IMAGINATIONS FROM THE OTHER SIDE

This album is one of my life long friends. I know all the songs by heart, and can hum along on every solo etc. etc.. I allways cheer up when songs from this album is selected by a shuffling media player. Although I do not have a populated list, I am sure this is one of my top ten metal albums.

I think that the Blind Guardian albums prior to this release steadily increased in quality, until it culminated in Imaginations From The Other Side. I also find that I find all subsequent albums somewhat poorer. But, it's difficult to climax twice :)

It is definitely not the most progressive album from Blind Guardian. It may be subject to discussion wether it strictly is progressive at all. But I think this is the best written album overall. Combositions are superbly balanced. The interactions between instruments and vocals are spot on, which is something I feel Blind Guardian from time to time fail to achieve in later albums due to focusing a bit well much on technicality and the "coolness" of the individual riffs.

Vocals: I think this is the album where Hansi performs best. I find that he in later albums is prone to some form of vocal masturbation, sometimes to the expense of the overall song composition. But on this album I love his work. He shifts from clean to scream, using at least four "stages" from clean to full pitched scream.

Choirs: It's Blind Guardinan, therefore it is choirs. Like Hansi said to an interviewer asking how it was possible to perform all the choir-stuff live: "You have not been to a Blind Guardian consert, have you?" Not the most choir-heavy album though.

Guitars: A lot of melodic leads/solos, but a lot of chords as well. Not as lead/solo focused as later albums, but enough to make it interesting. I'm a guitarist myself, and although I'm not blown away by the technical feats of the guitarists on this record, the musicality is fantastic.

Bass: Hansi is kind of occupied with singing. The bass does what it has to do, not much more. But I don't find it lacking in any respect.

Drums: Do I love the drums on this record? Yep. Again, the overall compositions are what I value most on this record, and I think the drums on this album outline the songs in a superb way. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love this album to bits.