Haggard "Eppur Si Muove (CD+DVD, Limited Edition, Germany, Drakkar Classic, drakkar 065)"

Eppur si muove is the third full-length album by the German symphonic metal band Haggard. It was released on 26 April 2004 by Drakkar Entertainment.

The album is based on the life of the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), who, according to legend, muttered the phrase eppur si muove 'and yet it does move', after being forced to recant, in front of the Inquisition, his belief that the earth moved around the sun.

In 2021, it was elected by Metal Hammer as the 23rd best symphonic metal album.

Tracklist:

Disc 1 (CD)

1. All'inizio è la morte 06:50
2. Menuetto in Fa-minore 01:16  
3. Per Aspera ad Astra 06:40  
4. Of a Might Divine 08:20   
5. Gavotta in Si-minore 00:58  
6. Herr Mannelig 04:50   
7. The Observer 04:40  
8. Eppur si muove 08:19  
9. Larghetto / Epilogo adagio 02:13
10. Herr Mannelig (short version) 06:10  

Time:  50:16  

Disc 2 (DVD)

1. Requiem 01:49  
2. In a Pale Moon's Shadow 10:10  
3. Cantus Firmus 02:39  
4. De la morte noire 07:40  
5. Lost (Robin) 05:04  
6. In a Pale Moon's Shadow [videoclip] 09:40  

Time: 37:02  

A DVD that contains 5 Live in Wacken 98 concert videos and a videoclip.

Recording information:

Produced and mixed at Roth Recording Studios.

Mastered at Church Mastering.

Eyes Of Eden "Faith (Russia, Fono Ltd., FO178CD)"

Eyes of Eden is a German symphonic metal band founded in 2005 by multi-instrumentalist and record producer Waldemar Sorychta.

Waldemar Sorychta started Eyes of Eden by writing songs and assembling the band. They recorded the material with Gas Lipstick (HIM) on drums. Singer Sandra Schleret recorded most of the vocals of the album, but then had some serious health issues to take care of, so she left the band before the album was finished. Eyes of Eden then appointed 20-year-old Franziska Huth to re-record the vocals on the album. Faith was released in 2007. The drum parts on the album were initially recorded by Gas Lipstick, but he was later replaced by Tom Diener. Alla Fedynitch was chosen as the bassist. Faith was released on 20 August 2007 in Europe and 6 November 2007 in North America.

Faith is the first studio album by the gothic metal band Eyes of Eden. It was released on 20 August 2007 in Europe and on 6 November 2007 in North America.

Tracklist:

1. "Winter Night" – 3:37
2. "When Gods Fall" – 3:37
3. "Star" – 3:47
4. "Pictures" – 4:10
5. "Dancing Fire" – 3:15
6. "Sleeping Minds" – 4:00
7. "Daylight" – 4:03
8. "Man in the Flame" – 4:22
9. "From Heaven Sent" – 4:17
10. "Not Human Kind" – 10:02

Time:  45:03

Recording information:

Recorded, mixed and mastered at Woodhouse (Germany) in 2004 / 2006.

Produced by Waldemar Sorychta.

Delain "Dark Waters (Russia, Soyuz Music, NPR1141)"

Delain is a Dutch symphonic metal band formed in 2002 by keyboardist Martijn Westerholt. After his departure from Within Temptation in 2001, Westerholt formed Delain the following year, intending for the band to be solely a project, but stopped after the release of one demo. In 2005, Westerholt restarted Delain alongside singer Charlotte Wessels, and released the debut studio album, Lucidity, in September 2006. The band began to perform publicly following the positive reception the album received.

Dark Waters is the seventh studio album by the Dutch symphonic metal band Delain. It was released on 10 February 2023 via Napalm Records.

It is the first studio album to feature Ludovico Cioffi on bass and Diana Leah on lead vocals. The album also marks the return of drummer Sander Zoer and original guitarist Ronald Landa.

On 15 February 2021, it was announced that Delain's lineup had split up, and that it would be continuing with a new lineup that Westerholt stated would continue to "keep Delain alive", which consists of new and previous members.

The band's new lineup was fully announced on the release of the first single, "The Quest and the Curse", on 9 August 2022, as well as announcing their new lead vocalist, Diana Leah. The second single, "Beneath", was released on 29 November 2022. Simultaneously on the same day of the single's release, the band announced the title of their upcoming seventh studio album, Dark Waters, with a release date of 10 February 2023. The third single, "Moth to a Flame", was released on 10 January 2023.

Track listing

1. "Hideaway Paradise" 5:18
2. "The Quest and the Curse" 4:56
3. "Beneath" 4:59
4. "Mirror of Night" 4:37
5. "Tainted Hearts" 4:41
6. "The Cold" 4:37
7. "Moth to a Flame" 4:07
8. "Queen of Shadow" 4:02
9. "Invictus" 5:30
10. "Underland" 5:13

Total length: 48:00

Bonus track

1. "The Quest and the Curse" (piano version) 3:26

Total length: 51:26

Recording information:

Mixed at Hansen Studios. Ribe, Denmark.

Mastered at Chartmakers. Espoo, Finland.

Blind Guardian "Nightfall In Middle-Earth (2007 Reissue, Remastered, Germany, Virgin Records, 0946 3 96520 2 0)"

Nightfall in Middle-Earth is the sixth studio album by the German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was released on 28 April 1998 through Virgin Records. It is a concept album based on J. R. R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion, a book of tales from the First Age of Middle-earth, recounting the troubled history of Beleriand as the Elves battle with the Dark Lord Morgoth. The album contains not only songs but also spoken parts narrating parts of the story. The cover depicts a scene from The Silmarillion, the elf Lúthien dancing in front of the Dark Lord Morgoth.

Nightfall in Middle-Earth is widely regarded as one of Blind Guardian's best-known and best-received albums in their discography. It is also the first album with Oliver Holzwarth as guest musician, playing bass guitar instead of Hansi Kürsch.

It was the first album by Blind Guardian to be released in the United States. The sales encouraged Century Media to release their entire back catalog in the US in 2007, at which point it was remastered and re-released, with a bonus track.

The album has been described as "grandiose" and influenced by progressive rock. It has been compared to Queen's operatic approach with "dense choir-like vocal harmonies set against swirling multi-part guitar lines." Music critics have noted the fast, melodic guitar-work and the use of folk instruments, flutes, violins, and other instruments. The album's songs are varied, with "quick-paced numbers", ballads, and operatic pieces. Metal Hammer described it as "a banquet of medieval/folk, speed/power metal, and Queen-esque vocal twists, complete with interludes to illustrate the plot."

The album retells the events in The Silmarillion, beginning with an episode at the end:

• In "War of Wrath", Sauron advises his master Morgoth to flee the triumphant Valar in the War of Wrath. Morgoth sends him away and reflects on the events leading up to his defeat.
• In "Into the Storm", Morgoth and Ungoliant, fleeing from Valinor after having destroyed the Two Trees, struggle for the possession of the Silmarils.
• "Lammoth" is Morgoth's scream of fear. It summons his Balrogs to his aid to fight off Ungoliant.
• In "Nightfall", Fëanor and his seven sons mourn the destruction wrought by Morgoth, including the slaying of Finwë, Fëanor's father, and swear to get revenge on him, in spite of the Valar's disapproval.
• "The Minstrel" is most likely about Maglor, son of Fëanor, who composed the song "The Fall of the Noldor" based on the Kinslaying.
• In "The Curse of Fëanor", Fëanor expresses his wrath and anger and relates the misdeeds he commits, especially the Kinslaying, in pursuit of Morgoth.
• In "Captured", Morgoth addresses the captive Maedhros, Fëanor's son, and chains him to the Thangorodrim mountains.
• In "Blood Tears", Maedhros relates the horrors of his captivity and his deliverance by Fingon.
• "Mirror Mirror" recounts how Turgon, in view of inevitable defeat, builds the city of Gondolin, aided by Ulmo ("The Lord of Water").
• In "Face the Truth", Fingolfin reflects about the destiny of the Noldor.
• In "Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)", Fingolfin recounts his Noldor army's passage from the icy waste of Helcaraxë and the prophecy by Mandos about the Noldor's fate; he reflects on his own and his people's guilt and foreshadows their ultimate defeat.
• "The Battle of Sudden Flame" refers to the battle in which Morgoth breaks the Siege of Angband using his Balrogs and dragons. The lyrics tell of how Barahir of the House of Bëor, with great loss to his own company, saved the life of the Elven king Finrod Felagund, and in return Finrod swore an oath of friendship to Barahir and all of his kin.
• "Time Stands Still (at the Iron Hill)" is about Fingolfin riding to the gates of Angband to challenge Morgoth to a duel. Fingolfin wounds Morgoth seven times but is eventually killed.
• "The Dark Elf" refers to Eöl who seduced Turgon's sister and fathered Maeglin, who would eventually betray Gondolin.
• "Thorn" is a song describing Maeglin's captivity in Angband and Morgoth trying to convert Maeglin to his side with threats and lies. The title of the song refers to the thorn bushes that hid the outer gates of Gondolin.
• "The Eldar" is Elven king Finrod Felagund's farewell to his people, dying from wounds sustained by saving his human friend Beren from a werewolf, thereby fulfilling his oath to the House of Bëor.
• In "Nom the Wise", Beren mourns his friend Finrod. Nóm means "wise" and was the name given to Finrod by Beren's forefather Bëor.
• In "When Sorrow Sang", Beren sings about his love to the Elven princess Lúthien and his death at the teeth of Morgoth's wolf Carcharoth. Last part is about Mandos listening to Luthien's song about their grief experienced by being different in kin.
• "Out on the Water" refers to the last dwelling-place of Beren and Lúthien.
• In "The Steadfast", Morgoth curses his captive Húrin (known in Elvish as the Steadfast) who refused to reveal the secret of Gondolin.
• In "A Dark Passage", Morgoth ponders his triumph in the fifth battle. The song also relates the origins of the kindred of men and Morgoth's curse on Húrin to be witness to his children's tragic fate.
• "Final Chapter (Thus Ends ...)" concludes the album, speaking of Morgoth's victory by the "treachery of man" but also of the hope for a new day.
• "Harvest of Sorrow" is a bonus track on the 2007 and 2018 remastered versions of the album. Túrin mourns the loss of his sister Niënor.
• "Doom" is a bonus track on the 2018 remastered version of the album. The track shows a more detailed account of Húrin being cursed by Morgoth. A slightly rewritten version appears on a limited edition of Beyond the Red Mirror as an epilogue chapter.
• "The Tides of War" is a bonus track on the 2018 remastered version of the album. The track tells of the rebellious Noldor arriving in Beleriand to face Morgoth, thinking also about the burning of the Teleri ships at Losgar and the Oath of Fëanor.

The cover art for the album features Lúthien dancing before Morgoth, from The Tale of Beren and Lúthien.

The album has drawn universally positive critical acclaim since its release. Writing for Sputnikmusic, Kyle Ward said that on this album "Blind Guardian laid down their finest instrumental performance to date. Everything goes hand in hand with each other, the guitars being nearly always furiously paced and extremely melodic, but not over-the-top and cheesy like many other power metal bands out there." He singled out Hansi Kürsch's vocals for particular praise, writing that "In every aspect and mood, Blind Guardian delivers in the vocal department. Whether the song is amazingly fast and melodic, like "Time Stands Still (at the Iron Hill)" or whether the mood is somber and slow ("The Eldar") you are sure to be hit in the face with a simply remarkable feat in terms of vocal achievement, one of the finest vocal performances I have ever seen on a metal album."

AllMusic's Vincent Jeffries gave a similarly glowing assessment of the album, describing the album as "complete with anthemic choruses, spoken word story lines, and plenty of bombastic power metal punctuating every dramatic turn" and "perhaps Blind Guardian's most triumphant effort."

In a volume edited by Tolkien scholar Bradford Lee Eden, Amy H. Sturgis writes that "although one can assume that Tolkien was not a headbanger", she finds that in the opinion of her students, the "driving energy" of the power metal sound is appropriate for the stories: "The music conveys rage and despair, which fits lyrics such as 'The doom of the Noldor drew near/ The words of a banished king, “I swear revenge!”'" Sturgis adds that this facilitates discussion of Tolkien's Christian view of the fall of man.

Metal Hammer named it in its lists "The 10 Essential Symphonic Metal Albums" and in "The 10 Essential Power Metal Albums". ThoughtCo named it one of the essential power metal albums.

Grimdark Magazine's C.T. Phipps called it one of his "favorite power metal band's greatest works". He states that it is told from the point of view of the Dark Lord Morgoth, with the story told both in the songs and in "little vignettes" in between. He describes the music as "not just your traditional power metal sound but there’s quite a bit of melodious, folksy Medieval sounding tunes spread between the fast guitar work."

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Hansi Kürsch; all music is composed by André Olbrich and Hansi Kürsch except where noted.

1. "War of Wrath" 1:50
2. "Into the Storm" 4:24
3. "Lammoth" 0:28
4. "Nightfall" 5:34
5. "The Minstrel" 0:32
6. "The Curse of Fëanor" (Olbrich, Kürsch, Thomas "Thomen" Stauch and Marcus Siepen) 5:41
7. "Captured" 0:26
8. "Blood Tears" 5:24
9. "Mirror Mirror" 5:06
10. "Face the Truth" 0:24
11. "Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)" 6:51
12. "Battle of Sudden Flame" 0:44
13. "Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)" 4:53
14. "The Dark Elf" 0:23
15. "Thorn" 6:19
16. "The Eldar" (Olbrich, Kürsch, Michael Schüren) 3:39
17. "Nom the Wise" 0:33
18. "When Sorrow Sang" 4:25
19. "Out on the Water" 0:44
20. "The Steadfast" 0:21
21. "A Dark Passage" 6:01
22. "Final Chapter (Thus Ends...)" 0:48
23. "Harvest of Sorrow" 03:39  

Time:    01:09:06  

Originally released in 1998.

Track 23, "Harvest of Sorrow", is a bonus track.

Concept album, based on J.R.R Tolkien's "The Silmarillion."

A video was made for (an edited version of) "Mirror Mirror".

Recording information:

Recorded at Twilight Hall Studios, Krefeld, Karo Musik Studios, Breckel (HH, Germany) and Sweet Silence Studios (Copenhagen, Denmark), from September 1997 through March 1998, except Piano recorded at Vox Studios, HH, Germany in January 1998.

Mixed at Sweet Silence Studios (Copenhagen, Denmark).

Blind Guardian – producers

Flemming Rasmussen – mixing

Charlie Bauerfeind – mixing of interludes

Flemming Rasmussen, Charlie Bauerfeind and Piet Sielck – mixing engineers

Charlie Bauerfeind – recording and engineering of drums, percussion, lead and backing vocals, bass guitars, piano and interludes

Piet Sielck – recording and engineering of lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars, keyboards and orchestral effects

Flemming Rasmussen – recording and engineering of vocals

Cuny – recording and engineering of flutes, alto-flutes and vocals

Andreas Marshall – cover and story paintings

Thorsten Eichhorst – photos