Live - 2 CD Review - Blind Guardian

Review – Live (2 CD)

Live

Year of release: 2003
Number of songs: 22
Total running time: 133 minutes 50 seconds

From all different live bootlegs we listen, finally Blind Guardian made their second live album not just any live album, but powerful double live album simply called „‟Live‟‟ with very interesting and beautiful front cover.

Live - Blind Guardian

Songs taken from 15 concerts mastered to perfect sound for live record. Yes all fans which have had listen to bootlegs ”live concerts” we can expect what “live” album will be, but when I got it I felt that like I listen to this all song for the first time, so excited I was. The great opener speech “War of Wrath” I felt tension that grow until just follow “In To The Storm” and then just let my self go and sing along all songs in the double album. I´m sure that all you felt the same. Okay, the whole album is recorded in the right volume and tracks are very clear, you can perfectly understand lyrics and hear guitars playing together rhythm and solo, mixing nice melodies, it is kind a balsam for my ears. Hansi did really great job, he sing like on regular albums with some improving and experimenting on some songs. The songs don´t need to explain, they are great, really great, so I will just the songs that it seems to me that I must say something about them. So let´s start with „Nightfall” it allways impress me with Hansi singing you really can feel what was going on in the Middle Earth. “The Script For My Requiem” the bass is really great, I like the intro and you get the feeling that song rise up to the great powerful chorus, of course I don´t want to miss out “The Bard´s Song“ this is legendary song and it is for us fans like hymn, whole worldwide Blind Guardian fans knows the lyrics and colaborate with live singing the bard´s song….. and finaly I must mentioned “The Lord Of The Rings” it is very nice touch to mix together orchestral version with original from the album “Tales From The Twilight World” and the last song majestic powerfull “Mirror Mirror” I get the feeling that this song is on purpose the last song it give such a power and positive energy, at the end of song you want more it is like invitation to their concert. In the end this is really great live album and it show that band care for all us fans and serve us with this new “Live” album. Who stands on Blind Guardian must have this album in collection or at least listen to it Up the Guardian!

Editor: Peter Jerman

A Night At The Opera - Blind Guardian CD Review

Review – A Night At The Opera (CD)

A Night at the Opera

Year of release: 2002

Number of songs: 10

Total running time: 66 minutes 59 seconds

This album is one of the albums I have been looking most forward to; I have been waiting since I got the Album "NIME" from 1998.

Live - Blind Guardian

That album was a very complex one, and I had to listen to it many-many-many times before I understood the concept, well now I sit here with the newest album, and I have heard it about 15 times, and now I feel I can come with some sort of review, so I will do just that. I will get in to every track, and then resume in the end to make an overall statement of this album. German band BG. Evolving quickly from primitive power metal roots, Guardian has become one of the most vital bands working in metal, layering increasingly complex and ornate instrumentation and choral vocals over structural schema that are not simple to begin with. There are no simple power chords and adolescent exhortations to party all night here; this is not just songwriting, but composition. Hansi Kürsch use his voice as a complex and multifaceted instrument. Kürsch's voice is delightfully unique, alternating fluidly from quiet finesse to emotive heal. "Precious Jerusalem" opens the album with its pummeling drums, middle eastern guitar harmonics and epic chorus, a BG trademark. The opener is followed by the equally heavy "Battlefield", a classic medieval battle song sure to have you wielding steel. Fans of the Dragonlance saga must take note of "The Soulforged", a metal anthem based on the series' character Raistlin Majere. It is these songs that round out the quartet's ambitious, multi layered, heavy sound. However, in true metal fashion, the album also features two ballads, "The Maiden And The Minstrel Knight" and "Mies Del Dolor", both equally good and the latter being sung in Spanish. Singer Hansi Kürsch's pronunciation is excellent, quite an accomplishment for a German singer. Take a look at the epic "And Then There Was Silence", a fourteen minute masterpiece the piece is remarkable, bringing the listener through a diverse musical journey that spans a multitude of emotions. The song is based on the Trojan war and helps close the album with power. A song of such length can run the risk of being repetitive, but fortunately the music is expansive and does not quarantine itself in any particular style. Bringing this talent to sound is Charlie Bauerfeind, who does a super job producing this album. Musical kudos also goes to drummer Thomen Stauch whose performance is awe inspiring. His combination of speed and technical prowers is matched by few, a true master of the kit. Fortunately the rest of the band is on par, especially guitarists Andre Oldbrich and Marcus Siepens, whose elaborate scales can perplex the ear. All in all, a wonderful release and further proof that metal can cross a wide selection of sounds and appeal to a large audience. This album was worth the wait for me at least, I really enjoy this new hard complex progressive power metal style that this band plays. Although Guardian's music is expertly produced and polished to a shine, it is still metal: Distorted guitars are the bedrock upon which these songs are built, and the tempos are up more often than not. As with all of Guardian's music, a medieval theme is in full effect; themes are present on most of the tunes, lyrically and musically. If you're one of those who believes that metal is dead or irrelevant, BG will happily prove you wrong. You should let it.

Editor: Peter Jerman

Nightfall in Middle-Earth Blind Guardian CD Review

Review – Nightfall in Middle-Earth (CD)

Nightfall in Middle-Earth

Year of release: 1998
Number of songs: 22
Total running time: 65 minutes 29 seconds

Nightfall in the Middle-Earth by Blind Guardian

If you are J.R.R Tolkien fan then you will love this album concepts. This is one of the coolest Blind Guardian albums ever. The complexity of the tracks is vast, and so is the track-list, which counts 22 tracks. About half of them are small interludes or instrumental tracks, and the 'real' tracks are being supported by these interludes, which in turn create a great conceptual album. "Into The Storm" this track has everything a Blind Guardian track should have. The fast parts and the hard vocals, the cool guitar solos, the grand choirs, and the hard and brutal vocals of Hansi, and so much more. The next real track is "Nightfall" and it´s just as brilliant if not more brilliant than "Into The Storm". This track has a really cool vibe, with a nice start and the brutal chorus part. The track also has that medieval sound combined with the power metal that I like. This album is made as if you are reading a great book; it takes you through all sorts of emotions, everything from rage through anger into despair that leads us to gloom. This album hasn´t got a happy end; it´s a rather gloomy end. The music is some of the coolest I have heard from the hands of Blind Guardian, and at times this is my favorite Blind Guardian album, because of the brilliant sound of the music and the lyrics. The fact that the power metal tracks are filled with so much energy and power makes me sit back in amazement and wonder how these four guys do it. How do they come up with some many complex tracks without repeating themselves over and over, I am totally flabbergasted when I listen to this brilliant album. Another great thing about the album is all the bonus information you get through the stories written in the booklet (unfortunately for many it´s written in German). I really like when a concept of this magnitude offers the listener some extra story to read. The lyrics are so great and fit the dark and medieval concept of the album, and also the brilliant music. A track like "Blood Tears" almost brings tears to my eyes when I listen to it. I really don´t know why I like this track so much, I guess it´s because of the mood of the track; It creates such a real scene in my opinion. I think it´s because it has both the calm parts as well as the bombastic parts. Also tracks like "Mirror Mirror" and "Time Stands Still" are brilliant and powerful and offer me so much joy when I listen to them, that I can´t help sing along. Both tracks have cool choruses and killer guitar parts. Some of the softer tracks are excellent as well. Tracks like "Thorn", "The Eldar" and "A Dark Passage" have the feelings that provide the right atmosphere for the very tragic story we have here. And that helps the album achieve the high level of music that is on offer here. In my opinion this album is the flagship of Complex Power Metal. On the other hand this band is the only one I know that plays this kind of music (perhaps Rhapsody could fall under the same category). In my opinion this album has so many things to offer that I really can´t list them all here. With these brave words I will leave you, see you all at nightfall...

Editor: Peter Jerman

The Forgotten Tales - Blind Guardian (CD) Review

Review – The Forgotten Tales (CD)

The Forgotten Tales

Year of release: 1996
Number of songs: 13
Total running time: 45 minutes 24 seconds

This album I bought before any other Blind Guardian albums. I liked very much some covers and unplugged versions of their own songs with great orchestral parts.

The Forgotten Tales - Blind Guardian

It starts with amusing but quite convincing overhauls of 'Mr. Sandman' and 'Surfin' USA', which seems them getting some of that Blind Guardian styled metal treatment. Of the first couple of BG originals given the 'Orchestral' treatment, 'Bright Eyes' realy sounds great on acoustic guitars it really give presence to the listener. However 'Lord of the Rings' really benefits from the update and is much better suited to the acoustic guitars and more gentle vocals that Hansi provides. Back to the covers and 'The Wizard' doesn´t really stray from the original but I´m glad that Mr. Kürsch doesn´t emitate original vocal. 'Spread your Wings' is quite an enjoyable cover, quite suited to Hansi´s powerful vocal style; it´s a very uplifting number. Again we arrive back at more orchestral versions, 'Mordred´s Song' nice touch to add power of piano. 'Black Chamber' is very bare and makes for some atmospheric listening. For some reason there is a live version of 'The Bard´s Song', whilst it´s pretty good and listening to the crowd interaction gives you some hope for the future of this brand of metal, it seems out of place on this album. 'Barbara Ann/Long Tall Sally' is blatant filler, no real content and hardly worth the time. 'A Past and Future Secret' comes over pretty well in this acoustic version; it doesn´t outclass the original but does come close. 'To France', well I´ve heard the original so it can compare to Oldfield and it is quite a fun little song and I like to sing with those uplifting choruses. And the album closes with 'Theatre of Pain' which, hardly surprising, sounds like music torn from a Computer RPG (bearing in mind I quite often like that kind of music this is meant to be more of a compliment), it´s an atmospheric closer and doesn´t fall prey to the synth-based stupidity that had everyone laugh at Emperor when they released 'Opus a Satana'. So, mixed bag overall, these things are never consistent at the best of times and to a large extent Blind Guardian pulled this off. Blind Guardian fans will want to check this one out.

Editor: Peter Jerman

Imaginations From The Other Side - Blind Guardian (CD) review

Review – Imaginations From The Other Side (CD)

Imaginations from the Other Side

Year of release: 1995
Number of songs: 9
Total running time: 48 minutes 56 seconds

This is clearly one of the most interesting and most technical albums ever made. I did take me a long time to get into this album. It is very difficult to say what exact style this band and this album contains, it consists many things.

Imagination From The Other Side - Blind Guardian

Most of the songs are Power Metal based, but with many detailed changes combined with a very overwhelming instrumental firework of sounds, resulting in a very complex and detailed sound. I´m Alive is a very fast and bombastic chorus driven track, heavy guitars and tons of energy. The same goes for The Script For My Requiem, coupled with some fantastic orchestral keyboard parts. This song has one of the most brilliant starts ever, it just invites you to go totally crazy. The pruduction is very bombastic, the drums are very much in front, but it works well and overall a very well produced album. The albums slowest song is the majestic A Past And Future Secret, brilliant melody and a medieval atmosphere, a pure classic with a great chorus. The acoustic guitar creates a perfect setting for the song, and the melody stays in your head for a long time after listening to it. Born In A Mourning Hall has some extremely cool melodic guitar leads, and once again the bombastic chorus has a central part. One of my absolute favourites is And The Story Ends, almost dreaming at times, some great changes, detailed instrumental elements and a great poetical lyric about personal problems and struggles. Overall the lyrics are very complex and difficult to understand, so you have to read them more than once. Generally the album is about fantasy tales and epic elements, and themes like spirituality, religion (and abuse of it), balancing between to worlds (good and evil), search for questions and inner peace and the controlled society´s evils. The album has a couple of songs which haven´t got the same melody and drama as the others, but I´m very positive of the overall picture. On the musically side the this album offers some fantastically well played songs. Extremely powerful and detailed drumming, some earthshaking guitar riffs, melodic leads, fast and solid bass, and a voice with much feel, aggressiveness and variation. Blind Guardian has developed a very complex sound, many instruments working together in a huge blend, and the songs are written in a way that makes them sound very bombastic.This is a fantastic album, with a very original and at times extremely heavy elements, but also with lots of melody.
Editor: Peter Jerman

Somewhere Far Beyond - Blind Guardian CD Review

Blind Guardian CD Review – Somewhere Far Beyond

Somewhere Far Beyond

Year of release: 1992
Number of songs: 13
Total running time: 55 minutes 4 seconds

What a great treat this album is. The first track "Time What Is Time" starts with some very nice acoustic guitar, and then turns into a real firework of power and complexity.

Blind Guardian – Somewhere Far Beyond

I really like the vocals by Hansi on this one and the band has progressed since their first album, "Battalions Of Fear". I really like the music as well, this is one of the best Blind Guardian albums I have heard, it has the power that I crave from any brilliant album. This album is filled with classics such as "Black Chamber", the short but great sounding track. Another great track is "The Quest For Tanelorn" that tells a tale filled with power and magic. Hansi sings like the brilliant singer he is, his voice fits the complexity of this track. The sound of the album is a power metal sound, with some complexity, not as complex as many of the albums that comes after this one though. Most of the tracks are filled with powerful riffs and some great chords. I really like the drums as well; they help to create the somewhat complex sound of this album. Many of the tracks have a bombastic choir singing the chorus, which sounds very cool, and that adds something wicked to this album. It is a great display of what Blind Guardian is to progress into. I think that on this record I can already hear some of the brilliant sounds of "Nightfall In Middle-Earth". I am totally blown away by many of the tracks. A track like "Ashes To Ashes" is a big classic in my opinion. The power that this track contains, provides me with the power to head bang along. I really like the brilliant chorus, it is pretty great the way Hansi sings in the chorus. His vocals sounds like something divine or diabolic, take your pick. The lyrics of this album are all very inspired by the fantasy genre. A track like "The Bard's Song- In The Forrest" is brilliant and has become a crowd favourite when Blind Guardian plays live. And then of course we have the title track of this brilliant album. "Somewhere Far Beyond" this is probably my favourite track on this album. This track has everything that a brilliant Blind Guardian track needs. The power of the double bass drums and the kick ass guitars, as well as a killer bass, and then there is the middle part that has an excellent sound. Not to mention the powerful chorus with the catchy lyrics. This album has everything a great Blind Guardian album needs: the power, the beauty, the complexity, the simplicity and the brilliant fantasy lyrics. The ten tracks are followed by three bonus tracks that bring a nice feel to the rest of the album.

Editor: Peter Jerman

Tales From The Twilight World - Blind Guardian CD Review

Blind Guardian CD Review – Tales From The Twilight World

Tales from the Twilight World

Year of release: 1990
Number of songs: 10
Total running time: 44 minutes 2 seconds

This is the third album by the German power metal band Blind Guardian. I have to say that this album has better production and the tracks seem to be better written on this album, than on the two previous.

In my opinion this is the album that helped Blind Guardian define their style as complex power metal. This album has always been a favorite of mine by Blind Guardian, due to the high value of the music. I like the power of the fast tracks, as well as the softer tracks. They all make me feel that I have stepped into a secret land. I like the lyrics and the vocals on this album. The first song "Traveller In Time". I like the high level of music and lyrics. The power of "Traveler In Time" seems to make this track come alive, that's my opinion any way. I especially like the chorus, it is so easy and hymn-like, that when they play this one live, everyone sings along. The next track is just as good in my opinion; "Welcome To Dying" has so much power and potential head banging music, that I can't help to bang along to this track. Mostly when I listen to this one I have to play along on my guitar. I get so much power and energy from this track and the guitar solos are very great. "Weird Dreams" is an instrumental track, this track is filled with power and energy. And show some nice guitar licks. "Lord Of The Rings" is a soft and gentle track that tries to capture the essence of the saga of "Lord Of The Rings" by J.R.R Tolkien. And in my humble opinion the mission is successful. "Goodbye My Friend" - power metal madness reigns in this track, from the first second to the last. Hansi fills the track with powerful lyrics and vocals. I really like the lyrics and the chorus, and I think it's a great sing along song, filled with power and energy. "Lost In The Twilight Hall" has a special guest that sings along with Hansi, a guy named Kai Hansen (ex-Helloween, ex-Iron Savior and Gamma Ray). The track is powerful and energetic. I like the drums and the bass, and the guitar is so killer, I really dig the heavy sound of it. The lyrics are well written, and the vocals are well performed by both singers. I really like the power of the vocals that give the track an extra kick. "Tommyknockers" is an ok song with a very hard to sing chorus. The track is in the same style as the previous, a mix of energy and powerful metal. I think the vocals could have been better on some of the tracks, like this one. The guitar is killer though. "Altair 4" offers a cool intro with some cool monster sounds. But not one of the best tracks by Blind Guardian, and yet there is something about this track that seems to grab me and lead me into the Twilight World. The music is rather special, but I think it sounds ok. "The Last Candle" guardian, guardian, guardian of the blind... so it begins... the theme of this track is absolutely cool. I think that this track has some of the qualities of the later Blind Guardian. I am crazy about the vocals and the choir in this track. It ends the album of in a great way. "Run For The Night" is a bonus live track, and in a very poor quality. Tales From The Twilight World is an awesome album filled with power and energy, and a high level of musicality. It's a pleasure to listen to the progression from the previous album to this one.

Editor: Peter Jerman

At the studio being creative

At the studio 

It was about time that I started to let out everything that was in my head and was accumulation inside of me for a long period.

Home Recording Studio

I set up my mind and I started to think what was stopping me. Actually nothing it was all in my head and I always I found some excuses why I can't record any my music. Well now I put all this to the end and I put my sleeves up grab my fretless guitar and I set up all equipment. I'm more than ever ready to go.

Recording studio has been set up and ready to go for some quite time now. Some songs start to get some shape and all main riffs are written down and recorded. Some new ideas came all along and song after song now they are quite few.

Finally I can give some little clue what you can expect this is just a small demo teaser but they will come more and more that you will have some bigger picture to all concept of this project.

Here it is hope you like it : ).Demo Song - Teaser

Follow The Blind - Blind Guardian CD Review

Blind Guardian CD Review  – Follow The Blind

Follow the Blind

Year of release: 1989
Number of songs: 10
Total running time: 43 minutes 2 seconds

This second album from the German power metal act Blind Guardian is a great follow up to the first record and filled with the power of that record.

Blind Guardian - Follow The Blind

"Inquisition" an instrumental intro to this great album. "Banish From Sanctuary" fast and furious from the start and filled with the guitar breaks that later became a trademark of Blind Guardian. Oh a great powerful song with power metal elements flying left and right. Great chorus on this track, easy to sing along to. This is one of those songs I have to find my air guitar and play my ass off. "Damned For All Time" continues the vein from the previous track and maybe even faster. The vocals by Hansi kicks ass; he has a real mean voice on this track. The drums sound like rolling thunder and they are not slowing down. Great power metal track, to headbang along to. "Follow The Blind" the title track of this record is also the longest track on the album. It has some great drum work that reminds me of some of the drum work by Iron Maiden. This song has a great structure. It is not just power all the way, but also some soft places, not really soft, but not as hard as the previous track. A great metal song, which this band can be very proud of indeed. Also a very powerful track in another way than the previous tracks have been. "Hall Of The King" back to the power metal again, wow that is fast metal. I like the intensity of this track. It has something great about it, I just can´t put my finger on what it is. The anger of the power is great and the vocals are even greater. I like the voice of Hansi. "Fast To Madness" has a great start with some great musically experiments and a choir singing in the background. Then back to the vein of all the previous tracks, great. At times this song has an early Iron Maiden feel to it. This track has great power in, and a better production then the previous record. "Beyond The Ice" very powerful instrumental intro to the next song. "Valhalla" a great track indeed. One of my favorites on this album and in the star of Blind Guardian. With Kai Hansen (ex-Helloween/Gamma ray/ex-Iron Savior) on guest vocals and that kicks ass. He has such a great voice for this track. The chorus is great to and it kicks ass, and when they played this one live in Wacken 2002 I went crazy on my air guitar. "Don´t Break The Circle" bonus track on the cd edition of this album. Very powerful track. I don´t know why it was left of the vinyl edition, perhaps lack of space. It has a very fast guitar part and the drums are fast as well. Real power metal. "Barbara Ann" a cool cover song, transformed into a powerful metal version. This album kicks ass as did the first Blind Guardian album. It is just as fast, but on this one they seem to experiment more with the musical side of the album. And this is what will become the things I love most about this classic metal band.

Editor: Peter Jerman

Blowing nose in studio for Finnish online health magazine

Blowing nose in studio for Finnish online health magazine

Sometimes doing just some random photos of just ordinary things that we all meet in our life and that is cold or influenza... well to sum all together a common blowing nose to all this seasides we can say that we all experienced once.

Blowing Nose

It was just an idea n why not to make photos of bowing nose and we did it was funny in beginning 

but we had a laugh how many blowing we need to do to have some various decent photos to show and upload to pages where you people can see and download it if you need it.

And what you know sometimes things pay off. Some Finnish people that run an online health magazine UUMU if they can use one of our photo when Mojca blowing nose. They also explained us what the article will be about if we all agree. The article is about hepatitis (A, C and D). Well here it is and it is nice to see your photo published for someone.

If you do know the Finnish language you can download here whole magazine if you are interested.
And if you want to check other images and photos you can visit Pixabay and maybe you will find something for you.