At the Edge of Time (2010)

Here we go, it's 2010 and symphonic metal and power metal have all diversified into infinite sub genres, yet only some bands can pull of a solid album which highlights the uniqueness of the genre. Blind Guardian's new album is all that every fan of the band expected and more. If you were disappointed with their last offering, I can assure you the band have more than made up for it. The first thing about the album which stands out is it is more progressive than previous stuff yet it has elements which make it comparable to Nightfall In Middle Earth coupled with some neat orchestral arrangements. But the stand out from this album have to be Hansi's powerful vocals by far.

Here's how the songs progress.

Sacred Worlds: The opening song starts of with a prog-symphonic orchestral arrangement leading in to some captivating and exhilarating rhythm section work but after the initial buzz, feels somewhat stagnant and repetitive. A decent start to the proceedings though.

Tanelorn(Into the Void): This song is probably the most commercial song form the album. Again what hampers the song in the end is its repetitive nature. Regardless it's a very fast tempo song with a catchy and addictive chorus which will make you cry for tanelorn.

Road Of No Release: A keyboard solo and vocals aren't always a great way to start off a song straight on the tracks of a fast one, but this one builds up to become an epic (of sorts) filled with melodies which reminded of me of Guardian's yesteryear.

Ride Into Obsession: This one has definite shades of thrash mixed with old school german power metal beats. Upon further research I found out that this song and the final track are inspired by Wheel Of Time by Robert Jordan. Some strong vocal performances create a truly scintillating listening experience on this one with some nice thumping bass work.

Curse My Name: Starts of in the same vein as their most popular and well know songs The Bard's Song. Some amusing and tongue-in cheek lyrics with folk metal is all that this album needs as an antidote to lighten the mood. The drums though feel a little out of place on this one.

Valkyries: With this song, in come the Norse Mythology references. The drums are much more pronounced here and feel apt for the varied vocal styles being put on display by Hansi. Lyrically I found this song to be the most straight forward. A couple of good guitar solos seal this as a definite live hit. Off the 6 songs till now, Valkyrie is the standout track which I'm sure every listener will be humming due to its infectious choruses.

Control The Divine: Is probably the most monotonous song on the album and might make you push the skip button more than once. On the up-side vocals again are top notch and the chorus is the only thing saving this song from going under.

War Of The Thrones: The second ballad of the album (different from the version on the B-side single) , it is miles ahead of Curse My Name in terms of its lyrics. Some good piano work helps build this song from just an ordinary one to a good "sing along".

A Voice in the Dark: released as the first single from the album, this is "THE" true masterpiece of the album expected to be embraced instantly by all fans of the band as a classic. I like the way how the bass is up front and on some occasions even over shadows the lead guitars. The guitar solos although short and scattered, have a Celtic feel about them which wrap in nicely with the overall feel of the song.

Wheel Of Time: The story arc continued from Ride Into Obsession has unexpected time changes galore. Starting off with an Arabic feel, the song builds into a war cry-esque epic with excellent choruses and neat solos all around.

In closing. the whole album might be too hard to get into in one go especially with is progressive leanings, but a couple of spins on your stereo will make it one to be revisited more often rather often than not.

Genre : Progressive/Power Metal

Track Listing :

1. "Sacred Worlds" – 9:17

2. "Tanelorn (Into the Void)" – 5:58

3. "Road of No Release" – 6.30

4. "Ride Into Obsession" – 4.46

5. "Curse My Name" – 5:52

6. "Valkyries" – 6:38

7. "Control the Divine" – 5:26

8. "War of the Thrones" (piano version) – 4:55

9. "A Voice in the Dark" – 5:41

10. "Wheel of Time" – 8:55

Total Album Time: 63:58

Personnel :

Hansi Kürsch – Lead vocals

Marcus Siepen – Rhythm guitar

André Olbrich – Lead guitar

Frederik Ehmke – Drums and Flute

Release Date : July 30, 2010

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