Blind Guardian is a part of the German heavy metal scene that emerged in the mid-1980s. The band was formed in 1984 as Lucifer's Heritage by Kürsch (then also bassist), Olbrich, other guitarist Markus Dörk, and drummer Thomas Stauch. Dörk and Stauch both left the following year and were replaced by Christof Theißen and Hans-Peter Frey, respectively, who left as well before the end of the year. In 1987, Siepen joined, and Stauch returned; under this lineup, which lasted 18 years (the longest in the band's history), the band changed their name to Blind Guardian and released their first album, Battalions of Fear, in 1988. They have since released ten more studio albums, including an orchestral album that was released under the name Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra.
Over the releases, Blind Guardian established themselves as a notably successful band and as pioneers of the power metal movement. In 1996, Kürsch stopped acting as the band's bassist to focus on vocals. Various session members replaced him, mainly Oliver Holzwarth. However, in 2005, Stauch left the band, disapproving of Blind Guardian's transition into a more complex progressive sound with a heavy use of backing vocals, and was replaced by Ehmke.
Most of Blind Guardian's albums were well received by fans and critics alike: Somewhere Far Beyond (1992), Imaginations from the Other Side (1995), and Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998), are especially seen as influential works. The music is mostly composed by Kürsch and Olbrich together, and the lyrics, written by Kürsch, are mostly inspired by the fiction of fantasy authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Michael Moorcock, Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, and Robert Jordan, as well as traditional legends and epics. Over the years, a theme has developed which personifies the band members as traveling storytellers, leading fans to refer to the band affectionately as "The Bards." Blind Guardian has been referred to in one article as one of power metal "big four" bands, along with Helloween, Sabaton, and DragonForce.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_Guardian
Discography
Battalions of Fear (1988)
Follow the Blind (1989)
Tales from the Twilight World (1990)
Somewhere Far Beyond (1992)
Imaginations from the Other Side (1995)
Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998)
A Night at the Opera (2002)
A Twist in the Myth (2006)
At the Edge of Time (2010)
Beyond the Red Mirror (2015)
Legacy of the Dark Lands (2019)
The God Machine (2022)
Welcome to Dying
Blind Guardian Lyrics
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Beyond the realms I've been
At darkest places
I'm crying
"The dragon flies"
Something savage
Is yearning for me
What will be
I've lost myself
A few days ago
It's touching my soul
And a vision of past dreams comes true
Welcome to dying
I don't let it out
Welcome to dying
Look to the mirror it shows what I am
Welcome to dying
This town must burn now
Welcome to dying
Can't You see the dragon's seed bears in me
The one who's been before
Many times I terrorized this town
Many times and here I start again
Now I'm stronger and so cold
Cold as ice
Returning is my destiny
Now I feel it's growing up in me
Now I feel it's burning deep in me
I'm not what I was before
Could I stop this dream
I'm a stranger to myself
And I cannot control
Welcome to dying
I don't let it out
Welcome to dying
Look to the mirror it shows what I am
Welcome to dying
Can't you see the dragon's seed bears in me
Welcome to dying
The dragon's breath I don't let it out
I'm a savage
It's too late for me
The other side's taking control and I know
There's one way I can walk alone
Or the dragon will fly
And a growing fear's all that I feel
Welcome to dying
I don't let it out
Welcome to dying
Look to the mirror it shows what I am
Welcome to dying
Can't you see the dragon's seed bears in me
Welcome to dying
The dragon's breath I don't let it out
Welcome to dying
Welcome to dying
Welcome to dying
Welcome to dying
Welcome to dying
Welcome to dying
Can't you see the dragon's seed bears in me
Spread my wings and fly away
I spread my wings and fly away
I spread my wings and fly away
Blind Guardian's "Welcome to Dying" explores the idea of a character who is in a state of insanity, crying in the darkest of places, while simultaneously experiencing a yearning for something savage. The song opens with the line, "Close to insanity, beyond the realms I've been," which immediately sets a brooding and ominous tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer has lost themselves, and as they become more aware of their primal desires, they begin to imagine past dreams as a reflection of their current reality.
The dragon is often used in mythological symbolism as a representation of chaos, power, and awe, and in the lyrics of "Welcome to Dying," the dragon appears to be an embodiment of the singer's inner darkness. While the lyrics appear to suggest a fight against this darker self, the struggle proves futile, as the singer ultimately surrenders to the dragon and spreads their wings to fly away.
The song encourages listeners to recognize and accept their darker impulses, acknowledging that we all have a 'dragon seed' within us. The lyrics suggest that perhaps rather than trying to fight these impulses, we should accept and integrate them into our sense of self, to avoid being consumed by them entirely.
Line by Line Meaning
Close to insanity
I'm on the brink of madness
Beyond the realms I've been
I've been to places one can hardly imagine exist
At darkest places
I'm currently in a very dark and scary place
I'm crying
I'm shedding tears because of my fears and uncertainty
"The dragon flies"
I fear that something very dangerous is looming over me
Something savage
A fierce and violent force within me is brewing
Is yearning for me
It's calling out to me
I'm waiting afraid for the night
I'm scared to face the darkness and what it might bring
What will be
I don't know what will happen to me
I've lost myself
I no longer know who I am
A few days ago
Recently
It's touching my soul
This mysterious force is affecting me on a deep level
And a vision of past dreams comes true
I'm experiencing things that I thought were impossible, as though my wildest dreams are coming true
Welcome to dying
I am facing my own mortality
I don't let it out
I try to keep my fear and pain hidden
Look to the mirror it shows what I am
If I'm brave enough to face myself, I'll see that I'm not the person I thought I was
This town must burn now
I've become so dangerous that the town is better off without me
Can't You see the dragon's seed bears in me
I'm starting to realize that there is something within me that is beyond my control
The one who's been before
I have a long history of causing destruction in this town
Many times I terrorized this town
I have a long history of causing destruction in this town
Many times and here I start again
Once again, I find myself on the brink of causing destruction in this town
Now I'm stronger and so cold
I've become cold and heartless because of the brutal experiences I've been through
Cold as ice
I've become completely numb
Returning is my destiny
It seems that I am destined to come back to this town and cause more destruction
Now I feel it's growing up in me
The fierce and violent force within me is growing stronger by the day
Now I feel it's burning deep in me
The fierce and violent force within me is burning deep within me
I'm not what I was before
I've changed a lot and I'm no longer the person I used to be
Could I stop this dream
Can I do something to prevent the inevitable destruction that is coming?
I'm a stranger to myself
I no longer recognize who I am or what I stand for
And I cannot control
The fierce and violent force within me is beyond my control
The dragon's breath I don't let it out
I try to contain the dangerous force within me
I'm a savage
I've become a brutal and violent person
It's too late for me
I've gone too far down this path to turn back now
The other side's taking control and I know
The dangerous force within me is taking over and I'm powerless to stop it
There's one way I can walk alone
The only option left for me is to walk away from everything and everyone
Or the dragon will fly
If I stay, I know that the destruction that follows me will be catastrophic
And a growing fear's all that I feel
All that's left for me is a deep sense of fear and uncertainty
Spread my wings and fly away
I need to leave this place and never look back
I spread my wings and fly away
I need to leave this place and never look back
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDRE OLBRICH, HANS JUERGEN KUERSCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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