Nightfall

Blind Guardian, by many considered the best representatives of speed/power metal, by others simply another epic metal band. The one thing that cannot be argued is that you can clearly identify them, either from the first albums like Tales from the Twilight World, all the way to A Night at the Opera. This german band has shown a very interesting approach to revitalize all those stories, myths and tales of old, which for some reason seem to attract the metal community: Arthurian lore, Fantasy in general and perhaps the theme which more identifies them, J. R. R. Tolkien. And here is where Nightfall cuts in.

The album Nightfall in Middle-Earth is a theme album describing the events told in the Silmarillion written by J. R. R. Tolkien, specifically the War of the Jewels. What makes this album such a huge hit (many discovered Blind Guardian through this album, including myself) is the more instrumental and orchestral approach, which perhaps is not as heavy, speedy or powerful as preview releases like Somewhere Far Beyond or Imaginations from the Other Side, but the actual power comes forth from these arrangements mixed in with choir-like vocals, narrations and interludes which make the album a bit long (22 songs crossing the hour-threshold) but quite different as well. Just pay attention to the drums through the whole song Nightfall, the bells in the background of the chorus and the changes in all the different voices and you'll realize how amazing this song is. I could say that it's perhaps one of the most complex songs written by this band.

Nightfall, tells us the story of Fëanor and his seven sons mourning all the mayhem and destruction brought upon by Morgoth and their oath to revenge on him, in spite to the mighty Valar.

No sign of life did flicker
In floods of tears she cried
"All hope's lost it can't be undone
They're wasted and gone"

"Save me your speeches
I know (They blinded us all)
What you want
You will take it away from me
Take it and I know for sure
The light she once brought in
Is gone forevermore"

Like sorrowful seaguls they sang
"(We're) lost in the deep shades
The misty cloud brought
(A wailing when beauty was gone
Come take a look at the sky)
Monstrous it covered the shore
Fearful into the unknown"
Quietly it crept in new horror
Insanity reigned
And spilled the first blood
When the old king was slain

[chorus:]
Nightfall
Quietly crept in and changed us all
Nightfall
Quietly crept in and changed us all
Nightfall
Immortal land lies down in agony

"How long shall we
Mourn in the dark
the bliss and the beauty
Will not return
Say farewell to sadness and grief
Though long and hard the road may be"
But even in silence I heard the words
"An oath we shall swear
By the name of the one
Until the world's end
It can't be broken"

Just wondering how
I can still hear these voices inside

The doom of the Noldor drew near

The words of a banished king
"I swear revenge"
Filled with anger aflamed our hearts
Full of hate full of pride
We screamed for revenge

[chorus]

"Vala he is that's what you said
Then your oath's been sworn in vain
(But) freely you came and
You freely shall depart
(So) never trust the northern winds
Never turn your back on friends"

"Oh I'm heir of the high lord!"
"You better don't trust him"
The enemy of mine
Isn't he of your kind and
Finally you may follow me
Farewell
He said

[chorus]

Back to where it all began

Artist: Blind Guardian
Album: Nightfall in Middle-Earth
Year: 1998

Heroes

Another song, Looking arround in my mp3s I found this song, this is great power metal song, kind of good feeling song :D, this song is performed by two of my favorites singers, Jorn Lande and Michael Kiske!!

Jorn is aggressive(not growling of course), and by the other side Kiske is melodic, awesome combination in my opinion

Are we caught between good and bad
It's all just said and done
Longing for a better way
The feeling is so strong

Try to mend your broken ways
Why should we live within a haze

We're the heroes of a new world
The Masterplan's rising
Send freedom all over the globe

Willing now to pay the price
Just call it by the name
Unlock the gate to paradise
It's time to stop the game

How can we fly with broken wings
Realize we're strong like kings

We're the heroes of a new world
The Masterplan's rising and dreams will come true
Sending freedom - like a warming rain
We show you the magic you've never seen arise - above you

We must cast aside our misery
Let's search for final liberty

We're the heroes of a new world
The Masterplan's rising and dreams will come true
Sending freedom - like a warming rain
We show you the magic you've never seen arise - above you

Artist: Masterplan
Album: Masterplan
Year: 2003

Lonely Man

This is not metal, is just a plain beautiful song from my childhood. I was watching today the show on a channel called "TCM". Sad and moving, I remember I cried more than once watching the show and listening to this song on the background. I hope you like it. I did back then and I still do, keeps touching my heart like the first time :'(

Artist: Joe Harnell
Album: The Incredible Hulk theme
Year: 1978

She is my sin

Well, I think this was my first Nightwish song. I was listening to the only radio I ever listen to (www.epickrockradio.com) and this song was played. I had an amazing feeling of nostalgia 'cause the last time I heard this song was a couple of years ago (seriously). I felt a little of the same feeling I had that very day I listened to it for the very first time and it gave me chills. The song is not über cool but it has a meaning to me. It's one of my time machines and now I share it with you.

Take heed, dear heart
Once apart, she can touch nor me nor you
Dressed as one
A wolf will betray a lamb

Lead astray the gazers
The razors on your seducing skin
In the meadow of sinful thoughts
Every flower`s perfect

To paradise with pleasure haunted by fear

A sin for him
Desire within
A burning veil
For the bride too dear for him
A sin for him
Desire within
Fall in love with your deep dark sin

I am the Fallen
You are what my sins enclose
Lust is not as creative
As its discovery

To paradise with pleasure haunted by fear

A sin for him...

Bless me, undress me
Pick your prey in a wicked way
God I must confess...
...I do envy the sinners

Artist: Nightwish
Album: Wishmaster
Year: 2000

Knight Jumps Queen

This song is pure old school metal!, who can make a song about chess? well Annihilator does :P, this song is plain simple, but great in all ways, the initial bass riff, the cool feeling of guitar riff, well as I say, old school metal(US), I not consider my self a huge fan of this band, but I enjoy this album, maybe this isn't my favorite song of this band, but surely this song is the most iconic of them.

Good evening and welcome to a test of the minds
This match begins as our thoughts begin to grind
I send a pawn towards you, a subtle piece of my attack
Pondering the first move, I guess you'll never know unless you try it

Chorus:
Knight jumps queen, if you know what I mean
Anticipation of the final scene
Knight jumps queen, so get prepared
For this check mate has been happily declared
As the knight jumps the queen

You have made selections, a white castle crumbles at your feet
To counter the men in black, your moves must all be elite
A bishop takes a rook and this cuts him down to size
This is no tailor-made situation
I guess I have some real competition for once

Repeat Chorus

Hours and hours to a stalemate, this game has come to a close
Could it end without a climax, between two exhausted foes
Nighttime's falling on the castle, it's bringing in another day
The concentration was impossible, I never had a doubt I wouldn't win it from you

Repeat Chorus

Artist: Annihilator
Album: Set The World On Fire
Year: 1993

The Prophecy

Back to the classics :D, this song isn't a classic, but, Iron Maiden surely! I consider myself a fan of Iron Maiden, when I heard this song for first time I knew it was something special, the chorus are unique (in all Iron Maiden background), and the final guitar notes ... ohh!!, an amazing song ending

Now that I know the right time has come
My prediction will surely be true
The impending disaster it looms
And the whole of the village is doomed
Why won't you listen to me
Is it so hard to understand
That I am the real seventh son
Your life or death on me depends

Suffering and pain impending disaster
Souls crying the devil's laughter
Heard the cry of the seven whistlers
Lucifer smiles looks on and waits

I'll take your life in my hands
Your fate your fortune's in my vision
Heed what I say and you'll see what will be
Please listen to me

Now that they see the disaster is done
Now they put all the blame on to me
They feel I brought on a curse
Don't they know that the torment
It stays with me knowing that I walk alone
Through the eyes of the future I see
They don't even know what fear is
Don't they know I'm the one that is cursed

Purgatory beckons souls lost forever
Life after death or heaven hereafter
Heard the call of the seven whistlers again
Now lucifer laughs hell awaits

I had their lives in my hands
Their fate their fortune in my vision
No one believed in my true prophecy
And now it's too late

Artist: Iron Maiden
Album: Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
Year: 1988

The Dark

This was the first song of Jon Oliva's Pain I've heard. I didn't know what to expect since I'm not a big fan of Savatage but this song is really something special. It has Jon Oliva's particular style with background chorus on key places, the voice is a bit aggressive (without being growling) and the rhythm is passionate. I hope you like it :) and Thanx Joëlle (if you ever read this) for showing this to me ;)

The smoke from my last cigarette
Disappears into the lights
Waiting on something to make this feeling right
I twist and moan, and turn the other cheek
I wait for my moment to be free
I'm not alone
I'm not alone

The night is black it twists and turns
Inside it's agony
It waits for you, it waits for me, in all its majesty
I can feel it, I can hear it, I can see it
Slowly coming closer to me now
It's breathing, heart is beating, thoughts misleading
Reality has somehow broken down
Slowly slips away, slips into the grave
I don't think I'll ever, ever, ever get away
Somehow save our souls, as the darkness calls,
From beyond these walls
I feel something's going wrong

The dark descends upon this
World of anger, hate and greed
Surrounding you, engulfing me
Now all that we can see
Lying, cheating, children bleeding
Mothers pleading
Will you stop it, will you stop it now
Can you feel it, do you hear it
It's so near, it's coming closer, coming closer now

Tell me what you see
Tell me what you know
Tell me can we ever really ever get away
Try to save our souls as the dark unfolds
All that's still untold
I feel something's going wrong

And as the dark begins to die into another day
And fate is testing once again all we can do is pray
To sweet Jesus, will you lead us, do you hear us
Calling to you, calling to you now
We're praying, contemplating, situations
That can fall before us even know

Tell us what you need, tell us what you want
As the hands of time have all but exited the play
Tell us what's in store, fall all that stand before
As the dark unfolds:
I feel something's going wrong

Artist: Jon Oliva's Pain
Album: Tage Mahal
Year: 2004

Dragonfly

I Enjoy this song so much, the first riffs are so greats, and how this song evolve are just fantastic, this is my favorite song of this album, I hope everyone enjoy this song too.

Is it really the treasure of gold 

Or the dance on the rainbow itself 

Bound to a track 

Painting over the cracks 

In his dreams they'd put up on the shelf 

Little wind up soldier 

With a ball and chain 

Got destinations engraved on your mind 

Now you don't care as long 

As you don't make it there 

You wanna fly but not arise 

Calling you, calling you 

You are the one to hear them 

Calling you, calling you 

Calling you, calling you 

And your daddy don't approve 

And when no-one's awake anymore 

He paints a picture of a strange looking fly 

From a distant world 

You light and lo and behold 

It's coming alive 

Calling you, calling you 

You always hear them speak 

Derring do, derring do 

Calling you, calling you 

From a distant burning star 

(Chorus) 

You wanna fly, so you drag on flies 

Drag on dragonflies 

From a suffocating room, on a dragonfly 

You're riding high when you nasalize 

What you pulverize 

Make your day and dream away on a dragonfly 

Mayday mayday 

I ain't fond of smoking 

The buzzer known in dire straits 

Selfless without intention 

Too late to intermediate 

Smoking kills 

Calling you, calling you 

You are the one two three four 

Calling you, calling you 

Calling you, calling you 

And your daddy don't approve 

(Chorus) 

You wanna fly, so you drag on flies 

Drag on dragonflies 

From a suffocating room, on a dragonfly 

You're riding high when you nasalize 

What you pulverize 

Make your day and dream away on a dragonfly

You wanna fly, so you drag on flies 

Drag on dragonflies 

From a suffocating room, on a dragonfly 

You're riding high when you nasalize 

What you pulverize 

Make your day and dream away on a dragonfly

(solo)

You wanna fly, so you drag on flies 

Drag on dragonflies 

From a suffocating room, on a dragonfly 

You're riding high when you nasalize 

What you pulverize 

Make your day and dream away on a dragonfly

You wanna fly, so you drag on flies 

Drag on dragonflies 

From a suffocating room, on a dragonfly 

You're riding high when you nasalize 

What you pulverize 

Make your day and dream away on a dragonfly

We're getting high on a dragonfly 

Artist: Edguy
Album: Tinnitus Sanctus

Year: 2009