NIGHTFALL IN MIDDLE-EARTH

Nightfall in Middle Earth ? 1998 (3.5/5) Almost 4 stars! 11 ? Best Song: Any of the full songs could do Thus the realms of evil were opened and a gust of vile blackness enveloped the land. I should probably have read the Simarillion before trying to quote it. That first line has absolutely nothing to do with Tolkien's story collection, but if it's any inclination though Blind Guardian's fifth studio album, I'm not missing too much. Yes, their fifth album, their first good one, too. Hell, it's funny that with these cheesy power metal bands they suck completely with a vengeance until the release a concept album. Used to be a concept album could spell doom for you. I suppose it goes along with how the plot in these types of things doesn't really make a damn difference. Dio succeeded in the same scope around this time with his Magica album, and it shared the same flaws. Firstly the band has decided to actually twist the guitars into real melody-spitting instruments, instead of banal background for a hobbit's episodic grunting. The second point of interest is how, between the silly spoken word interludes and snippets that litter the album (giving it more than twenty songs total) lies a series of well written melodic metal tunes with interestingly aggressive verses and choruses so catchy you'd be surprised this wasn't an electric take on the Beach Boys. It's still got the same flaws you've grown to hate from the band, but like with such a goddamn ear-appealing tune like 'Nightfall' or the mock-ballad 'Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)', but you can take this as a successful synthesis of everything that made Iron Maiden and Judas Priest so good, only diluted by inferiority. Hansi sounds almost minstrel-like when he puts himself into it. If all their albums were this fine, I'd never complain about the band, but here's me doubting if it goes anywhere else, and the solos are still far too entrenched in power metal cliché. Why can't moderately talented people get their heads forcibly removed from their anal cavities?