BLIND GUARDIAN To Begin Production On New Album This Month

BLIND GUARDIAN singer Hansi Kürsch has posted the following message on the group's official web site:

"Here is a short update about what is going on at the moment: Frederik [Ehmke, new BLIND GUARDIAN drummer] did some kick-ass drum arrangements for the new songs and now Oliver Holzwarth has started working on the bass arrangements. At the same time André, Marcus and I are fixing final arrangement issues but basically we have finished the biggest part of composing. We are going to start the production for the new album somewhere during the last days of August. As you can imagine everyone is highly motivated, excited and of course ready to go."

BLIND GUARDIAN's "very rough" schedule for the next months:

Late August - End of November:
*Recording [and] mixing of the first single
*Video shoot

December 2005/January 2006:
*Mixing

February/March 2006:
*Promotion
* Release of the first single

April/May 2006:
*Release of the album and warm-up shows

June – August 2006:
*Warm-up shows
*South America
*Japan
*Release of the second single

September – October 2006:
*Europe

November 2006:
*Japan
*Australia

December 2006 – February 2007:
*USA, Mexico and Canada

BLIND GUARDIAN recently replaced drummer Thomen Stauch, who left the band in April after 20 years. The new man behind the kit is fellow German Frederik Ehmke, who is said to be "fairly unknown in the world of metal."

The production of BLIND GUARDIAN's debut album for Nuclear Blast Records will start soon with the help of producer Charlie Bauerfeind. No album title has been set as of yet, but it looks like the CD will contain a total of ten songs. Working songtitles include "Carry the Blessed Home", "The Edge", "In Search for the Lionheart", "Market Square", "Another Stranger Me", and "Otherland".