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Somewhere Far Beyond

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Somewhere Far Beyond

Studio album by Blind Guardian
Released 29 June 1992
Recorded February–May 1992
Studio Karo Studios
Genre
Power metalspeed metal
Length 43:20
55:28 (remastered version)
Label Virgin/Century Media
Producer Kalle Trapp
Blind Guardian chronology
Tales from the Twilight World
(1990) Somewhere Far Beyond
(1992) Imaginations from the Other Side
(1995)

Singles from Somewhere Far Beyond
"The Bard's Song (In the Forest)"
Released: 5 May 2003
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [1]
Rock Hard (9.5/10)[2]
Somewhere Far Beyond is the fourth studio album by the German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was released in 1992 and produced by Kalle Trapp. The cover artwork was created by Andreas Marschall, who also drew the artwork for other 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 most of their speed/power metal techniques.

The cover art 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 Kürsch frequently calling the fans "Bards".

"The Piper's Calling" contains the first three parts of the Great Highland Bagpipe 2/4 March, "The 79th's Farewell to Gibraltar", written by Pipe Major John MacDonald of the 79th Regiment of Foot (Cameronian Volunteers). Part of this composition also appears as a section of the title track, this time played on a different type of bagpipe.

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 band's first live album, Tokyo Tales.

Somewhere Far Beyond was remastered and re-released, with bonus tracks, on 15 June 2007. The album was again re-released and also remixed and remastered as part of A Traveler's Guide to Space and Time boxset.

Track listing
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Time What Is Time" Hansi Kürsch, André Olbrich 5:42
2. "Journey Through the Dark" Kürsch, Olbrich 4:45
3. "Black Chamber" Kürsch 0:56
4. "Theatre of Pain" Kürsch, Olbrich 4:15
5. "The Quest for Tanelorn" Kürsch, Olbrich, Marcus Siepen, Kai Hansen[3] 5:53
6. "Ashes to Ashes" Kürsch, Olbrich 5:58
7. "The Bard's Song – In the Forest" Kürsch, Olbrich 3:09
8. "The Bard's Song – The Hobbit" Kürsch, Olbrich 3:52
9. "The Piper's Calling" (instrumental) Kürsch, Olbrich 0:58
10. "Somewhere Far Beyond" Kürsch, Olbrich 7:28
Bonus tracks†
No. Title Writer(s) Length
11. "Spread Your Wings" (Queen cover) John Deacon 4:13
12. "Trial by Fire" (Satan cover) Russ Tippins 3:42
13. "Theatre of Pain (Classic Version)" Kürsch, Olbrich, Mathias Wiesner 4:13
2007 re-release bonus tracks
No. Title Writer(s) Length
14. "Ashes to Ashes (Demo Version)" Kürsch, Olbrich 5:51
15. "Time What Is Time (Demo Version)" Kürsch, Olbrich 5:35
^† The first set of bonus tracks are featured on all releases other than the vinyl LP. The 2007 re-release includes all of these tracks, although they are not listed as bonus tracks. It does not include the original re-release bonus tracks.