Legendary German heavy metal band Blind Guardian has announced the release of a re-recorded version of their iconic 1992 album, “Somewhere Far Beyond.” Titled “Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited,” this new version was recorded over 2022 and 2023 and serves as a powerful homage to one of the most significant albums in German metal history. This re-recording showcases the class and quality that Blind Guardian has been known for since their early days as Lucifer’s Heritage.
“Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited” is set to be released on August 2, 2024, coinciding with Blind Guardian’s much-anticipated return to the Wacken Open Air festival. Fans can pre-order a variety of physical formats starting today. To give listeners a taste of the updated sound, the band has released a single, “The Quest For Tanelorn (Revisited),” accompanied by a music video directed by Dirk Behlau. The video features a mix of historic and new studio, backstage, and live footage.
The track listing for “Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited” includes:
1. Time What Is Time (Revisited) (05:45)
2. Journey Through The Dark (Revisited) (04:49)
3. Black Chamber (Revisited) (01:00)
4. Theatre Of Pain (Revisited) (04:18)
5. The Quest For Tanelorn (Revisited) (06:06)
6. Ashes To Ashes (Revisited) (06:03)
7. The Bard’s Song – In The Forest (Revisited) (03:27)
8. The Bard’s Song – The Hobbit (Revisited) (04:10)
9. The Piper’s Calling (Revisited) (01:02)
10. Somewhere Far Beyond (Revisited) (07:33)
The album will be available in a limited-edition three-disc digipak, which includes a 2022 live version of the entire album on a separate CD and a Blu-ray disc featuring the anniversary sets from Rock Hard Festival and Hellfest 2022. Other formats include a gatefold LP with a 24-page booklet, a jewel case CD, and a digital album.
“Somewhere Far Beyond” was Blind Guardian’s major label debut via Virgin Records after releasing three albums on No Remorse Records. This album opened doors to the Japanese market and significantly increased the band’s global presence. The album perfected the balance of speed, heaviness, melodies, drama, and irresistible choruses that the band had been honing since their 1990 release, “Tales From The Twilight World.” “Somewhere Far Beyond” also saw the band experimenting with keyboards, orchestrations, and folk elements, resulting in timeless tracks like “The Bard’s Song (In The Forest)” and “The Quest For Tanelorn.”
Fast forward 30 years, and Blind Guardian has been performing “Somewhere Far Beyond” in its entirety at major festivals like Rock Hard Festival and Hellfest in 2022. These performances were professionally filmed and recorded, and the Hellfest material has been newly edited by the band’s longtime videographer, Dirk Behlau, for the limited triple-disc edition of “Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited.”
The idea to re-record the album originated during rehearsals for these anniversary shows. As Hansi Kürsch explains in the liner notes, the band initially planned to record the rehearsals due to uncertainties caused by the pandemic. However, they were not satisfied with the rough versions and decided to go all in, despite knowing the risks of re-recording a beloved album.
“We tried to recapture what we did in 1992 but compensate youth with skillful experience,” says Kürsch. “We never discussed any major changes, but with over 30 years of experience and our current lineup, those ingredients already add a new flavor to it.”
With the basic tracks recorded in a live setting, “Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited” is leaner and more focused on impact in terms of guitar arrangements while retaining all the harmonies and melodies essential to the original. Guitarist André Olbrich adds, “We combined how we play the songs today but at the same time, really tried to retain that speed metal spirit of the early ’90s.”
Blind Guardian’s re-recorded version of “Somewhere Far Beyond” promises to be a thrilling experience for both longtime fans and new listeners, capturing the essence of the original while adding a fresh, modern twist.
