Looks like the holiday season is shaping up quite nicely for BLIND GUARDIAN fans in the U.S. and Canada: the BG camp has just announced the preliminary routing for their upcoming North American tour throughout November and December in support of their new album, A Twist In The Myth, set for a September 2006 release. Described by Billboard Magazine as "a larger-than-life sound which incorporates the harmonies and drama of Queen with an aggressive, modern sensibility," the BLIND GUARDIAN discography has sold over 120,000 copies in North America alone and their first-ever limited edition single debuted on the Singles Chart in 2002 by selling 5,200 copies.

Lead vocalist Hansi K?rsch checks in about the new album, the new songs, and the upcoming tour:

"As you all most probably know, we have finished the album some days ago and started doing some first shows already. With this album, I think, we have widened the range of the BLIND GUARDIAN universe more than we have ever done before. In terms of quality, we had a very good feeling during the whole recording session. Some of the new songs will be presented on the road when we will start touring. Everything and everyone is in pretty good shape. All preparations for the fall tour are on schedule and the interest in tickets for the tour is really high. One more time, we would like to thank you for your patience and can't wait to hear and see your reaction to the new songs. As soon as there are some download samples, we will let you know. Your endurance will be rewarded."

Between now and the launch of the U.S./Canadian tour, BLIND GUARDIAN will stay busy by hosting listening parties in Europe for their new album, shooting a video for "Another Stranger Me" (featuring new drummer Frederik Ehmke), and touring throughout Europe and Scandinavia in September and October.

The track listing for A Twist In The Myth is as follows:

01. This Will Never End (5:07)
02. Otherland (5:14)
03. Turn The Page (4:16)
04. Fly (5:43)
05. Carry The Blessed Home (4:03)
06. Another Stranger Me (4:36)
07. Straight Through The Mirror (5:48)
08. Lionheart (4:15)
09. Skalds And Shadows (3:13)
10. The Edge (4:27)
11. The New Order (4:49)

BLIND GUARDIAN's "Fly" single was released on April 18th and contained two exclusive tracks: an acoustic version of "Skalds and Shadows" and a cover of the Iron Butterfly classic "In A Gadda Da Vida."

BLIND GUARDIAN North American Tour
11/08 Marquee Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
11/09 House Of Blues - San Diego, CA
11/10 Galaxy Theatre - Santa Ana, CA
11/11 Avalon - Los Angeles, CA
11/12 Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
11/14 TBA - Vancouver, B.C. CANADA
11/15 El Corazon - Seattle, WA
11/17 Avalon - Salt Lake City, UT
11/18 Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO
11/20 The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
11/21 House Of Blues - Chicago, IL
11/22 The Quest - Minneapolis, MN
11/24 Newport Music Hall - Columbus, OH
11/25 Harpo`s - Detroit, MI
11/26 Opera House - Toronto, ON CANADA
11/28 Salle Albert-Rousseau - Québec City, QC CANADA
11/29 The Medley - Montreal, QC CANADA
11/30 TBA - New York, NY
12/01 Palladium - Worcester, MA
12/02 TBA - Philadelphia, PA
12/04 9.30 Club - Washington, D.C.
12/05 TBA
12/07 House Of Blues - Orlando, FL
12/08 Roxy - Atlanta, GA
12/09 House Of Blues - New Orleans, LA
12/10 Meridian - Houston, TX
12/11 Backroom - Austin, TX

More dates to be announced SOON!