Blind Guardian Nightfall In Middle Earth (remixed & Remastered) Active since 1984, Blind Guardian is one of the most influential & revered bands in the metal genre. Nuclear Blast is excited to release 3 of the band's classic albums on vinyl, remixed and remastered as well as bonus content. Nightfall in Middle-Earth is the sixth full-length studio album by German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was originally released on April 28, 1998 through Virgin Records. It is a concept album based upon J. R. R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion, a book of tales from the First Age of Middle-earth, recounting the War of the Jewels. It is also the first album with Oliver Holzwarth as guest musician, playing bass guitar instead of Hansi Kürsch.