Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Blind Guardian
Label: Virgin Records
Released: 1995
Runtime: 49:11
Rating: 5/5
“Imaginations From The Other Side” is the album that finally catapulted the German masters of progressive power metal Blind Guardian to the very top of the European metal scene, which came as no real surprise to anyone who had followed their development from relatively obscure speed metal beginnings. While Helloween and Gamma Ray were slowly crawling out of a transitional period brought on by dramatic lineup and style changes, Blind Guardian, always a solid unit, were now fully ready to take over the freshly vacated power metal throne.
“Imaginations” is one of a handful of power metal albums you can say without hesitation are among the most important in the genre, and it deserves the attention of even those who don’t usually count themselves among fans of Teutonic metal. One of Blind Guardian’s defining traits was that they were a progressive band in the truest sense of the word from the very start, growing as songwriters and instrumentalists from one album to the next. After finally shaping their own recognizable sound on “Tales From the Twilight World” (1991) and “Somewhere Far Beyond ” (1992), they took another step forward on “Imaginations” and leveled up every instrumental and songwriting department.
The individual compositions on the album are carefully and intelligently structured. The orchestral interludes, built with the help of various effects, are artfully laid around solid guitar skeletons, while the rumbling rhythm line of the double bass pedal delivers that unifying rhythmic trademark so essential to Teutonic metal, one Blind Guardian have honed to perfection over the years. The guitar harmonies have become even more complex than ever. Along the way you’ll also catch a few acoustic moments where a special pastoral magic comes alive. Blind Guardian were lucky to always be blessed with a distinctive guitar sound you could pick out from miles away. Unlike many of the metal guitarists who emerged in the mid-eighties, Andre Olbrich was no egocentric shredder; alongside his rock-solid grip he always nurtured a sharp sense of melodic refinement.
The other Guardian virtue was always Hansi Kürsch’s distinctive singing, which got even better on “Imaginations”. The guy’s switching between lower, at times almost brutal registers and clean, melodic ones came with a subtle sense of theatricality. His poetic delivery of English was also right at the top among German singers. And the band’s third winning pillar was the powerful backing vocal harmonies in the Queen tradition, which by then had already become one of their trademarks.
The album’s greatest strength is that the band managed to conjure up a veritable bridge between fantasy and reality without coming off as cheap, the way most European power metal bands did, who thanks to all sorts of pathological excesses and imitations usually ended up as laughingstocks. Traditional fantasy themes and legends are set within poetic, abstract lyrics tied together by nostalgic moods and a message that you should never smother the child inside you. Anyone who happens to dig into the individual lyrics will find they run deeper than they seem at first glance, and that plenty of philosophical messages hide beneath the fantasy surface. On top of that, Blind Guardian always steered clear of cheerful, bouncy tunes when writing, preferring to wade into darker, more atmospheric waters.
The title track alone, with its dramatic punch and string of epic arrangements, is a strong contender for the best thing the band ever did, a first-rate showcase of all their greatest strengths. Aggressive yet theatrical vocals are backed by thundering drum transitions and the omnipotent pounding of the bass pedal. Complex guitar passages tie it all together, while dramatic vocal harmonies and mighty symphonic arrangements trade places in the background, bringing an uncommon dose of mysticism to this ambitious epic. Through the many transitions a red thread keeps running, with an epic chorus and a dramatic keyboard motif. “I’m Alive” is a great example of keeping the contrast between brutal drum marches and subtle pastoral arrangements in the background, bound together by melodic guitar harmonies and Hansi’s chameleon-like singing. A nicely tasteful Olbrich solo adds a good dose of drama to a song whose structure mostly stays faithful to some of their earlier work.
On the excellent “A Past And Future Secret”, one of three songs on the album telling episodes from the legend of the British king Arthur, we’re dealing with a proper troubadour ballad. Celtic melodies on acoustic guitar build a mystical atmosphere while hypnotic orchestral arrangements flow in the background. The vocal melody is one of the most beautiful in their history. Here all of Hansi’s singing brilliance comes to the fore, enriched with mighty backing harmonies. This is an acoustic standard that no fan of ancient legends and Celtic ethereality should miss. “The Script For My Requiem is another very good example of their masterful switching between brutal, almost thrashy sections and epic harmonies. After an aggressive intro comes an incredibly effective transition into an epic section, where a majestic chorus with layered vocals shines. Besides the “weeping” guitar harmonies, the theatrical vocals also deserve credit for the atmosphere.
Another epic treat is embodied in “Mordred’s Song”, which tells of Arthur’s illegitimate son and, at the same time, his greatest enemy, Mordred. According to the original legend, the two dealt each other mortal wounds in the battle at the legendary site of Camlan. Once again Hansi’s theatrical singing takes center stage, and you can vividly picture Mordred’s agony, a mix of anger and loneliness. The story is convincingly stitched together by epic three-part harmonies, an excellent guitar solo and a majestic chorus resting on a strong backing of epic supporting vocals. “Born In A Mourning Hall” is an interesting experiment in combining thundering rhythmic crushers with some ethereal-sounding motifs. The main charm of the piece lies in its esoteric chorus, conjured up by mighty vocal harmonies, followed by a break into three-part guitar harmonies.
“Bright Eyes” is about the dying Arthur bidding farewell to his queen Guinevere. It can easily be called their most beautiful power ballad, carrying a surprising amount of depth and complexity. What stands out most is the gradual build-up of the individual epic motifs, through which an exceptional atmosphere comes alive. The excellent intro, with harmonies on acoustic and electric guitar, is eventually joined by ethereal female backing vocals. Special praise goes to the great synthesizer arrangement, which keeps up the mystical charge of this superb power ballad throughout. “Another Holy War” touches on the classic, I’d almost say stereotypical, metal theme of the crusaders. Despite the worn-out topic, which is luckily presented in a philosophical way, it’s yet another excellent piece, ruled by mighty vocal harmonies and the faithful pounding of the double bass pedal. In the lyrics you can find traces of irony and mockery aimed at religious blindness.
With “And The Story Ends” they managed to deliver one of the best closers of any album in (power) metal history. Once again we get an exceptional atmosphere, in which you can feel a nostalgic pathos usually associated with a premature farewell. A generous helping of epic romanticism comes from the balance between ethereal vocal harmonies and sudden shifts into enchanting three-part harmonies. The interplay of guitar finesse and symphonic arrangements is once again pulled off brilliantly, while a few smaller acoustic touches add a healthy dose of subtlety. Every story has to end somewhere, and the same goes for this fantastic album.
“Imaginations From The Other Side” is a power metal classic and one of the best achievements of 90s European heavy metal, an album you can still only talk about in superlatives today. Leaning on Celtic pastoral and symphonic finesse, it introduced and established some completely fresh ideas within the genre that, it’s fair to say, were progressive at the time of release. That’s why over the years it rightly became one of the standards of the power metal genre and influenced a string of future metal enthusiasts who, with few exceptions, ended up as mere caricatures of the real masters. Blind Guardian stayed true to their stylistic heritage and their trend of songwriting maturation throughout the rest of their career, and in the meantime had already paved the way for the next album, which became their definitive masterpiece.
Lineup
Hansi Kürsch – vocals, bass guitar
Andr̩ Olbrich Рguitar, backing vocals
“Magnus” Armin Siepen – guitar, backing vocals
Thomen “The Omen” Stauch – drums
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Mathias Wiesner – effects
Jacob Moth – acoustic guitar on “A Past and Future Secret”
Billy King, “Hacky” Hackmann, Rolf Köhler, Piet Sielck, Ronnie Atkins – backing vocals
Production
Flemming Rasmussen
Track list
1. Imaginations from the Other Side (7:18)
2. I’m alive (5:31)
3. A past and future secret (3:47)
4. The script for my requiem (6:08)
5. Mordred’s song (5:28)
6. Born in a mourning hall (5:14)
7. Bright eyes (5:15)
8. Another Holy War (4:31)
9. And the Story Ends (5:59)
