- Somewhere Far Beyond
Infobox Album
Name = Somewhere Far Beyond
Type = studio
Artist =Blind Guardian
Released = June 29th, 1992
Recorded = March-May 1992Karo Studios
Genre =Power metal ,speed metal
Length = 55:28
Label = Virgin/Century Media
Producer =Kalle Trapp
Reviews =
* [http://soundofmetal.se/ Sound Of Metal] rating|8.8|10 [http://soundofmetal.se/index.php?page=blindguardianreview link]
*Allmusic rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:9eom96hogep6 link]
Last album = "Tales from the Twilight World "
(1990)
This album = "Somewhere Far Beyond"
(1992)
Next album = "Imaginations from the Other Side "
(1995)"Somewhere Far Beyond" is the fourth studio-album by German Power/Speed-Metal act
Blind Guardian .It was released in 1992 and produced byKalle Trapp . The cover artwork was created byAndreas Marschall , who has also drawn the artwork for some more of Blind Guardian's releases ("Tales from the Twilight World ", "Nightfall in Middle-Earth ", etc.).The album saw the band creating its own original sound, while still employing some of their speed/power metal techniques.The strong songwriting of the album (including fan favorite The Bard's Song) made the album a power metal staple. The image of the cover and the two Bard's Songs gave the band its nickname "The Bards". The use of the nickname has been also extended to the fans of the group, Circle of the Bards being the now defunct fan club and Hansi frequently calling the fans Bards.The album was acclaimed by
power metal fans all across Europe and especially Japan, allowing them to tour for the first time outside Germany. The tour in the Far East led to the first live album of the band, "Tokyo Tales ".Remastered and re-released on 15th June 2007, with bonus tracks.
Track listing
# "Time What is Time" – 5:42
# "Journey Through the Dark" – 4:45
# "Black Chamber" – 0:56
# "Theatre of Pain" – 4:15
# "The Quest for Tanelorn" – 5:53
# "Ashes to Ashes" – 5:58
# "The Bard's Song (In the Forest) " – 3:09
# "The Bard's Song (The Hobbit)" – 3:52
# "The Piper's Calling" – 0:58
# "Somewhere Far Beyond" – 7:28
* Bonus Tracks:11. "Spread Your Wings " (Queen cover) – 4:13:12. "Trial By Fire" (Satan cover) – 3:42:13. "Theatre of Pain" (Classic version) – 4:13
*2007 Re-release Bonus Tracks:14. "Ashes to Ashes" (Demo Version) – 5.51:15. "Time What is Time" (Demo Version)Note: the 2007 re-release has all the previous bonus tracks, although they are not listed as such.
Lineup
*
Hansi Kürsch – vocals and bass
*André Olbrich – lead, rhythm, acoustic guitars and backing vocals
*Marcus Siepen – rhythm, acoustic guitars and backing vocals
*Thomas "Thomen" Stauch – drumsGuest musicians
* Piet Sielck –effects and guitars
* Mathias Wiesner – effects and bass on "Spread Your Wings"
* Rolfi Köhler, Billy King and Kalle Trapp – backing vocals
* Stefan Will – piano
* Peter Rübsam – Scottish and Irish bagpipes
*Kai Hansen – lead guitar on "The Quest for Tanelorn"Personnel
* Kalle Trapp – producing, mixing and recording
* Piet Sielck – second engineer
* Andreas Marschall/Becker — Derouet Hamburg – cover paintings
* Tom Nagy – photo
* a•r•t•p•o•o•l – graphicsLyrical references
* "Time What is Time" lyrics are widely inspired by the film "
Blade Runner ".
* "Journey Through the Dark" is aboutJerry Cornelius , bard and companion of theEternal Champion , from the books byMichael Moorcock .
* "Black Chamber" is based onTwin Peaks .
* "Theatre of Pain" is based on fantasy novel "The Merman's Children " byPoul Anderson
* "Quest for Tanelorn" is based on the works ofMichael Moorcock (Tanelorn being a fictional city inThe Multiverse of Moorcock's stories).
* "Ashes to Ashes" has several notes to the story ofDr. Faustus , referencing to Faustus's remorese in the final scenes of the play
* "The Bard's Song (In the Forest)" also contains a short reference to theMiddle-earth legendarium , though probably more as a lead in to the next song.
* "The Bard's Song (The Hobbit)" is based onJ. R. R. Tolkien 's "The Hobbit ".
* "Somewhere Far Beyond" is based onStephen King 's "Dark Tower" series.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.