 A twist in the Myth is the album, that, for some, carries on the tradition of Blind Guardian, and for others, destroys it. It matters how you think about it. I think that again, they have taken a different direction, especially with much less orchestration, unlike A Night at the Opera, stronger guitars and drums, and generally, more angry. Blind Guardian doesn’t just twist the myth, they redefine it.
Starting off strong and heavy, “This will Never End” blares into your ears. Not much to say about this one. It is a very strong song, with powerful lyrics that evoke images of war, and frustration, with this, the Bards do a very good job. Hansi’s voice also takes a new direction, there are some back- up singers on here, but mostly it is just Hansi singing, with the great chorus, that you’ll be craving to hear even after the song has ended.
Next, we have “Otherland”, which seems to most people the best song on the album. It is a very solid piece of music, and at that, very popular amongst fans. It seems to tell a story, and the chorus is often answered by Hansi, which spawns memories of “Somewhere Far Beyond”. The guitars are very even, and rarely leave the regular “flow” of the song. The result? An addictive, entrancing, and simply excellent song. If you don’t listen to any other on the album, at least try this one out.
This album also contains the song “Another Stranger Me”, which, is by far, different from Blind Guardian tradition. It’s very fast and energetic, it is also the song that had a video produced for it. Personally, I didn’t like this song very much, it sounded too rockish to me, the choruses were not memorable, and the vocals were just mediocre, nothing to get excited about in my book.
Blind Guardian try to make the next bard’s song, with “Skalds and Shadows”. A very acoustic song with a slam of power. It’s not quite the next famous metal ballad, but, a very decent song, it has everything it needs, plus some more. The lyrics are sung masterfully, but the lyrics themselves are just decent.
The album also features two of the same songs, but they are each given different lyrics and one is given a much darker feel to it. I won’t spoil the surprise, find out which one it is for yourselves.
I’m also very surprised that “Straight Through the Mirror” is not much more popular. I thought that song stuck to the Blind Guardian formula, while still offering something new. Not to mention the breathtaking chorus and powerful vocals, this song I thought was destined to become one of the most popular on the album. I was wrong, but perhaps by reading this, you’ll get a similar opinion.
Throughout the album, the songs are in this style, heavier than it’s predecessor, less orchestral work, amazing vocals. All seems in order, but the way some of it is presented is in fact, not in order. Although it is a good album, the Guardians sometimes take it too far with the guitar riffs, and something about this album made it less addictive and less inspiring than, for example, Somewhere Far Beyond. This does not make it a bad album, but not as good as it could have been. I think it was created to draw in more fans, it’ll give any hard core fans what they wanted, but it will also appeal to people from the Mainstream.
It’s still a great listen, and you will enjoy it, some more than others, but nonetheless, this album is still a must for power metal fans. Then again, it is a great listen for just about anyone from any genre.
Patrick Burent
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01. This Will Never End
02. Otherland
03. Turn The Page
04. Fly
05. Carry The Blessed Home
06. Another Stranger Me
07. Straight Through The Mirror
08. Lionheart
09. Skalds And Shadows
10. The Edge
11. The New Order
12. Dead Sound Of Misery [bonus]
--[Japanese bonus]--
13. All Kings Horses
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 Read also: Blind Guardian - A Night At The Opera, Blind Guardian - Battalions Of Fear, Blind Guardian - Bright Eyes, Blind Guardian - Fly, Blind Guardian - Follow The Blind, Blind Guardian - Imaginations From The Other Side, Blind Guardian - Mirror Mirror, Blind Guardian - Nightfall In Middle-Earth, Blind Guardian - Somewhere Far Beyond, Blind Guardian - Somewhere Far Beyond, Blind Guardian - Tales From The Twilight World, Blind Guardian - The Bards Song (In The Forest), Blind Guardian - The Forgotten Tales
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