Blind Guardian
Imaginations From the Other Side

THE REVIEW

One morning on an ordinary day, I turned on the stereo to listen to this album I had bought the day before, and as the first notes of the introductory "Imagination From The Other Side" played, I went to my usual mirror to look at myself and freshen up. I looked closely at the mirror and gazed through it: I saw a fantastic world made of ruined houses and skies dominated by dragons moving from one side to the other.

I moved the mirror and entered. The music kept playing, but the place was different. I descended from the mountain where I found myself after passing through the mirror and arrived in the valley where I found Blind Guardian, wearing shabby clothes, playing the song I was listening to. The first I noticed was Thomas Stauch on the drums, but I didn't notice his hands because he was playing too fast, then I watched Andrè Olbrich and Marcus Siepen's guitars, but more with my ears than my eyes; finally, I noticed Hansi Kursch playing the bass and singing with a brutality I'd never seen before. Immediately after, they played "I'm Alive," and at the beginning of that second song, those dragons began to chase me. I ran away, always hearing the song and leaving the Blind Guardian playing. I ran as fast as I could, jumping over bushes and streams until I reached a field. Frightened, I realized that the dragons were no longer there and the landscape was different; so I continued walking. In the distance, I saw a small house with lights inside and approached as the mighty "I'm Alive" was ending. At the door, I heard another: "A Past And Future Secret" which sounded different from the previous two because it was acoustic, played only with classical guitars and drums. I opened the door and saw them again, this time dressed in medieval clothes, playing in front of an audience of 7 elves and 7 dwarves.

Driven by curiosity, I cautiously approached them, who didn't notice my presence. I sat in a chair listening to that song so beautiful and calm. Suddenly the song ended, and another much more violent, screamed, and heavy began, so much so that the ground trembled under my feet, and the dwarves and elves turned their gaze from Blind to me, noticing my presence. I began to run again, chased by the dwarves and elves. My second escape was accompanied by "The Script For My Requiem," with which Kursch's booming voice drilled my eardrum during the run.

Having escaped danger, I found myself near a waterfall where ON THE OTHER SIDE, they were still there, dressed as bards, playing "Mordred's Song" and then "Born In A Mourning Hall." I sat on the ground to admire these two excellent pieces. At the end of the latter, I saw in the distance behind me a hooded man: the blind guardian. That mysterious image could only arouse great curiosity in me, so I began to follow him to see where he would go to the notes of the haunting "Bright Eyes." The blind man led me into an enchanted forest where everything I touched made my hand pass through. It was now dark, and I could no longer follow the guardian well; thus, I lost sight of him, remaining alone. Then came glowing locusts that initially buzzed around me but then showed me the way at the sound of the speedy "Another Holy War."

Once I passed through the forest, I saw four knights in armor, who were them again, this time not playing but coming towards me, and I started running again for my third escape. At the end of the song and the story, "And The Story Ends" I found myself back at the starting point (in the valley) only then realizing that the land I was on was an island and that I had traveled its perimeter (in fact, it seemed to me that I had seen the sea near the forest). I climbed back up the mountain, entered where I had exited, and found myself thrown to the floor of my bathroom with my mother knocking on the door calling me. I got up, left the bathroom telling her everything was fine, and went to turn off the stereo because the album was over.

Now I am in front of the computer, reliving those fantastic moments of pure adventure that actually lasted 49 minutes and 18 seconds but ON THE OTHER SIDE, a day.