This triple-CD live set from Blind Guardian, Germany’s premier progressive-power metal pioneers, stands as a testament to Europe’s enthusiastic audience participation. Nowhere is that more evident than on “The Bard’s Song (In the Forest),” a rousing folk singalong in which fans nearly overpower vocalist Hansi Kürsch. The crowd looms large on all 22 songs here—chanting between songs and singing during instrumental passages. Officially a quartet, Blind Guardian expands to six in concert to broaden its epic sound and emphasize its huge choruses. The performances on Live Beyond the Spheres were culled from at least 10 shows recorded on the band’s 2015 European tour and feature an appealing mix of vintage tracks and more recent material (including songs from 2015’s Beyond the Red Mirror). Choirs and orchestral passages are piped in but don’t diminish the overall impact—unless fantasy-based lyrics aren’t your thing. In that case, you won’t last past the first disc.
