Hemispheres - 40th Anniversary

A new, expanded edition of the band’s groundbreaking 1978 release, Hemispheres, by Rush, their sixth studio album, was originally released in October 1978. It built upon the adventurous sonic template the band established on its acclaimed 1977 effort, A Farewell To Kings.

The album’s first track, "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres," encompassed the entirety of Side 1 on the original release and was the logical, heady continuation of the epic album-ending Kings track, Cygnus X-1. Side 2 commenced with the hard-driving commentary on English culture "Circumstances," followed by the socially aware and environmentally conscious FM radio hit "The Trees," and concluded with the instrumental tour de force and longtime concert favorite, "La Villa Strangiato."

The deluxe three 180 Gram Vinyl Edition features the same audio content as the two-CD edition (including the masterful June 1979 Pinkpop Festival performance in the Netherlands) housed in a slipcase with double-gatefold packaging. It also includes a 24-page booklet with unreleased photos and Syme’s new artwork, as well as the 5,700-word version of Bowman’s liner notes.

Gatefold 1 features the original album with Syme’s 40th-anniversary artwork, while Gatefold 2 contains the Pinkpop Festival and Arizona bonus content. A 5x5-inch digital download card sticker of Syme’s new 40th-anniversary art is also included.

The double CD in Digipak includes the newly remastered Hemispheres album, the Pinkpop Festival performance and 2112 from Arizona, a 28-page booklet with unreleased photos and new artwork by Syme, and an edited, 5,700-word version of Bowman’s essay.