Nightfall in Middle-Earth
Encyclopedia
Nightfall in Middle-Earth is a concept album
by Blind Guardian
, released in 1998. It is also Blind Guardian's sixth studio album.
The album is based upon J. R. R. Tolkien
's The Silmarillion
, a book of tales from the First Age
of Middle-earth
, recounting the War of the Jewels. The album contains not only songs but also spoken parts narrating parts of the story. The cover represents Lúthien
dancing in front of Morgoth
.
The music is more "melodic" on this album, compared to previous works such as Somewhere Far Beyond
, and the songs have much more fluency, without losing any of the traditional speed or guitar solos and leads. It is also the first album with Oliver Holzwarth
as guest musician, playing bass guitar instead of Hansi Kürsch
Nightfall in Middle-Earth was the first album by Blind Guardian to be released in the U.S. The sales encouraged Century Media to release their entire back catalog in the U.S. In 2007, it was remastered and re-released, with one bonus track.
/Hansi Kürsch
except track 6 written by Olbrich, Kürsch, Thomas "Thomen" Stauch, Marcus Siepen
and track 16 written by Olbrich, Kürsch, Michael Schüren. All lyrics written by Kürsch.
, beginning at the end:
The cover art for the album features Lúthien dancing before Morgoth, from The Tale of Beren and Lúthien
.
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
by Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
, released in 1998. It is also Blind Guardian's sixth studio album.
The album is based upon J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
, a book of tales from the First Age
First Age
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set...
of Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
, recounting the War of the Jewels. The album contains not only songs but also spoken parts narrating parts of the story. The cover represents Lúthien
Lúthien
Lúthien Tinúviel is a fictional character in the fantasy-world Middle-earth of the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. She appears in The Silmarillion, the epic poem The Lay of Leithian, The Lord of the Rings and the Grey Annals, as well as in other material.-Character overview:Lúthien is a Telerin ...
dancing in front of Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
.
The music is more "melodic" on this album, compared to previous works such as Somewhere Far Beyond
Somewhere Far Beyond
Somewhere Far Beyond is the fourth studio album by German power metal act Blind Guardian.It was released in 1992 and produced by Kalle Trapp...
, and the songs have much more fluency, without losing any of the traditional speed or guitar solos and leads. It is also the first album with Oliver Holzwarth
Oliver Holzwarth
Oliver Holzwarth is a German bass guitarist. He was born in Munich, Germany. He plays bass in Rhapsody of Fire along with his brother, drummer Alex Holzwarth. Oliver has been the live/studio bass player for Blind Guardian since 1998...
as guest musician, playing bass guitar instead of Hansi Kürsch
Hansi Kürsch
Hans Jürgen Kürsch, better known as Hansi Kürsch is a German musician, the lead vocalist and lyricist of power metal band Blind Guardian. Together with André Olbrich, he is also the principal songwriter for the band. He was also the bassist in Blind Guardian until the 1998 album Nightfall in...
Nightfall in Middle-Earth was the first album by Blind Guardian to be released in the U.S. The sales encouraged Century Media to release their entire back catalog in the U.S. In 2007, it was remastered and re-released, with one bonus track.
Track listing
All music written by André OlbrichAndré Olbrich
André Olbrich is the lead guitarist of the German power metal band Blind Guardian. He is one of the band's founders together with vocalist Hansi Kürsch, and serves as one of its main songwriters....
/Hansi Kürsch
Hansi Kürsch
Hans Jürgen Kürsch, better known as Hansi Kürsch is a German musician, the lead vocalist and lyricist of power metal band Blind Guardian. Together with André Olbrich, he is also the principal songwriter for the band. He was also the bassist in Blind Guardian until the 1998 album Nightfall in...
except track 6 written by Olbrich, Kürsch, Thomas "Thomen" Stauch, Marcus Siepen
Marcus Siepen
Marcus Siepen is one of two guitarists in the power metal band Blind Guardian. For the biggest percentage of Blind Guardian's songs, particularly in more recent years, he has almost strictly played rhythm guitar, with most lead and solo work being performed by André Olbrich.-Personal:Siepen is...
and track 16 written by Olbrich, Kürsch, Michael Schüren. All lyrics written by Kürsch.
- "War of Wrath" – 1:50
- "Into the Storm" – 4:24
- "Lammoth" – 0:28
- "Nightfall" – 5:34
- "The Minstrel" – 0:32
- "The Curse of Fëanor" – 5:41
- "Captured" – 0:26
- "Blood Tears" – 5:23
- "Mirror Mirror" – 5:07
- "Face the Truth" – 0:24
- "Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)" – 6:51
- "Battle of Sudden Flame" – 0:44
- "Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)" – 4:53
- "The Dark Elf" – 0:23
- "Thorn" – 6:18
- "The Eldar" – 3:39
- "Nom the Wise" – 0:33
- "When Sorrow Sang" – 4:25
- "Out on the Water" – 0:44
- "The Steadfast" – 0:21
- "A Dark Passage" – 6:01
- "Final Chapter (Thus Ends...)" – 0:48
- Japanese Bonus Tracks
- "Nightfall" (Orchestral Version) – 5:38
- "A Dark Passage" (Instrumental Version) – 6:05
- 2007 Re-release Bonus Track
- "Harvest of Sorrow" – 3:39 (Siepen/Kürsch/Stauch)
Lineup
- Hansi KürschHansi KürschHans Jürgen Kürsch, better known as Hansi Kürsch is a German musician, the lead vocalist and lyricist of power metal band Blind Guardian. Together with André Olbrich, he is also the principal songwriter for the band. He was also the bassist in Blind Guardian until the 1998 album Nightfall in...
– lead and backing vocals - André OlbrichAndré OlbrichAndré Olbrich is the lead guitarist of the German power metal band Blind Guardian. He is one of the band's founders together with vocalist Hansi Kürsch, and serves as one of its main songwriters....
– lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars - Marcus SiepenMarcus SiepenMarcus Siepen is one of two guitarists in the power metal band Blind Guardian. For the biggest percentage of Blind Guardian's songs, particularly in more recent years, he has almost strictly played rhythm guitar, with most lead and solo work being performed by André Olbrich.-Personal:Siepen is...
– rhythm guitars - Thomas "Thomen" Stauch – drums & percussion
Guests
- Oliver HolzwarthOliver HolzwarthOliver Holzwarth is a German bass guitarist. He was born in Munich, Germany. He plays bass in Rhapsody of Fire along with his brother, drummer Alex Holzwarth. Oliver has been the live/studio bass player for Blind Guardian since 1998...
– bass guitar & fretless bass - Mathias Weisner – keyboards & orchestral effects
- Michael Schüren – grand piano
- Max Zelzner – flutes & alto-flute
- Norman EshleyNorman EshleyNorman Eshley is an English actor best known for his roles on television.He is possibly best known for his role in the sitcom George and Mildred as the snobbish, right-wing real estate agent Jeffrey Fourmile, the foil to George...
, Douglas Fielding – narration - Billy King, Rolf KöhlerRolf KöhlerRolf Köhler was a German singer, musician and record producer.Rolf Köhler has been one of the most successful singers from Germany. His first success was on the 1970s under the Marc de Ville pseudonym...
, Olaf Senkbeil, Thomas Hackmann – the choir company
Personnel
- Produced by Blind GuardianBlind GuardianBlind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
- Flemming RasmussenFlemming RasmussenFlemming Rasmussen is a Danish engineer, producer, mixer and owner and founder of Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark.-Biography:...
– mixing - Charlie BauerfeindCharlie BauerfeindCharlie Bauerfeind is a German sound engineer and producer who has worked mostly with power metal bands such as Angra, Blind Guardian, Helloween, Primal Fear, Rage, HammerFall and Saxon....
– mixing of interludes - Flemming RasmussenFlemming RasmussenFlemming Rasmussen is a Danish engineer, producer, mixer and owner and founder of Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark.-Biography:...
, Charlie BauerfeindCharlie BauerfeindCharlie Bauerfeind is a German sound engineer and producer who has worked mostly with power metal bands such as Angra, Blind Guardian, Helloween, Primal Fear, Rage, HammerFall and Saxon....
and Piet Sielck – mixing engineers - Charlie BauerfeindCharlie BauerfeindCharlie Bauerfeind is a German sound engineer and producer who has worked mostly with power metal bands such as Angra, Blind Guardian, Helloween, Primal Fear, Rage, HammerFall and Saxon....
– recording and engineering of drums, percussion, lead and backing vocals, bass guitars, piano and interludes - Piet Sielck – recording and engineering of lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars, keyboards and orchestral effects
- Flemming RasmussenFlemming RasmussenFlemming Rasmussen is a Danish engineer, producer, mixer and owner and founder of Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark.-Biography:...
– recording and engineering of vocals - Cuny – recording and engineering of flutes, alto-flutes and vocals
- Andreas Marshall – cover and story paintings
- Thorsten Eichhorst – photos
Thematic references
The album retells the events in The SilmarillionThe Silmarillion
The Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
, beginning at the end:
- In "War of Wrath", SauronSauronSauron is the primary antagonist and titular character of the epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.In the same work, he is revealed to be the same character as "the Necromancer" from Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit...
advises his master MorgothMorgothMorgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
to flee the triumphant ValarVala (Middle-earth)The Valar are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. They are first mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion develops them into the Powers of Arda or the Powers of the World...
in the War of WrathWar of WrathThe War of Wrath, or the Great Battle, is a key plot development in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium, portraying the final war against Morgoth at the end of the First Age....
. Morgoth sends him away and reflects on the events leading up to his defeat. - In "Into The Storm", Morgoth and UngoliantUngoliantUngoliant is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, described as an evil spirit in the form of a spider. She is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings, and plays a supporting role in The Silmarillion. Her origins are unclear, as Tolkien's writings don't explicitly...
, fleeing from Valinor after having destroyed the Two Trees, struggle for the possession of the SilmarilSilmarilThe Silmarils are three brilliant jewels which contained the unmarred light of the Two Trees in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. The Silmarils were made out of the crystalline substance silima by Fëanor, a Noldorin Elf, in Valinor during the Years of the Trees...
s. - "Lammoth" is the scream of Morgoth with which he fights off Ungoliant.
- In "Nightfall", FëanorFëanorFëanor is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium who plays an important part in The Silmarillion. He was the eldest son of Finwë, the High King of the Noldor, and his first wife Míriel Serindë...
and his seven sonsSons of FëanorIn J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, the seven sons of Fëanor, the eldest prince of the Noldor, led their people from Valinor to rule over kingdoms in the Northeast of Beleriand:...
mourn the destruction wrought by Morgoth, including the slaying of FinweFinwëFinwë, sometimes surnamed Noldóran, is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He was the first High King of the Elven Noldor to lead his people on the journey from Middle-earth to Valinor in the blessed realm of Aman. He was a great friend of Elu Thingol, the King of Doriath...
, Feanor's father, and swear to get revenge on him, in spite to the Valar's disapproval. - "The Minstrel" most likely its about MaglorMaglorIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Maglor is a fictional character, the second son of Fëanor and Nerdanel. He was the greatest poet and bard of the Noldor and was said to have inherited more of his mother's gentler temperament....
, son of FëanorFëanorFëanor is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium who plays an important part in The Silmarillion. He was the eldest son of Finwë, the High King of the Noldor, and his first wife Míriel Serindë...
, who composed the song "The Fall of the Noldor" based on the Kinslaying. - In "The Curse of Fëanor", Fëanor expresses his wrath and anger and relates the misdeeds he commits, especially the Kinslaying, in pursuit of Morgoth.
- In "Captured", Morgoth addresses the captive MaedhrosMaedhrosMaedhros is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. First introduced in The Silmarillion and later mentioned in Unfinished Tales and The Children of Húrin, he is one of the most enduring characters in The Silmarillion, and has been the subject of paintings by artists such as Jenny...
, Fëanor's son, and chains him to the ThangorodrimThangorodrimIn the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Thangorodrim was a group of three volcanic mountains in the Iron Mountains in the north of Middle-earth during the First Age...
mountains. - In "Blood Tears", Maedhros relates the horrors of his captivity and his deliverance by FingonFingonFingon is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Silmarillion.-Character overview:...
. - "Mirror Mirror" recounts how TurgonTurgonIn the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Turgon "the Wise" is an Elven king of the Noldor, second son of Fingolfin, brother to Fingon, Aredhel and Argon, and ruler of the hidden city of Gondolin....
, in view of inevitable defeat, builds the city of Gondolin, aided by UlmoUlmoUlmo is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He first appears in The Silmarillion as a god or Vala of the Elven pantheon. Ulmo is a title, which means He who pours. He is also known as King of the Sea and Lord of Waters...
("The Lord of Water"). - In "Face The Truth", FingolfinFingolfinFingolfin is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, appearing in The Silmarillion.-Internal history:He was a High King of the Noldor in Beleriand, second eldest son of Finwë, full brother of Finarfin, and half-brother of Fëanor, who was the eldest of Finwë's sons. His mother was...
reflects about the destiny of the Noldor. - In "Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)", Fingolfin recounts his Noldor army's passage from the icy waste of Helcaraxë, the prophecy by Mandos about the Noldor's fate and he reflects on his own and his people's guilt and foreshadows their ultimate defeatNirnaeth ArnoediadIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium of Middle-earth, the Nírnaeth Arnoediad or Unnumbered Tears was the climactic Fifth Battle in the Wars of Beleriand.-The Fifth Battle as told in The Silmarillion:...
. - "The Battle of Sudden Flame" talks about the battleDagor BragollachIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, the Dagor Bragollach was the fourth battle of the Wars of Beleriand...
in which Morgoth breaks the Siege of AngbandSiege of AngbandThe Siege of Angband or "The Long Peace" in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fictional universe was the siege of the Noldor around the fortress of Morgoth in the early centuries of the Years of the Sun, which began following the Dagor Aglareb. For the most part, it was a time of plenitude, peace and...
using his Balrogs and dragonsDragon (Middle-earth)J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium features dragons closely based on those of European legend.Besides dragon , Tolkien variously used the terms drake and worm .-History:The dragons were created by Morgoth...
. - "Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)" is about Fingolfin riding to the gates of Angband to challenge Morgoth to a duel. Fingolfin wounds Morgoth seven times but is eventually killed.
- "The Dark ElfMoriquendiIn the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien, Moriquendi is a Quenya word meaning "Dark-folk", but often translated "Elves of Darkness" or "Dark-elves"...
" refers to EölEölEöl, called the Dark Elf, is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Silmarillion as an Elf of Beleriand and is a character existing in some form from the earliest to the latest writings....
who seduced Turgon's sister and fathered MaeglinMaeglinMaeglin or Meglin is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, featured in The Silmarillion.He was an Elf, the son of Eöl the Dark Elf and Aredhel daughter of Fingolfin. He lived in the First Age of Middle-earth, and was a lord of Gondolin...
, who would eventually betray Gondolin. - In "Thorn", Maeglin reflects on his situation and decides to betray Gondolin to Morgoth.
- "The Eldar" is Elven king Finrod's farewell to his people, dying from wounds received in saving his human friend BerenBerenBeren is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Silmarillion. Huan spoke to him.-Character overview:...
from a werewolf. - In "Nom the Wise", Beren mourns his friend Finrod. NómNomNOM may refer to:*Natural organic matter*Norma Oficial Mexicana, each of a series of official norms and regulations for diverse activities in México.*Mass of Paul VI, aka Novus Ordo Missae*National Organization for Marriage*New Order Mormons...
means "wise" and was the name given to him by Beren's forefather BëorBëorBëor the Old is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Silmarillion as the leader of the First House of the Edain in the First Age, which was called the Folk of Bëor after him...
. - In "When Sorrow Sang", Beren sings about his love to the Elven princess LúthienLúthienLúthien Tinúviel is a fictional character in the fantasy-world Middle-earth of the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. She appears in The Silmarillion, the epic poem The Lay of Leithian, The Lord of the Rings and the Grey Annals, as well as in other material.-Character overview:Lúthien is a Telerin ...
and his death at the teeth of Morgoth's wolf CarcharothCarcharothIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Carcharoth , Sindarin for "The Red Maw", was the greatest werewolf that had ever lived. He was also called Anfauglir...
. - "Out on the Water" refers to the last dwelling-place of Beren and Lúthien.
- In "The Steadfast", Morgoth curses his captive HúrinHúrinHúrin is a fictional character in the Middle-earth legendarium of J. R. R. Tolkien. He is introduced in The Silmarillion as a hero of Men during the First Age, said to be the greatest warrior of both the Edain and all the other Men in Middle-earth...
who steadfastly refused to reveal the secret of Gondolin. - In "A Dark Passage", Morgoth ponders his triumph in the fifth battleNirnaeth ArnoediadIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium of Middle-earth, the Nírnaeth Arnoediad or Unnumbered Tears was the climactic Fifth Battle in the Wars of Beleriand.-The Fifth Battle as told in The Silmarillion:...
. The song also relates the origins of the kindred of menMan (Middle-earth)The race of Men in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth books, such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, refers to humanity and does not denote gender...
and Morgoth's curse on Húrin to be witness to his children's tragic fate. - "Final Chapter (Thus ends ...)" concludes the album, speaking of Morgoth's victory by the "treachery of man" but also of the hope for a new day.
- "Harvest Of Sorrow" is the bonustrack on the remastered version of the album. TúrinTurínTurín is a municipality in the Ahuachapán department of El Salvador....
mourns the loss of his sister NienorNienorNiënor, also known as Níniel , is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, appearing in the Narn i Chîn Húrin told in full in The Children of Húrin and briefly in The Silmarillion...
.
The cover art for the album features Lúthien dancing before Morgoth, from The Tale of Beren and Lúthien
The Tale of Beren and Lúthien
The Tale of Beren and Lúthien is the story of the love and adventures of the mortal Man Beren and the immortal Elf-maiden Lúthien, as told in several works of J. R. R. Tolkien. It takes place during the First Age of Middle-earth, about 6500 years before the events of his most famous book, The Lord...
.