Blind Guardian is easily one of the most
well-respected and appreciated bands in the metal scene, and rightfully so.
Somewhere along the way however, something changed in their music. I’m not
referring to the move from “Follow The Blind” to “Tales From The Twilight
World”, but instead, the shift that happened after “Imaginations From The Other
Side”. It was more of an intangible quality they lost, because their music
still sounded like Blind Guardian. For that reason, I still buy any Blind
Guardian album without question, even if I don’t enjoy the albums as much as
the pre-“Nightfall In Middle-Earth” work. This brings us to “Beyond The Red
Mirror”. As you may have guessed, it is in line with what Blind Guardian showed
us on their last album; however, it is also far superior. “Beyond The Red
Mirror” is Blind Guardian’s most inspired work in 2 decades. In fact, upon
first listen, this was possibly the most complex album I’d ever heard. After
subsequent listens, it is easier to understand just what the band has created
here, but it is still an incredibly intricate masterwork that leaves one
wondering how they hope to recreate these songs live.
The opening of the album shows that the
band is increasing the focus on the symphonics. While this may scare off some,
the good news is that every track here still has a monolithic number of riffs,
so it never feels like the band is sacrificing riffs to add orchestras. Perhaps
more importantly, “The Ninth Wave” shows Blind Guardian’s new propensity to
reach unparalleled levels of progressiveness. Sure, there are choruses on this
album (and they’re pretty great), but the verses seem like an endless journey,
as Hansi and co. seamlessly switch amongst various movements with ease. This is
why the choruses are so important though: they keep each song distinct from one
another, rather than simply having 65 minutes of verses. The choruses take
songs that are incredibly difficult to follow, and add a sense of familiarity
to them.
Some songs are easier to digest than
others. It is no surprise why Blind Guardian chose “Twilight of the Gods” as
the lead single. Every second of this song is incredibly infectious, and that
goes well beyond the chorus. This song also shows the band still using their
patented style of lead guitars that were incredibly prominent on classic tracks
like “Mirror Mirror”. Another highlight is the epic closer “Grand Parade”,
which truly is a celebration of “Beyond The Red Mirror’s” bombastic flare. This
is the happiest and most upbeat song, but it is an appropriate ending to the
album.
Perhaps the best thing about “Beyond The
Red Mirror” is Hansi’s vocal performance. Not that the quality of his singing
would ever be in doubt, but he really stepped in up here. There are, of course,
numerous layers of vocals on every songs. The interplay between Hansi doing
lead sections and backing choirs is stellar (and not unlike “And The Story
Ends” from 20 years ago). Although I would imagine he doesn’t have the range he
used to, it never feels like Hansi is holding back here. Instead, each vocal
line is perfectly crafted to the strengths of his voice, and this is a major
reason why the lack of linearity on this album is effective. Although each song has an
endless number of twists and turns, it works because Hansi is leading the way.
As good as “Beyond The Red Mirror” is, it
isn’t perfect. Though it never completely falls apart, the band loses a bit of
momentum on the back-to-back lineup of “At The Edge of Time” and “Ashes of
Eternity”. Perhaps it is because these songs are bookended by two of the better
tracks on the record, but they just don’t seem to have those big choruses that
the other songs do. On an album already so over the top, the band probably
could have benefitted from dropping these two tracks. Nevertheless, they aren’t
out of place on the record, they just aren’t as good as the rest of it. Another
possible moment of contention for some would be “Miracle Machine”. This is the
only ballad on the album, and this means it lacks the riffs and speed of the
rest of the record. With that said, it is incredibly well executed, and its
placement on the record is perfect, as it gives you a short break before the
incredible ending.
Overall, the 5-year wait for “Beyond the
Red Mirror” was worth it. As someone who hasn’t enjoyed Blind Guardian’s recent
output as much as their early stuff, this is quite a pleasant surprise. In
fact, it takes things I often dislike (progressive music, long albums, and
excessive symphonics) and makes every single one of them work. The band isn’t
going to sound like they used to, but that isn’t a bad thing. Instead, it’s
part of what makes them so good. I’ve never heard a record quite like “Beyond
The Red Mirror” before, and I don’t anticipate anyone else creating something
similar any time soon.
Highlights
"The Ninth Wave"
"Twilight of the Gods"
"The Holy Grail"
"The Throne"
"Grand Parade"
Final Rating
4.7/5 or 94%.
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