| Blind Guardian | |
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Blind Guardian in Malmö, Sweden, September 21, 2006. L-R: Olbrich, Ehmke, Kürsch, Siepen, Schüren, Holzwarth |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Krefeld, Germany |
| Genres | Power metal, progressive metal, speed metal |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Labels | No Remorse, Virgin, Century Media, Nuclear Blast |
| Associated acts | Demons and Wizards, Gamma Ray, Helloween, Iced Earth, Iron Savior, Savage Circus, Schattentantz, Power Quest |
| Website | www.blind-guardian.com |
| Members | |
| Hansi Kürsch André Olbrich Marcus Siepen Frederik Ehmke |
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| Past members | |
| Thomas "Thomen" Stauch Markus Dörk Christof Theißen Hans-Peter Frey Mathias Wiesner |
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Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany.[1] They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres.[2][3] Blind Guardian is a part of the German heavy metal scene that emerged in the mid-1980s.
The band's lyrics, written by vocalist Hansi Kürsch, are inspired by the fiction of fantasy authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Michael Moorcock, Robert Jordan and George R. R. Martin as well as traditional legends and epics.[4] Over the years, a running theme has developed personifying the band members as travelling bards, leading some fans to refer to the band affectionately as "The Bards".
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Blind Guardian was formed in 1984 in Krefeld, Germany, by Hansi Kürsch (vocals, bass) and Andre Olbrich (guitar) under the name Lucifer's Heritage. The band first released two demos in 1985 and 1986, despite undergoing chaotic lineup changes: Markus Dörk (guitar) and Thomen Stauch (drums) were replaced by Christof Theißen and Hans-Peter Frey, respectively. Finally, in 1987, Marcus Siepen joined and Thomen came back to form the lineup which would stay consistent for the next 18 years.
After Lucifer's Heritage signed a contract with No Remorse Records, the band changed their name to Blind Guardian to avoid any speculations about Satanism (in a bio it was stated that they also wanted to distance themselves from the black metal movement, as their demos were placed in with black metal albums at local record shops). They released their debut album Battalions of Fear in 1988, which was essentially a speed metal album heavily influenced by Helloween.[5] These two German bands had close ties, and Helloween founder Kai Hansen made a guest appearance on Blind Guardian's second LP, Follow the Blind (1989), where the band revealed some thrash metal influence.[6][7] Their third LP, Tales from the Twilight World (1990), had a much more melodic and "epic" feeling, with usage of choir and classical music influence.
Blind Guardian signed with Virgin Records in 1991, and released their fourth studio album Somewhere Far Beyond in 1992 and the live album Tokyo Tales in 1993. Flemming Rasmussen, former Metallica producer, began working with the band in 1994, producing their fifth studio album Imaginations from the Other Side, released in 1995, and The Forgotten Tales, an album that contained half covers and half original work, released in 1996.
In 1998, Blind Guardian released their epic album Nightfall in Middle-Earth. "Complete with anthemic choruses, spoken word story lines, and plenty of bombastic power metal punctuating every dramatic turn", says Allmusic's Vincent Jeffries, "Nightfall in Middle-Earth is perhaps Blind Guardian's most triumphant".[8] A concept album based on J. R. R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion,[4] Blind Guardian's music demonstrated some folk rock influence, but also featured heavy use of Queen-style layered backing vocals. Since Nightfall, bass guitar has been played by sessional member Oliver Holzwarth, and Hansi has been able to devote all his attention to singing. Nightfall was also the last Blind Guardian album produced by Rasmussen.
A Night at the Opera, named after the Queen album, was released four years later. On this album, the band's sound lacked almost all influence of their original speed metal. Power and progressive metal abound, with over the top orchestral backing and a consistent vocal and guitar layering throughout.[9] Though not a true concept album, many of the lyrics dealt with the common themes of religion and relations between human and divine powers. It was followed by a live album in 2003 and a DVD, Imaginations Through the Looking Glass, in 2004, which was the last recorded Blind Guardian material to feature Thomen Stauch on drums. He left the band due to musical differences and was replaced by Frederik Ehmke. The first album with Ehmke was A Twist in the Myth, which came out in 2006.
Blind Guardian participated in the soundtrack for the In the Name of the King: a Dungeon Siege Tale fantasy movie (Uwe Boll), which came out in 2008.[10] The band also recorded a theme song for Sacred 2 Fallen Angel role-playing video game, the prequel to Sacred.[11]
"A Voice in the Dark" was the next single from Blind Guardian that was released 25 June 2010. On July 30, 2010 the album followed, called At the Edge of Time. The band started "The Sacred Worlds and Songs Divine Tour 2010", the European dates will have the opening acts Enforcer and Steelwing. The 22 October in Gothenburg, Sweden only Steelwing was the opening act. The US dates will have Holy Grail and Seven Kingdoms and later they were announced that they would play at Wacken Open Air in 2011.
On July 21, 2011, Hansi Kürsch announced on Blind Guardian's official website that they are working on an orchestral album.[12][13] On September 1, 2011, Oliver Holzwarth joined Rhapsody of Fire as a full-time member, after 13 years as Blind Guardian's session bass player.[14] The band has also announced that a compilation album, titled Memories of a Time to Come, is scheduled for release on January 27, 2012, and it will contain re-recorded and remixed songs from the band's entire discography.[15]
Blind Guardian's first two albums, Battalions of Fear and Follow the Blind, were more in the style of speed metal than their following works. Beginning with their third album Tales from the Twilight World, Blind Guardian gradually began to write more complicated compositions focusing less on speed. As of their sixth album, Nightfall in Middle Earth, Hansi stopped playing bass to focus on singing. At this point the band began to incorporate large amounts of orchestral arrangements, and utilized the technique of overdubbing, heavily influenced by the English rock band Queen.[16]
Blind Guardian's music features the staccato guitars and double bass drumming characteristic of power metal, as well as the use of overdubs and numerous backing vocals to create a dense sound. This technique, especially notable in the guitar and vocal tracks, creates the impression of a vast army of musicians playing in unison and singing in harmony. This proved significant on all albums after the first two but most particularly on A Night at the Opera.
Another definitive feature of Blind Guardian music is frequent use of folk tunes and instruments, especially in power ballads such as "Lord of the Rings", "The Bard's Song", "A Past and Future Secret", "Skalds and Shadows" and "Curse My Name", among others.
Along with Jon Schaffer, the leader and founder of Iced Earth, Kürsch is a member of Demons and Wizards, where he is the lead singer.
Blind Guardian have been working on and off for eight years on an orchestral project writing music about The Lord of the Rings (negotiations failed to be included on the famous The Lord of the Rings film trilogy as the soundtrack, because the band wanted to concentrate on their next album). Although it will not be a power metal album, it will be published under the name of Blind Guardian because it matches the theme of the band's lyrics, according to Hansi.[17]
Due to the tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, Blind Guardian began working with their former record company, EMI Music, and auctioned off an exclusive studio session for two in the Twilight Hall Studio in Grefrath, Germany for charity in which 100% of proceeds would be donated to the tsunami relief efforts.[18] The auction ended on April 22, 2011 with a final bid of £1,171.00.[19]
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Blind Guardian-Battlefield is the theme song for Robot Unicorn Attack heavy metal version
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