I have anxiously been anticipating this release for some time now, as I am sure all Blind Guardian fans have been. I know there are some detractors and won't even give this release a chance because you cannot recreate Blind Guardian, but that is totally their loss. Dreamland Manor to say the least is up there with the top releases of the year. Come with me as we venture through Dreamland Manor.
The band was formed in April 2005 when Thomas left Blind Guardian. He began demoing some music with Piet almost a year before he officially announced the addition of Jens and Emil. It was during these demo sessions that Piet suggested Jens and Emil to play because Piet thought that the music sounded somewhat similar to their other band, Persuader.
This album is absolutely stunning!!! I can't even find the words to describe it. Everything on is album is flawless, there is not one thing I would change. I know I am supposed to be rating harder but this album just can't be down-graded. Yes, Jens I think does sound almost exactly like Hansi, but not as clean as Hansi. Maybe the more proper terminology would be Jens sounds thrashier.
On to the music. I would have to say that the music is very much similar to Blind Guardian as well. If I had to pinpoint an album it most sounds like it would be somewhere in between Imaginations From The Other Side (1995) and Nightfall In Middle Earth (1998). I have talked to some people about it and they say it is closer to Somewhere Far Beyond (1991), but I say screw them. There are some guitar parts and vocal parts that I thought could have came right off Nightfall just with less-production.
My favorite tracks would have to be the last track Born Again By The Night and Evil Eyes. I really like the structure of those songs as well as how the vocals come out particularly in Born Again By The Night.
To conclude, buy this goddamn CD!! If you are a fan of Blind Guardian, I don't see how you couldn't love this album; 'nuff said.