Beyond

[Lucas]

Saw this on Instagram today. Possibly related to "Beyond?" Or is there something I am not privy to?

[maartendas]

Ooh - could this be a teaser for the album cover? And do I see a starry sky? This stargazer is now really excited! Perhaps they will reveal the album cover tomorrow evening - including a release date, perhaps?

[fan_de_LoK]

It is very likely a teaser for both the 'Beyond' CD cover and the October tour announce

For the CD, because of the squared shape of this visual,and because the image of the deep and gigantic Milky Way with an earth forest at foreground fits perfectly the name of the album.

For the October tour in Japan, as it is unofficially mentioned online since months and confirmed by Libera itself on stage in Ely, and because Kajimoto is a concert organisation company. As they get involved here, it's not just for a CD.

And mainly because it is only but logical to announce both the new CD and the coming tour together, they will help promoting each-other

[maartendas]

Sounds great - and makes sense.
I also love the play with numbers: 7pm on 7-7

[fan_de_LoK]

Well, I was wrong to put hope in the CD cover and to think the starry night could be the real image.

The 7/7 7pm announce was about the October tour in Japan. No word about the CD yet

[Surpinto]

Well, I was wrong to put hope in the CD cover and to think the starry night could be the real image.

The 7/7 7pm announce was about the October tour in Japan. No word about the CD yet

It was an extremely reasonable guess. When you speculated that it was the CD cover, I honestly assumed no other alternative! Why else would the image look just like that? In fact, it is still possible that they are holding off on announcing the CD and that this is the album cover. They may perhaps be trying to build up anticipation in smaller stages ahead of the tour, so your theory is not yet unproven.

[maartendas]

But where did the milky way picture go? In the announcement of the tour it's a photo of the boys.

And what about 7pm? Was that 7pm in Japan? I was expecting it to be 7pm UK time, so was still waiting in anticipation

[dani]

But where did the milky way picture go? In the announcement of the tour it's a photo of the boys.

And what about 7pm? Was that 7pm in Japan? I was expecting it to be 7pm UK time, so was still waiting in anticipation

Yes 7pm Japan time as it was announcement for Concerts in the Far East.

It’s gone very quiet on the album front so I am assuming now no album before the U.S.A Tour which is a shame.

[Surpinto]

It’s gone very quiet on the album front so I am assuming now no album before the U.S.A Tour which is a shame.

Actually I would argue that releasing the album in Japan first is advantageous for Libera. They have a dedicated advertiser and distributor there in the form of Kajimoto and Libera Records. This would serve to both advertise the album and the tour simultaneously. They have no such exclusive arrangement in the United States nor would they be able to create the same sort of hype here with a new album. With "Hope" they had an exclusive Japanese release as well with different album artwork and an included DVD. This version was never sold internationally, and could only be acquired by purchasing from a Japanese vendor and paying the high shipping costs.

It is my belief that the advertisement and hype that these Japanese companies provide for Libera can then be amplified to international releases; particularly in Japan, Korea, and other East Asian countries in which their album sales are likely stronger than anything they have in the UK or US or Continental Europe.

[kinda_k00l]

I agree with Surpinto.
The album will make a blast in Japan (and South Korea also) for sure, if they are advertised well! I just hope they'll include that acapella version of 'Nearer My God To Thee', which has awed fans several times throughout the years (I know I've already said it before, but oh well...)!

All in all, I'm really looking forward to this one, especially for the new 'Sanctus' & 'Ave Maria'.

[Surpinto]

I agree with Surpinto.
The album will make a blast in Japan (and South Korea also) for sure, if they are advertised well! I just hope they'll include that acapella version of 'Nearer My God To Thee', which has awed fans several times throughout the years (I know I've already said it before, but oh well...)!

All in all, I'm really looking forward to this one, especially for the new 'Sanctus' & 'Ave Maria'.

I really hope that "Nearer My God to Thee" is included; but I have my doubts because they are not in the habit of releasing songs without instrumentation on albums. Having said that, I would be overjoyed to know that this song was on the album as it was my top highlight during the Ely concert.

"Sanctus" with the new parts was quite nice and will contribute to the expanding list of arrangements of this song. Although it has been recorded nearly to death, it is still a good piece for them and the addition of a new part breathed some new life back into it; despite all rumors of its death.

On "Ave Maria", I am admittedly not the the biggest fan of that particular version generally speaking. But I do look forward to hearing Merlin's version again which was extremely well done in Ely. Unlike "Sanctus" the soloist plays an inordinately large role in that song. In contrast, I do not expect "Voca Me" to be any different than the "Libera in America" (2015) or "Free" (2004) versions.

But the song which may be a bigger hit for them on the album is "In Paradisum" (not the "New Dawn" album version). It's a brand new song and was met with enthusiasm in Ely.

[dani]

Voca Me was also remixed for the new album as heard the remixes version at Ely.

[Surpinto]

Voca Me was also remixed for the new album as heard the remixes version at Ely.

Oh, yeah, that's right. I stand fully corrected. How could I have forgotten.

But the modifications were fairly minor, right? For some reason the exact changes in that particular song just didn't stick to my memory the way that others did. Strange given that "Voca Me" is a favorite of mine.

[filiarheni]

Voca Me:

But the modifications were fairly minor, right? For some reason the exact changes in that particular song just didn't stick to my memory the way that others did. Strange given that "Voca Me" is a favorite of mine.

As far as I remember, it was the first stanza which received another tune and lyrics (and I liked it), but not the second one, but I can't get the new Latin lyrics together with it, so ... The "Lacrymosa dies illa" parts remained the same in music, but in Ely it was shortened towards the end.

The song is now fully Latin and before was the typical Latin/English mix. Voca Me I lyrics replaced are:

As secret as a dream you call
As silent as the night for all you cry

You whisper in my silent sleep
You answer to my call when lost I cry


Voca Me II:
Voca me cum benedictis
Oro supplex acclinis

Cor contritum quasi cinis
Gere curam mei finis


Btw, I find it extremely interesting to hear the one noticing a "completely new arrangement", while the other one only recalls slight changes. Is it the individual reception or only our deceptive memory?

[Surpinto]

Thanks for clarifying. I am sure that if I hear it on the album I will be able to fully recollect it from the concert. There was just so much to take in musically that this slipped through the cracks.

Btw, I find it extremely interesting to hear the one noticing a "completely new arrangement", while the other one only recalls slight changes. Is it the individual reception or only our deceptive memory?

I think it's both in my case. "Voca Me" is a song that I like but it was not, for whatever reason, one of the songs that really grabbed me during that particular concert. It doesn't help that the version we are most used to from albums has been one that I have played countless times since "Free" came out in 2004.