BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear 12" Vinyl LP Album

- Limited Edition Pressed on Light Blue Vinyl

Cover art for Blind Guardian's Battalions of Fear, featuring a vivid fantasy scene with ghostly figures, warriors, and a menacing entity in the background, capturing the album's epic and intense themes.

Here come the wizards, kids—BLIND GUARDIAN exploding outta the Germanic netherworld in a blaze of speed, screech, and Tolkien-fueled adolescent delirium. "Battalions of Fear" is no album—it's a dungeon raid at 180 bpm, a crash course in sacred lunacy pressed on heavenly blue vinyl like Smurf blood spilled across a battlefield of Marshall stacks. This is pretense with conviction, kids screaming into the void with riffs sharp enough to skin a Balrog. And now, it’s remixed, remastered, reborn—a gleaming gatefold time machine that reminds us metal was once earnest, insane, and gloriously unpolished. Bang your head or get out of Middle-earth.

Blind Guardian's "Battalions of Fear" on Light Blue Vinyl: A Speed Metal Blast from the Past
Album Description:

Blind Guardian's 1988 debut album, "Battalions of Fear," marked the German band's bold entry into the burgeoning speed metal scene. In 2018, Nuclear Blast reissued this iconic album on a limited edition light blue vinyl, giving fans a chance to revisit this early chapter in the band's history with a unique collector's item.

Historical Context and Musical Exploration

Released at a time when thrash metal was dominating the metal scene, Blind Guardian's "Battalions of Fear" carved out its own niche within the speed metal subgenre. The album's fast tempos, aggressive riffing, and soaring vocals showcased the band's technical prowess and youthful energy.

While the album drew inspiration from classic heavy metal acts like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian also began to incorporate elements of power metal, evident in the epic song structures and fantastical lyrics. This early experimentation with power metal would become a defining characteristic of the band's later work.

Musical Genre

"Battalions of Fear" is a prime example of speed metal, a subgenre of heavy metal characterized by its fast tempos, aggressive riffing, and high-pitched vocals. However, the album also contains hints of the power metal elements that would later become synonymous with Blind Guardian's sound.

Production Team and Recording Studio

The album was produced by Kalle Trapp, a German producer known for his work with other metal bands like Helloween and Gamma Ray. The recording sessions took place at Karo Musikstudio in Brackel, Germany.

BLIND GUARDIAN Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed Light Blue Essentials
Music Genre:

Power Metal, Speed Metal

Label & Catalognr:

Nuclear Blast – NB 4322-1

Media Format:

Record Format: 12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 280 gram

Year & Country:

2018 Europe

Production & Recording Information
Album Packaging

This 12" LP vinyl music record comes comes in a Fold Open Cover (FOC), which is also also known as a Gatefold cover. The inner pages of this album cover contain artwork by Filipe Machado and

Also included is a lyrics insert with lyrics of all the songs and production details.

Producers:

Kalle Trapp - Producer

Kalle Trapp, a legendary German producer and musician, revolutionized heavy metal production with his iconic Karo Studio. Renowned for shaping the sound of Blind Guardian, Destruction, Iron Angel, and many more, his innovative engineering techniques defined the power and aggression of 80s & 90s European metal. Discover more about his groundbreaking work at Kalle Trapp’s Biography.
Sound & Recording Engineers:

Charlie Bauerfeind - Sound Engineer

Darcy Proper - Sound Mastering Engineer

Holger Schreiber - Sound Engineer

Recording Location:

Karo Musikstudio

Album Cover Design & Artwork:

Detlef Van Waay - Album Artwork

Felipe Machado - Album Artwork

Photography:

Charly Rinne - Photography

Charly Rinne, a pivotal figure in German heavy metal, shaped the scene as Metal Hammer’s first Chief Editor and the founder of No Remorse Records. His work as a producer and photographer defined the look and sound of bands like Scorpions, Helloween, and Kreator, creating legendary album covers and editorial influence. Read Charly's Story
Musicians:
Guest Musicians:
  • Michael Voss ( Mad Max band )
  • Rolf Köhler
  • Christof Theisen
  • Hans-Peter Frey
Tracklisting Side One:
  1. Majesty 7:32
  2. Guardian Of The Blind 5:12
  3. Trial By The Archon 1:45
  4. Wizard's Crown 3:51
Tracklisting Side Two:
  1. Run For The Night 3:37
  2. The Martyr 6:18
  3. Battalions Of Fear 6:09
  4. By The Gates Of Moria 2:54
  5. Gandalf's Rebirth 2:13

BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed Light Blue Album Photo Gallery:

Album Front Cover Photo
BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed Light Blue front cover photo

The cover art of Blind Guardian's debut album Battalions of Fear. The artwork is a vibrant and intense fantasy illustration that showcases two large, ghostly hooded figures with shadowed faces, emerging from a dark void, reaching towards a battlefield below. The center of the composition features a menacing blue and orange monstrous face with piercing eyes that dominates the background. In the foreground, muscular, warrior-like figures are engaged in combat or fleeing from an imposing, blue-armored figure standing on a chessboard-like platform.

Album Back Cover Photo
BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed Light Blue back cover photo
Photo One of Inside Page Gatefold Cover
BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed Light Blue inside gatefold photo one
Photo Two of Inside Page Gatefold Cover
BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed Light Blue inside gatefold photo two
First Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve
BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed Light Blue inner sleeve photo one
Second Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve
BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed Light Blue inner sleeve photo two
Close up of Side One record’s label
Close up of Side One label for BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed Light Blue
Side Two Close up of record’s label
Close up of Side Two label for BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed Light Blue

FEATURED BLIND GUARDIAN VINYL RECORDS

- Blind Guardian: The Early Power Metal Legacy (1988-1990)

Blind Guardian is a pioneering German power metal band formed in 1984 in Krefeld, West Germany. Originally called "Lucifer’s Heritage2, the band gained recognition for blending speed metal intensity with symphonic and fantasy-inspired elements. Their lyrics often draw from mythology, folklore, and classic literature, and their music is known for its intricate arrangements, vocal harmonies, and Hansi Kürsch’s powerful vocals.

BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed

Thumbnail Of BLIND GUARDIAN - Battalions Of Fear Ltd Ed album front cover

 Nuclear Blast – NB 4322-1 , 2018 , Europe

Blind Guardian's 1988 debut, "Battalions of Fear," now on limited-edition light blue vinyl, is a speed metal time capsule. Before elves and epic tales, this was raw, youthful fury. Production may be rough, but the energy is undeniable. Hansi Kürsch's vocals soar over galloping riffs, hinting at the power metal

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BLIND GUARDIAN - Follow The Blind

Thumbnail Of BLIND GUARDIAN - Follow The Blind album front cover

NRR No Remorse Records NR 1005 , 1989 , Germany

In 1989, Blind Guardian unleashed "Follow the Blind," a pivotal album in their career. Marking a heavier turn towards speed metal, this record solidified their presence in the German heavy metal scene while hinting at the epic power metal sound they'd later become known for.

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BLIND GUARDIAN - Tales From The Twilight World

Thumbnail Of BLIND GUARDIAN - Tales From The Twilight World album front cover

No Remorse Records – NRR 1014 , 1990 , Germany

Blind Guardian's 1990 "Tales from the Twilight World" marked a turning point, showcasing their evolving power metal sound. Blending intricate arrangements, literary themes, and mythological narratives, the album solidified their status as genre pioneers.

Learn more