Blind Guardian is one of the leading names in power metal worldwide. Founded in Germany in the 1980s, the band stands out for its epic sound and lyrics inspired by Norse mythology, classic and fundamental elements of this subgenre. But, after all, who is the "Blind Guardian" in the band's name?
The story behind the origin of the name "Blind Guardian" is less mysterious than the faceless figure on the band's album covers might suggest. In fact, it was the fear of association with the black metal scene that changed the course of what the musical project of the young Germans Hansi Kürsch, André Olbrich, Marcus Dörk , and Thomen Stauch .
According to Blind Guardian's official website , the initial quartet released two demos under the name Lucifer's Heritage , featuring songs that would later be reworked and used in the band's discography as it is known today. With a sound leaning more towards speed and thrash metal, these releases took place in 1985 and 1986.
However, this initial name didn't quite fit with the new direction the band would take. "The Bards [band members], reluctant to succumb to the seductive allure of Black Metal record sales, abandoned their satanic name," explains the band's website.
The inspiration for Blind Guardian's official name came from progressive metal. In 1986, Fates Warning released their third studio album, Awaken the Guardian, which features a song called "Guardian".
Fates Warning – Excerpt from the lyrics of “Guardian”
Walking down the corridor, blind man.
Through millions of miles of stars his mind has seen,
he thinks he can live in darkness.
We are the darkness, he saw the light of the dream
(...)
I would remain to witness the pain.
I am beyond the dark silence.
I will return as your guardian.
Now with a sound different from that explored in Lucifer's Heritage, finally entering the realm of power metal, Blind Guardian debuted with their first album, Battalions of Fear , in 1988. Right from this first album, the band has a song very similar to the chosen name: "Guardian of the Blind".
This song, however, is not about the "blind guardian" of the band's name, but a work inspired by the story of It , a book by Stephen King , narrating the journey of seven children who fight against It. In the lyrics, the story alternates between an omniscient narrator and It itself, which recounts the strange sensation of a guardian, a protector of the blind, who would be the creature's victims.
Blind Guardian – Excerpt from “Guardian of the Blind”
Through a ritual we wounded the Thing, but we didn't kill it.
Little Billy, you must find your way. We don't
believe in you, we plead, but where? We can never find it.
There must be a sign for the Guardian of the Blind.
Guardian, Guardian, Guardian of the Blind
Now he feels the curse of heaven
Guardian, Guardian, Guardian of the Blind
Now he feels the curse
On Blind Guardian album covers, a hooded figure often appears, interpreted by many fans as the band's "blind guardian." However, unlike Eddie from Iron Maiden , for example, there isn't a backstory built around this character. While there's no definitive answer to who this figure is, it's possible to trace the path that led the band to this name, now immortalized in the world of metal.
READ ALSO: The prophecy and history of King Arthur masterfully written in a Blind Guardian classic.