Customer Reviews

Twist in the Myth

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I must admit I was leery of this release. A Night at the Opera was so busy and packed with tracks that it gave me a headache each time I tried to listen to it.

But A Twist in the Myth is astounding. The guitar riffs are - as the included interview track says -- '70s and '80s sounding. They have a crunchy-ness that I really like. And they're prominent, too. Right out front instead of buried under layer upon layer of stacked guitars and vocals.

And the fun kicks off from the very first track -- "This Will Never End." Great riffs, almost Judas Priest-like.

A few stand-out tracks for me:

Track 3: "Turn the Page," which has an anthemic, Celtic sound. Hansi's Na-na-na chorus is so catchy I hope they perform this one live. It would bring down the house. This is a really fine track!

Track 5: "Carry the Blessed Home," which is another big anthemic track with a melody that sweeps me away. This track is grand and uplifting, a big sound without an overpowering use of multi-track recording.

Track 6: "Another Stranger Me," which begins with a guitar riff straight from a .38 Special or Lynryd Skynrd album. Crunchy, catchy, and powerful.

Track 9: "Skalds and Shadows," a minstrel-like track with a pretty, emotional melody and acoustic guitars at the start that remain that way throughout. It's just a pretty track sandwiched in between a couple of all-out corkers.

Track 12: "Dead Sound of Misery," a powerful drum- and guitar-driven track that's a perfect way to end the album. Great soloing.

Hansi's voice is more restrained on A Twist in the Myth. He's less screechy and definitely less multi-tracked.

This is a tremendous release from Blind Guardian -- one of the world's most consistently fascinating bands. This is a powerful album, full of great guitar riffs, beautiful melodies, and anthemic themes. I highly recommend A Twist in the Myth.

I'm so glad these guys are touring the U.S. this fall. I can't wait to see them play these songs live!

I don't have an awful lot to say about this album. BG have pulled things back a bit here, and 'Twist in the Myth' is definitely a bit more restrained and less over the top than the last album. They've made it more purely metallic with a greater emphasis on the rhythm guitar, and just the electric guitar in general. (Though it's still, by rational standards, extremely over the top and dramatic. This is BG, after all.) I'm neither disappointed nor pleased with this change; every sound BG has used has worked, it's just a matter of songwriting and, to a lesser extent, production. And, unfortunately, both of these are relatively weak here. Most significantly, with regards to the production, the rhythm guitars here just don't have any crunch. They're way to clean sounding, to processed and artificial. (Alright, that doesn't technically make much sense, but I can't come up with any other way to put it.) Just compare, say 'This Will Never End' to 'Welcome to Dying' or 'Journey through the Dark' or whatever. The rhythm guitar just doesn't propel you the same way now as it did then, and this drive is very important. It doesn't cripple the album, but it doesn't have the same impact it could've either. Drums are a bit weak sounding too.

As far as songwriting goes, it's consistently good, but they rarely blow you away the way they can at their best. The opener, 'This Will Never End' is excellent, easily the best thing here, but it's really not as good as the best tracks on just about any of their other albums. Other than that I have a hard time picking out any particular standouts. ('Fly' is one, I suppose, and 'The Edge' and perhaps 'Otherland' .) The songs all sound good when you're listening to them, but they don't stick with you the way they should. I've probably listened to this, I dunno, a dozen and looking over the track list there are still a few songs I can't really think of what they sound like specifically. This really shouldn't be the case for a power metal album, much less a Blind Guardian album. That all said, 'A Twist in the Myth' really doesn't have any particular tracks which should obviously be pulled, which isn't the case with some of their earlier albums. Nevertheless, it should probably be pared back by 2 tracks or so, just because it's got so many tracks which are just pretty good that they blend together a bit. Beyond all this, there really isn't anything at all new to find here, just the standard compilation of huge chorus, medieval melodies, fast alt-pick riffs and so on. I don't really mind when a band doesn't progress much, but the repetition here really serves to heighten the good but not remarkable songwriting. If some of these more average songs had a bit of novelty to them they might stand out more, but they don't.

Still, though I've complained a lot, this is definitely a good album and a worthwhile pick up for any Blind Guardian fan. There really isn't anything wrong with it, but it doesn't really come out and grab as much as it ought to either.

Okay, I'm not a devoted fan, nor did I hold any personal expectations for "A Twist in the Myth." I bought it on a blind buy, when the only thing I've heard from Blind Guardian were a few of their songs (such as Another Holy War...) But I disgress, because despite such inexperience with past listening, I still found this album very enjoyable.

None of the songs jumped out in my head as being "spectacular", but they were all well-played to such an extent that it does not matter. The whole album stands as the sum greater then its individual parts, rather then the typical, "1 single, 3 so-so's, 7 other crappy fillers" that you'd find in today's albums. I prefer things this way, because when I spend $16 on an album, I expect to pay for the whole album and not just a few pegs that made in on the top 10 for a week.

This is not detracting from any of the songs on the album. I found many of them to be rather melodramatic, smooth-flowing, crunchy-yet-consistent. This gave me a nice change of pace after I've put in a few hours on the train-wreck (almost in a good way) that was "A Matter of Life and Death" (Iron Maiden). If you're someone who's a casual listener of metal or into to all kinds of music (such as much), I would recommend adding this to your collection. If you're a hardcore follower, then who knows you might be disappointed... just dont take things to seriously and enjoy the show.

Rating any given Blind Guardian album is rather difficult, because they vary so much from album to album. People often whine about this, and I don't quite understand it. Looking at many of their interviews and such, BG has made it quite clear since their conception that they are the type of band who seeks new sounds and experiments in different means of musical presentation with every project they do.

"A Twist in the Myth" is definitely a lot of new stuff, but this album is definitely reminiscent of past BG themes and styles. This particular album is unique in that it brings a lot of the softer elements of BG music and intensifies them, and by that I mean this album is not very "crunchy." Am I still not making sense? The sound here has quite obviously reached a level of digital remastering (some would say editing) that is unprecedented in this band's history. Guitars are a little less solo-oriented (although guitarist Andre Olbrich certainly does not fail to deliver in songs where we do hear him in all his glory!), and a little more attention is spent on background patterns or melodic chord progression. This album is the maiden album of BG's new drummer Frederik Ehmke, and I for one am not disappointed in the least...the drum patterns are smooth and work very well with what the rest of the band is doing. Perhaps the biggeset part of this album is BG's beloved lead vocalist, Hansi Kursch, and rightfully so. The grand majority of BG fans simply can't get enough of this man's power and diverse styles. He absolutely delivers on "Myth." It is in Hansi's voice that the digital work is most apparent, but do not mistake that for a derogatory remark! He sounds GREAT - you get a taste of his immense power and fantastic range on virtually every song. One thing you won't hear, however, is the throaty screaming sound Hansi pulled off in previous albums (think "Another Holy War" from "Imaginations from the Other Side" and the like), but the greatness seen here makes it completely forgivable (some are glad of the lack thereof).

1. "This Will Never End" - good sound, probably the speediest song on the track, but still doesn't have a complete thrash sound. Imagine a more melodic, less frantic "I'm Alive."
2. "Otherland" - my personal favorite song on the album. Listen to the vocals on this one, it's what you're going to be hearing for most of the album (that isn't to say if you don't like this give up! then again, it's hard -not- to like this one)
3. "Turn the Page" - another one of my favorites. This is an interesting one, as it completely captures that jovial medieval melody style, yet has all the energy of the best of BG.
4. "Fly" - well done, BG. this was the single that preceded the album, and I would argue (as the band did) that this a completely new sound for BG. give it a shot - I bet you'll like it.
5. "Carry the Blessed Home" - this one starts off just a wee bit weak, but wait til it's 30 seconds in - you'll start to like it in a hurry. Chorus is a bit reminiscent of previous album. Did I mention the bagpipes? :)
6. "Another Stranger Me" - probably the most guitar-oriented song. The vocals here are a lot more gruff than the last song too, and Hansi just sounds amazing. It's different from the rest of the album (less epic and more head-bangin), but very good as well.
7. "Straight Through the Mirror" - classic BG. this one could is something you would hear on "Nightfall in Middle-Earth" with bit 'happier' melody to it. vocal editing very evident, but very well done.
8. "Lionheart" - the freshman drummer shines on this one. it's a just a wee bit buried, but if you listen to what he's doing it's great. the musical rhythms all around the band in this one are fun (tri-ple-et, tri-ple-et).
9. "Skalds and Shadows" - you know you're not going to get away from a BG album without a ballad. It's definitely going to remind you of "The Bard's Song" or "A Past and Future Secret," but it's unique. Definitely not their best ballad, but it's still fun if you're into that sort of song.
10. "The Edge" - another one of my favorites...energy just radiates all over this song, from drums to guitars..everything. Once again, musical rhythms are lots of fun, even if you don't consciously recognize they're there and changing up on you. Have fun listening to this one :)
11. "The New Order" - this one is less tempo, but all the same it's beautiful. The chorus of this song is simply phenomenal, from drums to guitars to vocals - not to say the rest of the song isn't good, but the chorus is just such a highlight here!
12. "Dead Sound of Misery" - this is basically Fly again, except a lot darker and new lyrics. a good song, lots of classic BG stuff ("Opera"/"Nightfall" elements present).

That having been said, it really depends on what kind of BG fan you are (or, if you have never heard these guys before, read on nonetheless). For example, if you are into the thrashy crunchy sound BG has to offer, this album is probably not for you. The speed-thrash metal sounds of oldies like "Majesty" and "Valhalla" won't be found here. Nor should you expect the high wailing vocals of the previous album "A Night at the Opera". For BG regulars, by that I mean don't expect the vocals you heard on the chorus of "Age of False Innocence," but rather expect to hear a -lot- of what Hansi managed to do on "Curse of Feanor" (remember how awesome that chorus was?).

The bottom line is this: if you're a BG fan, you're probably going to get this album anyway, and you very well should. If you're the dark speed-thrash type, you're going to scratch your head a bit, but eventually you'll like it. If you're the melodic, major-key energy type, you'll fall in love with this album 7 times over again. I'm giving it 5 stars, some might disagree, but I can't imagine anyone who likes metal in general will give this masterpiece any significant grief.

There's simply too much to appreciate. Enjoy!!

A Night At The Opera was not my favorite Blind Guardian album, so I was a little hesitant about the new one, specially after listening to Fly, but after a few spins of Fly it was impossible to get that song out of my head, so I was really expecting this album, and now that I have it, it's safe for me to say that it's my favorite BG album ever, drums, guitars, bass and vocals are all perfect, not only in sound quality (which by the way is incredible) but also in songwriting, hooks, grooves, killer drums, in your face guitars and melodies all over the place. That is what evereyone expects out of this band and they have delivered in a monumental way, hail the bards!!!

Blind Guardian has always been my favorite band for the last decade. I own all their albums and enjoy them. But "A Twist in the Myth" is not their best album in my opinion. It has nice songs, but it definitely doesn't have the taste of the old ones.
I found it quite similar to "A Night At The Opera", their previous album.
I hadn't listened to Blind for a long while, and when I heard of the new album, I immediately bought it, but it didn't make me want to listen to it 24/7 at all.. I enjoyed it once or twice and that was it.

Not many bands can match the pure majesty and epic power of Blind Guardian, and after almost 20 years it's good to see that they still reign as kings of power metal. A Twist in The Myth does not deviate too much from their previous work but neither is it stagnant. It is a continual refinement of their classic sound, honing it to a fine edge. And despite power metal's notorious reputation for wankery and pompousness, BG exhibits grandeur without bloat.

Opener "This Will Never End" barrages you from the first second with blistering guitar and thundering double bass drum. It's clear they're going for the throat here but just when the assault is at its most severe, one of those soaring harmonized choruses breaks in like a breath of fresh air. BG deftly dances between the styles like true masters.

The only stinkers on Twist are the requisite ballads "Carry The Blessed Home" and "Skalds and Shadows." As usual, they are cheesy as all get-out - the synth strings kill me every time I hear them (if Dimmu Borgir could get an actual stringed instrument, surely Blind Guardian could as well). You know, I don't think I could ever get used to them. Images of Ren Faires and fat dudes in loin-cloths just turn me off completely.

But the rest of Twist shows these Germanic metal virtuosos in top form. If death and black metal explores the darkness within ourselves, Blind Guardian shines as a beacon that we can't help but be drawn to. A Twist in The Myth is another solid and masterful album that will not only please die-hard fans but could easily guide the uninitiated to-ward the light. Sometimes it's okay to root for the good guys.

Impeccable album. They're moving away from the thrashy fast paced style they started with and towards a more melodic, and highly talented 'cornucopia' of masterpieces. This album is about myths, obviously, and the said "twist" is that there's some truth in many of them. You'll see references to stories both new and ancient from Stephen King to Homer to the Bible.

I loved it, and if you dont, you're an idiot.
Like this "mattowarrior" guy who wrote a review just above me- someone so long winded can't possibly know what they're talking about.

After making us wait an almost unbearable four years since their ambitious 2002 album A Night at the Opera, Germany's power metal masters came roaring back in 2006 with A Twist In the Myth. Was it worth the wait? Read on...

Fans who had a problem with the larger than life sound on A Night at the Opera should find A Twist in the Myth a welcome return to the "classic" Blind Guardian sound. I happen to love A Night at the Opera, but I can also see how the complex arrangements, layered vocals, and related elements could turn off some metal fans. A Twist in the Myth hearkens back to the days of Imaginations From the Other Side. This is the most straightforward power metal album we've seen from Blind Guardian in quite some time. Don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of progressive elements, but A Twist in the Myth owes far more to Helloween and Iron Maiden than Queen. Oddly enough, you can judge this particular book by its cover. Comparing the magnificent cover art on A Twist in the Myth to the artwork for A Night at the Opera tells you almost as much about the differences in the two albums as actually listening to them.

A Twist in the Myth is packed with glorious (but not Hammerfall cheesy) power metal anthems, balanced by the occasional renaissance faire song (see Skalds and Shadows). I loved Fly, Carry the Blessed Home, and Another Stranger Me immediately, and it didn't take much for the rest of the album to quickly grow on me. It's an extraordinarily professional album as well, in every aspect from the musicianship to the vocals to the production to most especially the songwriting.

A Twist in the Myth is easily one of the best metal albums of 2006. It might not represent a big step forward for the band, but it is an extremely good power metal album that is more than worthy of the name Blind Guardian.

NOTE: Most versions of A Twist in the Myth feature an audio interview as bonus material. The interview is interesting enough, though not much different than what you'd find in Brave Words or other metal magazines or sites. I'd much rather have the bonus track (All the King's Horses) that went to the Japanese market. I know that Japanese fans are a big part of metal's success, but I can't help but be disappointed that there are parts of the Blind Guardian legacy that the rest of us continually miss out on.

(Note: the actual score for this would be about a 4.75).

Blind Guardian's last studio album, A Night At The Opera, was released in the spring of 2002. While their long overdue second live album was released in 2004, it has been a long wait for fans of the German power metal band for new material. Compounding matters was the departure of long-time drummer Thomas Stauch, for reasons which I'm still unclear about. When "Fly", the first single from "A Twist In the Myth", was released, there was more than a bit of controversy swirling around the band, and its direction. Was Blind Guardian "selling out", as overzealous fanboy types would say?

In a word, no. "A Twist In The Myth" is pretty far from any blatant attempt to pander to current trends, nor is it an attempt to merely tread water to appease that segment of the metalhead crowd which fears any change, no matter how minor. The biggest change you'll notice here is that the sound has been tightened up, if you will. Have no fear- you'll still hear heavily overdubbed, massively multi-tracked vocal harmonies and guitar symphonics, a la Queen. However, everything is more precise and "stabbing", and a little less sweeping and loose. The vocal harmonies have a tad fewer tracks layered, and the songs are a little more insistent in pace, and shorter in length. Those expecting another huge, lengthy epic such as "And Then There Was Silence" will be disappointed.

The songs themselves are pretty strong, with the possible exception of "Lionheart", which is lacking in a strong hook. The opener, "This Will Never End", is one of the band's stronger album-openers, although they have never been that great at choosing an opening track on albums after "Somewhere Far Beyond". "Otherland", "Turn The Page", and "Straight Through The Mirror" are all high-octane classics, filled with memorable melodies and guitar work. While "Fly" doesn't have one particularly outstanding hook (after all, this band is about the melodic hooks), it is an impressive evolution of the slightly electronicized sound from "Sadly Sings Destiny" (from their last studio album), and boasts a fair amount of atmosphere. Meanwhile, "Another Stranger Me" is pretty straightforward, but boasts a very catchy vocal line at the end of the chorus. The requisite ballad format is represented by a pair of tracks, the Queen-inspired funeral hymnal "Carry The Blessed Home" (inspired by Stephen King's "The Dark Tower- Book VII"), and "Skalds and Shadows", another of the band's medieval-styled ballads, in the vein of "A Past and Future Secret". "The Edge" and "The New Order" round out the album nicely.

My biggest problem with "A Twist In The Myth" is that, for a band which takes its time with releasing new albums, there's simply not enough music on this one. While I appreciate that they want to pare down the album to minimize filler, and the fact that they underwent a pretty major lineup change, I can't help but feel that this could have been more than it was. The new drummer/flutist/bagpipe-player, Frederik Ehmke, does an admirable job of fitting in with the band's over-the-top, yet straightforward style, although we have yet to see his long term impact on the sound. Hansi's vocals are, as par for the band's recent efforts, less roaring and more high-pitched, and the backing vocals, as usual, are first-rate. The guitar work is certainly emotional and well-structured, with plenty of adept fretwork that is a bit tricky, but never self-indulgent.

I'd certainly recommend this album to anyone who likes melodic metal and hard rock. I just wish the band had put more on record this time around. I can only hope that their release schedule will be more rapid in the future.