Promising to be one of the most ambitious projects in metal's history, BLIND GUARDIAN's upcoming release will be well worth the wait. The idea to record an orchestral album originally formed in the minds of the two leading lights of the BLIND GUARDIAN universe — guitarist André Olbrich and singer Hansi Kürsch — during the 1990s when BLIND GUARDIAN started to use orchestral elements to enhance their opulent sound.

The monumental project started to take shape over recent years, and mirroring its epic sound cascades, the lyrical concept was developed. To create the concept, André and Hansi worked alongside German bestselling author Markus Heitz, whose latest novel "Die Dunklen Lande" was released on March 1. The book is set in 1629 and contains the prequel to BLIND GUARDIAN TWILIGHT ORCHESTRA's opus "Legacy Of The Dark Lands", which will be out on November 8.

To give their fans a first taster of the upcoming record, the band presents the first single, "Point Of No Return", in the form of a lyric video. Watch it below.

Hansi states: "Finally, after ages of talking about it, it is time to unleash the beast. We have heard your pleas and here it is, a first glimpse of what 'Legacy Of The Dark Lands' is about. We have reached the 'Point Of No Return' and there for sure will be no taking back. 'Legacy Of The Dark Lands' will be released on November 8, 2019. Enjoy listening to the first single of this wonderful album. 'Point Of No Return' is a very vivid song and already gives you a very good insight of what to expect from the upcoming release. The song has it all, it is intense, very melodious and epic at the same time. Don't forget to check out the lyric video for 'Point Of No Return'. But now enjoy this first short trip to the 'Dark Lands'. Still, this is just the beginning."

The two protagonists have actively cultivated their creative exchange over the last five years.

"Markus is a great story teller; with 'Die Dunklen Lande', he created the perfect setting and with the mysterious Nicolas the perfect character for our complex works," Kürsch says. "His inventiveness seems to be almost infinite. Absolutely impressive and very inspiring."

Both sides tell in their own way the story of the mercenary Nicolas and his involvement in the Thirty Years' War. Heitz starts the story off in his book and BLIND GUARDIAN follows suit with "Legacy Of The Dark Lands".

What is the secret surrounding Nicolas? Will he be able to cast off the chains of war and how will his loved ones fare? On "Legacy Of The Dark Lands" via BLIND GUARDIAN'S TWILIGHT ORCHESTRA, Olbrich and Kürsch fulfill their longtime wish of emphasizing imposing choral singing and classical orchestral arrangements. It promises to be an opus unlike any other that the German quartet has ever released, or rather an opus as has never been heard ever before.

"It's incredible that after 20 years we can actually finish this really exciting project," states Kürsch. "I am so happy and more than satisfied with it. Every single track unveils spectacular worlds and tells its very own story. With this album, our biggest creative dream finally becomes reality."

