Blind Guardian

Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in Krefeld in 1984, originally under the name Lucifer’s Heritage. The classic lineup crystallized around vocalist and bassist Hansi Kürsch, guitarists André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen, and drummer Thomas Stauch, who stayed together for nearly two decades. After signing with No Remorse Records, the band renamed itself Blind Guardian, taking the name from Fates Warning’s album «Awaken the Guardian».

The band’s early work, including «Battalions of Fear» and «Follow the Blind», was rooted in speed metal indebted to Helloween, but Blind Guardian gradually developed a distinctive style built on complex, layered guitar work, dense vocal harmonies, and an almost choral, symphonic approach to arrangement. Kürsch’s raspy, powerful voice and the band’s love of multi-tracked backing vocals became a signature that set them apart from other German metal acts.

Blind Guardian is best known for concept albums steeped in fantasy literature, particularly the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Michael Moorcock, with songs like «Nightfall», «Mirror Mirror», and «The Bard’s Song - In the Forest» becoming genre staples. They are widely regarded as pioneers of European power metal and narrative-driven fantasy metal, influencing countless bands that followed.