Blind Guardian
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Image:Blind Guardian.svg
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| Background information
<tr><td>Origin</td><td colspan="2">Krefeld, Germany</td></tr><tr><td>Genre(s)</td><td colspan="2">Speed metal, Power metal, Epic Metal</td></tr><tr><td>Years active</td><td colspan="2">1985 - Present</td></tr><tr><td style="padding-right: 1em;">Label(s)</td><td colspan="2">No Remorse Records |
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band started in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, Germany. Before calling themselves Blind Guardian, the band released two demos under the name Lucifer's Heritage in 1985 and 1986.
From the beginning, Blind Guardian have been inspired by the fictional worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien and other fantasy authors, like Michael Moorcock, as well as traditional legends and epics. Over the years, a running theme has developed associating the band members with traveling bards.
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[edit] Musical Style
Blind Guardian's first two albums, Battalions of Fear and Follow the Blind, were much more in the style of speed metal than their following works. Beginning with their third album Tales from the Twilight World, Blind Guardian gradually turned to a more sophisticated sound, including vast use of choirs and sometimes orchestral arrangements.
Blind Guardian's music is characterized by the classic fast guitars and double bass drumming of power metal, but is relatively unique in its use of overdubs to create an extremely dense, "epic" 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. Considering the already anthemic and singalong quality of their choruses, it is unsurprising that the band's 2003 live album, Live, sounded much like their studio recordings: although the overdubs of vocalist Hansi Kürsch were lost, the live audience reproduced them faithfully and enthusiastically. On several occasions the audience has been known to sing along even to André Olbrich's guitar solos.
Blind Guardian's popularity has continued to grow from an initial following in Europe and Japan to one of the most well-known power metal bands in the world. The single for "And Then There Was Silence," for instance, reached #1 in Spain and #7 in Canada, despite its fourteen-minute length.
[edit] Side Projects
Together with Jon Schaffer (the leader and founder of Iced Earth) Kürsch is the lead singer of a side project called Demons & Wizards.
Hansi has been working on and off for 8 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). The album will be released in 2008, and although it will not be a power metal album (meaning that there won't be any drums or electric guitars and bass), it will be published under the name of Blind Guardian because it matches the theme of the band's lyrics, according to Hansi.
[edit] Line-up
[edit] Band members
- Hansi Kürsch — Vocals (1984–), Bass (1984–1997)
- André Olbrich — Lead Guitar (1984–)
- Marcus Siepen — Rhythm Guitar (1987–)
- Frederik Ehmke — Drums (2005–)
[edit] Former members
- Thomas "Thomen" Stauch — Drums (1984 – 1985) (1987–2005) <ref>Blind Guardian is relatively unique in that until April of 2005 (a twenty year period), the band's original line-up had not changed. However, due to differing musical preference, in April their long time drummer Thomen Stauch left the band to continue his work in Savage Circus, the band he formed to perform more straight-forward music like older Blind Guardian.</ref>
- Markus Dörk - Rhythm & Lead Guitar (Lucifer's Heritage) (1984–1986)
- Christoph Theissen — Lead & Rhythm Guitar (Lucifer's Heritage) (1986–1987)
- Hans-Peter Frey — Drums (Lucifers Heritage) (1985–1987)
[edit] Guest musicians
- Oliver Holzwarth — Bass (touring/studio) (1997–) <ref>In 1997, Hansi decided that a different bassist would allow for more complex parts, and allow himself to further his vocal technique both live and in the studio. Oliver Holzwarth was hired as a bassist for the album and for the tour. He is not a full member of the band, because Hansi may decide to play bass again, and has said he does not have the heart to put Oliver in the position that he may be fired.</ref>
- Mathias Wiesner — Keyboards (studio) (1989–)
- Michael Schüren — Keyboards (live) & Grand Piano (studio) (1998–)
- Kai Hansen — Vocals & Guitar Solos (1989–1992) <ref>On Blind Guardian's second and third studio albums, Kai Hansen, formerly of Helloween, and currently in Gamma Ray, performed guest vocals on a few songs and a guest guitar solo.</ref>
- Rolf Köhler, Thomas Hackmann — backing vocals (1989–)
- Olaf Senkbeil, Billy King — backing vocals (1990–)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio Albums
- Battalions of Fear (1988)
- Follow the Blind (1989)
- Tales from the Twilight World (1990)
- Somewhere Far Beyond (1992)
- Imaginations from the Other Side (1995)
- Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998)
- A Night at the Opera (2002)
- A Twist in the Myth (2006)
[edit] Notes
<references />
[edit] External links
- Blind Guardian (official website)
- Blind Guardian at MusicBrainz
- Blind Guardian at the Metallian Metal Encyclopedia
- Hansi Kürsch interviewed by Highwire Daze (2006)
- Macrus Siepen interviewed by Rocksomething (2006)
- Blind Guardian at Metal Storm
| Blind Guardian |
| Hansi Kürsch | André Olbrich | Marcus Siepen | Frederik Ehmke |
| Thomas "Thomen" Stauch | Markus Dörk | Christoph Theissen | Hans-Peter Frey |
| Discography |
|---|
| Demo albums as Lucifer's Heritage: Symphonies of Doom | Battalions of Fear |
| Studio albums: Battalions of Fear | Follow the Blind | Tales from the Twilight World | Somewhere Far Beyond | Imaginations from the Other Side | Nightfall in Middle-Earth | A Night at the Opera | A Twist in the Myth |
| Live albums: Tokyo Tales | Live |
| Compilations: The Forgotten Tales |
| Singles: A Past and Future Secret | Bright Eyes | Mr. Sandman | Mirror Mirror | And Then There Was Silence | The Bard's Song (In the Forest) | Fly |
| Videos and DVDs: Imaginations Through the Looking Glass |
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