Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Battalions of Fear

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Released
  
May 17, 1988

Producer
  
Kalle Trapp

Release date
  
17 May 1988

Genres
  
Power metal, Speed metal

Length
  
39:20

Artist
  
Blind Guardian

Label
  
No Remorse Records

Battalions of Fear httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumb1

Recorded
  
October-November 1987 at Karo Studios, Münster, West Germany

Battalions of Fear (1988)
  
Follow the Blind (1989)

Similar
  
Blind Guardian albums, Power metal albums

Battalions of Fear is the debut album by German metal band Blind Guardian released in 1988. The album is a raw and unpolished speed metal effort that touches on thrash metal. It lacks many of the stylistic flourishes that would mark the band's music in later years, focusing more on speed and aggression. The opening track "Majesty" remains a fan favorite and is often featured in the band's live performances. This album was remastered, remixed and re-released on 15 June 2007, with the whole first demo tape, Symphonies of Doom, of the band (at the time called Lucifer's Heritage) as part of the bonus tracks. The album was again re-released as part of the A Traveler's Guide to Space and Time boxset with minor adjustments to the mixing and with new mastering.

Contents

Blind guardian 01 majesty hd


Track listing

All songs written by André Olbrich and Hansi Kürsch, except where noted. All lyrics written by Kürsch.

Note: "Gandalf's Rebirth" is featured on all releases other than the LP. 2007 bonus tracks are from the Symphonies of Doom demo, originally released in 1985.

Personnel

  • Hansi Kürsch – vocals and bass
  • André Olbrich – lead guitar and backing vocals
  • Marcus Siepen – rhythm guitar and backing vocals
  • Thomas "Thomen" Stauch – drums

    • Guest musicians

  • Hans-Peter Frey - drums on Gandalf's Rebirth
  • Christof Theisen - rhythm guitar on Gandalf's Rebirth
  • Rolf Köhler - backing vocals
  • Michael Voss - backing vocals

    • Lucifer's Heritage (tracks 10-14)

  • Hansi Kürsch – vocals and bass
  • André Olbrich – lead guitar
  • Markus Dörk – rhythm guitar, additional vocals on "Symphonies of Doom"
  • "Thomen" Stauch – drums

    • Other

  • van Waay Design – cover painting
  • Kalle Trapp – Recording, mixing and producing, except for Gandalf's Rebirth produced by Olbrich/Kürsch and engineered by Holger Schreiber

    • Lyrical and musical themes

  • The songs "Majesty" and "Run For the Night", as well as the titles of instrumentals "By the Gates of Moria" and "Gandalf's Rebirth", are based on J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
  • Parts of "By the Gates of Moria" are derived from Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World".
  • "Majesty" opens with a barrel organ version of Johann Strauss II's waltz The Blue Danube.
  • "Guardian of the Blind" is based on Stephen King's It.
  • "The Martyr" is about Jesus Christ's passion.
  • "Battalions of Fear" refers to US President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative.
  • "Wizard's Crown" is about Aleister Crowley. The song was originally titled "Halloween" on the Symphonies of Doom demo tape (1985) while the band was still Lucifer's Heritage. The song name was changed probably to avoid confusion with a song of the same name by fellow German power/speed metal band Helloween.
  • "Brian" is about the film Monty Python's Life of Brian.

    • Songs

    1Majesty7:31
    2Guardian of the Blind5:12
    3Trial by the Archon / Wizard's Crown5:31

    References

    Battalions of Fear Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA