Blind Guardian

Founded in Krefeld, Germany in 1984 by vocalist Hansi Kürsch and guitarist André Olbrich, power metal band Blind Guardian began life under the band name Lucifer’s Heritage. After changing their name to Blind Guardian in 1987, they released their debut album, Battalions of Fear (1988), which reached number 53 on the German Albums chart. Several other charting albums followed including 1989’s Follow the Blind (number 51), 1990’s Tales from the Twilight World (number 43), 1992’s Somewhere Far Beyond (number 36), and 1995’s Imaginations from the Other Side (number 21). 2002’s A Night at the Opera charted in several different countries and sold over 400,000, making it their most successful album up to that point. Their 2010 release, At the Edge of Time, was the first to chart in the US, reaching number 11 on Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart. Memories of a Time to Come (2012) went to number 6 on the German Albums chart while A Traveler's Guide to Space and Time (2013) peaked at number 8. The group’s hit streak continued with 2015’s Beyond the Red Mirror (number 4) and 2017’s Live Beyond the Spheres (number 9). In 2019, Blind Guardian released Twilight Orchestra: Legacy of the Dark Lands, which reached number 7. Their 12th studio album, The God Machine, was released in 2022. One of Germany’s most respected metal bands, Blind Guardian has also released several live albums and compilations. In 2024, Blind Guardian released Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, a re-recorded version of their popular 1992 album. Along with a studio re-recording of the album, the release also includes a live version of the album plus a bonus DVD or Blu-Ray including the band live in concert.