German prog-power icons BLIND GUARDIAN have crafted another elaborate and extensive musical landscape with At The Edge Of Time, yet this time remembered the guitars (and their older albums)! There are no less than three tracks which recall the classic Somewhere Far Beyond/Imaginations sound, also retaining the folk element (which they “pioneered” a decade or more before the current craze).

Here's a track-by-track rundown:

‘Sacred Worlds’ - Opens the disc in a symphonic mode. Reminiscent of the epic orchestral compositions of recent vintage, a full 90 seconds before anything resembling rock instrumentation can be heard, and another minute of crescendo building before Hansi Kursch settles into his mid-tempo timbre. Runs 9:19

‘Tanelorn (Into The Void)’ – Now that’s more like it, at least for us older fans, who have been with the band since the beginning. The rapid pace and up-front guitars serve early notice (appearing on track #2) this is going to (thankfully) be something different, harkening back to their mindset in the 20th century. Hansi adopts smooth voice come titular chorus.

‘Road Of No Release’ – Piano and military snare introduce essentially a mid-tempo number that employs all the Guardian trademarks. Fades to an end with solo keyboard notes.

‘Ride Into Obsession’ - As if to prove the aforementioned ‘Tanelorn’ was no fluke, here’s a like-minded aggressive number, Kursch opting for his higher register,

‘Curse My Name’ – A medieval madrigal, complete with pipes, violin and crisp military snare. A distant cousin to ‘The Bard Song’, albeit a little more rock, than rollick.

‘Valkyries’ – Rainstorm sound-effect greets nearly a cappella voice. Mid-tempo, with a little more modern Guardian sound. Midsection threatens to break into gallop, but kept in check by the multi-voiced chorus.

‘Control The Divine’ – Snippets of acoustic guitar (and QUEEN influence) can be heard beneath the regal melody. Big, rousing sing-along chorus: “How can we take it away from someone who has no right to control the divine.”

‘War Of The Thrones (Piano)’ - Ballad makes prominent use of its namesake keys. Get that sunny, early '70s Cali vibe (before drugs altered the musical landscape).

‘A Voice In The Dark’ – Begins as if Kursch’s friend/DEMONS & WIZARDS partner Jon Schaffer lent them an ICED EARTH outtake. Aggressive rolling triplets. Viva the old days!

‘Wheel Of Time’ – Although a couple of six-plus minute tracks elsewhere, this grandiose closer (8:56) bookends nicely with the kick-off tune (the circle complete). In between the two, the remainders virtually alternate fast-slow, every other track. Opens with violin and Middle Eastern rhythm that re-appears throughout.

At The Edge Of Time will be released through Nuclear Blast August 24th.