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The venerable Blind Guardian, who have been releasing albums since 1988 (no idea how I missed them back in the day) are back with their 9th album, At the Edge of Time. Hansi Kursch and company continue to explore the more symphonic side of Power Metal on At the Edge of Time, an album that straddles the line between the German and Italian styles. Loads of keyboards and other medieval sounding instrumentation are combined with the crunchy, yet smooth and precise, guitar work. Huge choral arrangements back up the signature gravelly vocals of Kursch. The album sounds almost operatic, in spots.

The majority of At the Edge of Time is very well written, with tasty riffs and catchy choruses. Be warned though, this is dense. It took a few spins for all the nuances to sink in. There are a couple of acoustic, we're-minstrels-capering-about-court tracks that could easily have been cut in half and the album would have suffered very little. Then the majestic (dare I say, Epic?),"Valkyries," with a chorus that demands you join in, comes on and blows you away. "Tanelorn (Into the Void)" and "Wheels of Time," with its Middle Eastern melodies, are highlights as well.

Blind Guardian will probably never go back to the Speed Metal of their early days, but if you can embrace the symphonic, you will enjoy At the Edge of Time.