Battalions of Fear

Battalions of Fear, the debut, came out on No Remorse Records in 1988 as the LP NRR 1001. Sources disagree on the date: the databases give 15 February, the band's own discography January. The CD followed in 1989 with a bonus track, "Gandalf's Rebirth". Victor says the band changed its name from Lucifer's Heritage to Blind Guardian on signing to No Remorse in 1988; other sources put the change anywhere from 1986 to 1988. Victor Musical Industries issued it in Japan as VICP-8013 on 21 August 1990. It was recorded and mixed at Karo Studio in Münster in October and November 1987, produced, recorded and mixed by Kalle Trapp. Hansi Kürsch sings and plays bass, André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen play guitar and Thomen Stauch drums. "Wizard's Crown" began life as "Halloween", the opening song of Symphonies of Doom, the first Lucifer's Heritage demo from 1985, and the second demo, from 1986, was already called Battalions of Fear. The band's site describes the record as raw, unpolished speed metal that touches on thrash, and says the opening "Majesty" is still a fan favourite and often played live. Looking back in 2015, Kürsch said they had been completely convinced it would be a worldwide success, and that it did not turn out that way. Germany's Rock Hard gave it 9.0. The running order here is the original LP's as printed.