Blind Guardian – Somewhere Far Beyond (Revisited)
Release Date: 2nd August 2024
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Speed Metal, Power Metal, Heavy Metal.
FFO: Gamma Ray, Edguy, Avantasia.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
No one can deny the contributions of German metal pioneers, Blind Guardian, to both the speed and power metal genres. Their 1992 album, Somewhere Far Beyond, is a classic. A follow-up to 1990s Tales From The Twilight World, Somewhere Far Beyond saw the band continue to explore new musical territories with keyboards, dramatic orchestrations, powerful harmonies and melodies, and elements of history and folklore. This successful experiment resulted not only in opening doors overseas, but it also gave rise to what has become Blind Guardian’s most well-known song and a highlight of their live show, The Bard’s Song – In The Forest. I finally got to sing along with the bards themselves in Atlanta this year, and that was something I’ll never forget.
Now, fresh on the heels of a U.S. tour and an amazing performance at Wacken Open Air, fans can experience the band’s take on this landmark album with Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, out on August 2nd via Nuclear Blast. The record includes a complete re-recording of the 1992 favorite, as well as live recordings from Rock Hard Festival 2022. The album features the incomparable vocals of Hansi Kürsch, André Olbrich on lead, acoustic, and rhythm guitars plus backing vocals, Marcus Siepen on rhythm and acoustic guitars plus backing vocals, and Frederik Ehmke on drums.
Now, I’m not usually a person who enjoys re-recordings, and even re-masters can be a toss-up. Any time new people are involved, it changes the dynamic, and not always in a good way. Press releases for the band even admit they knew it could be a risk, with die-hard fans seeing the re-recordings as blasphemy. I’ll own up to being one of those fans who usually loathes and abominates changes to my beloved classics. However, according to André, the band combined the way they play the songs now while making a conscious effort to “seize that speed metal spirit of the early 90s!” And I think that’s as good a description as any. Keep in mind, I’m using the 2007 remaster for my comparison, because my record player is MIA. So let’s talk about Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited.
Time What is Time (Revisited) is more aggressive than the original. The drums are very forward, and they propel you through this version at a bit snappier of a pace. The vocals are a little more assertive, but the harmonies are just as good as in the original. The solos are an absolute masterpiece, and you know I love those harmonizing guitars. The original instrumental solos are not as precise, and they don’t have the same pristine tone. However, the original has a little more groove, even if it lacks some of the power.
Journey Through the Dark (Revisited) seems a little less thrashy and a little more subdued than its predecessor. The leads are not as prevalent in the chorus this time around, so the rhythm is more pronounced. The solo is clearly more contemporary, and it’s stunningly executed, but it doesn’t have the same shine as its counterpart. The 90s leads seemed louder and brighter throughout the entire track. Maybe because there was still quite a bit of that 80s energy woven through the original, which was one of the reasons I have always liked it. You can’t go wrong with the key changes, either. Ultimately, I feel like the differences boil to the fact the original was just as much a product of its time as this version is.
I really enjoyed Hansi’s voice in Black Chamber (Revisited). It has a darker timbre these days that really emphasizes these eerie lyrics. There was no doubling on the vocals in this version, which I really liked in the original. But I swear he’s channeling Meatloaf here, especially with that dramatic piano behind him, and I’m not mad about it.
Theatre of Pain (Revisited) is another track that really benefits from the more mature Hansi’s darker tones. It gives it a gravitas that the previous version could never aspire to. I’ll be honest, the original has never been a favorite. The lyrics have always struck me as a bit too cringy, and the symphonic elements never really added anything for me. However, the harmonies are still lovely and in this case, less of that late 80s energy is a good thing. It’s far more palatable overall, but the fiery solo is still the best part of this track.
The first minute or so of the original Quest for Tanelorn has always reminded me of a cross between the Scorpions and Bauhaus. I know it sounds odd, but go listen to any Scorpions song and Bauhaus’ Silent Hedges and I promise you’ll hear it. The intro to The Quest for Tanelorn (Revisited) isn’t quite as eccentric as the original, primarily because older Hansi doesn’t utilize that odd Peter Murphy-esque intonation that younger Hansi did. The chorus is even more Queen-like, though, and I find it much less bombastic, despite the repetition that plagued the original. The dynamics feel fairly similar in the updated version, and the rapid-fire rhythm and blistering leads are as vicious as ever.
The intro to Ashes to Ashes (Revisited) is almost a dead-on dupe of the original, which rather surprised me. The drums are very forward in this version, but they keep everything rolling at a good clip. The vocal harmonies in the chorus are lower, and Hansi’s vocal lines are more legato in some places. His enunciation is more precise, though, and the fry on his voice in this version is fierce. The leads feel like they’re just flying here, and the squall on the guitars is still magical. I love the original, but I might love this one just as much.
So, in light of my earlier remarks, you might imagine I was a little nervous about The Bard’s Song – In the Forest (Revisited). Once again, my fears were (mostly) unfounded because it’s still beautiful. The balance in the mix seems skewed towards Hansi’s vocals and the guitar picking in the intro seemed to have a stronger attack. The solo in the original is in a different octave than the revisited version, and the lead guitar also stands out more in this mix—partially because of the different octave and partially because Andre’s guitar takes more of a backseat. The vocal harmony is also an octave lower and sounds just slightly faster, especially at the lines, “Tomorrow all will be known and you’re not alone
So don’t be afraid in the dark and cold…” The orchestral instruments were also slightly more prevalent in the original. Now, all of that being said, do I like the original better? Yes, but I do like this version. I just think the original is nostalgic for me and has more of a “sitting around in a medieval tavern” feel to it that I will always gravitate to.
The Bard’s Song – The Hobbit (Revisited) sounds like a more sanitized version of the original. It has a thicker amp sound and more low end, yet the sound is somehow thinner than the original. The drums in this version sound more precise, but the kick has more presence in the original. The harmonies are also a little weaker, but the lead vocals are nice and savage. The guitar leads are just so clean and the execution is so technically accurate that some of the feeling is lost, though. The original just seems more expansive in comparison.
Thankfully, there’s no significant difference in The Piper’s Calling (Revisited), and as I love the bagpipes, I quite like that they didn’t try to change it up.
If any of you thought Hansi had gone soft in his maturity, you can forget that crazy talk right now. If 2022’s The God Machine didn’t put that to rest, this album will. Hansi’s vocal attack in Somewhere Far Beyond (Revisited) is phenomenal. Starting at around 1:40, his jumps from high to low and back again are exceptional. The chorus is a bit different, in that there’s no walking down in between the notes in “somewhere far beyond,” he just punches each syllable separately. The guitar plays the Scottish interlude in this version, which rather overpowers the flute and the bagpipes that are so prevalent in the original. The leads are beautifully executed throughout. The ending harmonies are also different, which I didn’t expect. This is very well done, but this version seems a bit more economical, and not quite as colorful as the original.
Overall, Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited delivers a compelling tribute to the original with more sophisticated musicianship and a different take on the dynamics; however, they did retain the speed and the aggressiveness of their youth-as they set out to do. If anything, it feels even more aggressive than before. The original was created by a band that was still somewhat in transition, but this is a band that is streamlined and single-minded. Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited hones in on the individual parts more so than on the bigger picture, which is the opposite of the original. They were going for maximum impact here, with a cohesiveness that only a band who has spent thirty-odd years playing it together can do. (Of the current line-up, only Ehmke did not play on the original.) This is what three decades of honing your skills looks like. There’s more technicality, but maybe a little less of the spontaneous energy. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just different.
I would be the first to complain if the quality was lacking, but it most certainly is not. I will probably still gravitate towards the original album, for nostalgia if nothing else, but I can appreciate Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited for its new perspective on the old classics. If you’re a die-hard fan, it’s worth checking out to hear how the band has changed and matured over the years, or if you’re just discovering them, you can’t go wrong with either version.
(4 / 5)
