Album: Nightfall in Middle-Earth
Band: Blind Guardian

One of the most definitive power metal albums of all time. No discussion of power metal is ever complete without mention of Blind Guardian, but their style is so different from other power metal stalwarts (read: Helloween, Stratovarius etc) that they are almost a sub-genre unto themselves.

The strongest point of this album is the song-writing and the arrangement. There are so many layers on each track that you'd need a damn good sound system and a quiet environment to fully appreciate this album. If there ever was a true Metal Opera, this is it. Imagine giving the Noldor a bunch of ESPs and dress them up in black leather... you get the picture.

Recommended Tracks: Into the Storm, Mirror Mirror, Thorn, Time Stands Still (On the Iron Hill), Curse of Feanor


The Lord of the Rings? Bah! The Tolkien-reading world is divided into two groups of people: those who've read the Silmarillion, and those who will!