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Blind Guardian - Nightfall In Middle-Earth



8.9 | 1444 votes |
Release date: 24 April 1998
Style: Power metal

Owners:

1825 have it
128 want it
1 trades it


01. War Of Wrath
02. Into The Storm
03. Lammoth
04. Nightfall
05. The Minstrel
06. The Curse Of Feanor
07. Captured
08. Blood Tears
09. Mirror Mirror
10. Face The Truth
11. Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)
12. Battle Of Sudden Flame
13. Time Stands Still (At The Iron Hill)
14. The Dark Elf
15. Thorn
16. The Eldar
17. Nom The Wise
18. When Sorrow Sang
19. Out On The Water
20. The Steadfast
21. A Dark Passage
22. Final Chapter (Thus Ends...)
23. Nightfall [orchestral version] [Japanese bonus]
24. A Dark Passage [instrumental version] [Japanese bonus]
25. Harvest Of Sorrow [remastered edition bonus]
26. Doom [remixed and remastered edition bonus] [original lyrics]
27. The Tides Of War [remixed and remastered edition bonus]

Top 20 albums of 1998: 2
Top 200 albums of all time: 66
Featured in "Getting Into: Blind Guardian"

Guest review by
Storchillarn
Rating:
9.2
Power Metal and fantasy - dragons, magic and short, bearded fellows - have been walking hand in hand almost since the creation of the genre. Blind Guardian has strengthened this connection since their first album. Ten years after their initial release the genre-defining group returns with one of their most ambitious projects ever: a concept album based on the epic "Silmarillion" by J.R.R. Tolkien, one of the bands biggest influences. The result? Have they possibly managed to make something memorable and, most importantly, metal of the literary work? Hang on for the answer.

Read more ››
published 01.07.2007 | Comments (19)

Guest review by
Ernis
Rating:
7.7
Blind Guardian is an absolute star of Power Metal and their 1998 release 'Nightfall In Middle-Earth' is a monolithic work. Using the expression "left a mark" isn't enough. Of course this album has left a mark upon all who have listened to it and left a mark in the history of Power Metal and metal in general. And also literature, all in all, being like an asteroid leaving a crater.

Read more ››
published 01.10.2007 | Comments (12)

I'm about a month late for the exact anniversary, but Nightfall In Middle-Earth is 20 years old now, and for the last 10, it has been my favorite album of all time. Andre Olbrich's guitar solos, Hansi Kürsch's vocals, the songwriting, the production, the choirs, the drama, the emotion, the cover art, even the cavalcade of excessive interludes - just about every characteristic of this album is, for me, the gold standard by which that characteristic is measured in all other works of music. I can still clearly remember hearing "Nightfall" for the first time and thinking within the first ten seconds, "This is the perfect band for me." Ten years later, I feel the same sentiments I did that first time. Happy birthday, Nightfall. Happy anniversary, Bards of Metal.

ScreamingSteelUS's picks | More picks ››

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Comments

Comments: 49   Visited by: 1672 users
18.04.2011 - 09:28
Void_Eater
Account deleted
This album makes me pissed off at the real world. We need elves in real life, goddamn it! Great album; Into the Storm, Mirror Mirror, and Nightfall all rank among my favorite power metal songs.
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24.04.2011 - 23:45
Rating: 8
mikeprado30

Their MOST overrated album, and also one of the MOST overrated albums in the music history, though for myself is a very nice album with very nice tracks (Mirror Mirror, When Sorrow Sang, Thorn, Time Stands Still, A Dark Passage, The Curse of Fëanor)
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BARDS WE ARE, BARDS WE WILL BE!
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25.04.2011 - 17:46
RavenKing

Written by mikeprado30 on 24.04.2011 at 23:45

Their MOST overrated album, and also one of the MOST overrated albums in the music history


Totally agreed.
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They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink
They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end
But everybody's only looking out for themselves
And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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26.04.2011 - 01:12
Rating: 10
RedHawk

A masterpiece, one of my favorite metal albums.
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31.07.2011 - 02:02
Rating: 10
Cynic Metalhead
Paisa Vich Nasha
This album has changed the definition of "EPIC"!
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29.09.2011 - 21:11
Guilherme

My favorite Album ever.
By far the best Blind Guardian album.

Quote:
Their MOST overrated album, and also one of the MOST overrated albums in the music history, though for myself is a very nice album with very nice tracks (Mirror Mirror, When Sorrow Sang, Thorn, Time Stands Still, A Dark Passage, The Curse of Fëanor)

Their MOST UNDERRATED.

Only 8.9, it deserves MORE THEN 10.

Btw, are you seriously telling me that you don't like Into the Storm and Nightfall? WTF? Maybe my 2 top Blind Guardian songs.

Every time I listen this album and remember the story of the book... it's just way too epic.
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27.11.2011 - 08:00
Rating: 8
JÄY
Metal slave
Written by Guilherme on 29.09.2011 at 21:11

Their MOST UNDERRATED.

Only 8.9, it deserves MORE THEN 10.

Btw, are you seriously telling me that you don't like Into the Storm and Nightfall? WTF? Maybe my 2 top Blind Guardian songs.

Every time I listen this album and remember the story of the book... it's just way too epic.

It's just too damn soft....Into the Storm is an exeption, though
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27.11.2011 - 08:22
Void Eater
Account deleted
Written by JÄY on 27.11.2011 at 08:00

It's just too damn soft....Into the Storm is an exeption, though

This is actually pretty hard hitting as far as symphonic power metal goes. Into The Storm, When Sorrow Sang, Time Stands Still, and Mirror Mirror all retain some of their older heaviness/some speed metal riffing.
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27.11.2011 - 08:24
Rating: 8
JÄY
Metal slave
Written by Guest on 27.11.2011 at 08:22

Written by JÄY on 27.11.2011 at 08:00

It's just too damn soft....Into the Storm is an exeption, though

This is actually pretty hard hitting as far as symphonic power metal goes. Into The Storm, When Sorrow Sang, Time Stands Still, and Mirror Mirror all retain some of their older heaviness/some speed metal riffing.

4/24
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27.11.2011 - 08:27
Void Eater
Account deleted
Written by JÄY on 27.11.2011 at 08:24

4/24

Well, half of those 24 aren't actual songs, so 4/12... But yeah, point taken. The Curse Of Feanor could be added into the heavier songs, making it 5/12 though...
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29.01.2012 - 07:12
Renard Solitaire

I noticed that a large number of metalheads on this forum are LoTR geeks. Could someone more knowledgeable than me in Metal create a comprehensive list of Tolkien/Lord of The Rings themed songs/albums? I know that the list should contain the whole discography of Blind Guardian, some songs by Iron Maiden, Nightwish, etc.
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29.01.2012 - 13:52
Rating: 10
Zmaj Ognjeni Vuk
To Mega Therion
Written by Renard Solitaire on 29.01.2012 at 07:12

I noticed that a large number of metalheads on this forum are LoTR geeks. Could someone more knowledgeable than me in Metal create a comprehensive list of Tolkien/Lord of The Rings themed songs/albums? I know that the list should contain the whole discography of Blind Guardian, some songs by Iron Maiden, Nightwish, etc.

Here's a great one by an obscure NWOBHM band from the 80's called ARC:
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Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one, and they all stink.
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30.01.2012 - 04:51
Rating: 7
Angelic Storm
Melodious
I feel this is an overrated album, and is amongst Blind Guardian's weaker efforts overall. In the album's rare peaks such as "Mirror Mirror", "Nightfall", "The Eldar", and "When Sorrow Sang", the band show they are still adept at highly atmospheric, and at times, punishing power metal. But as a whole, the interludes seem unnecessary, and drag the album down. I also feel that many of the non-interlude songs are of a lesser quality than the band had shown on earlier (and indeed also on later,) albums.
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31.01.2012 - 00:49
RavenKing

Written by Angelic Storm on 30.01.2012 at 04:51

I feel this is an overrated album, and is amongst Blind Guardian's weaker efforts overall. In the album's rare peaks such as "Mirror Mirror", "Nightfall", "The Eldar", and "When Sorrow Sang", the band show they are still adept at highly atmospheric, and at times, punishing power metal. But as a whole, the interludes seem unnecessary, and drag the album down. I also feel that many of the non-interlude songs are of a lesser quality than the band had shown on earlier (and indeed also on later,) albums.


You already know I agree about NIME being one of the weakest Blind Guardian album. I mentioned a few times how I believe this album is probably the most overrated Powermetal album of all time.
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They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink
They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end
But everybody's only looking out for themselves
And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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31.01.2012 - 02:49
Rating: 7
Angelic Storm
Melodious
Written by RavenKing on 31.01.2012 at 00:49
You already know I agree about NIME being one of the weakest Blind Guardian album. I mentioned a few times how I believe this album is probably the most overrated Powermetal album of all time.


Yep, I am aware of that, and you likewise, already know how I feel about the album as we have discussed it on these boards before. As for most overrated power metal album of all time... I'd probably go along with that, as other much lauded power metal albums (such as the original 2 Helloween Keeper albums, Iced Earth's "Night Of The Stormrider", and Symphony X's "The Odyssey") are all pretty much deserving of the huge praise heaped upon them, whereas this album is not. Blind Guardian have made albums deserving of such praise, but not this one imo. When it's good, it's great, but those moments are fleeting, and the album contains far too much filler to be regarded as a classic.
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31.01.2012 - 04:17
RavenKing

Written by Angelic Storm on 31.01.2012 at 02:49

As for most overrated power metal album of all time... I'd probably go along with that, as other much lauded power metal albums (such as the original 2 Helloween Keeper albums, Iced Earth's "Night Of The Stormrider", and Symphony X's "The Odyssey") are all pretty much deserving of the huge praise heaped upon them, whereas this album is not.


Agreed.
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They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink
They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end
But everybody's only looking out for themselves
And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
Loading...
31.01.2012 - 05:48
Rating: 7
R'Vannith
ghedengi
This is one of those albums you have to listen to in full to really appreciate, with all the short bits and pieces scattered everywhere they build a nice atmosphere around the longer tracks. Unfortunate that the longer tracks don't really hold up to material like you find on 'Imaginations from the Other Side' or 'Tales from the Twilight World'.
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13.02.2012 - 11:45
Rating: 7
Mountain King
K i K o
Not more than a 7. But it's still way better than the horrible A Night At The Opera. Blind Guardian is too overrated, i don't get why they are the favorite power metal band of so much people. Even more overrated than Iced Earth...
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01.03.2012 - 21:54
Rating: 7
Korah

Pretty good album, the best I heard from Blind Guardian.
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Don't cry for my English
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30.05.2012 - 07:25
Rating: 8
mikeprado30

Written by Mountain King on 13.02.2012 at 11:45

Not more than a 7. But it's still way better than the horrible A Night At The Opera. Blind Guardian is too overrated, i don't get why they are the favorite power metal band of so much people. Even more overrated than Iced Earth...

In my case is for the GREAT Hansi Kursch's voice. I love hugely his unique voice! Since I listened Valhalla in Tokyo Tales I fell in love with his voice forever And also 'cause (at least for myself) they have so much power in their early efforts, and even in his latter they don't lose quality (even when I miss their speedy days).

And TOTALLY disagree about calling "horrible" ANATO. For myself is their second best one. And every track is amazing for myself.
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BARDS WE ARE, BARDS WE WILL BE!
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30.05.2012 - 07:31
Rating: 8
mikeprado30

Written by Guilherme on 29.09.2011 at 21:11

My favorite Album ever.
By far the best Blind Guardian album.

Quote:
Their MOST overrated album, and also one of the MOST overrated albums in the music history, though for myself is a very nice album with very nice tracks (Mirror Mirror, When Sorrow Sang, Thorn, Time Stands Still, A Dark Passage, The Curse of Fëanor)

Their MOST UNDERRATED.

Only 8.9, it deserves MORE THEN 10.

Btw, are you seriously telling me that you don't like Into the Storm and Nightfall? WTF? Maybe my 2 top Blind Guardian songs.

Every time I listen this album and remember the story of the book... it's just way too epic.


Well, neither Into The Storm nor Nightfall impresses me so much. For my taste they are very weak (I love more the fastest BG side, songs like The Script for my Requiem, Valhalla, Born In A Mourning Hall, and some epic ones like And Then, Wheel of Time, Sacred Worlds, Curse My Name and others). I don't want to say those tracks from NIME are bad, just they don't get in my weak point like the ones I mentioned.

And for myself the best one is IMAGINATIONS FROM THE OTHER SIDE because it has the things I'm searching in the music. Aggresive music, fast tempo, catchy and charmful melodies and a GREAT voice (in IFTOS the Hansi's voice sounds more natural).

I've always said that the people overrates this album gets so because they sustain this point with their Tolkien fanatism.
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BARDS WE ARE, BARDS WE WILL BE!
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11.07.2012 - 10:04
Rating: 8
CobiWan1993
Secundum Filium
This album is absolutely amazing. This album is neck-to-neck with my other favorite BG album Night at the Opera!
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Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe (Lao Tzu).
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06.10.2012 - 18:04
LordHypnos
Account deleted
Great album, but too many fillers. They annoy me a lot!
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10.11.2012 - 17:25
Rating: 8
JÄY
Metal slave
Written by Yaniv on 10.11.2012 at 16:04

I will always prefer the first three speed metal albums.


Indeed, sir
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01.01.2013 - 17:25
Rating: 6
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Last BG album .. secend lats in listen (since tribute to BG is not direct BG)
This album actualy onme song Mirror Mirror is wjhy I know this band I saw video when it was out and I thought is Marilion, then some yeras leither I found out and in 2004 starts my possession whity BG, same time when i net arived at my house , by by dial up, and real net came so, well about album its diferent there more epic tales, epic talkings how muisc, and muiscaly its most power metal (I dont remeber next one and I dont care, I know all who follow to this one is cheasy power and boring to my ears) so even this is also more power how previusly but still its OK
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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27.02.2014 - 04:58
Rating: 8
Rulatore

Their most overrated album, together with IFTOS. It has some all time classics (Time Stands Still (At The Iron Hill), Mirror Mirror, Nightfall, Into the Storm) and some good tunes (The curse of feanor, when the sorrow sang), the rest is some interludes and fillers
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27.02.2014 - 05:24
Rating: 8
JÄY
Metal slave
I highly suggest listening to the Traveler's Guide remaster of this as the rhythm guitar can finally be heard!
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08.05.2014 - 09:11
Rating: 8
Sang Dalang Abu

Well Nightfall In Middle-Earth, just have this album didn't mean I love this album. For me it's boringgggg but there are nice 2 songs. 6/10
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20.02.2015 - 15:49
Rating: 6
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Cynic Metalhead on 31.07.2011 at 02:02

This album has changed the definition of "EPIC"!


2 songs (good) rest is like speaking book
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
12.04.2015 - 13:35
Rating: 8
musclassia

I think I've been too harsh on this album previously; yes the constant narration is annoying, but they last for about 5 minutes total, and when you take them away the songs that are left are for the most part better than I remembered. Still not won over by Nightfall, but in particular Into The Storm, Mirror Mirror and Noldor are really nice songs. Still probably the weakest of their 'classic' era (I'd hold every album prior to it up until Follow The Blind as better, as well as at least ANATO) but not bad at all
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