Search - Blind Guardian - Imaginations Through the Looking Glass on DVD

Deliverance! The Bards Have Entered Valhalla!

John W. Petersen | Ft Collins, CO United States | 10/26/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Finally, the Mighty Bards have produced a DVD for their loyal fans. I was extremely excited to see this concert video. They passed by Denver on their first-ever US tour, so I was not able to see them live. And . . . they included on this DVD "And Then There Was Silence", one of my favorite songs by them.

The picture and sound quality of Disc 1 are absolutely phenomenal. With the exception of the short bagpipe part in the middle of "Somewhere Far Beyond", everything is crystal clear. (Not quite sure what happened there with the sound system, but it sounds like you are standing right next to Thomen's drum kit for about 10 seconds). And of course, there are great interviews and extra songs on the second disc.

Comprising their shows over the two days of the first-ever Blind Guardian Festival in Germany, they took 20 songs from both nights. There are the obvious ones - "Valhalla", "The Bard's Song", "Imaginations From The Other Side", and "Mirror Mirror". They would get lynched if they didn't include those. But there are a few cool surprises, too - the aforementioned "Silence" and "Somewhere Far Beyond", as well as "And The Story Ends" and "I'm Alive". And what an awesome experience it must be for the band to hear the crowd sing every note of their three ballads, "A Past And Future Secret", "Lord Of The Rings", and "The Bard's Song".

They really must be commended for their 14-minute beast, "And Then There Was Silence". There is no way they could possibly reproduce what they did in the studio, short of having an orchestra, about 20 backup singers, and 5 or 6 more guitarists. The sound is not nearly as dense as the studio version, and Hansi certainly can't sing every layered part. But as they mention in the Disc 2 interview, there is so much going on with this song, that any slip-up or problem in concert would turn it into a disaster. And I think they nail it pretty darn well.

A couple small complaints. The cameras often give stacatto, machine-gun shots, firing split-second frame after split-second frame. I would like to see more of the longer frames, for more of a true live feel. The cameras also don't show Thomen enough. I enjoy seeing a drummer of his incredible talent ply his trade in concert. As an example, Iron Maiden's "Maiden England" concert video does a geat job of showcasing Nicko's talent. I also don't think they show the "temporary help" enough - bassist Oliver Holzvarth and keyboardist Michael Schuren. Holzvarth especially, since he has essentially taken over Hansi's bass duties.

Overall, though, this is one incredible DVD, and every Blind Guardian fan should not be without it. Watching them live has proven to me once again that this is, by far, one of the most talented bands out there - musically, lyrically, structurally, and topically. They deliver mind-blowing time changes, starts/stops, melodies, and discordant rhythms, all at speeds that make your head spin. Thomen, especially, should receive much praise. He handles the tempo changes and crazy beat structures incredibly well while still keeping perfect time. Andre hits every note with his lead guitar, and Marcus races through the background rhythms nicely. And even though he is not the consummate frontman (in fact, he actually seems a bit intimidated in the first 3 or 4 songs), Hansi belts out his lyrics with conviction and an incredible set of pipes."

A great DVD from a good band

J-bird | Coldsnowy, MI | 03/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"1st off let me say that I am not a rabid Blind Guardian fan. While i do enjoy them, and own most of their cd catalogue, it took me about a year and a half to really get into what they were doing after my 1st BG purchase, "Nightfall In Middle Earth". I started to enjoy them, but still thought "N.I.M.E" and "A Night At The Opera" were a bit over-produced as far as all the different background guitar and vocal parts were concerned.

As I am a musician myself (not anywhere near being professional), I enjoy watching other musicians perform, so i decided to take a chance and purchase this DVD "Imaginations Through The Looking Glass". Wow, Blind Guardian sounds better live, with a more raw, stripped down sound.

This DVD is a quality product throughout, from the packaging to the Live show to the extra disc. The video and sound are excellent (sure, you can nitpick here and there where the camera was fuzzy or the sound wasnt quite "there" for a split second)and Blind Guardian was in top form, albiet the show IS taken from 2 different nights, but the editing was so good i didnt notice till half-way thru the disc. The bonus DVD is full of behind the scene footage, from setting up the festival stage, to band interviews and day-of-show goings on. The 2nd disc IS in German, but a decent DVD player should (some seem to have had problem) be able to subtitle it.

Overall, this is a great DVD that any power metal fan should have, and fans of metal in general should enjoy it if they like a good live performance regardless of genre."

Epic

Johnny D. | Brazil | 08/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So metal is dead? Someone forgot to mention that to the folks in Blind Guardian. Why is it that this dvd makes me cry every time I watch it? Aside from me being sentimental about the good ol days when metal dominated, this dvd is a testament to the past as well as the now. I find it imperative to mention the crowd participation amongst the Nordic fans who attended this show, and made it the epic journey through metal that it was and still is. From beginning to end this dvd never ceases to amaze me and remind me of what it was like to grow up in the late 70's and early 80's and experience not only the birth of metal, but also the birth of thrash and power metal. Blind Guardian is a superb mix of these, and with the tremendous backing of their dedicated fans, the Imaginations DVD is nothing short of epic. At 36 I still find myself head-banging and singing along with every track, and at times find myself in tears at the sheer magnitude of what once was, is now, and ever shall be AMEN, pure power metal. Kudos to Blind Guardian for an exceptional show and I kneel at the altar of the fans in Europe for making this dvd nothing less than a spectacular event in the history of true metal. VALHALLA, DELIVER US!!!"

Blind Guardian's first DVD, fans can now say: "Finally!"

Parker Buessow | Sequim, Washington USA | 10/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a huge fan of Blind Guardian ever since I got their "A Night At The Opera" album as a cristmas gift. Since then, I've discovered: "Somewhere Far Beyond", "Tales From The Twilight World", "Blind Guardian Live", "And Then There Was Silence" E.P., and last but not least, their first Live DVD, "Imaginations From The Looking Glass". B.G. are perfect live! They preform their songs live just as good, or dare I say, even better than the album versions. I've personally never got the chance to see them up close and personnal, but from what I've seen from the DVD and heard from their CD's, I can't wait until the "Guardians" come to Seattle! Musicly, the band is perfect. Vocally, there is no words really to describe Hansi's voice, it's that good. His talent has found it's way to other bands as well, on Therion's album: "Deggial", He sings the lead vocals on a song called "Flesh Of The Gods". He is also best friends with the lead guitarist and founder of Iced Earth, Jon Schaffer. Schaffer and Hansi have teamed up to do a solo project called "Demons & Wizard's, check it out if you have not already. The only thing I have left to say is: May Blind Guardian continue to shock us with amazing work. Long live Metal!"