Blind Guardian – At the Edge of Time Review

Posted by Enrique on 09.06.2010

For over 20 years, these Germans have specialized in increasingly ridiculous (in a good way) power metal. On its ninth studio album, Blind Guardian has reined in the drama a bit, but this is by no means a weak record. In fact, it’s pretty impressive they’re still so good at this advanced stage of their career.




Band

Hansi Kürsch – vocals
André Olbrich – lead guitar
Marcus Siepen – guitar
Frederik Ehmke – drums

Songs

1. Sacred Worlds (9:19)
2. Tanelorn (Into the Void) (5:59)
3. Road of No Release (6:31)
4. Ride Into Obsession (4:47)
5. Curse My Name (5:50)
6. Valkyries (6:34)
7. Control the Divine (5:25)
8. War of the Thrones (4:55)
9. A Voice in the Dark (5:41)
10. Wheel of Time (8:56)

It’s almost impossible to write about Blind Guardian without over-using the words bombastic, epic, and dramatic. So let’s get some of that out the way – At the Edge of Time is all sorts of epic-y epic power metal with loads of bombast and epicness. Big drama, too. Of course, that’s Blind Guardian’s whole shtick – they’re the most over-the-top rock band since Queen.

2006’s A Twist in the Myth was a more accessible album, particularly compared to the two albums that preceded it (Nightfall in Middle Earth in 1998, A Night at the Opera in 2002), which had reached the absolute limits of preposterous over-production. I vaguely recall reading in a late 90’s issue of Metal Maniacs that there were 120+ vocals tracks on Nightfall, and 60-70 guitar tracks. So Twist represented a transition to a kinder, gentler Blind Guardian, which was a bit more restrained but no less enjoyable.

At the Edge of Time sounds like a natural progression from Twist. Most of the compositions are just so goddamned fist-pumping good, and the sing-a-long factor is huge, as always. For a taste, here’s the video for “A Voice in the Dark.”



Now, let’s be real for a moment – there’s a lot about Blind Guardian that’s just asinine (as you might have guessed if you watched the video). The lyrics are frequently about shit like hobbits and elfs and dragons, etc. A lot of metal lyrics are retarded, really, but somehow power metal lyrics seem objectively sillier to me than black metal lyrics about the grimness of the forest at dusk, or whatever. No accounting for taste, I suppose...

Which is to say, for all its awesome bombastic epicness, Blind Guardian has some pretty notable flaws. In addition to the lyrical content, they have a habit of putting one or two folky, renaissance faire type ballads on every record. In this case, it’s “Curse My Name” and “War of the Thrones.” For me, these are always the weakest parts of the album. “Curse My Name” has some neat violin and flute interplay, but these acoustic numbers tend to be fairly dull.

But even if Blind Guardian hasn’t eliminated its biggest weaknesses, at least it still knows how to play to its strengths. Opening track “Sacred Worlds” features the FILMharmonic Orchestra Prague, and kicks the album off on a high-spirited note. This is everything that’s beautiful about Blind Guardian – symphonic grandeur, Olbrich’s tasty guitarwork, and Kürsch’s brilliant vocal performance. “Tanelorn (Into the Void)” is a more up-tempo, kickass power metal tune that makes you bob your head and pretend to sing the chorus when you’re driving. Nothing you haven’t heard before, but it’s all good fun.

“Road of No Release” is slower and more methodical than a lot of Blind Guardian songs, but still heavy and exciting. “Ride Into Obsession” is another rocker with catchy guitar melodies, and dozens of Kürschs singing all over the place. “Valkyries” and “Control the Divine” are also typically epic and bombastic Blind Guardian fare (also dramatic). Closing the album on a solid note, “Wheel of Time” brings the orchestra back to send the listener off happy (reminds me of the soundtrack to an Indiana Jones movie). It’s almost as killer a finisher as “And Then There was Silence” from A Night at the Opera, which you’ll have to admit is a pretty high standard.

Ultimately, At the Edge of Time is a highly satisfying album, despite its imperfections. Blind Guardian’s sound isn’t quite as all-encompassing as it once was, but they’re still displaying a good level of creativity and enthusiasm. What more could anyone ask for?

The 411: Bombastic. Epic. Dramatic. Was there ever any doubt? Blind Guardian is aging nicely on At the Edge of Time – they’re easier to digest, and still fun as hell. This may not be the most jaw-dropping album they’ve put out, but it’s still a worthy addition to any metal fan’s library. Even with the goofy lyrics.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]