Blind Guardian "Battalions Of Fear (2007 Reissue, Remastered, Germany, Virgin Records, 0946 3 96512 2 1)"

Battalions of Fear is the debut album by German metal band Blind Guardian released in 1988. The album is a raw and unpolished speed metal effort that touches on thrash metal. It lacks many of the stylistic flourishes that would mark the band's music in later years, focusing more on speed and aggression. The opening track "Majesty" remains a fan favorite and is often featured in the band's live performances. This album was remastered, remixed and re-released on 15 June 2007, with the whole first demo tape, Symphonies of Doom, of the band (at the time called Lucifer's Heritage) as part of the bonus tracks. The album was again re-released as part of the A Traveler's Guide to Space and Time boxset with minor adjustments to the mixing and with new mastering.

The songs "Majesty" and "Run for the Night", as well as the titles of instrumentals "By the Gates of Moria" and "Gandalf's Rebirth", are based on J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

Parts of "By the Gates of Moria" are derived from Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World".

"Majesty" opens with a barrel organ version of Johann Strauss II's waltz The Blue Danube.

"Guardian of the Blind" is based on Stephen King's It.

"The Martyr" is about Jesus Christ's passion.

"Battalions of Fear" refers to US president Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative.

"Wizard's Crown" is about Aleister Crowley. The song was originally titled "Halloween" on the Symphonies of Doom demo tape (1985) while the band was still Lucifer's Heritage. The song name was changed probably to avoid confusion with a song of the same name by fellow German power/speed metal band Helloween.

"Brian" is about the film Monty Python's Life of Brian.

Tracklist:

1. Majesty 07:31   
2. Guardian of the Blind 05:12   
3. Trial by the Archon 01:45
4. Wizard's Crown 03:50
5. Run for the Night 03:36   
6. The Martyr 06:18
7. Battalions of Fear 06:09
8. By the Gates of Moria 02:53   
9. Gandalf's Rebirth 02:10
10. Brian (Demo) 02:53
11. Halloween (The Wizard's Crown) (Demo) 03:39   
12. Lucifer's Heritage (Demo) 05:00
13. Symphonies of Doom (Demo) 04:24
14. Dead of the Night (Demo) 03:45   

Time:  59:05

Part of the 2007 Remasters done by Virgin Records.

Track 9 was originally recorded for the Lucifer's Heritage second demo "Battalions Of Fear" (1986).

Tracks 10 to 14 form the original first Lucifer's Heritage demo "Symphony's Of Doom" (1985) in a different order.

Recording information:

Recorded, mixed and mastered at Karo Studio, Munster, West Germany in October/November 1987.

Kalle Trapp – production, engineering, mixing

Holger Schreiber – engineering on "Gandalf's Rebirth"

van Waay Design – cover art