Symphonic, progressive, power metal. It's all of these at once. There's no delusions that this is the Blind Guardian we are ultimately getting from here on out. The musicality continues to be driven mainly by the orchestra and symphony with a mere shell of what Blind Guardian originally was. For me personally, I've just lost the desire to delve any further into these songs to force myself into liking this arrangement or that lead. It's just too epic at this point with a flare to be overly dramatic. Maybe someday I'll appreciate the technical prowess of a band that kept pushing for a bigger sound.

Germany's kings of the power mountain, Blind Guardian, are out with their tenth studio album--Beyond the Red Mirror. It's speed, power, precision, and a fair amount of really BIG orchestration. The group takes the listener on a musical journey that is often majestic, yet sometimes too epically busy with symphonic layers, taking away from Hansi and the band (The Throne is an example that isn't trying to outdo itself). For the most part, there are some filler tracks mixed with tracks of pure genius. Fans of older Blind Guardian, may want to pass on this. Fans that can hear and enjoy the band's progression over time will enjoy this immensely.