| CD review: Blind Guardian - Battalions Of Fear |
| No Remorse Records, 1988 | Review published: 2007/08/10 | Power Metal |
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 Blind Guardian’s Debut album. With this album, the epic power band climbs out of the dark, into the light, and into their rightfully earned spot amongst metal bands. Judging that this album was made probably on a low budget makes you awed even more.
This album starts off almost as a joke. With the intro to the song Majesty, I almost just turned it off. Good thing I didn’t. Right after the carnival-like intro to the music, a blare of thunder echoes through, and you are transported into the Guardian’s immense fantasy based song. This is a definite high point for the album. From start to finish, the song manages to keep the listener enthralled and interested, with it’s mystical lyrics and quick guitars.
For the most part, the album is fast, and structured. Throughout it, you will be captivated by some of the songs, while others will give you a rush of adrenaline. From chorus chanting to screaming key words, this album has all of it.
A key point on this album I would say, is the song “Wizard’s Crown”(Track 4). Personally, I love this song, it starts off fast, and seems wild. Then soon emerges with the general structure and occultish stuff of Blind Guardian. With shouting of the word “Halloween!”(interesting, because the band was once named Lucifer’s Heritage, and in Levayen Satanism Halloween is a Holiday). I think it is a great song, with strong riffs, not to mention great drumming and vocals. This was the first song that took hold of me and didn’t want to let go from Blind Guardian.
A not-so-good point of the album is “The Martyr” I don’t know what it is about that song, but it just seems boring, and I don’t like it. Perhaps it’s the pace of the song, perhaps it is the vocals, but it just seems different, strange, and not good. But that is just my own humble opinion, please don’t take my word for it, perhaps you will like it.
Surprisingly, the song “Battalions of Fear” mentions “The American Dream” really odd for a power metal band. Other than that, the song comes off strong, and I wish that they would play it at concerts more often, because it has the energy, potential, and vocals for a live performance. Especially since Hansi likes to let the crowd fill in Chorus parts. Hearing 500 people shout “ BAAATALIONS OF FEAR” would be awesome.
Now that the initial review is over, I would like to explain what gained and lost points for this album. I would never take 1.5 points away just because of one song, so, I think this little explanation has it’s place here. The Martyr cost it .8 points. Some of the vocal’s on the CD were not very good, although from reading the rest you may think they were, I only spoke of main songs there. That cost them .5. Finally, occasionally, the drumming got very repetitive, this is not major, and not very noticeable at first, so it only cost them .2 points.
Patrick Burent
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01. Majesty
02. Guardian Of The Blind
03. Trial By Archon
04. Wizard's Crown
05. Run For The Night
06. The Martyr
07. Battalions Of Fear
08. By The Gate Of Moria
09. Gandalf's Rebirth
10. Into The Storm [CD bonus]
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 Read also: Blind Guardian - A Night At The Opera, Blind Guardian - A Twist In The Myth, 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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