Time what is time…right? 25 years have passed by since the initial release of the majestic “Imaginations From The Other Side”, the album that put Blind Guardian on the map as it was really their first huge commercial success. Nuclear Blast celebrates this milestone by issuing various versions of the album which the fans of the German bards embraced almost instantly thus putting back the album on the charts….after 25 whole years! Isn’t it awesome or what?
We were lucky enough to purchase or even more accurately to invest on the limited edition/exclusive mailorder edition which was immediately sold out right from the pre-orders. And we say “invest” as this is a real jewel! A real collector’s piece! Let’s see what we got upon arrival of this prestigious box set. The cover artwork is really a diorama which brings forth all the details of the front and back cover artwork as its 3D effect is really spectacular. A 40-page hardcover book sheds light to all the details of the album and the initial ideas that the artist Andreas Marschall had for the album and the accompanying singles. Hansi and Andre turn back the hands of time and share some wonderful memories while the autographed certificate of authenticity is also a really cool addition. What else…? A poster and a puzzle that depict the covert artwork plus the main course…3 CDs + 1 Blu-Ray on which we get the remixed/remastered version of the album (2012), the live show in Oberhausen (2016) where Guardian presented “Imaginations” in its entirety (CD + Blu-Ray) plus the instrumental and demo version of the album that is carefully engineered and mastered by Charlie Bauerfeind (2020).
All in all, as we said: a pure jewel for every collector out there! After all, this is the appropriate way of treating one of the best metal albums of the 90s and of all times, really!
Highlight/Fun Fact: The new reissue of “Imaginations…” hit the market on the 11th of December 2020. That is exactly 25 years + 3 days since Guardian’s live debut in Greece.
