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Review: Blind Guardian - The God Machine
Blind Guardian
www.blind-guardian.com
The God Machine

Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Year released: 2022
Duration: 51:08
Tracks: 9
Genre: Heavy/Power Metal

Rating:
4/5


Review online: October 9, 2022
Reviewed by: MetalMike
Readers' Rating
How do you rate this release?

Rated 4.23/5 (84.55%) (22 Votes)
Review

The God Machine is the twelfth album from the venerable Blind Guardian and is both a return to their mid-period form and a continuation of ideas that began taking shape on The Red Mirror. By the band's own admission, they'd gotten away from some of the things that defined their "classic" sound and wanted to get some of that back on The God Machine. You can hear the familiar Blind Guardian-style power metal on songs such as "Damnation" and "Architects of Doom." This isn't your flowery power metal and not really the crunchy stuff you typically hear from German bands. These songs have driving double-kick drums, but the guitars are sharp, almost thrashy, and the vocals are fuller with singer Hansi Kursch harmonizing with himself often. It's a combo they pioneered way back on albums like Follow the Blind but with a modern production and sound. Epic tracks are represented, notably "Secret of the American Gods" where the band slows down and allows a little more space to get between the instrument and, despite the title, adds a hint of Middle Eastern melodies. There are also songs embracing newer territory ("Destiny" for example), but to my ears the whole album still sounds like Blind Guardian. The biggest differences are the lyrics, which still feature fantasy-based topics but also delve into scientific and philosophical themes rather than just straight elves, dragons, swords, etc., and a lack of anything you could really call "symphonic."

It is an interesting approach Blind Guardian have taken and for the most part it works though some of it better than others. You cannot accuse Kursch and crew of stagnating, that's for sure. I think long-time fans will be able to find a lot to like and if you like power metal in general and want something different, The God Machine could be an album for you.

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