4. Beyond the Red Mirror (tentative, since I've only heard it the once so far)
5. Imaginations from the Other Side
6. A Twist in the Myth
7. Somewhere Far Beyond
8. Tales from the Twilight World
9. Battalions of Fear
10. Follow the Blind

[Evermind]

Alright...

Imaginations from the Other Side
A Night at the Opera
At the Edge of Time
Somewhere Far Beyond
Nightfall in Middle Earth
A Twist in the Myth
Tales from the Twilight World
Battalions of Fear
Follow the Blind

Still waiting for my BTRM earbook.

[cramx3]

I still need to get the new album.  I kind of put it on the back burner after hearing some samples, but looking at some of the rankings here, it seems to be pretty favorable compared to the rest of the catalogue.  This weekend I need to get it.

[Ultimetalhead]

Surprised at the low rankings for ANATO, which is easily my favourite.

I still love it, it's just the overwhelming quality of BG's releases that places it so low. Really there should be a giant gap in my list between Twist in the Myth and the rest of them because they're all really close in quality whereas Twist is mostly boring save like 3 songs.

[The King in Crimson]

Surprised at the low rankings for ANATO, which is easily my favourite.

I think it's quite spotty and I don't like the... overwhelming mix which makes it difficult to listen to.

[wolfking]

So, I picked up the album on the weekend.  I picked up the digipak with the alternate cover with the sticker saying 'limited edition with bonus track.'  Yet, no bonus to be found. 

[ariich]

The bonus track is in the middle of the album, rather than end. Just FYI.

[wolfking]

The bonus track is in the middle of the album, rather than end. Just FYI.

WTF, really?  It doesn't even state which one is the bonus track!

EDIT:  Just googled it, it's track six, well silly me.  Don't feel so ripped off after all ha.

I have had albums promote bonus tracks before with nothing to be found so that's why I ddin't really investigate it.

[Evermind]

Distant Memories is the bonus track.

[wolfking]

Distant Memories is the bonus track.

It's like a hidden bonus track, but it's not hidden at all. 

[ariich]

Hidden in plain sight!

[gazinwales]

There is also another bonus track on the Japanese 2CD version called, 'Doom'.

[ErHaO]

There is also another bonus track on the Japanese 2CD version called, 'Doom'.

That one is also on the Earbook version.

The Japanese version only has some Wacken 2011 live stuff extra (which was also included with the single).

[wolfking]

Man, this has to be one of the worst sounding albums I've ever heard.

[Evermind]

Damn. Is it that bad? Compared to, say, their previous one, At the Edge of Time.

[ariich]

I haven't noticed it being particularly bad, and I've only listened on Spotify so far.

[ErHaO]

It is very dense music (even for BG) and the sound is a bit muddy/loud. This is one of those albums that can sound horrid when listened on certain sound sets that are incapable of separating all the different tracks. Some BG forumers and reviewers noticed this as well.

The review of AngryMetalGuy (a site I like because they often go indepth) worded it well:

But there’s another problem, too: I have been unable to listen to this record and enjoy it under “average” listening conditions. When played on better speakers or my monitors, it becomes apparent just how detailed and complex this record is. Choirs and stringed instruments lay lush dimensions under beautiful lines; vocals are placed beautifully in the mix to take up just the right amount of space. The drums are easily the most natural sounding drums I’ve heard on a Nuclear Blast release in a decade—fat kicks in a genuine register. But get this record into anything that isn’t a good set of speakers and it sounds like it’s been re-amped through a pillow. The subtle orchestration disappears, the bass and drums are almost completely swallowed, and all you’ve got left is Hansi, his choirs, and guitars. This has created extremely different listening experiences for me depending on my choice of equipment. Blind Guardian - Beyond the Red Mirror - DigibookOn the one hand, I try to listen to it at work in my half-good work headphones and it sounds not great, in my generally pretty high performing earbuds? Flat, flat, flat. Small speakers? The same thing. My theory—but I don’t know enough about producing orchestral metal to say with certainty—is that it’s about the choices that had to be made in order to fit the band’s already dense sound into the same box as an orchestra all at the low, low DR of 8. I’ll be curious to see if the vinyl mix has this problem…

I fully agree with this text (quoted it because I cannot word it better).

ATEOT does sound better though (which also applies a real orchestra). But I do think Beyond the Red Mirror sounds more intense and heavy (but this could very well be due to the compositions). And I love they went for choirs instead of overdubbing a few people all the time. Hansi's voice comes out more clear due to this.

I do not have enough knowledge of producing/recording/mixing/mastering to say if and how they could have made it better and more accessible while keeping the same music, though.

[ariich]

Interesting, I do most of my listening on earphones and so hadn't noticed this as everything was quite clear to me. I've got the album on mp3 now, so will listen again on both earphones and speakers to see how it's sounding to me.