NIGHTFALL IN MIDDLE-EARTH

This is my favorite power metal album of all time, and with good reason. Blind Guardian take the frilly pomposity of Queen to a whole new level, layering countless vocal tracks and symphonic keyboards over Brian May-worshiping guitars, combining all of this with a story based on Tolkien's "The Silmarillion".

Everything really clicks for the band on this record, and the epic ballad types ("Nightfall", "Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)"), as well as more rocking power metal tunes ("Into the Storm", "The Curse of Feanor"). Towards the end of the album, some of the songs start to get weaker, and if you aren't a fan of brief interludes between songs, this twenty-two track CD may bug you a bit, but overall this is a pretty damn fantastic album.

Is it prog? Nah, not really. It's produced in a way that makes it appear progressive (Steven Wilson's old excuse), but this is a power metal album. If you want something to really tease your brain, this ain't it. Straightforward, kickass power metal in the vein of...well, Blind Guardian. If you haven't heard anything from this band, this is definitely where you need to start.