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Somewhere Far Beyond
''Somewhere Far Beyond'' is the fourth studio album by 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 o ...
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Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in 1984 in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres.
Nine musicians have been a part of the band's line-up in its history, which has consisted of singer , guitarists and

André Olbrich
André Olbrich (born 3 May 1967) is a German musician, best known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of power metal band Blind Guardian, in which he serves as one of the main composers with other founder Hansi Kürsch. Olbrich was ranked number 76 out of 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time by Guitar World. He is also ranked number 64 in Joel McIver's The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists. Olbrich's guitar work often reflects vocalist Hansi Kürsch's singing. Olbrich's style is influenced by his favourite bands, which include Queen, Judas Priest, Metallica and Black Sabbath. Additionally, Olbrich relies heavily on staccato technique. Equipment Olbrich's gear * ESP Guitars Original Series Horizon Custom #Body: Alder #Neck: Maple (Neck-thru) #Pickups: 2x EMG 81 #Floyd Rose Tremolo System #24 Jumbo Frets #Original Jackson-style pointed headstock * ESP Guitars Original Series M-II Neck Thru #Body: Alder with Maple Top #Neck: Maple (Neck-thru) #Pickups: 1x EMG 81 (brid ...
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Poul Anderson
Poul William Anderson (November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until the 21st century. Anderson wrote also historical novels. His awards include seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards. Biography Poul Anderson was born on November 25, 1926, in Bristol, Pennsylvania to Scandinavian parents. Soon after his birth, his father, Anton Anderson relocated the family to Texas, where they lived for more than ten years. After Anton Anderson's death, his widow took the children to Denmark. The family returned to the United States after the beginning of World War II, settling eventually on a Minnesota farm. While he was an undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota, Anderson's first stories were published by editor John W. Campbell in the magazine ''Astounding Science Fiction'': "Tomorrow's Children" by Anderson and F. N. Waldrop in March 1947 and a sequel, "Chain of Logic" by Anderson alone, in July ...
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The Merman's Children
''The Merman's Children'' is a 1979 fantasy novel by American writer Poul Anderson, inspired by legends of Mermen and Mermaids from Danish folklore, in particular the ballad Agnete og Havmanden. Set at the end of the medieval era, ''The Merman's Children'' details the Faery peoples being displaced by the advancing tide of Christianity. Plot summary The city of Liri, ruled by King Vanimen, lies beneath the waves off the shores of Denmark and peacefully coexists with the landbound humans. Vanimen was once married to a human woman, Agnete, until she returned to land; their four halfling children are Tauno, Eyjan, Kennin, and Yria. A zealous new archdeacon gets permission from the bishop to perform an exorcism that will drive the soulless merfolk away. Upon the exorcism, an earthquake destroys Liri, and a bright light and deafening sound force the merfolk to flee with only what they can carry. The king's halfling children are the only ones unaffected, and Tauno stays to wait for ...
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Twin Peaks
''Twin Peaks'' is an American Mystery fiction, mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on American Broadcasting Company, ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cancellation in 1991. The show returned in 2017 for a Twin Peaks (season 3), third season on Showtime (TV network), Showtime. The series follows an investigation, headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) and local Sheriff Harry S. Truman (Michael Ontkean), into the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) in the fictional town of Twin Peaks, Washington (state), Washington. The show's narrative draws on elements of detective fiction, but its uncanny tone, supernatural elements, and Camp (style), campy, melodramatic portrayal of eccentric characters also draws from American soap opera and horror film, horror tropes. Like much of Lynch's work, it is distinguished by surrealism, offbeat humor, and distinctive cinem ...
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Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939) is an English writer, best-known for science fiction and fantasy, who has published a number of well-received literary novels as well as comic thrillers, graphic novels and non-fiction. He has worked as an editor and is also a successful musician. He is best known for his novels about the character Elric of Melniboné, a seminal influence on the field of fantasy since the 1960s and '70s. As editor of the British science fiction magazine ''New Worlds'', from May 1964 until March 1971 and then again from 1976 to 1996, Moorcock fostered the development of the science fiction "New Wave" in the UK and indirectly in the United States, leading to the advent of cyberpunk. His publication of ''Bug Jack Barron'' (1969) by Norman Spinrad as a serial novel was notorious; in Parliament, some British MPs condemned the Arts Council of Great Britain for funding the magazine. He is also a recording musician, contributing to the bands Hawkwind, Blu ...
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Eternal Champion (character)
The Eternal Champion is a fictional character created by British author Michael Moorcock and is a recurrent feature in many of his speculative fiction works. General overview Many of Moorcock's novels and short stories take place in a shared Multiverse: an array of interconnected parallel universes, many-layered dimensions, spheres, and alternative worlds, spanning from the Big Bang to the End of Time and from planet Earth to faraway galaxies. All these regions of spaces and parallel timelines are given shape by two metaphysical forces which are perpetually opposed to each other: Law and Chaos, which represent perpetual stasis and ever-changing disorder. Since a clear-cut prevalence of either Law or Chaos would erase all life from the Multiverse, a third force known as the Cosmic Balance enforces certain limits on the powers of Law and Chaos, which in turn ensure the continued existence of the Multiverse. Law, Chaos, and the Balance are implied to be non-sentient, but they do ...
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Blade Runner
''Blade Runner'' is a 1982 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, and written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos, it is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel ''Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'' The film is set in a dystopian future Los Angeles of 2019, in which synthetic humans known as '' replicants'' are bio-engineered by the powerful Tyrell Corporation to work on space colonies. When a fugitive group of advanced replicants led by Roy Batty (Hauer) escapes back to Earth, burnt-out cop Rick Deckard (Ford) reluctantly agrees to hunt them down. ''Blade Runner'' initially underperformed in North American theaters and polarized critics; some praised its thematic complexity and visuals, while others critiqued its slow pacing and lack of action. It later became a cult film, and has since come to be regarded as one of the all-time best science fiction films. Hailed for its pro ...
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LP Record
The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of  rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a vinyl (a copolymer of vinyl chloride acetate) composition disk. Introduced by Columbia in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry. Apart from a few relatively minor refinements and the important later addition of stereophonic sound, it remained the standard format for record albums (during a period in popular music known as the album era) until its gradual replacement from the 1980s to the early 2000s, first by cassettes, then by compact discs, and finally by digital music distribution. Beginning in the late 2000s, the LP has experienced a resurgence in popularity. Format advantages At the time the LP was introduced, nearly all phonograph records for home use were made of an abrasive shellac compound ...
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Satan (band)
Satan are an English heavy metal band originating from Newcastle upon Tyne in 1979, known as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. The band is considered influential for playing a form of proto-thrash/speed metal that was fairly advanced by the standards of the early 1980s. Their line-up has undergone a number of personnel changes and even name changes; for a time the band was called Blind Fury, putting out one album, 1985's ''Out of Reach'', under that moniker before reverting to Satan. In 1988, the group changed its name to Pariah, releasing two albums under that name before folding in the early 1990s. In 1998, Pariah released another album. The band's shifting line-up has included members of many other heavy metal bands such as Blitzkrieg, Atomkraft, Avenger, Persian Risk, Cronos and Battleaxe. In 1990, Steve Ramsey (guitar) and Graeme English (bass) together with singer Martin Walkyier of UK thrash metal band Sabbat founded folk metal band Skyclad. Sat ...
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Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1970 by Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals) and Roger Taylor (Queen drummer), Roger Taylor (drums, vocals), later joined by John Deacon (bass). Their earliest works were influenced by progressive rock, hard rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal, but the band gradually ventured into more conventional and radio-friendly works by incorporating further styles, such as arena rock and pop rock. Before forming Queen, May and Taylor had played together in the band Smile (band), Smile. Mercury was a fan of Smile and encouraged them to experiment with more elaborate stage and recording techniques. He joined in 1970 and suggested the name "Queen". Deacon was recruited in February 1971, before the band released their Queen (Queen album), eponymous debut album in 1973. Queen first charted in the UK with their second album, ''Queen II'', in 1974. ''Sheer Heart Attack'' later that year and ''A Night at the Opera ...
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John Deacon
John Richard Deacon (born 19 August 1951) is an English retired musician, best known for being the bass guitarist for the rock band Queen. He wrote several songs for the group, including Top 10 hits " You're My Best Friend", " Another One Bites the Dust" and "I Want to Break Free"; co-wrote "Under Pressure", "Friends Will Be Friends" and "One Vision"; and he was involved in the band's financial management. Deacon grew up in Oadby, Leicestershire, playing bass guitar in a local band, The Opposition, before moving to study electronics at Chelsea College, London. He joined Queen in 1971 on the strength of his musical and electronic skills, particularly the home-made Deacy Amp which guitarist Brian May used to create guitar orchestras throughout Queen's career. From the third album, ''Sheer Heart Attack'', onwards, he wrote at least one song per album, several of which became hits. As well as bass guitar, Deacon played some guitar, keyboards and piano on Queen's studio work. Aft ...
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