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

[ErHaO]

I've decided to make an abridged version of the orchestral album, cutting out all the spoken interludes. Which requires more than just simply skipping those tracks - they flow one into and out of the other so each song starts and ends with ambient noises from the preceeding track, and so I had to rely on the instrumental versions to use their beginnings and endings which are "clean".

On streaming services there is an official abridged version. Special editions of the alnum have it as well I believe.

You mean I spent 2 hours working out all the blendings and edits while I could have just went online? 

Yes

And the minor narration within some songs is removed as well (Red Dwarf does not have the acting part around the 5 min mark for example, just the music).

[MirrorMask]

I took off that as well 

[Evermind]

Fix the track, cut the red dwarf
(There's a red
There's a red
There's a red dwarf)
Fix the track, cut the red dwarf

[The Walrus]

Fix the track, cut the red dwarf
(There's a red
There's a red
There's a red dwarf)
Fix the track, cut the red dwarf

 

[The Walrus]

DEMONS & WIZARDS are proud to announce February 21st, 2020 as the worldwide release date of the group’s highly anticipated studio album, “III”!

Jon Schaffer states: “I’m excited to be releasing another D&W album after all of these years. I feel like we’ve put together something really special, and I'm looking forward to hearing what the fans think about it. I’m proud of this album. It’s definitely a journey of epic proportions.”

Hansi Kürsch adds: “2019 is an extremely exciting year for Demons & Wizards in general. We have accomplished a lot. A lot! This third album is the peak of our career for sure. Mark my words, you will love this album!”

Now, the band presents “III”, a stunning monument of dynamic and powerful heavy metal that simply has all you would expect from these iconic musicians! “III” is epic, melodic, crushingly heavy, atmospheric, and all in between. 65 minutes of heavy metal mastery!

The track-listing can be viewed below:
01. Diabolic
02. Invincible
03. Wolves In Winter
04. Final Warning
05. Timeless Spirit
06. Dark Side Of Her Majesty
07. Midas Disease
08. New Dawn
09. Universal Truth
10. Split
11. Children Of Cain

A little underwhelmed by the title BUT IT'S ALMOST HERE!!!

[MirrorMask]

Indeed, I'm very excited and the cover and the titles sound cool, but.... seriously? you name the third album III? they couldn't think of *anything else* at all???

[TAC]

That's an awesome cover. Do we know who the musicians are that recorded this?

[cramx3]

More excited for this than BG's latest honestly, and yea, that album title is weak.

[Evermind]

MMXX, Apocalypse & Chill and now III? Is there a secret competition for the most underwhelming album title in 2020?

Apocalypse & Chill actually begins to sound good compared to this.

[MirrorMask]

Hey, at least it's a title. Looking at the tracklist alone I can see these titles as potential and valid title tracks: Diabolic, Wolves in Winter, Dark Side Of Her Majesty, New Dawn and Children Of Cain.

Uh well, in the long run it won't matter, but yeah, as you said, the race for the worst 2020 album title has begun 

[gazinwales]

Album title, really who cares?
As long as the music is good, the title is not that important 

[cramx3]

MMXX, Apocalypse & Chill and now III? Is there a secret competition for the most underwhelming album title in 2020?

Apocalypse & Chill actually begins to sound good compared to this.

 

Album title, really who cares?
As long as the music is good, the title is not that important 

True

[wolfking]

Yeah I also am not too fussed with the album title.  It's pretty funny though.  Could at least have had something like Chapter 3 or Vol. 3 or something.

[Zook]

Well I think the album title is killertastic.

[MirrorMask]

Anyway, at long last, Hansi is finally checking out two major and landmark boxes on his To Do list, right? first the orchestral album and then a new D&W.... it took forever but both are / will be out in a matter of mere months!

[ErHaO]

Anyway, at long last, Hansi is finally checking out two major and landmark boxes on his To Do list, right? first the orchestral album and then a new D&W.... it took forever but both are / will be out in a matter of mere months!

Aaand they will enter the studio early 2020 for the start of the production of the new Blind Guardian album. I assume that means a 2021 release (knowing they take their time during production).

Hansi on the next Blind Guardian studio album in a very recent interview:

We are finishing the last songs until Christmas and then from January on we’re basically in the production.

Source: https://www.metalinsider.net/interviews/hansi-kursch-on-future-blind-guardian-and-demons-wizards-plans

 

[The Walrus]

I know people poo-poo Beyond The Red Mirror but that's become my #2 Guardian record. I really can't wait to hear what they've cooked up this time. Glad we won't be waiting too long. Hopefully the end of 2020?

[Evermind]

I know people poo-poo Beyond The Red Mirror but that's become my #2 Guardian record.

It's got some great songs and some duds for me. The duds mostly being the big orchestral songs (Ashes of Eternity, Grand Parade). I hope Hansi and Andre got their orchestral stuff out on Legacy of the Dark Lands, and I hope this one rocks just a bit more. Definitely looking forward to this one (and to the subsequent tour!)

[The Walrus]

I think Grand Parade is a bit overblown and bloated, but Ashes of Eternity freaking rocks. I would prefer more songs like The Throne or The Holy Grail on the next one though. Fingers crossed.

[Evermind]

I would prefer more songs like The Throne or The Holy Grail on the next one though. Fingers crossed.

I'm absolutely up for that, both great songs

[MirrorMask]

I loved BG's evolution, I'll defend it to death and I consider At the Edge of Time one of their best albums. Still Red Mirror was to much even for me. Too smoke to even understand if there was actually the fire beneath it.

The aforementioned AtEoT was, for me, the perfect balance between the heavy stuff they became famous for, and the orchestral / prog influence of the latest records.

And yes, The Holy Grail kicks all kind of asses 

[cramx3]

I loved BG's evolution, I'll defend it to death and I consider At the Edge of Time one of their best albums. Still Red Mirror was to much even for me. Too smoke to even understand if there was actually the fire beneath it.

The aforementioned AtEoT was, for me, the perfect balance between the heavy stuff they became famous for, and the orchestral / prog influence of the latest records.

And yes, The Holy Grail kicks all kind of asses 

I agree with all of this.  I'm definitely looking forward to the next BG traditional album and tour. 

[MirrorMask]

Don't know what to listen to today?

Well, celebrate the 25th years anniversary of the release of IMAGINATIONS FROM THE OTHER SIDE, a landmark album in the history of Blind Guardian and modern heavy metal!!! 



Released on this day in 1995!

[The Walrus]

One of the greatest metal albums ever made. Ever. A true milestone for power metal; this album is an absolute force to be reckoned with.

[cramx3]

One of the greatest metal albums ever made. Ever. A true milestone for power metal; this album is an absolute force to be reckoned with.

Yea, it's their best album IMO and one of the best in the genre

[LudwigVan]

After all these years I’m surprised to say that Hansi is now one of my all time favorite singers. I say that because when picked up NIME as a blind buy (holy crap has it been over 20 years?), my first reaction to his voice was EW. I plowed through simply because the music was so good and have kept up with the band on and off ever since (I was a member of BGF before DTF).

But then when I listened to Ayreon The Source (without knowing he was in it) I  immediately perked up to the fact that his voice cut through with so much soul and nuance. I just never really appreciated the uniqueness of his vocals until now. I guess I was deaf dumb and blind all this time. So when  I listen to the BG discography now, it’s with new ears, and that’s a beautiful thing.

[Ben_Jamin]

After all these years I’m surprised to say that Hansi is now one of my all time favorite singers. I say that because when picked up NIME as a blind buy (holy crap has it been over 20 years?), my first reaction to his voice was EW. I plowed through simply because the music was so good and have kept up with the band on and off ever since (I was a member of BGF before DTF).

But then when I listened to Ayreon The Source (without knowing he was in it) I  immediately perked up to the fact that his voice cut through with so much soul and nuance. I just never really appreciated the uniqueness of his vocals until now. I guess I was deaf dumb and blind all this time. So when  I listen to the BG discography now, it’s with new ears, and that’s a beautiful thing.

01 actually did that for me. It got me into Blind Guardian based on Hansis voice alone.

[cramx3]

After all these years I’m surprised to say that Hansi is now one of my all time favorite singers. I say that because when picked up NIME as a blind buy (holy crap has it been over 20 years?), my first reaction to his voice was EW. I plowed through simply because the music was so good and have kept up with the band on and off ever since (I was a member of BGF before DTF).

But then when I listened to Ayreon The Source (without knowing he was in it) I  immediately perked up to the fact that his voice cut through with so much soul and nuance. I just never really appreciated the uniqueness of his vocals until now. I guess I was deaf dumb and blind all this time. So when  I listen to the BG discography now, it’s with new ears, and that’s a beautiful thing.

My friend couldn't get into BG because he didn't understand the love for Hansi... and then similarily, he heard the Avantasia song The Raven Child where Hansi sings, and he was like "whoa I never realized how good Handi is"  I even dragged him to a BG concert like 6 years ago and he wasn't into it at all.  Yet had that revelation last year.

[cramx3]

In case you aren't paying attention to the live streaming thread and are available to watch live, BG is performing a live set virtually at Wacken World Wide https://wacken-world-wide.com/

[MirrorMask]

BTW, I didn't find any official and spread to the whole world announcement, but there are people out there who are sure that in the next tour - whose first dates are announced 13 months from now (mostly in Germany) - they will play Somewhere Far Beyond in its entirety. Must have been something told between the lines (like if it was not a huge m'f'k'n deal!!!) while the dates were being shown on the screen during the stream.

[gazinwales]

I think Hansi's voice has actually got better as he gets older.
I don't know if it an improvement or just that he knows how to get the best out of himself, or the producer does.

[The Walrus]

BTW, I didn't find any official and spread to the whole world announcement, but there are people out there who are sure that in the next tour - whose first dates are announced 13 months from now (mostly in Germany) - they will play Somewhere Far Beyond in its entirety. Must have been something told between the lines (like if it was not a huge m'f'k'n deal!!!) while the dates were being shown on the screen during the stream.

ASHES TO ASHES, YOU ALL WILL BE DUST AGAIN

[MirrorMask]

I think Hansi's voice has actually got better as he gets older.
I don't know if it an improvement or just that he knows how to get the best out of himself, or the producer does.

Either he took singing lessons, or he learnt to self discipline himself.

There was a time back in the Twist in the Myth era where at their concerts I was thinking "do people ragging on James LaBrie ever heard Hansi live? they'd want to crucify him"... I worship the man, BG are one of my favorite band and I admire them and especially Hansi quite a lot, but you'd have to be deaf or the biggest stubborn fanboy to not notice how inconsistent and all over the place he was with his vocals. This changed for the better in the more recent tours and now, 10 years older, he's giving quite strong performances.

[Evermind]

I'm usually too invested in singing along during BG shows to notice Hansi's faults live, so I had a blast both during ATEOT and BTRM tours; last time I saw him live on Demons and Wizards tour though, he was amazing. Pretty much nailed all the vocal parts.

[ErHaO]

Hansi had several rough periods and, thus far, each time he managed to bounce back. I think one of the reasons Blind Guardian takes large touring breaks is to keep periods of studio recording and touring seperate.

And I also think there are a couple of things that he does better than ever. Most notably is that his pitch is usually on point. Even in recent shows where his pitch is weaker, it is not to an extent it detracts from the show in my opinion (take the Hellfest Demons and Wizards vs Wacken, Wacken is better in that regard).

Also, compared to the classic era his English has greatly improved. I especially prefer the ballads nowadays because of that.

And in general he has gotten better with timing and emphasising words. It is something that many aging metal/rock vocalists struggle with and I really appreciate that Hansi does his best to convey words. Take the new song for example, I can make out most of the words clearly. And in regards to timing/emphasizing, I think Majesty on Live Beyond The Spheres vs Live (2003) is a good example (mostly minot differences, but I prefer the former, and offcourse that version is quicker).


And Demons and Wizards Wacken 2019 is probably one of my favourite Hansi live performances.