The Power Metal Thread
Helloween - "Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I" (1987)
Helloween & I have had a long & rocky relationship over the years but they've never managed to get the better of me. Despite feeling confident that the metal runs freely through their veins, I can't ever get away from the fact that it's a watered down & syrupy metal that's intended more to give them a sugar-high than any sort of adrenaline rush. "Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II" has always been my preferred Helloween release but even then I wouldn't say that I find it to be in any way an enjoyable experience. I just find that the highlights are a touch stronger than its predecessor despite having more deeper canyons. I like the intro & outro tracks on ""Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I" as well as one of the six legitimate songs but while the rest of the material is well executed & easy on the ear you'll find it to not only tiptoe along the cheese line but to confidently leap over it time & time again. I guess I'm really not Helloween's target audience.
3/5
Blind Guardian - "Nightfall In Middle-Earth" (1998)
I thought I'd revisit this one after quite enjoying Andi's submission for the September The Guardians Playlist & found that I still have a lot of time for it. As with most European power metal, there's still a bit more cheese on offer than I'd like (particularly the medieval folk influence which is more pronounced than I remember from Blind Guardian's other releases) but the anthems are huge with some absolutely epic choruses. The vocals & instrumental performances are incredible here & have always been the main drawcards for me with Blind Guardian along with the furious speed metal component. I definitely prefer 1995's "Imaginations From The Other Side" over this one but "Nightfall in Middle-Earth" still sits comfortably amongst the top few power metal records I've ever experienced. I guess that says a lot about my taste for power metal in general. For fans of Helloween, Gamma Ray & Iced Earth.
3.5/5
Blind Guardian - "Somewhere Far Beyond" (1992)
Another quite enjoyable effort from my favourite European power metal band Blind Guardian. "Somewhere Far Beyond" jumps out of the gates beautifully with two of the albums most anthemic highlights in "Time What Is Time" & "Journey Through the Dark" before retreating within itself for the majority of the remainder. There are a couple of tracks that don't do much for me in "Theatre Of Pain" with its incredibly dated & cheesy synth work & the instrumental bag-pipe piece "The Piper's Calling" which is nothing more than a waste of one minute of your life but the rest of the album is all more than decent. As usual it's the speedier & more aggressive parts of the album that tend to offer the most appeal but interestingly it's the acoustic folk piece "The Bard's Song - In the Forest" that leaves the most long-lasting impression on me & rightfully stakes its claim for classic status. "Somewhere Far Beyond" doesn't challenge "Imaginations From The Other Side" for my favourite Blind Guardian release but it's not far behind "Nightfall In Middle-Earth" & "Live" for the minor medals.
For fans of Helloween, Stormwarrior & Savage Circus.
3.5/5
Lost Horizon - "A Flame To The Ground Beneath" (2003)
The 2003 sophomore album from Swedish power metallers Lost Horizon has never sounded like an attractive prospect to this extreme metal fan however, after taking the plunge over the last couple of days, I've had to admit that I've been missing out. Sure there's a great deal of cheesy keyboard pomposity on offer throughout "A Flame To the Ground Beneath" however the shredding guitar work & high quality upper-register vocals are a real drawcard along with the brilliant three minute dark ambient pieces that bookend the tracklisting. There's even a bit Manowar in some of the slower & more epic sections along with a touch of Dream Theater in the vocal melodies & phrasing. I was genuinely surprised at just how much I enjoyed this album & would actually go so far as to say that it I place it a close second to Blind Guardian's "Imaginations From The Other Side" for my favourite power metal record overall. It's a pity about the God-awful cover art though.
For fans of Helloween, Gamma Ray & Blind Guardian.
4/5
Lost Horizon - "Awakening the World" (2001)
Ok, so it's taken me a full four months to get around to checking out the other full-length album from Swedish power metallers Lost Horizon after I enjoyed their 2003 sophomore record "A Flame To The ground Beneath" so much back in May. I'm glad I've finally gotten there though because Lost Horizon's debut is every bit as solid as its younger sibling. In fact, if pushed I'd go so far as to say that I slightly prefer this one as its tracklisting is a touch more consistent to that of its more highly regarded follow-up which included a couple of flat numbers. This is a very similar package though to be fair with the inclusion of cheesy cover artwork, a similar musical direction, a glistening super-precise production, stunning musicianship & a tracklisting that's bookended by high quality ambient pieces. The vocal performance of Daniel Heiman is once again a highlight as his tone is incredibly pure & he seems to hit those high notes & harmonies far more effortlessly than most of his peers. The guitar solos are also fantastic & often take the song-writing to another level. I do have to stubbornly admit that I enjoy the less popular & slower tracks that seem to be inspired by classic heavy metal a little more than the faster speed metal driven stuff though but that seems to be par for the course with my power metal experiences overall.
This more melodic & symphonic brand of power metal isn't generally my bag but I simply can't go past these guys as they seem to absolutely nail everything they attempt & rarely cross over the dreaded cheese line, even if they do skate along it quite often. I know it's a big call but "Awakening The World" sits amongst the top four or five power metal records I've heard.
For fans of Nocturnal Rites, Hibria & Sonata Arctica.
4/5
For this weekend's "top ten of all time" list I've decided to go with power metal which is a subgenre that I've often struggled with over the years but have now found enough releases that I like to put together a list like this one. Check it out & feel free to post your own.
01. Kamelot - "The Black Halo" (2005)
02. Iced Earth - "Alive In Athens" (1999)
03. Unleash The Archers - "Apex" (2017)
04. Lost Horizon - "Awakening The World" (2001)
05. Blind Guardian - "Imaginations From The Other Side" (1995)
06. Lost Horizon - "A Flame To The Ground Beneath" (2003)
07. Blind Guardian - "Nightfall In Middle-Earth" (1998)
08. Blind Guardian - "Live" (2003)
09. Blind Guardian - "Somewhere Far Beyond" (1992)
10. Gamma Ray - "Blast From The Past" (2000)
Wuthering Heights - "The Shadow Cabinet" (2006)
The fourth album from this Danish power metal outfit falls firmly into the "none of my business" category I'm afraid. The polished & glistening package is beautifully produced & executed but unfortunately it's all a bit too pompous & cheesy for my taste. The guitar solos are spectacular but they can't make up for the gag-worthy folk metal melodies, the overuse of synthesizers & the consciously anthemic choruses. Sure it sounds pretty epic & all but it's just too far removed from my wheelhouse I'm afraid. Xephyr & Andi will probably love this stuff though.
For fans of Falconer, Manticora & Lost Horizon.
2.5/5
You're right about me loving The Shadow Cabinet, Daniel. A bombastic progressive power metal album with folk influences standing its unique ground. Cheers for the rec! 5/5
My updated Top Ten Power Metal Releases of All Time list:
01. Kamelot - "The Black Halo" (2005)
02. Iced Earth - "Alive In Athens" (1999)
03. Unleash The Archers - "Apex" (2017)
04. Lost Horizon - "Awakening The World" (2001)
05. Blind Guardian - "Imaginations From The Other Side" (1995)
06. Lost Horizon - "A Flame To The Ground Beneath" (2003)
07. Blind Guardian - "Nightfall In Middle-Earth" (1998)
08. Blind Guardian - "Live" (2003)
09. Blind Guardian - "Somewhere Far Beyond" (1992)
10. Eternity's End - "Embers Of War" (2021)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/139
My homeland at heart.
Currently listening to Rage - Black in Mind.
Blind Guardian - The God Machine (2022)
I have to admit that I'm not really siding with what the BG fan club says about this album: it's not a tiring rehash of the past with less originality. Melody may have been sacrificed just a tad bit, but the truth is that the sacrifice made it possible for BG to focus on making what could be their heaviest album yet. Not only that, but it doesn't just recreate the past and improve on the things they ignored for a while, but they add a new vibe with a couple of space-style songs with real progressive touches. And let's be honest: Hansi Kursch has lost practically none of his vocal power and this is 25 years after the release of Imaginations from the Other Side. I listened to it twice just so I could cement my final opinion, and the second time blew me away even more than the first time.
10/10
I've been listening to The God Machine pretty much all week and I have to agree that it's a massive comeback for Blind Guardian, not sure where these "fan club" guys are getting their info from. I've already spun this album more times than Beyond the Red Mirror, At the Edge of Time, and A Twist in the Myth combined and it hasn't lost any of its energy, but I'm not sure that it quite compares to their 1990's material. It's definitely not a rehash to echo Rexorcist's viewpoint, but with Somewhere Far Beyond and Imaginations From the Other Side being two of my favorite albums of all time, this one doesn't quite reach that legendary status. I may go back and forth on this since it's hard for me to be objective with Blind Guardian, but it's easily their best album since Nightfall in Middle-Earth and may even surpass it due to its more straightforward and rewarding approach. The riffs and songwriting are incredible throughout, Hansi's vocals have refined to a point where he still has the aggression of his 1990's material but has noticeably more control over his voice, and the consistency of the entire band is great. But...I can't help but feel the album doesn't quite compare to their best material. "Secrets of the American Gods" has definitely grown on me considering it was one of the tracks initially keeping The God Machine at a 4/5 for me, but I can't say it's exactly strong considering its long runtime. "Let It Be No More" pales in comparison to their older ballads and "Destiny" is a pretty lackluster end to an awesome album.
This is me being nitpicky at the end of the day, since Blind Guardian is one of the only bands to have more than one 5 out of 5 on my ratings. Easily one of, if not the best, Power Metal releases of 2022 and I doubt it'll be dethroned by the end of the year at this rate. Blind Guardian has shown that they've still got it in the best of ways, even though some of the tracks don't really jive with me in the way that their older material did. Incredibly glad to see one of my favorite bands still able to belt out a fantastic release after so long. I have a feeling I'm gonna keep this one in rotation for quite a while; already 5 or 6 listens in.
4.5/5
I've seen quite a few positive comments about "The God Machine" recently, not just here at the Academy but on several other sites too, so I figured that, despite me and European Power Metal not really being comfortable bedfellows, it's about time I checked out my very first Blind Guardian album.
OK, so this was never going to be one of my favourite ever albums, but it was actually quite a pleasant surprise. Inevitably from a band who have been releasing high-profile albums for a third of a century, their talent was never really in doubt, but their level of ability is quite unimpeachable. As has been pointed out by others, singer Hansi Kürsch, despite being nearly as old as I am, has still got an impressive set of pipes and shows no signs of vocal decline, even with the most demanding of lines. However, the backing vocals is where I struggle the most with the album, the constant harmonisation just becoming too much for me personally and making everything sound like it was produced by Brian May. The guitar work is pretty great, especially on the quicker material and the solos are shred-happy, but despite this they manage to stay on the right side of enjoyable for me, not ever descending into neoclassical metal levels of wankery and futility. I note that Xephyr initially was unimpressed with "Secrets of the American Gods" and for me this is an obvious low-point of the album, particularly after the two strong opening tracks.
So, as I say, this is never going to reside in my comfort zone and towards the end I was flagging a bit, but it provided enough enjoyment that I could see myself returning to it at some point. It has also made me want to check out some of their classic albums the guys mentioned above. If only you could get a version without all the harmonised backing vocals, I think I could really get into this.
3.5/5
January 20, 2023...
So now we got a winter theme, crystalline mountains in the middle of a forest, a dragon all "yo man these chains mean shit, King Kong aint got these biceps" and a knight going, "Whoa wait a minute! Where's my phone? I need this pic." Coolest cover they've got so far.
Pretty excited about this one, but they've got a lot to live up to now that Blind Guardian, Fellowship, and even Helloween have released more than solid albums in the past year or so. I can only hope that they expand on what they started with Dawn of the Dragonstar as the overly symphonic leanings of their second album didn't do much for me.
I could have sworn there was a Wintervale alluded to in Dawn of the Dragonstar, but it turns out I mashed up "Valley of the Vale" and "Night of Winterlight", so not exactly expecting any sort of continuity here. Kind of a shame, it feels like a lot of these high-fantasy Power Metal bands are made for that sort of thing.
And yeah, that cover is pretty incredible, they even went the extra mile and put a graphic behind the album text! Don't see that too much for...some reason!
Kamelot - "One Cold Winter's Night" (2006)
I thought I'd give this double live album a crack given that Kamelot's 2005 "The Black Halo" album is my all-time favourite power metal release & this was recorded on the tour for that particular record. The recorded gig took place in Oslo, Norway which is the home of front man Roy Khan who puts in a lovely performance for his home crowd too with his operatic James LaBrie (Dream Theater) style vocals. Unsurprisingly, it's the tracks from the darker "The Black Halo" album that are by far & away the highlights of the release with several of the fluffier earlier tracks failing to connect with me at all (see "Center of the Universe", "Nights of Arabia", "Forever", "Karma"). I do quite like the previous record "Epica" but there's really no comparison with it's older sibling in terms of appeal for me personally. A lot of that is due to the fact that I'm less inclined towards the symphonic power metal material with my strong preference being for the more progressive, Dream Theater-inspired stuff of which there's a lot on offer here. In fact, I'd go so far as to suggest that this should be regarded as a progressive power metal release & should probably have a dual clan & genre tagging.
Everyone here is probably aware that power metal isn't a genre that I have a lot of tolerance for but this is live release is definitely one of the better power metal releases I've heard & has done well enough to just slip into my all-time top ten power metal releases.
3.5/5
Here's my new Top Ten Power Metal Releases of All Time list with Eternity's End's 2021 "Embers of War" album being the unlucky record to slip out:
01. Kamelot - "The Black Halo" (2005)
02. Iced Earth - "Alive In Athens" (1999)
03. Unleash The Archers - "Apex" (2017)
04. Lost Horizon - "Awakening The World" (2001)
05. Blind Guardian - "Imaginations From The Other Side" (1995)
06. Lost Horizon - "A Flame To The Ground Beneath" (2003)
07. Blind Guardian - "Nightfall In Middle-Earth" (1998)
08. Blind Guardian - "Live" (2003)
09. Blind Guardian - "Somewhere Far Beyond" (1992)
10. Kamelot - "One Cold Winter's Night" (2006)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/139
I spent way too long thinking about the absurd story behind this pretty disappointing album, and finally had a few hours and the motivation to write a way too long review outlining what in the hell happened this year in the world of silly, dumb Power Metal. After writing this much about an album that doesn't even really matter (it's a 2/5 for me), I feel like I'm somehow contractually obligated to write something about the newest Gloryhammer since that album is somehow on-par with the rest of their material.
I mean, look at that album cover, what was I even expecting here?
Full review is below, I probably went overboard but I thought it was important considering how confused I was through this whole thing.
A Baffling Resurrection
I'm not the best historian so I can't accurately say when, but at some point, Power Metal became excessively silly. To most, Power Metal is probably synonymous with cheesy, simple, and hook-laden choruses about the lead singer's Dungeons and Dragons campaign or the band's self-insert in a Lord of the Rings inspired fantasy world. The modern scene has certainly employed a ton of high-fantasy ideas more often than not, but genre pioneers like Helloween, Blind Guardian, and Running Wild kept their topics rather tame and simple and their Metal writing suitably blazing for Power Metal overall. Theatrical and over-the-top musings about ancient warriors and spells, hobbits, and pirates may have been a bit silly when compared to the rest of the Metal landscape, but it never stepped into the absolutely absurd. Then, atop a fearsome dragon screaming across a blackened sky lit only by bolts of magical lightning, Rhapsody began their mighty conquest of the ludicrous side of Power Metal. More and more Power Metal bands embraced the idea of going full bore with fantastical storytelling, replacing tame song titles like "Wizard's Crown" or "March of Time" with incredibly wild ones like "Dargor, Shadowlord Of The Black Mountain" or "In The Mighty Hall Of The Fire King". In the early 2010's, a certain band from Scotland decided to take the joke and run with it. Gloryhammer, a side project created by Alestorm's Christopher Bowes, uses a set cast of characters, real places like Dundee or the Kingdom of Fife, and facetious lyrics and storytelling that's meant to be silly. Gloryhammer's initial trilogy of albums was led by vocalist Thomas Winkler as the central hero Angus McFife, but after some rough behind-the-scenes behavior on the rest of the band's part, Winkler was replaced in mid-2021. I enjoyed Gloryhammer's slightly stupid but fun take on creating their own little Power Metal universe, so losing the original Angus was a bit disheartening.
I felt like this longwinded foreword was necessary because Angus McSix and the Sword of Power might be one of the most confusing album experiences I've ever had. In the middle of 2022 I heard whisperings that Gloryhammer was back in the studio and released a pretty disappointing single with "Fly Away", the first new track with new vocalist Sozos Michael. This new track felt incredibly generic after the tragic death of Angus McFife in Legends From Beyond the Galactic Terrorvortex and I started to wonder why the band didn't just lean into the situation at hand. The original Angus McFife literally threw himself into a volcano at the end of the album, why not just reincarnate him as the next Angus in the timeline, or shove his burned skeleton into a magical time-travelling robot? It felt like such a wasted opportunity. Then, earlier this year, a single day after I joked to a friend about calling the new guy Angus McSix, Angus McSix was officially born as Winkler's new project. Well I'll be damned, the guy actually just ran with the joke. The Sword of Power released about a month before the newest Gloryhammer offering, so I was very curious about what Winkler would do to separate himself from his previous gig. Something wasn't exactly adding up on the first listen though, since the story seemed to be utterly incomprehensible with an intro track being haphazardly shoved into the middle of the album. A few days later I learned that the stock track listing is completely wrong and there is a "lore order" that the tracks are meant to be played in to get the full album experience. Great. This was a massive realization in album sequencing for me as the true order of the album makes the final product flow way better than what's initially listed.
After all the dust, confusion, and drama around this album settled, I gotta say that it's just not very good. Which, after all this exposition, is pretty disappointing, not gonna lie. Angus McSix intentionally ripping off Gloryhammer had all the means to be an absolute blast, but neither the music or the lyrics amount to much at all in the end. Angus McSix pushes their Power Metal guitars all the way to the back of the mix in favor of overpowering synths and choirs that flatten everything into a drab wall of nothing. The more electronic-forward approach has its highlights like "Eternal Warrior" or "In A Past Reality" where there's some interesting interplay between the more rhythmic guitar chugs as the synths take charge of the melody. Most of those moments are short lived, though, as The Sword of Power quickly veers into truly embarrassing territory outside of its four or so passable tracks. "Ride To Hell's" awkward, synthetic sounding gang vocals alongside thumping EDM bass was a bit much for me, but that was just the warmup to the total mess that is "Laser-Shooting Dinosaur". At least I can give it points for fully committing to Angus McSix's attempted theme of pumping electronic music supported by semblances of Power Metal riffs, whereas "Fireflies of Doom" with its awful chorus, eye-rolling key change, and uninteresting synth choices is the key example for how this all went wrong. After a bit more research I found out that the culprit behind all the musical choices I generally dislike is Sebastian Levermann of Orden Ogan, debuting as Arch Demon Seebulon, The Origin of all Evil. Incredibly fitting, to say the least, since Orden Ogan's synth-drenched style was never really my thing.
There are a few highlights on The Sword of Power, though, and these give a short glimpse into how this parody of a parody could have panned out if a bit more care was put into the identity and ideas of this thing. "Master of the Universe" is legitimately funny (if not petty) with its direct callouts to Gloryhammer, declaring Angus McSix reincarnated as a shining upgrade clad in gleaming gold. "Sixcalibur" is basically what I expected out of this project as Winkler provides some powerful verses and a fun, catchy chorus alongside forced lore about Angus McSix's weapon replacement to smite interstellar goblins. The closing "Starlord Of The Sixtus Stellar System" is the closest the album gets to a ripping guitar riff and although it pales in comparison to Gloryhammer's ten minute finales, the "Angus!" chants still get me to crack a smile. The rest of the album doesn't manage to keep up the energy level as the more sweeping "Amazons Of Caledonia" and "The Key To Eternity" come across as dull and tired despite the high energy synths. Winkler's vocal performance isn't anything to write home about either, which is wild considering The Sword of Power seems to be his direct rebuttal towards the Angus of old. "Master Of The Universe", "Sixcalibur", and "Eternal Warrior" showcase his skills well, but it's nothing that eclipses his performances on Gloryhammer. The constant use of choir, backing vocals, and overdubs causes Winkler to lose a ton of power and identity as he's drowned out by mediocre melodies and barely memorable riffs.
The Sword of Power is an unfortunate case study in what feels like the eventual culmination of silly Power Metal losing the backbone of what made it interesting in the first place. While Gloryhammer was no stranger to overpowering synth and orchestral melodies, the Power Metal portion along with the theming and overall sound design on their synths gave them the energy and audacity to make their whole shtick work out. Winkler and Levermann sought to differentiate Angus McSix by going for a more stellar and godlike theme, but the heavenly soundscapes suck out most of the energy from the compositions without adding much to the feel of the story. The story itself is disappointing as well since it's filled to the brim with Gloryhammer pandering that feels like it's included to desperately try to pull fans to Angus McSix's side rather than just running with the joke. Instead of getting a new epic tale of Angus McSix across the solar systems, The Sword of Power throws in demon fireflies as undead unicorn substitutes, the Key of Eternity as the bauble that Angus must quest to find, and Thalestris from Caledonia as the beginning of Angus' cast of stage mates. All of it feels like a lame rehash without adding anything new or exciting, especially when the storytelling aspect of the album is basically nonexistent. For as dumb as Gloryhammer can be, they still understand how to set up a concept album with clear protagonists, antagonists, and stakes of any kind. The Sword of Power is entirely a prologue piece from what I can tell, which is a pretty disappointing choice considering they took an entire album to get through two or three plot points without even mentioning any sort of main villain.
Is all of this complaining about a parody of a parody Power Metal band worthless and unfounded considering it's just supposed to be fun? Probably, but I think there's room to have higher standards for silly Power Metal, especially since other bands have shown that it's possible. Angus McSix took what made Gloryhammer fun and created a cheap and, quite frankly, lazy knockoff that stripped back the Power Metal energy in favor of Trance Metal electronics and uninspired symphonics. I respect them for trying to go in a musically different direction even though it doesn't appeal to me at all, but when the lyrical content and theme of the album tries to compete directly with the obvious competition, it becomes a bit confusing. Adding the track order debacle on top of that, something doesn't quite add up here. Maybe it was a time crunch, maybe it was a misunderstanding with the label, or maybe this is all they could muster to try and salvage their own lore out of alternate reality Kingdom of Fife. As a fan of silly Power Metal, I'm hoping Winkler and company can eventually find their footing and provide something with a bit more identity and pizzazz than what's on display here.
Lore Order Track Listing
7, 8, 9, 5, 2, 1, 10, 11, 3, 4, 6
Scanner - "Hypertrace" (1988)
Every now & then I like to push myself musically by experimenting with releases that sit outside of my usual comfort zone & I think it's fair to say that the European brand of power metal sits on the polar opposite end of the metal spectrum to myself. Occasionally though, I've discovered a hidden gem that brightens my spirit & encourages me to continue to push myself with these sort of exercises but I'm afraid the 1988 debut album from Germany's Scanner isn't one of them. "Hypertrace" seems to be referred to as some sort of groundbreaking "sci-fi metal" release by some reviewers but I can't say that I can pick up anything particularly different about it. It sounds exactly like you'd expect a German power metal record to sound really. There are a couple of speed metal numbers & a couple of Judas Priest style heavy metal songs included in classic Teutonic fashion but at the end of the day this is a fairly generic power metal record that sounds remarkably similar to countrymen like Rage, Mania & particularly Helloween who would seem to be the primary source of inspiration here. It's not horrible by any measure but if I'm being honest I'd have to admit that I only really enjoy a couple of tracks ("Locked Out" & speed metal banger "Grapes of Fear" which is my personal favourite) with the rest of the album merely floating past me with very little fanfare.
3/5
Here's my new Top Ten Power Metal Releases of All Time list with Kamelot's "One Cold Winter's Night" live release being pushed out by Helstar's "Nosferatu":
01. Kamelot - "The Black Halo" (2005)
02. Iced Earth - "Alive In Athens" (1999)
03. Unleash The Archers - "Apex" (2017)
04. Lost Horizon - "Awakening The World" (2001)
05. Blind Guardian - "Imaginations From The Other Side" (1995)
06. Lost Horizon - "A Flame To The Ground Beneath" (2003)
07. Helstar - "Nosferatu" (1989)
08. Blind Guardian - "Nightfall In Middle-Earth" (1998)
09. Blind Guardian - "Live" (2003)
10. Blind Guardian - "Somewhere Far Beyond" (1992)
https://metal.academy/lists/single/139
I gave The Black Halo another spin a couple months ago and put it in my top ten power metal albums. And it's pretty clear you have a similar interest in Blind Guardian to mine.
According to this website and RY, Symphony of the Enchanted Lands turns 25 today.
Blind Guardian - "Tales From The Twilight World" (1990)
Most of our regulars will likely be aware that German legends Blind Guardian are one of the rare European power metal exponents that I can generally tolerate. In fact, I can confidently say that I've enjoyed everything I've heard from them to date which includes 1992's "Somewhere Far Beyond", 1994's "Imaginations From the Other Side", 1998's "Nightfall in Middle-Earth" & 2003's "Live". It only makes sense that I complete the full set of their essential releases though so I recently decided to add their 1990 "Tales From The Twilight World" third album to the list in the hope of similarly positive experiences. Unfortunately, that hasn't really eventuated though.
"Tales From The Twilight World" is known as Blind Guardian's first true power metal record after their first two studio efforts were directed more towards speed metal. Don't kid yourself though, there's still plenty of speed metal on offer here as the European brand of power metal is pretty much built on the stuff but there's comfortably enough anthemic epicness to warrant the album's power metal claim. And that goes a long way to explaining my struggles with this record too to tell you the truth. Blind Guardian's later material offered significantly more maturity than this album can muster. Instead, their third full-length reminds me a lot of their less appealing German peers in that the performances & musicianship are high class but the hooks are often lacklustre & cheesy, particularly the backing vocals which regularly see me wincing. It's really only short instrumental "Weird Dreams" & album highlight "Goodbye My Friend" that offer me much in the way of enjoyment here which is disappointing after having experienced a record of the quality of "Imaginations From the Other Side".
"Tales From The Twilight World' is comfortably the weakest Blind Guardian record I've heard to date but I don't even try to deny that I'm not its target audience either. There's no doubt that it'll offer a lot more appeal to people that bow down & worship at the feet of Eurpean bands like Helloween & Gamma Ray but I'm not gonna kid anyone that that's me.
3/5
Heavens Gate - "Livin' in Hysteria" (1991)
I've been meaning to get around to Germany's Heavens Gate for some time now as they seem to have built up a pretty reasonable following over the years, particularly off the back of their 1991 sophomore album "Livin' In Hysteria" which is widely known as their finest work. I think the links to power metal & the God-awful cover artwork have put me off a bit but given my recent re-exploration of so many of my musical passions from the period I thought it might be as good a time as any to see what Heavens Gate are all about.
I didn't have any expectations going into my first listen as I hadn't done much prior research but my first impressions would tell me everything I needed to know with Heavens Gate sitting on the cheesier & more cliche-ridden end of metal. Heavens Gate's sound sits right at the mid-point between heavy metal & power metal with "Livin' In Hysteria" including a number of tracks from each genre without opting to blend the two all that often. "The Neverending Fire" is probably the only track that represents a hybrid of the two & is also one of the better tracks on the album. The inclusion of the progressive/neoclassical instrumental piece "Fredless" was most welcome while the other highlights strangely coming in the form of a couple of the cheesier & more chiche-filled heavy metal numbers in "Can't Stop Rockin'" & "Best Days Of My Life". I don't think it'll shock too many people to discover that none of the pure German power metal numbers appeal to me much but neither does the one-off speed metal track "Flashes". Front man Thomas Rettke's vocal histrionics can be grating at times but I feel that he's probably one the main drawcards for fans of the band so it really comes down to your musical preferences. I struggle with him a bit to be honest but he's not a deal breaker as such. The power metal material has clearly been influenced by Helloween which was never gonna be a positive thing for someone like me. I greatly prefer the Judas Priest-inspired heavy metal numbers, even when they take the "arena anthem" format that saw so many fans fall off the Priest train during the 1980's.
Overall, I'd suggest that "Livin' In Hysteria" will offer the most appeal to those with a penchant for bands like Scanner, Rage or Artch that play somewhat of an each-way bet between the heavy metal & power metal sounds but I can't say that it does much for me personally. Records like this one often baffle me as to why people would want to rate them so highly when they're so clearly a representation of the band's influences only not executed with the class of their idols. I guess I'll just have to accept that a record like "Livin' In Hysteria" is simply none of my business as I'm clearly not the target audience.
3/5