In the modern day, you could virtually spit in the wind and hit a metal fan that knows and loves Blind Guardian. Over several decades, they’ve transformed metal with their definitive days of speed and power metal and albums such as
Battalions of Fear and
Nightfall in Middle-Earth. In recent times they’ve moved to
A Night at the Opera, arguably one of the finest symphonic metal albums ever written. Between all of their legendary performances, transition took place with every album. That transition took place gradually but with definition and gave way to some truly groundbreaking heavy metal albums.
Somewhere Far Beyond, their fourth album, is an excellent fusion of speed metal riffs and power metal melodies yielding fast headbangable segments with memorable vocal and instrumental harmonies. No metal album would so perfectly fit the definition of “classic” short of genre-defining albums such as
Seven Churches,
None So Vile, or
Transylvanian Hunger.
Transitions can be rough. Sometimes they can bring fresh, new things to the table and uncover a whole new world of miracles. More often than not they can signify an artists creative death and lack of suitable transfiguration. For Blind Guardian, the change could not have been smoother or better received.
Somewhere Far Beyond mixes the early raw, fast, leave-no-prisoners sound of German speed metal with the contemporary style of melodic (nearly symphonic) power metal. The production, while clear, is not the excessively lucid resonance of
A Night at the Opera. This technical asset is evident as the metal instruments come crashing down in the opener,
Time What Is Time. The instruments are defined and patent yet unrefined at a level of perfection all through this song, as well as the album. This forte is also evident during the speedy, bass-laden intro of
Ashes to Ashes. Even
The Bard’s Song – The Hobbit brings forth Hansi Kürsch’s powerful, apposite style of singing. Meanwhile, the title track
Somewhere Far Beyond is 7:30 of intense riffs, solos, vocals, melodies, and any other positive heavy metal characteristic you can think of.
The power metal attributes present in Blind Guardian’s fourth album are undeniably breathtaking. Lead guitar licks and Hansi’s layered voice are dispersed throughout for the enchanting power metal sensation.
The Quest for Tanelorn embodies this like no other, with its triumphant vocal mantras and flurries of metal axe shreddery. Acoustic guitars are at hand all over the album, as the record opens with
Time What Is Time’s striking harmony.
The Quest for Tanelorn also opens with wondrous acoustic strumming while
The Bard’s Song – In the Forestis acoustic in its entirety as well as a Blind Guardian cult classic song. Peacefulness is also found in
Black Chamber a minute of Hansi singing to a piano piece, as well as
The Piper’s Calling, a bagpipe instrumental. And as the album winds down, none can deny that the title track
Somewhere Far Beyond is the finest 7:30 that a power metal fan will ever experience in their lives.
If you think power metal is all about Dungeons and Dragons, cheesy keyboard melodies, and mystical singing, you’re wrong. Power metal is about fast, heavy riffs, intense guitar shredding, lead guitar/vocal melodies, and harmonies beyond imagination.
Somewhere Far Beyond is everything that power metal was meant to be plus a speed metal edge. For fans of
Nightfall In Middle-Earth and
A Night at the Opera, prepare yourselves for an absolutely ferocious journey through the dark while being reduced from ashes to ashes on your quest for tanelorn. You have been warned.
Summary:
- Fast, heavy, technical
- Great vocal work
- Sweet combination of guitar riffs/solos/lead melodies
- Essential power/speed metal!
Favorite moments:
- Ashes to Ashes (:55) – lead guitar flurry
- any part of Somewhere Far Beyond
- The Quest for Tanelorn (2:13) – acoustic guitar backing dark chanting and lead guitar
Recommended song:
- Journey Through the Dark
- Ashes to Ashes
- Somewhere Far Beyond
