Forget "Nightfall..." *, THIS is the quintessential Blind Guardian album. When I first heard this album I listened to it at least 3 times straight. From midnight into the morning I just kept listening to this magnificent release. There have been a few albums that have left me completely breathless and completely changed after hearing them for the first time and this is one of them. From the production to the incredible effort given by every member of the band this album is a monument of Power metal perfection
Yes, you do in fact need to listen to this if you already haven't. No, you do not have a choice.

* Actually, don't forget about "Nightfall...". It's still an amazing release that I love, it just isn't up to the level that "Imaginations..." stands at. Nothing probably ever will.

Yep, this is my fave Blind Guardian album as well. xD It was also the first album by them I heard. Just the first 3 songs pretty much showcase all thats great about the band. The title track is a layered, atmospheric epic, which pretty much became their signature style. "Im Alive" is an old school, furious, speed metal classic. And "A Past And Future Secret" is an awesome example of the medieval sounding ballad that they are the masters of.

The rest of the album is great as well, and for me its definitely their most well rounded and consistent album. I still remember being blown away the first time I heard the title track, and instantly becoming a huge Blind Guardian fan. A classic album, no doubt!

A Past And Future Secret, Bright Eyes, Another Holy War...yes, this album is brilliant, but so are all their others

The last good Blind Guardian album before they turned too much into an EuroPowermetal band.

I think this album is overrated. Good, don't get me wrong, but not 'near perfect'

BG's best in my book. Title track is one of my favorite songs altogether. Not a single weak song on the album.

I can still remember the moment the drums hit.
Then came the mystical ambience.
Then my heart, mind, and soul exploded with the sheer might, beauty, and composition of the guitars.
And then at long last, came the ever perfect voice of Hans Jurgen Kursch:

"Where are these silent faces..."

This raptorous, perfect metal experience can only be described as "Blind Guardian". If there was a way to erase memories, then I would perhaps consider vanquishing this one from my mind forever...just to experience hearing it for the first time once again.

Can't help myself, but this album and BG in general is more like Fairy Tale Metal than Power Metal. I mean, where is the power? The music itself is well composed and also performed, but any one of the trio Iced Earth/Gamma Ray/Helloween with their best efforts can easily trample these Germans into dust imo. And the vocals (yes, this is very subjective) compared to eg. Matt Barlow are so...hollow.

This is THE ALBUM OF MANKIND! As simple as that. For myself there is not any best album made for any human that this ABSOLUTE PERFECTION, when melody and power unite and love!

This isn't as good as Nightfall actually. Script For My Requiem is quite boring and the chorus of Imaginations is anti-climactic. The hype around this one is quite baffling indeed.

AAHH!! this one is very frusterating for me.....some amazing songs and some far too soft ones...and i feel like they alternate back and forth, so everytime Im headbanging they force me to stop start stop start AAHHH!

I would rate it 7.5. Better than other BG albums but still I don't get what so great about BG. A few good songs form each album, just like Iron Maiden. And my fav BG album would have to be the latest "At The Edge Of Time"...

Written by Cryzpin on 30.03.2011 at 17:18

Can't help myself, but this album and BG in general is more like Fairy Tale Metal than Power Metal. I mean, where is the power? The music itself is well composed and also performed, but any one of the trio Iced Earth/Gamma Ray/Helloween with their best efforts can easily trample these Germans into dust imo. And the vocals (yes, this is very subjective) compared to eg. Matt Barlow are so...hollow.

Exactly what i mean. They are talented and everything, but it's not so much Power Metal except for the double bass drums. But i would say Iced Earth are heavy metal...

Written by Mountain King on 30.10.2011 at 21:00

But i would say Iced Earth are heavy metal...

I would say "power heavy metal" (which is still better than "US power metal" tagged), since where all german bands mentioned are usualy more uplifting, manic and explosive, those americans are notably heavy, dark and thundering.

I'm not very fan of Blind Guardian, but I totally love this album! The only weakness I found with it is that the solos are not very technical, but I guess everybody knows that.

Exelent... most ''heavyer'' album more heavy than power, good killer, seems band wanted criate something before expic nighfall and then go down down down ....

The title track and Bright Eyes are my two favourites from this album.

Written by Aristarchos on 01.01.2013 at 14:23

The title track and Bright Eyes are my two favourites from this album.

Mine is The Script For My Requiem. Their second best song ever IMHO (first one is AND THEN THERE WAS SILENCE)

Written by Guest on 18.10.2010 at 20:48

I think this album is overrated. Good, don't get me wrong, but not 'near perfect'

"Overrated"
Gives it a perfect score anyway.

Written by Zap on 20.12.2013 at 20:07
"Overrated"
Gives it a perfect score anyway.

To be fair, he might be scoring it perfect based on his preferences but at the same time is able to look at it more objectively and wonder how the majority of people who rate it give it a similar score.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 20.12.2013 at 20:50

To be fair, he might be scoring it perfect based on his preferences but at the same time is able to look at it more objectively and wonder how the majority of people who rate it give it a similar score.

True, but what struck me as odd is that he said "good, but not near perfect" and goes out to give it the score that has the word "perfect" next to it on MS.
In any case, I'm not being insulting or anything, just thought it was funny. I've seen it before on this site and the logic just escapes me.
The real question right now is what the hell you're doing on a power metal thread...

Written by Zap on 20.12.2013 at 20:59
The real question right now is what the hell you're doing on a power metal thread...

Hey. I could listen to power metal. And talk about it. And stuff. ...

Written by Troy Killjoy on 20.12.2013 at 21:03

Written by Zap on 20.12.2013 at 20:59
The real question right now is what the hell you're doing on a power metal thread...

Hey. I could listen to power metal. And talk about it. And stuff. ...

.................COULD YYYOOOUUUUUUUUU???????

Written by Zap on 20.12.2013 at 20:07

Written by Guest on 18.10.2010 at 20:48

I think this album is overrated. Good, don't get me wrong, but not 'near perfect'

"Overrated"
Gives it a perfect score anyway.

OK, three years on, allow me to explain myself. I listen to albums and rate songs out of five; an album with over half songs five stars, no three stars and a couple four stars would get a 10 from me, for example. As it goes I've grown to enjoy this album less and less, Somewhere Far Beyond is much better imo.

Written by Guest on 22.12.2013 at 02:23

OK, three years on, allow me to explain myself. I listen to albums and rate songs out of five; an album with over half songs five stars, no three stars and a couple four stars would get a 10 from me, for example. As it goes I've grown to enjoy this album less and less, Somewhere Far Beyond is much better imo.

Fair enough, everyone has his own system of rating
Just thought it was ironic.

Written by deadone on 22.12.2013 at 04:58

To this day I still love this album. Great stuff and very unique in context of Blind Guardian in that it was heavier and darker than both the albums that cam before and after it.

A few heavier moments maybe...but on the whole, both preceding albums were heavier, throughout, I would say...

Overrated, but still very good.

This truly deserves all the praise. Is better than Nightfall or Somewhere Far Beyond.

Written by Guest on 18.10.2010 at 20:48

I think this album is overrated. Good, don't get me wrong, but not 'near perfect'

Didn't stop you giving it a perfect 10, though.

Didn't enchant me.