After 2019’s orchestral side-step “Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra”, it’s now a rather lengthy seven years since this iconic German Power Metal band gave us one of their proper Metal albums, which actually does pile a bit of pressure on this release for eager fans past and present. The unique voice of Hansi Kursch, coupled with the dazzling lead guitar of Andre Olbrich and dynamic rhythm guitar of Marcus Siepen, make Blind Guardian an instantly recognisable force. The relentless energy that drummer Frederik Ehmke (a full-time member now since 2005) brings to the band shouldn’t be underestimated, and you couldn’t hope for a more accomplished bassist than new member Johan Van Stratum (ex-Stream Of Passion/Vuur) to complete the line-up.
My own personal anticipation for this album, lay in the hope that with the orchestral album out of the way, the band might reign that side of their sound in a little this time and deliver a full-on, in-yer-face Power Metal album and I’m happy to report that on the whole it’s what “The God Machine” is. From its thunderous opener ‘Deliver Us From Evil’ right though to its progressively choppy crescendo ‘Destiny’, it could be no-one else other than Blind Guardian in full Metal flight. It’s a grower, as all Blind Guardian albums are, but this time around there is quite a bit more to hook you in immediately. For instance, the piledriving rhythms of ‘Damnation’, hammer their way in incessantly, cracking open a chasm just big enough for the chorus to absolutely shine.
The Speed-orientated Power of ‘Violent Shadows’, ‘Architects Of Doom’ and especially ‘Blood Of The Elves’ (with its undeniably classic BG chorus) display the raw energy of Blind Guardian past, which on later releases the band might have smoothed over with orchestration and glossy production, but this time everything seems to be just a little more…well…Metal! There is only one real let up in the Progressive Power Metal tour-de-force, in the shape of the rather gorgeous ‘Let It Be No More’, which benefits immensely from being the lone mellower track on the album. This album is such a step in the right direction for a band that had creatively backed themselves into a bit of a corner.
There is a real feel of Blind Guardian remembering that they are a Power Metal band with two guitars, + bass, drums, vocals, first and foremost and once they all sound right, the songs don’t really need so much embellishment. I actually think this album might even be worth the seven year wait, because this is a band sounding refreshed and re-energised – I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a Blind Guardian album this much for about twenty years. The balance between full Power Metal onslaught and striking melody is nudging tantalisingly close to their 90’s song-writing heyday, and as a long-term fan of the band (since I lucked out discovering “Follow The Blind” on vinyl import way back in 1989), I’m overjoyed to once more be enthused by a new Blind Guardian release.
(8.5/10 Andy Barker)
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