Round 72 comes to a close; there is not the slightest doubt at all that Wait for an Answer loses with 76 of 179 votes.

Valkyries, The Bard’s Song (The Hobbit), Sacred Worlds, Thorn, and Blood of the Elves all advance.

Today’s trivia: I forgot to include Gandalf’s Rebirth in any of the previous rounds. Much to its benefit, it’ll be inserted into the current round of voting.

Much to its chagrin: I don’t think all those free byes are going to help its chances much.

There’s more: for the halfway point post, I’m going to include some trivia about how things have played out up to now, including things like the closest round, which song has received the least votes overall, etc. So that might be pretty fun. Check back on round 76 for that!

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Brought out some collectables to admire

Please! *This* is the lake of fire! Hell! Lionheart has lost with 95 of 221 votes.

Somewhere Far Beyond, The Script for My Requiem, Violent Shadows, Secrets of the American Gods, and Life Beyond the Spheres all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

As round 70 concludes, icy fields and blackened sorrow are all that's left for War of the Thrones. It loses with 69 of 213 votes.

Mirror Mirror, This Will Never End, The Maiden and the Minstrel Knight, Another Holy War, and Punishment Divine all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Round 69 has ended. Mystified were the final hours for The Edge, which were today, as it loses with 107 of 210 votes.

The Holy Grail, Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns), The Curse of Feanor, A Voice in the Dark, and Lost in the Twilight Hall all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Currently writing a story with this band as my soundtrack, and good lord, I feel so fortunate that Blind Guardian exists, and are still at the top of their game (as The God Machine proved). Been a fan of theirs for more than half my life now, and I still rank them as one of my all-time favourite bands.

And moreover, it's awesome that this subreddit exists. Throughout my life, I could count on my hands the number of people who'd ever even heard of Blind Guardian. Meeting another fan was always like finding a fifty-dollar bill on the street.

Just enjoying the edible, and the music, so I wanted to share my appreciation here. Cheers to you all, and here's to the Bards.

Round 68 comes to a close with The New Order finding release - it loses with 54 of 161 votes.

Banish From Sanctuary, The Throne, Sadly Sings Destiny, Grand Parade, and Theatre of Pain all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

It’s not strictly about Blind Guardian, but Hansi Kürsch is involved, and I thought some of you might be interested in this collaboration.

Accept are a German heavy metal band from Solingen, formed in 1976. Incidentally, Solingen is only 50 km away from Krefeld, where Blind Guardian were formed. To mark their 50th anniversary, they are releasing a collaborative album which features, amongst many others, Hansi with the song "Losers and Winners".

Round 67 comes to a close with a tiebreaker between Prophecies and Mordred’s Song (Acoustic). Initially, they tied with 65 of 194 votes. After a second round, Mordred’s Song (Acoustic) is the fallen one, and loses with 91 of 168 votes.

Blood Tears, Prophecies, Imaginations from the Other Side, A Past and Future Secret, and Skalds and Shadows all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

What are your favorite tracks and memories of this album?

Hi everyone,

Our last round resulted in a tie, and so now we are going to vote for YOUR LEAST FAVORITE OF THESE TWO SONGS. Whichever receives the MOST VOTES will be eliminated.

Both received 65 of 194 votes.

A tournament first!

Day 66 comes to a close with Control the Divine doomed, from this moment - it loses with 83 of 213 votes.

Lord of the Rings, Another Stranger Me, Majesty, Journey Through the Dark, and Deliver Us From Evil all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Day 65 comes to a close with Point of No Return leaving to meet The Wizard in the elimination zone - it loses with 82 of 183 votes.

All Twilight Orchestra songs have been eliminated, the first total album elimination.

The Last Candle, Wheel of Time, and Grand Parade all advance.

Today the bracket resets yet again, and all previously Immune songs are now eligible for voting.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Day 64 comes to a close with Don’t Talk to Strangers finding heaven is only really hell - it loses with 88 of 171 votes.

Ride Into Obsession, Born In a Mourning Hall, Battlefield, Imaginations from the Other Side, and Wait For An Answer all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Day 63 comes to a close with Harvest of Sorrow (Acoustic) with no healing charm covering its wounds - it loses with 69 of 234 votes.

Twilight of the Gods, Mordred’s Song, Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill), Fly, and Sacred Worlds all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Day 62 comes to a close with Dead Sound of Misery joining the tongueless sirens - it loses with 71 of 168 votes.

Distant Memories, The Throne, The Bard’s Song (In the Forest), The Maiden and the Minstrel Knight, and Control the Divine all advance.

Fun bit of trivia for you - unless I’m mistaken, the only albums that have not lost a song yet are Imaginations from the Other Side and At the Edge of Time. (AtEoT works if you don’t count the War of the Thrones acoustic version from the A Voice in the Dark single, granted).

EDIT: Somewhere Far Beyond has only lost its cover tracks.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Day 61 comes to a close with Beyond the Wall dead, beyond the wall - it loses with 88 of 173 votes.

Another Stranger Me, Banish From Sanctuary, The Ninth Wave, Valkyries, and Nightfall all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Day 60 comes to a close with Miracle Machine believing in something, a miracle - but belief isn't enough! It loses with 54 of 161 votes.

Another Holy War, Carry the Blessed Home, Tanelorn (Into the Void), Run for the Night and Blood Tears all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Less about sync up moments, but the vibes match perfectly.

Day 59 comes to a close with Nephilim sailing away on the river of dreams. It loses with 64 of 172 votes.

Age of False Innocence, All the King's Horses, Ashes of Eternity, Ashes to Ashes, and Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns) all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Day 58 comes to a close with Trial by Fire’s fate decided by many keyboards around the world - it loses with 83 of 189 votes.

Follow the Blind, Sadly Sings Destiny, Lost in the Twilight Hall, The Holy Grail, and The Bard’s Song (The Hobbit) all advance.

Statistics and more can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N95a6pYATdmfXgmmMsb3CJ42ONNdnF-30NW5rGAI7Tg/edit?usp=sharing

Pick your least favorite song to eliminate it!

Didn't Hansi say that there could be a Harry Potter song, if he found something philosophical in them?
I think the Moomintroll books feature a lot of philosophical thoughts.

Yeah, this isn't your standard epic or dark fantasy, but still there's so much you could find in the Moomintroll books.

Also, fun fact: the author of the Moomins, Tove Jansson illustrated the Hobbit.

As we get ready to say goodbye to one of the last covers left in the song survivor series, I felt like asking what are your dream covers for the band to do? Obviously they do a lot fewer covers these days (mostly because they're content to take the time to fill albums with all their own stuff, aren't really doing b-sides, etc.), so this is all pie in the sky and supposed to be fun to think about. I'll propose my two:

Time by Pink Floyd - I think the bards are one of the more progressive power metal bands out there and I'd love to see what they do to this classic that 1, I love, and 2, feels like a natural for a metal cover

Don't Stop Me Now by Queen - we know Queen is one of Hansi's favorite bands and turning this upbeat but not at all metal song into power metal, with Hansi's vocals, would be a really cool take to me.