BLIND GUARDIAN — Tales From the Twilight World (review)

BLIND GUARDIAN — Tales From the Twilight World album cover

Album · 1990 · Power Metal

2/5 · 2017-07-31
martindavey87

Three albums into their career and Blind Guardian have still yet to find that certain something that would make them unique amongst all the other power metal bands. Although there are certain hints of it creeping in, it isn't enough to make 'Tales from the Twilight World' truly stand out.

The use of acoustic guitars, more intricate vocal melodies and Tolkien-inspired lyrical themes are all signs of where the band are going musically, but sadly it fails to distinguish anything of this album from its predecessors. Songs such as 'Lord of the Rings', 'Welcome to Dying' and 'Tommyknockers' are some of the more memorable moments, but they're lost amidst an album of mediocre speed metal tracks ('Lord of the Rings' is damn catchy, though).

Much like their previous albums, 'Tales from the Twilight World' may be held in higher regard by enthusiasts of the genre, and whilst I absolutely love Blind Guardian's later material, to me, this is just another generic power metal affair.

more than 2 years ago
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666sharon666 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

End of discussion. There is no 'lock' option on a comment thread like on a forum thread but consider this figuratively locked from this point onward.

666sharon666 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Finally @aglasshouse, your comments here, especially the first one, have not helped anyone. I also feel that you have missed the point as it had already been pointed out that if Martin did not feel he had to defend his review he could simply have not posted a reply comment. This all started because rudeness was resorted to and that will not be tolerated (especially calling people 'fuckwads' on the site). Your only comment that has any constructive relevance is your final one.

666sharon666 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Okay, let's end this now. I really don't care at this point who did or did not start it: I am finishing it.

Let's make one thing clear first: MorniumGoatahl's original post is a fair criticism. He has also apologised if he caused any undue offence by making it.

@martindavey87, in future, perhaps you could consider actually following MorniumGoatahl's valid advice if you don't feel you need to defend your review from a critical comment (which is absolutely up to you whether you want to or not): don't respond to it You instigated this by causing offence in turn to MorniumGoatahl, which you yourself have even called a petty comment in your most recent posts.

martindavey87 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

And with that said, thanks to everyone who read my review and commented, for those who defended me and those who didn't. I like Blind Guardian, I just don't like their earlier albums. Simple as that. Hope that helps. Take care, everyone. \m/ \m/

martindavey87 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I expect negative responses, and I generally shrug them off, or perhaps nonchalantly disregard them with a petty comment, especially if they come across as aggressive (as did the original comment). No amount of "arguing" is going to change anyone's opinion, so me "backing up my review" will achieve nothing, other than waste my own time trying to think up what to write about why I don't like an album.

My writing style won't please everyone, it's not going to stop me though. Ultimately we're all bickering over a review which really has no impact on anything. It's just a bit of fun.

martindavey87 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

The fact that there's now 20+ comments on this subject goes to demonstrate why I don't take any of this too seriously, why I don't feel the need to justify any of my opinions, and why I'm not bothered whether people attack me or agree with me. I don't know how I'm supposed to "back up my review"... other than saying something like "I don't like this album". I'm not going to go into a philosophical journey of self discovery on this one. Nor do I post negative reviews to illicit certain responses. A look at my other reviews/ratings will show that these are very "legit" opinions, and that I'm not some troll (I hate that term) coming online to bash classic albums just to get a response (which is usually the classic accusation when you dislike a beloved album).

aglasshouse wrote:

more than 2 years ago

As for how this album could be considered generic, it's quite simple. Something can be considered played out even after 3 years of it's inception. Although while looking back three years can seem like no time at all, it is certainly more than enough time for a genre to be played with in many ways to the point where retreading it can seem very vanilla and basic. This also doesn't take into account that power metal was already developing in the US even before Helloween with bands like Metal Church and Helstar. It's not too ridiculous for someone to call a 1990 power metal album generic.

aglasshouse wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Your telling to Martin that he should not post his review because he's unwilling to defend his opinions because he doesn't conform to your personal standards really rubs me the wrong way. This is an open marketplace of ideas and yes, while a writer should not be surprised if they receive criticism in the public comment section, the writer also has no obligation to defend themselves because some public commenter believes they should. No rule on this site states that there is any requirement to, and Martin's denial to further defend his point is absolutely justified. I honestly do think that you are overreacting to a really inoffensive review like it's a personal insult. Don't take it as such.

aglasshouse wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Mr. MorniumGoatahl, I believe that you are rather condescending and rude every time you comment on someone's review that you happen to disagree with. Your comments usually sum up to being overly emotional and pugnacious towards the writer even though the review itself is more often then not innocuous like this one.

TheHeavyMetalCat wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Face it, negative reviews for well known, popular albums are always going to get a response. Especially if they're written in a way that's going to rub fans up the wrong way, which this review does, whether they author meant to or not. Am I wrong in thinking that a reviewer should be prepared for that when they post such a piece?

siLLy puPPy wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I'm a pinhead. I only stumbled here accidently thinking it was the BeeGees fan club. You want fucking metal? May the tortured goat of Satan ride vamoosing into the keyless shadows of the castles of Mixcoatl after the implosion of tortured souls on a pile of raped and mutilated quilt designers. Can we move on now? My popcorn popper broke :(

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I've already apologised to martindavey if offence was caused by my original post. Though I stand by my words and do not consider them unduly harsh or rude. Do you take issue with me saying fuck? Are you metalheads or politically correct civil servants?

siLLy puPPy wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Alright. I think i'm gonna need some popcorn for this one

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

@Unitron:

'Martin doesn't have to defend his review if he doesn't want to.'

Okay, true. But in which case he could have remained silent and this comment thread would have gone on with just the one comment instead of this whole exchange. Instead he opted to insult me. The fact that his first reaction was to do so only confirmed my suspicious that his words were BS, which I'll remind you all again I kept to myself until after the insult. The fact that he felt he had to do that only tells me that he couldn't back up what he'd written. And given that the subject matter if a popular album I even wonder if it wasn't his intent to troll to begin with.

siLLy puPPy wrote:

more than 2 years ago

@Unitron Nobody HAS to explain or defend anything but at the same time he should be prepared for someone to challenge his words. This is a comment section and i find his words to be fairly meaningless as for describing his reviews. I've already made this known so no need to go into it further. I think MorniumGoatahl has every right to comment and request more clarifying info but yes, it should have been less confrontational and of course Martindavey1987 has the right to remain silent. I'm only trying to give helpful advice not raising the Nazi review flag.

siLLy puPPy wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Just another word about these types of reviews. I personally don't even read them anymore if they don't thoroughly explain how an album sounds or evokes personal responses. Everyone has the right to blather on about any album they like here. This is not Rolling Stone or a professional review website. But on the other hand if someone writes a review and trashes an album then they should expect a response especially if their 'opinion' is unsupported by any sort of explanation. It's just human nature for fuck's sake. Having said that, this isn't Fox News where we shout down anyone we don't agree with.

Unitron wrote:

more than 2 years ago

@siLLy puPPy Why does he need to explain why or defend his opinion? I think calling a review a "vapid expanse of words" just because the reviewer doesn't want to further explain their opinion seems a bit harsh.

@MorniumGoathl I disagree with the review as well, but I think all of this could have been avoided had your first comment been a bit more polite. I'll also say the same as I did for siLLy puPPy's response, Martin doesn't have to defend his review if he doesn't want to.

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

'the typical power metal sound isn't actually like this, for reasons previously stated. '

As anyone who listens to power metal regularly should be able to confirm.

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

To explain further: 1990 is still very early for a power metal release. Keeper 1 by Helloween in 1987 is usually accepted as the first and genres certainly don't fully develop and evolve instantly. I happen to think Keeper 1 & 2 still have a very 'traditional' sound compared to the modern power metal standard. Blind Guardian are one of the other pioneering bands of the style. So yes, I cosider it a weak criticism to call this album generic considering the time period and evolution of the genre, and also because the typical power metal sound isn't actually like this, for reasons previously stated.

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Well I did only call his words bullshit 'after' he choose to respond with an insult which to me looked like a kneejerk reaction. I apologise to martindavey87 if my original post was deemed confrontational but it's not as if I called him an idiot for his opinion. If you revisit what I actually wrote, I pointed out that he isn't the first I've seen to use the same argument and am generally curious what he and others expect of the album when they use it.

siLLy puPPy wrote:

more than 2 years ago

@Morniumgoatahl, man, i get your drift about wanting an explanation and all but you really just fuel the fire when you call his words BS. That initiates the flight or fight response and then any possibilities of a civil discussion come to a grinding halt. Personally i just ignore these types of reviews if they don't say anything. UMUR is correct. Simply write a more detailed review that addresses what you want to have read.

@aglasshouse... hmmm, fuckwad hardly seems like the most diplomatic of words to use in this situation although it is a word i use myself quite a bit even if friends challenge it when i try to use it in a good game of scrabble :P

siLLy puPPy wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Personally i see Morniumgoatahl's original response legit although it could have been asked in a less confrontational way. Martindavey87 doesn't really support his opinion in any way and he was merely wanting clarification. It then escalated in Jerry Springer territory.

@Martindavey87, dude, if you want anyone to even care one iota about your opinion then you should be prepared to explain your stance on why you have critiqued an album in a certain way otherwise your opinion is just a vapid expanse of words.

UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Okey...everyone breath in deeply. No need for name calling or animosity. It´s alright to disagree and discuss disagreements over a review in this section, but personal attacks are not tolerated on MMA. Personally if I disagree about a review I usually just write my own review of the release, to balance out the negative/or positive review that I disagree with.

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

LMAO. High horse? Holier-than-thou shit? Pal, just re-read what you wrote and then have a good think about how you just came off.

aglasshouse wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Get off your high horse, fuckwad. If you think the album is so great then make a review yourself and cut the holier-than-thou shit.

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Now, perhaps instead of avoiding the question you might consider explaining why you expect an early power metal album to not sound generic of the genre and also reveal of the names the bands who caused you to think that. I would genuinely like to check them out.

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

So here's a bit of friendly advice: if you cannot defend or clarify what you've written if and when you receive criticism, consider not posting the review. It makes your arguments look incredibly weak, moreso here because you've felt the need to try to make this whole exchange seem as if I am somehow in the wrong for bringing it up.

Reviews are posted in order for them to be read. It's not about whether they have a bearing on your life (what is that even supposed to mean? How is any review supposed to have a bearing on my life?). I read them, and if I feel like there is something to say I will comment, as I did here, since I find your 'generic' argument weak and uninformed.

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

It's not about getting the best comment in. In any case those are YOUR words, not mine. Also if anything of the kind IS happening here it's because YOU started it by basically telling me to get a life. News flash pal, this site has a comment section on its reviews which is there to be used!

Now, let's take a step back and examine this situation without resorting to a pointless slagging match: You posted a review publically onto a website and received a criticism on one of your arguments. You now seem unwilling and/or unable to respond to that criticism which is only making your claims about the album even more dubious.

martindavey87 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I didn't realize this was a competition to see who could get the best comment in. I don't feel the need to defend my review because it's my opinion, and it has absolutely no bearing on your life. You really need to find something more serious to get angry about. Next!

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Wow, that's seriously all you could think up for a comeback? A petty insult?

Thank you very much for proving my point by not being able to defend your own review. Looks like I was right to call you on your bullshit. Next!

martindavey87 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

You probably need to reevaluate your life if you're letting stuff like this anger you.

MorniumGoatahl wrote:

more than 2 years ago

This isn't the first review I've seen that's tried to claim that this or any other early power metal album is generic but fuck, what do you expect? Look at the release date man. 1990. 19-fucking-90. The genre only really got started in 87/88! What a weak criticism.

Also I'd love to know what power metal releases you're listening to if you've come up with that opinion, because this really isn't generic, especially by modern standards. It's much harder, rawer and altogether more ballsy than any true genric power metal bands could ever hope to be!