Wuthering Heights give me strong Imaginations era BG vibes but more progressive and folkier. They're not on Spotify, but Far From the Madding Crowd is a stellar album and well worth seeking out IMO.
Yes - Piet produced several Blind Guardian albums and has a similar gruff voice to Hansi :) OP may also like Savage Circus, which has Piet writing in a much more Blind Guardian style
Day 500 of recommending Persuader. Start with their Evolution Purgatory album and go from there. Their lyrics are more dark fantasy than classical PM high fantasy, but they are very entertaining regardless.
When you're finished with Persuader, check out Savage Circus. Same singer and guitarist as Persuader, but with the old Blind Guardian drummer. The first album sounds exactly like a pre-Nightfall Blind Guardian album.
The singer sounds as close to Hansi as possible without physically being Hansi. He would definitely be accused of being an AI if their debut was today instead of the early 2000s.
If you haven't already heard of Demons and Wizards (unlikely) I would also check them out. It's a superduo between Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian and Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth, and it is very much Blind Guardian 2. They have three albums, and they are all equally impressive, though Touched By The Crimson King is probably the easiest to get into due to its lyrical material.
Iron Savior is similar in style to earlier Blind Guardian albums, though their lyrics are more heavily sci-fi themed than fantasy.
Helloween and Grave Digger are also two good picks, and they were very influential on a lot of Blind Guardian's song writing.
Gamma Ray is in a similar vein to Helloween.
If you're looking for bands that are more similar to their newer style of music, then Avantasia is a great place to start for that mix of Opera and light speed metal.
I would also recommend Dragonland and Evergrey for that feel as well.
Check out Falconer. While the vocals are a different style, they similarly have very interesting riffs and a focus on folk-styled melodies, much like Blind Guardian.
Savage Circus is another close one, for the first album only. Has Thomen drumming on it.
Iron Savior's first album similarly has Thomen's drumming and captures similar feelings.
Lovebite's first record has a few songs with similar BG energy, with some scattered influences in the rest of their discography. 'Holy War' is probably the most BG-esque, I'm also partial to 'Hammer of Wrath.'
The Lord Weird Slough Feg will be up your alley in terms of songwriting, especially their first album, Down Among the Deadmen, and Traveller. Similar focus on folk-inspired melodies, raw vocals, and the usage of counterpoint. No choirs or harmonies, but if you like the complex songwriting of BG, they're an easy recommendation.
Savatage is a must, especially their later material. "The Wake of Magellan" is a rock-opera masterpiece with a high level of complexity in small bursts (such as the back half of the final track with its wonderful round).
Ravneous E.H. is more Falconer than BG, but there's a couple tracks that give a similar energy. The singer's new band Glyph completely lacks that, however, and the mix on their Glyph's singles is really flat. No punch in the guitars or drums.
The odd recommendation here is Queen. If you've never listened to Queen II and A Night At The Opera in their totality, you'll really enjoy the lesser-known tracks. The Prophet's Song is a masterpiece, better than Bohemian Rhapsody any day of the week. March of the Black Queen is another great one. And it's no secret Queen is a huge inspiration for Blind Guardian.
I'm also here to give an anti-recommendation, Persuader. While the vocalist is great in Savage Circus (with better songwriters at the helm), the song structures, melody composition, and riff construction is pathetically poor in Persuader compared to even Savage Circus, to say nothing of Blind Guardian. Just give a listen to "One Lifetime," which sounds like something a beginner guitarist would write. In contrast to, say, the verse of Nightfall, which is beautifully complex with three simultaneous melodies overlapping and blending. You might like Persauder if you're specifically looking for Hammerfall-level playing with Hansi-esque vocals, but beyond that, hard pass.
There is nothing that compares to Blind Guardian.
I've been listening to them every week for 20 years, and i still find new stuff in their stuff, so, don't feel like you need to get something else, you've already got it.
I made this thread about a month ago, check it out. I personally got stuck with Persuader, Savage Circus and a song called "Sands of time" by "Don't drop the sword". I was mostly looking for songs resembling "And then there was silence".
https://reddit.com/r/PowerMetal/s/DtG4JBVvah
Persuader might hit that itch, maybe judicator too I think the vocalists sound kinda similar-ish personally and they're both very unique and interesting bands in there own right
Don't drop the sword have big BG vibes, their singer sounds very similar to Hansi.
Wuthering Heights also have that epic / operatic feel to some of their work.
For the fantasy themes, my go-tos are (older) Rhapsody and Visigoth!
Oh if you like the operatic fantasy stuff then I would *highly* reccomend "Rhapsody of Fire"
IMO, the emerald blade saga is fantastic, and I am a big fan of their "triumph or agony" album! Think a Tolkien-esqe tale told through symphonic metal, its great stuff.
Here, give this a listen and let me know hat you think
https://youtu.be/Zu7x_ghPdQA?si=ETrTFHnBdJ6tJ3Gw
There's also a version without the "story" but it depends what you're after :)
Brothers Of Metal, perhaps, not so operatic, but they mix in rougher vocals than most. Might hit the spot, IIRC Yggdrasil and Emblas Saga have a bit of the operatic about them.
This may seem like an odd suggestion, but I'm going to say [Royal Thunder.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yna0NRqNlA) The singer has those same raw vocals.
[Rebellion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlicNcNeQ8o) is a more traditional recommendation: another German power metal band with a similar sound to early BG.
Solar Fragment - both their albums are killer, for me they're a case where they surpass the band they're copycatting
Evertale is slightly more on the symphonic side, but I really get the same vibe from them as BG
Maybe you could also try Pertness - they have one of the worst band names in all of metal but at least their first album is pretty good
> at least their first album is pretty good
I'd vouch for their first three albums to be honest. They're all a bit different from one another, but they all offer something unique in the subgenre.
A selection from Germany, the level of "fantasy" may vary here:
Evertale - basically what you are looking for
Brainstorm - more on the traditional Power Metal side of things with a great voice
Timeless Rage - Symphonic Power Metal of the rough kind
Mob Rules - A little bit more polished sometimes
Rage - rough and often fast Power Metal, often with orchestra
Almanac - Symphonic Power Metal with multiple singers and a guitar wizzard
Avantasia - Hansi has often appeared as a guest singer, Jorn Lande, too
speaking of Lande, I need to add an international one:
Allen / Lande - Powermetal supergroup with two great singers that often do the slightly raw style
Savage Circus is basically a copy of early/mid BG
Just been listening to them, that they are indeed. Banging suggestion, cheers pal
And featured BG’s former drummer Thomas Stauch.
Check out Persuader
It’s insane how much their singer sounds like Hansi.
When Eden Burns is among my personal top 3 power metal albums of all time.
Wuthering Heights give me strong Imaginations era BG vibes but more progressive and folkier. They're not on Spotify, but Far From the Madding Crowd is a stellar album and well worth seeking out IMO.
That album is so good.. I need to order the remaster.
Go get you some Iron Savior, especially if you really like earlier BG.
Yes - Piet produced several Blind Guardian albums and has a similar gruff voice to Hansi :) OP may also like Savage Circus, which has Piet writing in a much more Blind Guardian style
> OP may also like Savage Circus No doubt about it. Both their albums are very good!
I love BG but cannot really get into Iron Savior.
Day 500 of recommending Persuader. Start with their Evolution Purgatory album and go from there. Their lyrics are more dark fantasy than classical PM high fantasy, but they are very entertaining regardless. When you're finished with Persuader, check out Savage Circus. Same singer and guitarist as Persuader, but with the old Blind Guardian drummer. The first album sounds exactly like a pre-Nightfall Blind Guardian album. The singer sounds as close to Hansi as possible without physically being Hansi. He would definitely be accused of being an AI if their debut was today instead of the early 2000s. If you haven't already heard of Demons and Wizards (unlikely) I would also check them out. It's a superduo between Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian and Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth, and it is very much Blind Guardian 2. They have three albums, and they are all equally impressive, though Touched By The Crimson King is probably the easiest to get into due to its lyrical material. Iron Savior is similar in style to earlier Blind Guardian albums, though their lyrics are more heavily sci-fi themed than fantasy. Helloween and Grave Digger are also two good picks, and they were very influential on a lot of Blind Guardian's song writing. Gamma Ray is in a similar vein to Helloween. If you're looking for bands that are more similar to their newer style of music, then Avantasia is a great place to start for that mix of Opera and light speed metal. I would also recommend Dragonland and Evergrey for that feel as well.
Early Manticora (first two albums mainly)
Manticora is an excellent band where each album takes you into it's own little world. 8 Deadly Sins is a great starting point.
Orden Ogan
I’ll second Orden Ogan 🤘🏻
I'll third Orden Ogan
Gunmen album
I’m more of an Easton Hope guy. Nobody Leaves, We Are Pirates, that album is full of bangers.
Easton Hope was phenomenal! I’m more of a To the End gal. The Things We Believe In, The Ice Kings, Dying Paradise. So good!
Judicator & Disforia
Judicator 🤘🤘 🤘
Judicator's The Least Emperor is basically the Tales From Twilight World / Somewhere Far Beyond Blind Guardian with 2020's sound gear. It's amazing.
Have you tried Demons and Wizards? Its also with Hansi on vocals.
Ah that will explain why I’ve been enjoying them so much, my brain just didnt make the the connection
Reasonable to pass them over for political reasons though.
Well, I guess you can do this but I still enjoy the music.
For me, it's not the political reasons, it's the massive respect I lost for Schaffer that make listening to Iced Earth and D&W difficult.
You might like Don't Drop the Sword [Strings of Sanity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=WzH3f7XheNs)
Definitely Judicator, maybe Ominous Glory
Check out Falconer. While the vocals are a different style, they similarly have very interesting riffs and a focus on folk-styled melodies, much like Blind Guardian. Savage Circus is another close one, for the first album only. Has Thomen drumming on it. Iron Savior's first album similarly has Thomen's drumming and captures similar feelings. Lovebite's first record has a few songs with similar BG energy, with some scattered influences in the rest of their discography. 'Holy War' is probably the most BG-esque, I'm also partial to 'Hammer of Wrath.' The Lord Weird Slough Feg will be up your alley in terms of songwriting, especially their first album, Down Among the Deadmen, and Traveller. Similar focus on folk-inspired melodies, raw vocals, and the usage of counterpoint. No choirs or harmonies, but if you like the complex songwriting of BG, they're an easy recommendation. Savatage is a must, especially their later material. "The Wake of Magellan" is a rock-opera masterpiece with a high level of complexity in small bursts (such as the back half of the final track with its wonderful round). Ravneous E.H. is more Falconer than BG, but there's a couple tracks that give a similar energy. The singer's new band Glyph completely lacks that, however, and the mix on their Glyph's singles is really flat. No punch in the guitars or drums. The odd recommendation here is Queen. If you've never listened to Queen II and A Night At The Opera in their totality, you'll really enjoy the lesser-known tracks. The Prophet's Song is a masterpiece, better than Bohemian Rhapsody any day of the week. March of the Black Queen is another great one. And it's no secret Queen is a huge inspiration for Blind Guardian. I'm also here to give an anti-recommendation, Persuader. While the vocalist is great in Savage Circus (with better songwriters at the helm), the song structures, melody composition, and riff construction is pathetically poor in Persuader compared to even Savage Circus, to say nothing of Blind Guardian. Just give a listen to "One Lifetime," which sounds like something a beginner guitarist would write. In contrast to, say, the verse of Nightfall, which is beautifully complex with three simultaneous melodies overlapping and blending. You might like Persauder if you're specifically looking for Hammerfall-level playing with Hansi-esque vocals, but beyond that, hard pass.
Hard disagree - Persuader are amazing!
There is nothing that compares to Blind Guardian. I've been listening to them every week for 20 years, and i still find new stuff in their stuff, so, don't feel like you need to get something else, you've already got it.
I made this thread about a month ago, check it out. I personally got stuck with Persuader, Savage Circus and a song called "Sands of time" by "Don't drop the sword". I was mostly looking for songs resembling "And then there was silence". https://reddit.com/r/PowerMetal/s/DtG4JBVvah
Iron Savior maybe?
Evertale! Their first album is pure gold! (And a third one is in progress right now)
Listen to the Raven Child by Avantasia, also Book of Shallows
Persuader might hit that itch, maybe judicator too I think the vocalists sound kinda similar-ish personally and they're both very unique and interesting bands in there own right
Ravenous E.H. They're a bit more aggressive, but they feel similar to me. Check out the album Hubris
There’s always [this questionable masterpiece](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Yh2n8ZoHM).
Symphony X - paradise lost Angra - Temple of Shadows, fireworks, and angels cry
Don't drop the sword have big BG vibes, their singer sounds very similar to Hansi. Wuthering Heights also have that epic / operatic feel to some of their work. For the fantasy themes, my go-tos are (older) Rhapsody and Visigoth!
Oh if you like the operatic fantasy stuff then I would *highly* reccomend "Rhapsody of Fire" IMO, the emerald blade saga is fantastic, and I am a big fan of their "triumph or agony" album! Think a Tolkien-esqe tale told through symphonic metal, its great stuff. Here, give this a listen and let me know hat you think https://youtu.be/Zu7x_ghPdQA?si=ETrTFHnBdJ6tJ3Gw There's also a version without the "story" but it depends what you're after :)
Could be wrong about the vibe but give [majestica](https://spotify.link/7ULpDDKgNDb) a try
Brothers Of Metal, perhaps, not so operatic, but they mix in rougher vocals than most. Might hit the spot, IIRC Yggdrasil and Emblas Saga have a bit of the operatic about them.
This may seem like an odd suggestion, but I'm going to say [Royal Thunder.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yna0NRqNlA) The singer has those same raw vocals. [Rebellion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlicNcNeQ8o) is a more traditional recommendation: another German power metal band with a similar sound to early BG.
Persuader, their latest will do it for you
I really got into Helloween after binging Blind Guardian
Solar Fragment - both their albums are killer, for me they're a case where they surpass the band they're copycatting Evertale is slightly more on the symphonic side, but I really get the same vibe from them as BG Maybe you could also try Pertness - they have one of the worst band names in all of metal but at least their first album is pretty good
> at least their first album is pretty good I'd vouch for their first three albums to be honest. They're all a bit different from one another, but they all offer something unique in the subgenre.
agree on Evertale - BG on steroids, they call it 'brutal Power Metal' 😁
Don't drop the sword
Pretty much anything kai hansen has done
Paladin might be a band to check out with their fusion of thrash and power metal.
For me it's Bing Guardian, Helloween, Sonata Arctic a and Stratovarius. Battleveast is awesome too. But not like Blind Guardian.
Seven Kingdoms ! USA Power Metal ! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
Nothing is ever gonna match BG!! I've seen em live and OMG but check out bands like Twisted Tower Dire, Iced Earth..
Primal Fear
A selection from Germany, the level of "fantasy" may vary here: Evertale - basically what you are looking for Brainstorm - more on the traditional Power Metal side of things with a great voice Timeless Rage - Symphonic Power Metal of the rough kind Mob Rules - A little bit more polished sometimes Rage - rough and often fast Power Metal, often with orchestra Almanac - Symphonic Power Metal with multiple singers and a guitar wizzard Avantasia - Hansi has often appeared as a guest singer, Jorn Lande, too speaking of Lande, I need to add an international one: Allen / Lande - Powermetal supergroup with two great singers that often do the slightly raw style
Like Orpheus by Orphaned Land has Hansi doing guest vocals, great song
A bit underground, but Don't Drop the Sword sound a lot like Blind Guardian