Review by Jophelerx on July 25, 2024.

Although the general opinion on the previous two albums, Nightfall in Middle-Earth and A Night at the Opera was very mixed, the consensus on this one seems to be that it's mediocre at best, and possibly Blind Guardian's furthest departure from their speed metal roots. While the latter may be true, I find this album far more than mediocre, though clearly not Blind Guardian's best.

This is the first full-length to feature new drummer Frederik Ehmke, and it shows. Gone are the refreshingly unusual drum beats Thomen Stauch frequently used; while proficient, Ehmke's style is much more traditional, the drums never standing out in the album. Still, this is not the main complaint about the album, as it's hardly an issue for most listeners; instead, the slick production and unusually simplistic songwriting are to blame. Unable to take the sound on A Night at the Opera any further, they opted to take a completely different approach, toning down the endless intricacies of the previous album until they reached a simple, unadorned, almost rock-ish set of songs. Those who were intimidated by A Night at the Opera's enormous, constant, busy sound won't find any of that here; this is catchy, stripped down power metal.

However, one problem people had with the previous album remains: many of the song's tend to focus on Hansi's vocals, rather than on the guitar riffs. This is the case here even more than on Nightfall or A Night at the Opera, but here it fits; the songs are infectiously catchy, for the most part. From the dark, theatrical "Otherland" to the fun, groovy "Fly" to the slightly more progressive, moody "The New Order", you'll find it difficult to keep from singing along to the choruses and even the verses. The malevolent rocker "Another Stranger Me", bombastic "Straight Through the Mirror", the obligatory medieval-style ballad "Skalds and Shadows", and the harsh, speedy "The Edge" are all worth listening to as well, making this far from a disappointment of an album. And despite the focus on vocals, it's impossible to miss the catchy solos and classic Blind Guardian guitar harmonizing on "Fly", or the repeating riff pattern in "The New Order"; while lacking a bit, the guitar work is certainly present.

Of course, this album is far from perfect, and some songs simply don't make the cut. "This Will Never End" tries to be speed metal, but with the slick production and focus on vocal melodies, it feels out of place and underwritten, despite a dark, epic chorus. "Turn the Page" tries to be an upbeat, bombastic number, but the songwriting here is clearly not up to par, and it builds up momentum only to let it fall into mediocrity, leaving the listener wanting more. "Carry the Blessed Home" is another ballad that never really goes anywhere, feeling like a complete waste of time. Finally, "Lionheart" is extremely simple and predictable and never really goes anywhere either, a surprisingly unambitious number for the power metallers.

Despite the clunkers, though, when this album works, it really works well, and I don't mind the slick production; though some would say it might castrate the music (and this may be the case with "This Will Never End" to an extent) I think for the most part it works well with the catchy, compact music. This will never be on my top 10 favorite albums list, but it's certainly enjoyable for what it is, and if you're a fan of catchy power metal, I definitely suggest checking it out.

Rating: 8.1 out of 10