A distant mechanical sound is getting louder from afar and heralds the arrival of exciting happenings – throwing their shadows on this fateful day of September 2nd. It’s the day that the metal legend BLIND GUARDIAN will release their eleventh studio album The God Machine via Nuclear Blastand erects a new monument of their outstanding career.
Hansi Kürsch comments, “We didn’t want to rehash our qualities from 1995, but didn’t want to continue down this complex path forever either. The God Machine is a new beginning for us. We’ve set a new course and gone back to certain things that we’ve neglected a bit on the last few albums.”
The God Machine marks another pinnacle in BLIND GUARDIAN’s impressive discography by not attempting to pretend it is still the nineties yet instead successfully relying on the muscle memory of this period. It is a gripping, addictive, and brilliantly arranged album in the tradition of records with which BLIND GUARDIAN reached for the stars in the 90s; yet, by no means, is it a throwback. The God Machine represents the heart and soul of BLIND GUARDIAN’s timeless metal in the here and now, unifying the bards’ past, present, and future secrets in one consistent, well-thought-out masterpiece.
Together with the announcement, the band shares a video for their new raging single ‘Blood Of The Elves’, a galloping anthem that is destined to become a live staple.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/tCzE9LX8cgc
Singer Hansi Kürsch comments: “‘Blood Of The Elves’ features a pretty heavy side that the avid fan of BLIND GUARDIAN hopefully enjoys. More than enjoys, I’d guess. Instrumentally, the track has some kind of an early nineties appeal that blends well into the vocal parts of the opera/twist era and catapults both epochs into a new era for the band. A perfect hybrid. The chorus has some very strong sing-along vibes, despite its complexity. What else do you need? Inspired by the ‘The Witcher’ computer game series, the lyrics even reinforce the power of this banger and the clip by Dirk Behlau fits perfectly to the whole setting. Let me tell you: The God Machine has even more to offer. And that’s no promise – that’s the ultimate truth. Stay tuned.”
BLIND GUARDIAN live:04.06. DE Gelsenkirchen – Rockhard Festival 11.06. ES Zamora – Z! Live Rock Fest 2022 23.06. CZ Spálené Poříčí – Basinfire Festival 24.06. IT Verona – Rock the Castle 25.06. FR Clisson – Hellfest 01.07. ES Barcelona – Rock Fest Barcelona 14.07. AT Leoben – AREA 53 Open Air 2022 15.07. DE Neukirchen-Vluyn – Dong Open Air 16.07. LX Esch-sur-Alzette – Rockhal 21.07. GR Athens – Release Athens 2022 31.07. UK Durham – Dominion Festival 05.08. ES Villena (Alicante) – Leyendas del Rock XV 07.08. RO Râșnov – Rockstadt Extreme Fest 19.08. DE Giessen – Giessener Kultursommer 20.08. DE Dinkelsbühl – Summer Breeze Festival 02.09. DE Saarbrücken – Garage 03.09. DE Memmingen – Kaminwerk 04.09. CH Pratteln – Z7 05.09. DE Frankfurt am Main – Batschkapp 06.09. DE Stuttgart – KA 08.09. DE München – Backstage 09.09. DE Dresden – Alter Schlachthof 10.09. DE Neuruppin – Kulturhaus 11.09. DE Berlin – Huxleys Neue Welt 13.09. DE Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle 14.09. DE Köln – E-Werk 16.09. DE Osnabrück – Hyde Park 17.09. DE Osnabrück – Hyde Park 10.-17.10. ES Barca Trencada – Full Metal Holiday @ Iberostar Club Cala Barca 12.10. NL Sittard – Poppodium Volt 13.10. DE Hamburg – edel-optics.de-Arena
About BLIND GUARDIAN In 1992, BLIND GUARDIAN released Somewhere Far Beyond, a legendary milestone in German speed metal. Three decades later, their latest offering, The God Machine, shows how to awaken the fury of youth to magical new life. As if they had paid a long overdue visit to the numerous highlights of their career, BLIND GUARDIAN appears to be in touch with the ghosts of their own past more than ever. “We’ve picked up a lot from our own history and built a new era upon this foundation,” vocalist Hansi Kürsch explains. This new era begins right now. Seven years after Beyond The Red Mirror and almost three after the orchestral opus Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra: Legacy of the Dark Lands, Hansi Kürsch (vocals), André Olbrich (lead guitar, acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar), Marcus Siepen (rhythm guitar and acoustic guitar) and Frederik Ehmke(drums) invite you to their personal twilight of the gods. “After ‘Beyond The Red Mirror’ and ‘Legacy Of The DarkLands’, we knew we couldn’t push the orchestral side of BlindGuardian any further,” Kürsch says. The new directive while creating The God Machinewas fairly straightforward but ever so welcome: “Less orchestration, more punch.” In 2022, the opulent arrangements and powerful choirs still exist; yet they are used in a much more selective, focussed, and resonant manner. This link is overtly present on the stunning, apocalyptic cover art by American fantasy icon Peter Mohrbacher, which teases a panopticon of fantastic tales and rather bleak prospects.“You have to look with a magnifying glass to find some hope on the album. But it’s there,” smiles Hansi Kürsch. “My lyrics have several levels. Some of them even I can only explore much later.” Perhaps The God Machineis his most personal album since Somewhere Far Beyond.
BLIND GUARDIAN will release the special 25th anniversary edition of their Imaginations From The Other Side album on December 11th. This edition will contain live recordings and other special versions of the BLIND GUARDIAN classics featured on the […]
December 2, 2022Rockin' BobFeatureComments Off on SUMMER BREEZE OPEN AIR: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST EDITION OF THE FESTIVAL IN BRAZIL
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST EDITION OF THE FESTIVAL IN BRAZIL Scheduled for April 2023, the event features leading international names in all facets of rock’n’roll. Take a look at the complete […]
Reveal Cover Artwork For Orchestral Album Legacy Of The Dark Lands Promising to be one of the most ambitious projects in metal history, BLIND GUARDIAN’s upcoming release will be well worth the wait. The idea […]