Metal album of the day!?

Question

"Imaginations from the Other Side"

Released in 1995, this is one of the best power metal records ever.. and arguably Blind Guardian's best album! The songs in general have a darker tone as compared to their previous albums..

For those of u that havent listened to the album..here are a few songs :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaT9PtjSO0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxOZMpuGBjI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEUQNsyeTQw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zElsP8VaZI4

MQ : Opinions on the album?

BQ1 : Your Top 5 power metal albums?

BQ2 : Favourite metal vocalist?

Answer 1

MA: Imaginations From the Other Side is one of my favorite CDs, easily a top 20. It is a perfect example of a band combining speed and melody. Hansi is probably at his best and the guitar work is unbelievable. A must have for anyone who is a fan of heavy metal.



BQ1: I probably have 50 power metal CDs that I could easily place in my top 5 and feel good about it. Here are five that I greatly enjoy. (I will leave Imaginations off my list but it would probably list it as my favorite.

1. Iced Earth Horror Show

2. Morgana Lefay-Maleficium

3. Blind Guardian-Nightfall in Middle Earth

4. Helloween-Better Than Raw

5. Gamma Ray-No World Order



BQ2: There are so many great vocalists. It would probably be a toss up between Matt Barlow and Charles Rytkönen (Morgana Lefay). Both are great and have a fairly unique vocal style.

Answer 2

Hey! :D



aw yes Blind Guardian a very overlooked power metal band. yes I kind of agree it is rather darker than their previous albums. but I think just like in most power metal the songs also have those positive sounding moments primarily in the chorus parts. I think its a good album I think they are a great band. I guess I just didn't take to them as I did to certain other power metal bands. funny you mention this because just a few days ago I was listening to their latest release this year At the Edge of Time, pretty good. and a user and good friend on here Tron (Owen) just saw them live for that tour not too long ago and recorded some footage of the show he sent me some links and they just sounded great. they have had a long life and still going pretty strong that's always a positive in metal as within the genre all the bands that just come and go in short periods and then disappear.



BQ1:

The Spectre Within - Fates Warning

Awaken the Guardian - Fates Warning

Into The Mirror Black - Sanctuary

Keeper of the Seven Keys - Helloween

Keeper of the Seven Keys part 2 - Helloween



BQ2: I will just go favorite in general if that's okay. Mike Patton



allow me to create a BQ3: if that's okay.



BQ3: Is there an abomination in power metal? YES, DragonForce

Answer 3

MQ: Never been a Blind Guardian fan by any means, but if asked to pick one album by them, it would definitely be "Somewhere Far Beyond". That being said "Imaginations from the Other Side" is pretty decent too. Vocals (and the chorus) has always been my problem with Blind Guardian. This album is no different. Musically, i would put this album above most of the other Blind Guardian albums. The guitar works are melodic and there is a pronounced melancholic feel to most of the songs. Even though Blind Guardian isn't my cup of tea, i would definitely recommend this album to any power metal enthusiast.





BA: Symphony X - The Odyssey

Iced Earth - Horror Show

Stratovarius - Destiny

Grave Digger - Excalibur

Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy









BA2: Russell Allen, Bruce Dickinson,

Answer 4

Love me some Blind Guardian! It's only my fourth fave from them though.



MA: Good, solid, but not their best.



BA1:



1 Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II - Helloween

2 Keeper of the Seven Keys - Helloween

3 Something Wicked This Way Comes - Iced Earth

4 Horror Show - Iced Earth

5 Follow The Blind - Blind Guardian



BA2:



1 Rob Halford

2 Bruce Dickinson

3 Geoff Tate

4 Ripper Owens

5 Matt Barlow

Answer 5

I would agree with your assessment. Fabulous album, and the one that got me into Blind guardian in the first place.



Will Edit in a few.



*EDIT*



OK, so I am not gonna lie. I am not as in love with Hansi as many Power Metal fans are, but when BG is on they are very on. Since this was the first BG album I ever heard, that might well impact why I still hold it apart from the rest. Tales from the Twilight World is probably right there with it though. As for why, IDK, there is just a vibe about those albums. I don't listen to them as much as I do other stuff, so it probably does impact my overall ability to evaluate them. For instance I know a lot of P-Metal fans that frothed over "At the Edge of Time" this year, which was a good album. But I rank it as the third best P-Metal album of the year at best, as i feel Sabaton's "Coat of Arms" and Avantasia's "Wicked Symphony" are much stronger overall albums, but I admit that is just my opinion.



BQ1: Top 5 Power Metal albums? That is a toughie.

Probably............. (In no particular order)

Helloween - Keeper of the 7 keys II (The Seminal Power Metal album, though I for one feel Walls of Jericho was almost as good, but keeper 1&2 truly set the blueprint for all Epic P-Metal to follow)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niIIwVStGok

Iced Earth - Horror Show (Amazing blend of Thrash and Power, vocals off the charts)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL1pj0vpI8U

Nightwish - Century Child (One of the most "EPIC" sounding albums ever recorded, and my fave Symph P-Metal album)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pjh0visgJI

Manilla Road - the Deluge (The album that introduced me to Manilla Road)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck-KzmR5gwk

StormLord - Mare Nostrum (Most epic mix of Black and Power Metal ever)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMs398QhHOk



and as a Runner Up... even though they generally are the epitome of cheese.........

MANOWAR - The Triumph of Steel (Actually a very well done album, and Achilles, the Agony and Ecstasy in 8 pts should be mandatory Metal listening!

http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?p=E120D0028A408329

(I made a playlist since ain't no way to get it on one youtube)



BQ2: Female, still and always Tarja Turunen (Nightwish)

Male a close tie between Tim "Ripper" Owens (for full range and fury) and Matt Barlow, who IMO has the most nuanced and emotive voice in Power Metal.



BQ3: Yes, Faerie Tale Victory Metal is real metal! (Love ya Brian, lol.. just remembering our old wars back in the day =P)

Answer 6

I actually have a no longer worry-free time even thinking the the amassing and Demonic are testomony albums in basic terms for the reality that there are in basic terms 2 individuals in the band. I even have been a fan for over 2 an prolonged time those albums basically did no longer do it for me. No Skolnick = no longer testomony. IMO BA: I for sure desire the previous sort like the Legacy and the recent Order.

Answer 7

I saw them live about two weeks ago. Best. Concert. Ever.



This is easily my favourite BG album, my favourite track is probably Soulforged, though every other one is pure amazing. The vocals, the Instrumentation... it's indescribably amazing



BQ1:

Noble by Versailles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAXjoe_ghqE

Karma by Kamelot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4wV4rxTqfU

One For All... All For One by Galneryus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjnNOkjnLVI&feature=related

Reflections by MinstreliX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HNuc5htiSs

Once by Nightwish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVNtnOFdP4Y



(though, there are so many albums that I like almost as much, such as Horror Show, Ghost Opera, Defying The Rules, Ecliptica, ect.)



BQ2: Roy Kahn

Answer 8

Metallica: Kill 'Em All :-D