A Night At The Opera
Century Media
Here lies a true metal masterpiece! Many bands have attempted an operatic metal album but very few have perfected it. Namely, Queen, Savatage...and now Blind Guardian! As the title states, this is a "Metal Opera," true to the term. There have been other recent projects claiming the same (notably Avantasia), but none hold as true to the term, both musically, orchestrally, and conceptually, as does Blind Guardian's "A Night At The Opera."
For those unfamiliar with the band, they've been together for over twelve years, with their debut released back in 1988. Several albums and side-projects later (ie: Demons And Wizards), this band is sounding better than ever! A Night At The Opera is one of those albums that is not only thought provoking, but obviously time-consuming. This was not an overnight sensation, it's apparent the band spent many a sleepless night mastering and perfecting their art, as did the true artists and composers of the classical era. Something extremely rare in the entertainment business these days! Don't expect to get into this CD first time around (at first listen, I only got through half the CD), it's truly one of those albums that grows on you, after every listen. Conceptually, it's as thought provoking as Queensryche's "Operation: Mindcrime" and as musically brilliant and theatric as any classical opera.
All eleven tracks are equally brilliant, telling a tale of sword and sorcery. My favorites being the opener "Precious Jerusalem," "Under the Ice," "Sadly Sings Destiny," "The Maiden And The Minstrel Knight," and the epical "And Then There Was Silence." The musicianship is beyond superb, and the production is magnificent! Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind, this album is as close to musical perfection as it gets. "A Night At The Opera" is sure to become a true metal epic! BN
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