Album Review: Blind Guardian's Battalions Of Fear

Sorry for getting this up a little later than normal fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

I genuinely don’t know why I dragged my feet with this review, especially considering the band in question. Blind Guardian is one of the most iconic bands within the realm of Power Metal, and I rightfully picked them for part one of my return to Power Metal Pandemonium. But for some reason I was slow when coming up with this review, and that’s a shame considering the subject of today’s review. I sat myself down, gave things a listen, and now I love the record I looked at today. So, get on your chainmail shirt, resist putting on that gold ring you found, and enjoy my review of Blind Guardian’s inaugural release, Battalions Of Fear. Let’s begin!

Background
Our story begins in 1984, in the little German town of Krefeld. There, vocalist & bassist  Hansi Kürsch, along with guitarists Andre Olbrich & Markus Dörk, and drummer  Thomen Stauch would form the band Lucifer’s Heritage. They would briefly be a quintet with the addition of a second lead vocalist, Thomas Kelleners, but he would leave 3 months later on good terms with everyone else. The band would release 2 demos in 1985 & 86 despite undergoing somelineup changes: Dörk and Stauch were replaced by Christof Theißen and Hans-Peter Frey, respectively. Finally in 87, Marcus Siepen joined and Thomen came back to form the lineup that would stay this way for the next 18 years.

After the band signed a deal with No Remorse Records by the late 80s, they changed their name to Blind Guardian to avoid any speculations about Satanism and to distance themselves from the Black Metal Movement. They got the idea of their new name from the Fates Warning album Awaken the Guardian, and the rest was history. After etching their identity in stone, they got to work in the studio from October to November of 1987 on their first release, and on the 17th of May in 1998, Battalions Of Fear was release. Inspired by their compatriots Helloween, the album was more of a speed & thrash album rather than what they would later be known for, but it would still be highly praised by anyone that listened.

Basic Description
Speed, Thrash, & Power!

While the band would be know later on in their career as absolute titans of Power Metal, their first outing was far more in the camp of Speed Metal than anything. Granted, there was plenty of fantasy (Lord Of The Rings to be specific) references, but for the most part Battalions Of Fear comes across like a traditional Speed Metal album of the late 80s. Don’t hold that against Blind Guardian: Despite turning into a Power Metal band down the road, they have a bit of versatility to them. They can go Thrash, Power, Prog, and even Symphonic when they want to. So for them to start out playing relatively simple styles was probably a safe move. Even then, Battalions Of Fear comes at you with the force of 10 stallions that’ll trample over you 10 ways to Tuesday! Guitars that come across like lightning. Drums that feel like thunder, and vocal work that sounds like it comes from a elderly yet badass sage.....you know you’re in for a hell of a time!

Best Track
Hard to pick just one. I’ll mention it again below, but virtually every single song is an absolute blast to listen to. From the opening grandeur of Majesty, to the siege themed title track, and even the instrumental Gandalf’s Rebirth, there is something for everyone on Battalions Of Fear to enjoy. If I had to pick a favorite track, I’d have to put it on Wizard’s Crown. I’m not sure why, but something about the song is just fun. I don’t know what it is, but it decides to rent an apartment in your brain, and it’s sure as hell not leaving anytime soon. If a song can do that to me, you know I’m gonna love it.

Wizard’s Crown

Worst Track
Honestly, I can’t think of anything. Apart from it’s age (Even the remaster still feels like it’s got some dust on it), there’s not a single fault to be had. If one wanted to be picky, you could argue that the shorter tracks aren’t as memorable, but even then there’s something to them that momentarily stick to your musical memory.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Battalions Of Fear

Overall Impression & Rating
Battalions Of Fear is a wonderful start for Blind Guardian. It may not have the Power Metal flavoring that fans would come to know from the band, but it’s an important brick in the mansion of Heavy Metal’s most over-the-top subgenre. It’s definitely a classic that more than deserves the recognition it gets, and 30+ years later the album shows that metal can be fun as well as serious.

Battalions Of Fear gets a 8.5 to 9 out of 10.

And that concludes part 1 of the return to Power Metal Pandemonium. Again, I’m sorry for putting this review out a little later than normal, but I hope you didn’t mind the wait. I got much more planned, but July is just around the corner, so join me next week when it’ll be time to shine on the ladies once again. See you soon!

Album Review: Stryper's Soldiers Under Command

Welcome back to the return of Power Metal Pandemonium fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

At the beginning of the month we saw one of the cornerstones of the genre in the form of Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow inaugural record, and it’s ties to the genre we know & love today. Now, we have a more unusual contributor to Power Metal’s awakening......and that’s Stryper!

Now, I’ve talked about this band twice now: once in 2017 during the overview I did (Which you can read here), and the other time just a few short months ago for my Easter special (Which you can read here). They are an oddity within the world of Heavy Metal, as they are firm believers of the word of God & Jesus Christ, yet at the same time are some of the best providers of not just Hair Metal, but some of the founding bricks of Power Metal. I sort of hinted at this in my overview, but I meant it! The album of today’s review harkens to both styles, but whether the band knew it or not, they were helping create one of the most important metal subgenres. So, get on your yellow & black leather outfits, say a prayer to heaven above, and take a look at my review for Soldiers Under Command! Let’s begin.

Background
By the early 80s, Stryper had begun it’s ascend to metal icons. In July of 84 they had put out The Yellow And Black Attack, and while it wasn’t exactly the biggest seller (It did sell 150,000 copies in the first 3 weeks however), it did put the band on the map. During this time, Stryper went with & opened for bands such as Ratt and Bon Jovi, which in turn lead some fans and critics to claim that they were not really a Christian band (Which we all know is bullshit). These negative fans & critics were absolutely flabbergasted when Soldiers Under Command came onto the scene! Released on May the 15th, 1985, Soldiers Under Command was the band’s first full-blown record, and it was also the first Christian Metal album to go gold (Selling more than half a million copies). To date, this is the album that fans immediately think of when talking about Stryper, and for very good reason because.......

Basic Description
Powerful Hair!

That sounds like a weird thing to say, but Soldiers Under Command really is like that! It’s Hair Metal, but it’s Power Metal at the exact same time. The band look like they came out of an Aquanet factory (Despite the yellow & black attire, as well as the guns), and the tracks have the simplicity & catchiness you find with Hair Metal, but there’s also the feel good nature & triumphant spirit that is in the heart of all Power Metal bands. This is all coupled with a unique take on Christianity: the band wants all who listen to them to believe in the word of Jesus Christ, but they never shove their faith down your throat. They preach, but it never comes across as dogmatic or condescending. It really is a unique experience listening to this album, and it’s one that’s still incredible today.

Best Track
Like I said back in 2017, the title track & Together Forever are the best songs on here (Though everything with the exception of the worst track is excellent). Soldiers Under Command the song is just a catchy Power Metal anthem. You got the energetic guitars, the triumphant drumwork , and Michael Sweet is singing his blessed heart out. Together Forever definitely shows off the band’s Hair Metal side: catchy & poppy beats, simplistic yet well-done instrumentation, good vibes that are equallt fit to be in the band’s other style, and vocal work that isn’t overwhelming. Both songs perfectly embody what Stryper wanted to be, and both would help create a style of metal that’s still with us today.

Soldiers Under Command

Together Forever

Worst Track
Going back to my overview of the band from 2017, First Love is the lone bad song on the album. Outside of a wonderful guitar solo towards the end, there’s really not much here that’s memorable. Michael Sweet’s vocal work isn’t all that special, and the instrumentation just seems plain & uninspired. It is a bit of a chore to go along with, but that solo towards the end does make it a worthwhile experience....barely.

First Love

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:

Soldiers Under Command

Overall Impression & Rating
Soldiers Under Command is proof positive that Stryper were disciples of God & Jesus, yet were not ego filled like the supposed “Christians” that would criticize & berate them. Sure they were preaching with their music, but they never shoved their faith down people’s throats, and they always made sure that their audience was equal to them. Even for those who didn’t hold any belief system, the band were a Hair/Power Metal force to be reckoned with! They had the talent, they had the charisma, and they had the ability to hold people attention with their music. Even just over 35 years old, Soldiers Under Commando is still an important piece of music in both styles....and it’s still good today.

Soldiers Under Command gets a 9.5 out of 10.

And that was my look at Stryper’s first heavyweight release, Soldiers Under Command. An important piece of music not just for Hair Metal, but for Power Metal, and even religious themed Heavy Metal in general. Whether you’re a person of faith or not, this is an album that’s worth your time. With that out of the way, we got 1 last album to look at....so let’s visit a blind guardian for the knowledge we seek. See you then!

My Top 10 Heroes Of The Storm Characters (5.0 Special)

Remember when I said last year I did my final Heroes of the Storm panel? Well, I lied fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

This year marks the 5th anniversary that Blizzard’s entry into the MOBA arena, and despite the company trying to kill the game off (Alongside a lack of updates & the plague), there’s still a relatively healthy player base keeping it alive. I’ve said it to a few friends, and I’ll say it here: I will play HotS until the very day that the servers get turned off. To celebrate this rather under the radar birthday, I’m going to be doing something a little different this time around. Instead of doing a top 10 characters list, I’m going to cover my favorite characters across the entire class system. Not the new system that nobody but the try-hards wanted, but rather the original class system that had nothing wrong with it. I won’t go into why I like these characters, as I’ve done so in prior lists (I’m also feeling lazy, as there’s 20 characters here!). Still, here are my favorite Heroes of the Storm characters from across the game!

Warrior
5) Artanis

4) Cho’Gall (Cho)

3) Zarya

2) Blaze

1) Dehaka

Assassin
5) Orphea

4) Malthael

3) Tracer

2) Fenix

1) The Butcher

Specialist
5) Probius

4) Medivh

3) Xul

2) Zagara

1) Sgt. Hammer

Support
5) Deckard Cain

4) Stukov

3) Kharazim

2) LiLi

1) Lt. Morales

And there were my favorite characters across the breadth of Heroes of the Storm. It’s a shame that the game got shoved to the side in a rough manner, but the fans have continued to keep it alive after all this time. With that said, the return of Power Metal Pandemonium is here, and around the middle of the month, we're getting our strypes back on. See you then!

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If you’re curious about what my list was last year (Along with subsequent years), click on the link below:

My Top 10 Heroes of the Storm Characters

My Top 10 Heroes of the Storm Characters (2.0)

My Top 10 Heroes of the Storm Characters (3.0)

My Top 10 Heroes of the Storm Characters (4.0)

Album Review: Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow

Welcome fellow Otaku & Metalheads, to the return.......OF POWER METAL PANDEMONIUM!!!!!

Many of you might recall when I did this particular festival back in 2017, and I have good reason to bring it back for 2020. The world’s going to hell: plague is everywhere, political competency is at an all-time low, people are at each other’s throats, no one seems to want to get along, and the world burns. However, I want to alleviate even a sliver of that negativity, so I’m injecting some happy into all of your asses! Power Metal has always been the happy subgenre of metal, and I’m going to give it to all of you whether you like it or not!....but you’ll probably like it.

To kick off our return to Power Metal Pandemonium, let’s go back to the basics. Let’s go back to when it was just beginning to form, and I don’t mean the 80s! We’re heading back to 1975 for this review, and to a band many longtime Hard Rock fans might recognize. Yes, Hard Rock everybody! As far as I know, this is the first time I ever took a look at a band in this style, so this should be a lot of fun! Now, get your walking stick & traveling boots, and let’s take a trip to a rainbow. Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, that is. Let the review begin!

Background
Taken from Wikipedia:

“By 1973, Blackmore had steered Deep Purple through a significant personnel change, with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover being replaced by David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. However, the new members were keen to add musical styles and Blackmore found his request to record the Steve Hammond-penned "Black Sheep of the Family" with "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" turned down by the band. He decided to record the song with Dio instead, using Dio's band Elf as musicians. He enjoyed the results, and a full album, billed as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, was recorded between February and March 1975 at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany. The band name was inspired by the Rainbow Bar and Grill in West Hollywood, California.

Rainbow's music was partly inspired by classical music since Blackmore started playing cello to help him construct interesting chord progressions, and Dio wrote lyrics about medieval themes. Dio possessed a powerful and versatile vocal range that encompassed hard rock and lighter ballads. Blackmore reported, "I felt shivers down my spine." Although Dio never played a musical instrument on any Rainbow album, he is credited with writing and arranging the music with Blackmore, in addition to writing all the lyrics. Blackmore and Dio also found a common ground in their sense of humour. Rainbow, said the singer, "was my opportunity to show my wares. I thank Ritchie for that all the time. Ritchie Blackmore is the one who gave me my opportunity to show what I was worth."”

Rainbow would go on to be a big successful release. It made it into the UK’s Top 20 list, and over here in the states it would be in the top 30. Due to this success & positive experience of working alongside Ronnie James Dio, Blackmore decided to leave Deep Purple, and the rest is history.

Basic Description
Old School Hard Rock & Metal with a fantasy twist.

At first glad, I can see why people would scratch their heads when I call this a building block of Power Metal. In fact, this album doesn’t even sound like metal to a certain degree! Rainbow is more of a Hard Rock record, albeit one that has elements of Heavy Metal to it, along with medieval/fantasy imagery and a hint or two of the blues. However, it’s this mix that hardens it into something that Power Metal would begin to build upon in the 80s, and establish it in the decades afterwards. Rainbow is an album that just catches your imagination with it’s evocative storytelling in each of it’s songs, and hooks you with it’s blusey, rocky, metallic instrumentation. It definitely might make some people do a double take upon their first listen, but I have a sneaking suspicion that they’ll probably like it afterwards!

Best Track
I think people who aren’t even fans of this album or the band in general might be familiar with Man on the Silver Mountain. The opening track off this record, it shows off it’s fantasy roots in weird ways. The instrumentation is firmly rooted in Hard Rock (Along with some metallic hints, and perhaps a slivers of blues & medieval elements), and Dio simultaneously croons and sings his way through it. But it’s the lyrics that show off where the band lies. There’s the journey-like feeling as the song plays, and Ronnie leads us through it as if he was an elderly storyteller you’d find in a cozy tavern in a small village. A song that’s more than worthy to start this album off, and I love it!

Man on the Silver Mountain

Worst Track
The only real fault I have with Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow is the same As when I did my overview on the Quake & Diablo franchises, and that’s age. Coming in at 45 years old in 2020, there’s a dated feel over everything: from the instrumentation, to the vocals, to the production, Rainbow is a record of it’s time. I don’t have a problem with this, as I’ve gained quite an appreciation for older music. It’s younger people that’ll probably be turned off by the age of this release, although with the boom in records & record players in recent years this might not be as much of an issue.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:

Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow

Overall Impression & Rating
Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow may not be Power Metal in the traditional sense, but with the funky nature of Ronnie’s singing and imaginative lyrics, makes this a Hard Rock/Heavy Metal album that’s got a bit of funk behind it. Younger listeners might be put off by the album’s age, but due to an appreciation for older music in recent years, I’m kind of fond of Ritchie Blackmore’s first outing. It may not be the 1st thing I go for when I’m in the mood for something heavy, but I sure as hell won’t complain if I hear it blasting through some speakers!

Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow gets a 8 out of 10.

And thus the return of Power Metal Pandemonium begins here, and while it may have been a strange choice to start off with a band like this, it’s one I feel was necessary. Well, with the first review done we got more powerful metal to cover this summer, but first there’s one thing I gotta do, so join me tomorrow......when we’ll take one final trip into the Nexus. See you then!


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If you’d like to see how I started off last year, click on the link below:

Album Review - Iron Maiden’s Powerslave