Mirror Mirror on the Wall

"Nightfall in Middle Earth" may seem like an album made for every Lord of the Rings geek out there, but it is much more than that. This album is one of the few that is worthy of being called "epic" (a word I try to refrain from using). Rather than following the story of The Lord of the Rings, it focuses on the First Age of Middle Earth. This provides a refreshing take on the genre rather than just riding the success of the movies, and at the time the books.



The album has twenty-two tracks, with half being short instrumental interludes and the other half full length songs. Interestingly, it begins at the end of the story, which may be confusing to those who have never read up on the backing story. Luckily, the songwriting far surpasses any issues one may have with the set up. Every song follows the same theme, but manages to have a distinct feel to it, giving them all their own personal touch. This is partly due to the wondrous voice of lead singer Hansi Kursch. He fully utilizes his ability to overdub and harmonize numerous times with himself in order to create the atmosphere of a full choir.

The whole scale of the music fully immerses the listener into it. Mainly because it is something that is rarely done with vocals. Often bands will have various orcestrated pieces, but rarely will they attempt to make a fuller sound with just one singers voice. Aiding him are various classical inspired guitar parts mixed with non-traditional metal instruments such as flutes, horns, and various forms of stringed instruments.

This album is definitely not for everyone, but on a musical standpoint it is definitely one of the most unique albums to date. Whether you are a fan of vocals or instruments this piece of art will most likely satisfy. At its roots it is still a power metal album. Though, due to its incredible scale it ranks among one of the best, and if by some chance you are a fan of the genre and missed this album it is highly recommended to give it a listen.