BLIND GUARDIAN

The German band Blind Guardian will return to Brazil in grand style, with a full stage production and another electrifying show prepared especially for Bangers Open Air, titled “Greatest Hits on Bangers Open Air.” Hansi Kürsch (vocals), André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen (guitars), Johan van Stratum (bass), Frederik Ehmke (drums), and Michael Schüren (keyboards) are accustomed to participating in major festivals, having been one of the highlights of the first edition of the event, back when it was known as Summer Breeze Open Air Brazil, in 2023.

“We are very excited to announce our participation in Bangers Open Air 2025! We can’t wait to return to Memorial da América Latina, a stage that has already given us unforgettable moments with you. Our last visit there was epic, and we’re sure this time will be even more special!” commented vocalist Hansi Kürsch.

Initially, still under the name Lucifer’s Heritage, the group played a raw, heavy, and aggressive sound, blending power, speed, and thrash metal. After two demo tapes, Kürsch and Olbrich, joined by Christoph Theissen (guitar) and Hans-Peter Frey (drums), saw the track “Majesty” offer the first hint of their connection to the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. The addition of Marcus Siepen and drummer Thomen Stauch, who came from Redeemer, formed the solid foundation that debuted in 1988. However, one detail caught the attention of the musicians, as Kürsch explained: “We realized that everyone who got our demos placed them alongside black metal bands, which wasn’t our intention. The reason was our name, which didn’t match the type of sound we were making.”

After abandoning the name Lucifer’s Heritage, their debut, “Battalions of Fear” (1988), was followed by “Follow the Blind” (1989). The evolution came in the 1990s with “Tales from the Twilight World” (1990). In “Somewhere Far Beyond” (1992), the so-called “bards of metal” further explored their own musical and thematic identity, always linked to fantasy literature.

Success came with “Imaginations from the Other Side” (1995). “We took a big step by presenting somewhat aggressive music while further exploring melodic elements. No matter which song from ‘Imaginations from the Other Side’ we play live, they are always well-received,” stressed Hansi.

When Blind Guardian first came to Brazil in August 1998, they were promoting the conceptual “Nightfall In Middle-Earth.” By that time, the group, formed in the mid-80s in the city of Krefeld, was already known worldwide for musically interpreting the works of J. R. R. Tolkien and other fiction literature. “The lyrics are related to one of our favorite topics, which are the works ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ and ‘The Silmarillion’ by J.R.R. Tolkien. From my point of view, I think we managed to do justice to such a complex topic,” described Kürsch, who shifted his focus solely to vocals and left the bass duties to Oliver Holzwarth.

In 2002, “A Night at the Opera” pointed in new directions with a more progressive sound, featuring prominent choirs and orchestra. The successor, “A Twist in the Myth,” came four years later, but during this phase, the band underwent a change with the departure of drummer Thomen Stauch, replaced by Frederik Ehmke. With “At the Edge of Time” (2010), both new fans and longtime followers became excited again. “The album greatly pleased old-school fans who didn’t much like ‘A Twist in the Myth.’ I would say at least 99% of the reactions were extremely positive,” evaluated Kürsch.

Following this, they released “Beyond the Red Mirror” (2015) and “Twilight Orchestra: Legacy of the Dark Lands (2019),” the long-awaited orchestrated project that realized their vision and paved the way for a return to their old sound with “The God Machine” (2022).