Music Review: Nightfall in Middle-Earth, by Blind Guardian (1998; 2007 re-release)

Now, THIS is how you do it!

Nightfall in Middle-Earth is the sixth studio album of twelve to date by the German band Blind Guardian. It was also their first album available in the U.S. and was remarkably successful in introducing the band to American audiences. The group gained enough of an American following that their entire catalog was remastered and reissued in the U.S. in the 2000s.

It’s the only Blind Guardian record I can legitimately say that I had heard of, and I’m sure that’s the case for most of their fans outside of Europe. I finally picked it up earlier this year to feed my ongoing deep dive into Tolkien’s work

So, Blind Guardian originally formed in 1984 as “Lucifer’s Heritage” a name they thankfully dropped in 1987 to distance themselves from the black metal movement and Satanism. The band is an exemplar of “power metal,” which is a descendant of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal of the late 1970s, American thrash and speed metal (see early Metallica and Megadeth), and laid in more symphonic and progressive rock elements.

Today, Blind Guardian is thought of as one of the “big four” of power metal, which also includes Guitar Hero’s most difficult level DragonForce, Sabaton (a band many readers and contributors to this site are familiar with), and Helloween.

Blind Guardian’s sound also incorporates elements highly reminiscent of Queen’s most bombastic moments. I think it’s a safe bet that they’ve also influenced groups like Nightwish and Rhapsody of Fire.

Blind Guardian has an orchestral record (of course they do). They continue to tour and record in the present day and intend to release a new studio album in 2025.

The cover deserves its own mention, as it depicts a critical scene from The Tale of Lúthien and Beren. Lúthien dances for Morgoth and his servants, with Beren disguised and waiting for the chance to take a Silmaril from the crown of a rather “Eddie-esque” Morgoth once all are lulled to sleep by Lúthien’s singing.

The Story

Nightfall in Middle-Earth is a concept album. Now, for music fans “concept album” can inspire a wide range of emotions. Some see that phrase and leap for joy, others run in terror. It can mean bold artistic triumph, or “what was I on?” embarrassment. I’m happy to say Blind Guardian’s effort is more the former, not the latter. If “triumph” is too strong a praise, it’s certainly a successful concept album and excellent work.

The album is a powerful adaptation of Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, told mainly from the perspective of the fallen Vala, Morgoth. His most loyal and powerful servant Sauron also gets a speaking role, however, there are other viewpoint characters.

The focus of the album is on the tragedy of the Noldor Elves, their king Fëanor, and his sons against Morgoth and his taking of the Silmarils.

Lest one get intimidated by a 23-track album, the band augments their songs with sound effects, as well as medieval folk-style musical and spoken word interludes that move the album from episode to episode. It’s a smart decision that keeps the whole work unified and makes for a holistic listen from start to finish. There’s no odd breaks or anachronisms to spoil the immersion. The word “grandiose” gets thrown around a lot where this album is concerned, and it’s appropriate.

(The following track listing is from Wikipedia with added notes by me for context)

1. In "War of Wrath", Sauron advises his master Morgoth to flee the triumphant Valar in the War of Wrath. Morgoth sends him away and reflects on the events leading up to his defeat.

2. In "Into the Storm", Morgoth and Ungoliant, fleeing from Valinor after having destroyed the Two Trees, struggle for possession of the Silmarils.

3. "Lammoth" is Morgoth's scream of fear. It summons his Balrogs to his aid to fight off Ungoliant.

4. In "Nightfall", Fëanor and his seven sons mourn the destruction wrought by Morgoth, including the slaying of Finwë, Fëanor's father, and swear to get revenge on him, in spite of the Valar's disapproval.

5. "The Minstrel" is most likely about Maglor, son of Fëanor, who composed the song "The Fall of the Noldor" based on the Kinslaying.

6. In "The Curse of Fëanor", Fëanor expresses his wrath and anger and relates the misdeeds he commits, especially the Kinslaying, in pursuit of Morgoth.

7. In "Captured", Morgoth addresses the captive Maedhros, Fëanor's son, and chains him to the Thangorodrim mountains.

8. In "Blood Tears", Maedhros relates the horrors of his captivity and his deliverance by Fingon.

9. "Mirror Mirror" recounts how Turgon, in view of inevitable defeat, builds the city of Gondolin, aided by Ulmo ("The Lord of Water").

10. In "Face the Truth", Fingolfin reflects about the destiny of the Noldor.

11. In "Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)", Fingolfin recounts his Noldor army's passage from the icy waste of Helcaraxë and the prophecy by the Vala Mandos about the Noldor's fate; he reflects on his own and his people's guilt and foreshadows their ultimate defeat.

12. "The Battle of Sudden Flame" refers to the battle in which Morgoth breaks the Siege of Angband using his Balrogs and dragons. The lyrics tell of how the Man Barahir of the House of Bëor, with great loss to his own company, saved the life of the Elven king Finrod Felagund, and in return Finrod swore an oath of friendship to Barahir and all of his kin.

13. "Time Stands Still (at the Iron Hill)" is about Fingolfin riding to the gates of Angband to challenge Morgoth to a duel. Fingolfin wounds Morgoth seven times but is eventually killed.

14. "The Dark Elf" refers to Eöl who seduced Turgon's sister and fathered Maeglin, who would eventually betray Gondolin.

15. "Thorn" is a song describing Maeglin's captivity in Angband and Morgoth trying to convert Maeglin to his side with threats and lies. The title of the song refers to the thorn bushes that hid the outer gates of the hidden Elvish city of Gondolin.

16. "The Eldar" is Elven king Finrod Felagund's farewell to his people, dying from wounds sustained by saving his human friend Beren from a werewolf, thereby fulfilling his oath to the House of Bëor.

17. In "Nom the Wise", Beren mourns his friend Finrod. Nóm means "wise" and was the name given to Finrod by Beren's forefather Bëor.

18. In "When Sorrow Sang", Beren sings about his love to the Elven princess Lúthien and his death at the teeth of Morgoth's wolf Carcharoth. The last part is about the Vala Mandos listening to Luthien's song about their grief experienced by being different in kin.

19. "Out on the Water" refers to the last dwelling-place of Beren and Lúthien.

20. In "The Steadfast", Morgoth curses his captive Húrin (known in Elvish as the Steadfast) who refused to reveal the secret of Gondolin.

21. In "A Dark Passage", Morgoth ponders his triumph in the fifth battle. The song also relates the origins of the kindred of men and Morgoth's curse on Húrin to be witness to his children's tragic fate.

22. "Final Chapter (Thus Ends ...)" concludes the album, speaking of Morgoth's victory by the "treachery of man" but also of the hope for a new day.

23. "Harvest of Sorrow" is a bonus track on the 2007 and 2018 remastered versions of the album. Túrin mourns the loss of his sister Niënor.

(Note: This is not the only musical adaptation of The Silmarillion, as it has also been adapted in operatic form, for those curious.)

The Characters

Lead singer Hansi Kürsch, augmented by the rest of the band as backing vocalists, and spoken word narrators/actors Norman Eshley and Douglas Fielding have the enormous task of portraying a huge cast, as evidenced in the track listing above. They pull it off.

The World

The setting of the record is the whole of Tolkien’s sub-created universe, and more specifically, drowned Beleriand. The album name-drops famous places of The Silmarillion in context of how they appear in the stories. This includes such garden spots as the Thangorodrim Mountains, the dread fortress of Angband, Valinor and the Undying Lands, and Gondolin,

Politics

The Silmarillion, and thus the album, contains the politics of mythology, and mythic tragedy. Morgoth’s corruption and fall is a tremendous commentary on the great sin of pride, in its futile but defiant and endlessly destructive battle cry of “Non serviam!”

The Silmarillion is the tragedy of the pride of the Elves, and all the others great and small caught up in the saga of Fëanor’s great jewels and his cursed oath and thus destroyed in the process. Let me sum up the politics in one work: Kinslaying.

Content Warning

Nothing, except for the sounds of battle and the horrors of Morgoth’s malice towards his enemies, and the wrath of his evil and dangerous servants. Ungoliant, whom even Morgoth himself feared, is appropriately terrifying.

Okay, one thing I feel compelled to explain further.

I reiterate, the album is mostly told from the perspective of Morgoth himself but take note that this is not a subversion or a deconstruction of the story. Morgoth is never presented as a “misunderstood good guy,” the way Satan is unfortunately often portrayed in modern “entertainment,” or even merely sympathetic and tragic, a ’la Milton’s Paradise Lost.

At no point is the band cheering on Morgoth, or Sauron. If anything, the album emphasizes the great sin of the Noldor, and just how much malice there is in Morgoth expressed in the horrible doom he inflicted on the children of Hurin. Whatever the band’s intentions informing this decision, as a musical choice, it’s excellent given the band’s style, their singer, and the milieu of heavy metal.

Who is it for?

There are several audiences for this record. Of course, Blind Guardian fans. There are power metal fans for whom this is a milestone record. There are heavy metal fans writ large who may be digging through the genre’s depths looking to discover something new to them.

Us metal fans have always carried on regardless of popular tastes and changes. It might as well be 1984, let alone 1998 or 2018, and that’s not a terrible thing. There’s integrity and continuity in this style that often seems immune to the fads and sad trends in popular music.

On the other hand, the prospect of a whole record dedicated to The Silmarillion was enough to spark my interest, and I was pleasantly surprised to find an excellent heavy metal album waiting for me that accurately captures the depth, horror, and tragedy of it. I say that Tolkien fans can enthusiastically enjoy this record, and rest assured it maintains the integrity of the Professor’s work.

Now for a few caveats. This review is only for the 2007 reissue, and unless I come across a copy of the 2018 version with its bonus tracks in a discount bin or thrift story, I don’t intend to rebuy it. I’ve also not heard the original 1998 version, or the Japanese import, but I can caution the prospective buyer to research the different releases before purchasing. You may prefer one over the other.

Artists and record labels never seem to stop tinkering with their work, and different releases of a record can sound quite different; whether through the remixing and remastering process, or even rerecording whole songs, instrumental, or vocal tracks. Newer doesn’t always equate to better, even with advances in recording technology. Sometimes those changes fix things, or they break them even more.

Why buy it?

1. It’s The Silmarillion in heavy metal form, and The Silmarillion is already doggone metal to begin with. About the only version out there more metal than this is Sir Christoper Lee’s reading of The Children of Hurin. For many readers who’ve tried to get into the book and failed, this could serve as a fantastic introduction to the deep heart of Tolkien’s Legendarium in a more readily accessible way. The Silmarillion is not an easy book, not by any means, and it demands a very literate reader for it to genuinely come alive.

2. The music is fantastic, top notch in performance, production, and composition. “Power metal” is one of those genres that’s easy to mock because it does often get so far over the top that it devolves into self-parody. Or in the case of DragonForce, you play up that angle for the fun of it. Blind Guardian pushes the edge but doesn’t fall off it. So, if you like DragonForce, Sabaton, Manowar, Hammerfall, Helloween, or Rhapsody of Fire and Nightwish, then you’re going to like this.

3. It succeeds as both a Tolkien adaptation and as a musical work, and neither aspect is hindered or superseded by the other. That’s a rare success that deserves to be rewarded, the album’s continued popularity and acclaim attest to that success. If my words are not good enough for you, the album is well reviewed not only by musical sites but also by serious Tolkien scholars.