A new level of innovation in rock music
“At The Edge Of Time,” the latest creation from the inspired musical minds of Hansi Kürsch (vocals), André Olbrich (guitar), Marcus Siepen (guitar) and Frederik Ehmke (drums & percussion), leaves absolutely no doubt that BLIND GUARDIAN still prevails as a leading protagonist in the Melodic/Prog genre.
In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Germany’s BLIND GUARDIAN conquered the hearts of the worldwide metal community with their releases “Battalions Of Fear” (1988), “Follow The Blind (1989), “Tales From The Twilight World (1990), and “Somewhere Far Beyond (1992). On their first tour of Japan, four young men from Krefeld played to a captivated 4,000-member Japanese audience. To commemorate this amazing experience, BLIND GUARDIAN recorded “Tokyo Tales” (1993).
Not only did the releases “Imaginations From The Other Side” (1995), “The Forgotten Tales” (1996) and “Nightfall In Middle-Earth” (1998) go on to receive great support from fans and critics
more....
despite harsher conditions in the music industry; even more triumph was waiting. While the four Germans attained ‘mega-star’ status in South America, they also became regular guests and headliners at esteemed festivals such as Bloodstock in the U.K. and Bang Your Head! & Wacken:Open:Air in Germany. A crowning point to these career achievements was the now-legendary “Blind Guardian Open Air” - a two-day festival in Coburg, Germany arranged and headlined on both days by Kürsch, Olbrich & Company in June 2003. This was the setting for recording the “Imaginations Through The Looking Glass” DVD (2004) and the “Live” double-CD (2003) which entered the German charts at #16. These two live releases not only documented the band’s expanding audience, but continued to deliver their much-loved music and message to their loyal and devoted fan-base.
Whenever BLIND GUARDIAN released new music, the top positions in the German album charts were reserved and waiting for them. The concept album “Nightfall In Middle-Earth” (1998) – based on the book “The Silmarillion” by fantasy icon J.R.R. Tolkien (“Lord Of The Rings”) - reached #7 in Germany and stayed in the upper single-digit ranks for two months. 2002’s “A Night At The Opera” and 2006’s “A Twist In The Myth” (which showcased the talents of new drummer Frederik Ehmke) were both in the Top 5 and secured BLIND GUARDIAN’s reputation as a reliable Top 5 act. The band has also proved equally successful in other industries. In 2008, they composed an exclusive song for the role-playing computer game “Sacred 2: Fallen Angel” and performed “on stage” within the game as animated characters. They were also awarded the prize for “Best Music” in a game called “Radio Play.”
Four years in the making, “At The Edge Of Time” is the title of the new BLIND GUARDIAN master work. Once again, the focus is on the bright sound of their signature orchestral compositions which do not need any synthetic enhancements. “At The Edge Of Time” combines song writing excellence, distinct character, and high-class musicianship into one. The opening hymn “Sacred Worlds,” the regal vocals in “Tanelorn (Into The Void),” the huge choirs and progressive construction of “Road Of No Release,” the 210 bpm of the hyperfast “Ride Into Obsession,” the beautiful string and flute arrangements of the folk-flaired “Curse My Name,” the anthemic thrust of “Valkyries,” the majestic elements of “Control The Divine,” the classic piano sequences in “War Of The Thrones,” the driving velocity behind “A Voice In The Dark,” and the final chord in “Wheel Of Time” all balance the massive and meticulous orchestrations with the full range of Kürsch’s expressive voice, easily bringing to mind the artful grandeur of the timeless rock legends QUEEN.
“With every release, we want to define ourselves on a new level”, states mainman Hansi Kürsch. After all the worlds BLIND GUARDIAN has taken us to since 1988, few would believe there are still new lands to discover in their music. “At The Edge Of Time” frees us all from the concept of “terra firma” and carries us into the dimension of time, where imagination knows no limits, where all worlds exist at once, and where all existence is drenched in song for all time.
close ...
