BLIND GUARDIAN are among the true originals within the realm of Power Metal. Having released their first demo, "Symphonies Of Doom", in 1985 under the moniker LUCIFER'S HERITAGE, BLIND GUARDIAN have carved out a legacy for themselves that is second to none with a catalog that boasts some of the most original and innovative albums ever unleashed upon the Metal realm. Recently signing with Nuclear Blast, BLIND GUARDIAN's eighth studio full-length, "A Twist In The Myth", hit stores this September and has amazed both fans and critics alike.

How's the reaction been to "A Twist In The Myth" compared to your previous albums?

"I would say, all in all, as good. I mean theirs is not a big difference over the last fifteen years. Most of the Metal magazines and nowadays, the online magazines, they seem to appreciate it and even with the more modern stuff, we got a lot of good reactions; very positive, which was almost overwhelming and surprising. Some blockheads, of course, they ignore it or they do not accept the step. Like on the other hand, there are a lot more modern Metal magazines who, whatever we're doing, still consider it to be too old fashioned, but that's okay. Al in all, the magazine reaction was really good and what is even more important, the fans seem to like it. You know, because that's what basically sets the root for the next album. If people are still supporting you and if they enjoy it then you can be sure you have done a lot of things the right way. Like we see here in the U.S. or anywhere else in the world so far, we have gathered a good amount of very young people over the last five or six years, which means 'A Night At The Opera' did well and 'A Twist In The Myth' does at the moment, as well."

Why did you choose to include the demo version of "Fly", "Dead Sound Of Misery", on the new album?

"Because it has a lot of potential and it is not like, you know, a different version in terms of remixing or remastering or, you know, switching a little bit. For me, it's almost a completely different song, not only because of the key, but also because of the intensity there. There is a slightly more traditional Metal feeling in many ways to 'Dead Sound Of Misery', like there is a more Gothic type of feeling to it, while I still think 'Fly' is very uplifting and more of the progressive, innovative side and therefore, we thought it was a good opportunity for us to just point out how much potential in that song is."

How has it been touring and recording without Thomen (Stauch) after twenty years with him in the band?

"Um... surprisingly easy. Of course, personally, we miss him and he has been such a strong character, you know. You miss a lot of his personality, but Fredrik, as a drummer, as good and he was just the right successor at the right moment, so... during the production, it felt like, you know, working in the studio with Thomen again, even though there was a different person. He, Frederik, almost made it punch-wise and technically sort of very high-level as well, so he just rushed through his songs and he's very courageous and I think confident about himself, so he did not create any problems. And as a person, he of course is a little more laid back, you know, more calm than Thomen is... on the other hand, that's probably exactly what we needed."

Tell me a little bit about the upcoming orchestral project.

"That's something we've worked on over the last ten years. We started during the 'Nightfall In Middle Earth' song writing, so a good amount of the songs go that direction, even though it's all composed on orchestral instrument and not so much on Metal instrument, apart from the fact that I do all or most of the vocals. It's pretty much built up like a story telling the rate of musical; reminds me somehow on something in between 'Jesus Christ Superstar', 'Tommy' and BLIND GUARDIAN, so it certainly deserves the description Rock Opera in the end. What we do not know at the moment is how to continue, because we have accomplished almost all songs for the very first section of that musical, 'cause that will be continued as well. But we have several options - we could do it as a musical, like saying there will be a different type of vocalist doing some stuff with me together or to become the protagonist of the story, and I could do it all on my own and the same with the band. When they involve the band, the Metal band BLIND GUARDIAN a little more, which would demand some additional arrangements from our side, because that is something we have not had in mind since a few months ago. We finally need to talk to a producer the whole thing, because again, it is very demanding stuff working with a real orchestra and doing all the sheets."

How did you react to the final two books of "The Dark Tower" series, because I know you're a big fan of that.

"I loved it. To be honest, I never understood why people really got away, started complaining after 'The Wastelands'. After that, it was one of the upcoming, you know, very trendy story tellings of King. But when 'Wizard & Glass' came out, a lot of people just lost interest in the story and they thought 'well, it goes too far' or too slow, whatever. I just loved it and so, of course, I liked 'Song Of Susannah' and 'The Dark Tower' very much. I also liked the varying endings he has put in, you know - there's a little bit for everyone. I think it's pretty decent."

Wow, I'm kind of surprised - you're the first person I've talked to that actually liked the last two books.

"Well, I know a lot of people, fortunately, so he didn't only write it for me, that's for sure. Especially 'Song Of Susannah' - it's a great book; all the Father Callahan stuff and all the ''Salem's Lot' stuff is just amazing. And how the people develop, especially... it's King, so some of the protagonists have to die and you can never be sure which ones these are supposed to be. I would have made a different choice, but I accepted it and thought it was done in a very well way and understandable way. I didn't have any problem; I just digged it and I rushed through it because I was so emotionally moved by what, you know, the way he created that climax. I can't say anything bad about it."

Speaking of the "Dark Tower", I must ask the obligatory DEMONS & WIZARDS question; is there anything else in the future from that, like maybe a North American tour or something?

"Well, North American tour, certainly not before 2009 or 10. Our idea is to come up with a third album whenever we find the time and knowing John's and mine schedules for the next two years, that is maybe the most difficult issue on the whole thing."

Okay. Are we ever going to see any official reissues of the demos that were recorded when the band was still going under the LUCIFER'S HERITAGE moniker?

"No. There won't be any releases like that. We may do some remixing one day of one of the other albums, but even then it's questionable. The live material we hold back as well, you know, not exhaust the market and rip off the fans. So what I think what we're going to do is try to come up with creative new stuff, which will hopefully please the people and keep them supporting the band."

Now what's your opinion of the various BLIND GUARDIAN bootlegs floating around out there; do you see it as people putting a tribute to everything the band has done or do you see it as people trying to make a quick buck off the band's name?

"It is a quick buck on one hand, but that's always difficult to say because bootlegs I still think is... I would say reasonable, but... something which doesn't bother me too much, because will not hurt the band so much. Of course, someone's making profit out of me and I do not appreciate that, but on the other hand, it's very small amounts and it's still something done from fans to fans. What I do not like is the exposure and spreading of not released studio material, like happened with 'Twist In The Myth', which has been on the internet months before the album came out and that's something I really do not like and which annoys me a lot, which hurts the band's career more than these bootlegs."

I've noticed your artwork is consistently excellent from album to album, with the EP's and all that. Do you have a personal favorite?

"I think... maybe it's... it's difficult to say. 'A Twist In The Myth' gets close to the best and 'Imaginations (From The Other Side)'. Maybe that's the strongest one. It's very difficult to say, 'cause they're all good in many ways."

Tell us a little bit about how your appearance on THERION's "Deggial" album came about.

"Well... (laughs) I was struck by surprise when I got the request from the management and I just went to the studio and was asked to do a performance and... the lyrics had been prepared, but no melody lines, and so I was in kind of a hurried situation when I started the recordings because I as well knew that time was essential and there was just a little bit of time to perform the whole thing. But since the music was performed very well, it has been fairly easy to come up with some melody lines and vocal arrangements for that. It was pretty much mental, so I enjoyed it a lot, but it's something different than I usually do, because if I do something like that, I like to keep my focus on the performance during the recordings and I prefer to prepare that stuff prior to recording sessions. Sometimes in the studio you cannot avoid it, that's how it is, but as I said, I like it a little different."

Why did you use the album version of "A Past And Future Secret" on "The Forgotten Tales" album?

"Because we didn't have time to do anything else. We did that, I'd say, six or seven songs on that album that were used on any other output already, so basically, there were only, I think, six or seven songs really recorded for 'The Forgotten Tales'. I was a request from Virgin, our old record company, to have an album like that and since we have had the songs the same, it would be good to have something more to... acoustic, fun direction and so we came up with the BEACH BOYS cover version of 'Surfin' USA' and some others. But since we were touring prior to the recordings and afterwards, there was no time to perform everything new, that's the reason we took 'A Past And Future Secret' from the album."

Okay. How has your relationship been with Nuclear Blast compared with Century Media?

"As good. Century Media has never been a bad company in the U.S. for us. Nuclear Blast is a little stronger worldwide; that's reason we have decided to go for Nuclear Blast, but since they are partners in the U.S., it doesn't make a big difference. Of course, the people we are working with are new, but the Century Media people have been very nice and very supportive and they've established BLIND GUARDIAN in the U.S. and Canada and Nuclear Blast immediately took over just doing the same thing, so with both, I'm very happy."

Okay, is there anything else you'd like to add?

"I'm fine. Good to be back in the U.S." [FIN]