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