Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
First Impressions and Later Impressions, April 22, 2006
Here's my impressions of the single.
The first time I listened to it, I thought the song Fly had a Weird intro. I was like what the hell is making that scratchy noise? Then I got into the song, and I liked it as it got going. It has some very epic elements, but it is also very succinct. Not as elaborate as "And Then There Was Silence," but in many ways more understandable. The guitar solo I thought was one of Andre's best and most definable.
Then Skalds and Shadows came on and I was by this time fairly psyched to be blown away. I had read about this song being "in the tradition of 'Bards Song' and 'Past And Future Secret'," but I guess I was hoping for more. It's a good song by itself, but the problem is that it doesn't bring anything new to the table. That's why I really liked "Maiden/Minstrel Knight." It was entirely BG ballad, but at the same time it was completely different from any ballad they had done previously. Skalds and Shadows just doesn't differentiate itself from the BG ballad sound enough for me.
Inna Gadda Da Vida was a nice bonus. The riff was cool, but Hansi's vocals sounded a little weird. Like he was trying to be true to the original singer but couldn't do it.
Those were my first impressions of the single.
After several weeks of listening to Fly on and off I have changed my mind about a few things. Firstly, the song Fly is one of the best songs the band has ever done. It builds tension in just the right places and releases it like sex. The guitar solo is a thing of beauty in its initial simplicity and in building complexity. I still think the beginning is weird, but the rest of the song is so perfect that I say, who cares. Skalds and Shadows is still too much of a template song, though it stands alone as a beautiful ballad. Inna Gadda Da Vida has grown on me. What at first seemed like bad vocals now seem to be exactly what they were intended to be. A mixture of Iron Butterfly and Blind Guardian.
There are a lot of people who are going to say "this isn't Blind Guardian" simply because while the band are maturing and developing a more complex style, these "naysayers" have stayed behind in the dust. These are the same people who think Batallions of Fear was Blind Guardian's finest work, and who also think Metallica is the greatest metal band of all time. So unless you think Batallions was the band's best album (raises eyebrows), or Metallica the greatest thing since sliced bread (smiles), pay these naysayers no heed. If you want Blind Guardian to "return to their roots," then think again. This has been done before, and it's never worked out. Remember Iron Maiden's "No Prayer For The Dying"? It was exactly a return to Maiden's roots, and it tanked. The wonderful thing about Blind Guardian is that they have improved from each of their albums to the next, and this single, Fly, is a perfect example of how the band continue to broaden and improve their music. "Just when you think they couldn't get any better" is a phrase not uncommon among Blind Guardian fans, and there's a reason for that.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Can't wait for the full album, April 27, 2006
The only other music I've heard by Blind Guardian was A Night at the Opera. That album didn't really do it for me, but after listening to the melodic metal powerhouse "Fly," my interest in the group has been renewed. Two more songs are featured on this single release. The group harkens back to Medieval Times with the acoustic version of "Skalds and Shadows," and delivers one of the most energetic and progressive versions I've ever heard of "In a Gadda Da Vida." Can't wait for the full album.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Song, May 15, 2006
Don't let anyone tell you that this song sucks. I can't wait for the new album and am pleased that Blind Guardian continue to grow instead of re-making "Nightfall..." over and over.
This song has an odd beginning, and takes a couple spins to really grow, but it's a phenomenally crafted song and definitely sounds like Blind Guardian, completely with only slightly-less sludgey and layered production than usual.
Good for them for being creative. Shame on the close-minded members of their fanbase.
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