Blind Guardian

Blind Guardian is a power metal band from Krefeld, Germany, that is credited as one of most influential artists of its genre. While early Blind Guardian's work belong to speed metal style, in latest releases the band moved towards epic power metal.

Blind Guardian was founded in the mid-80's by André Olbrich (guitar), Hansi Kürsch (vocals, bass), Marcus Siepen (guitar) and Thomas "Thomen" Stauch (drums), (left the band in 2005, replaced by Frederik Ehmke). Before calling themselves Blind Guardian, the band released two demos under the name Lucifer's Heritage in 1985 and 1986.

Blind Guardian has always been inspired by the fictional worlds of fantasy writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Moorcock, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Alfred Hitchcock as well as traditional legends and epics. Stephen King's Dark Tower series has also been an influence on the band, evident in "Somewhere Far Beyond" as well as numerous Demons and Wizards songs. Over the years, a running theme has developed associating the band members with traveling bards.

The line-up has been the same since 1988, but in 2005 the drummer, Thomas Stauch, left the band due to the direction the band was taking in their last studio albums, "Nightfall In Middle-Earth" and "A Night At The Opera". He was replaced by Frederik Ehmke.

Recently, Blind Guardian released a new studio album named "A Twist in the Myth". The band continues to push the limits with the new album, making "A Twist in the Myth" one of the most diverse Blind Guardian albums yet. An official music video has also been released for "Another Stranger Me".

In November 2006 they were the headliners at the Monterrey Metal Fest in Mexico.

In 2007 Blind Guardian will come to the Wacken Open Air

Line-Up:
Hansi Kürsch - Vocals (and Bass on the Studio-Albums) - He is the also the singer of the Band Demons and Wizards (Together with Iced Earth's Jon Schaffer).

André Olbrich - Lead Guitar

Marcus Siepen - Rhythm Guitar

Frederik Ehmke - Drums - He plays the Drums, Percussion,
Bagpipe and Vocals in a Band called Schattentantz (Medieval Times, Folklore, Ancient Gods).

Live there is also:
Oliver Holzwarth - Bass - He only plays for a session if Hansi again wants to play Bass. He's also in the Bands Coldseed, Sieges Even and he was a member of Paradox and Val' Paraiso

Micheal Schüren - Keyboard - He's a member of Coldseed